ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — After signing a four-year contract extension with the Buffalo Bills, Ed Oliver had a career year in 2023. He posted 9.5 sacks, 51 tackles, and 14 tackles for loss, all three marks career highs for a single season.
So how does Oliver plan to follow that up in 2024?
“Pick up where I left off last year and just continue to grow as a player, as a person, as a teammate, as a vet on the team," Oliver said. "Just continue to add to my game.”
A key part of that is looking back to last season, not to rewatch his highlights, but to see where the defensive lineman entering his sixth year can take another step.
“Every offseason, I do the same thing — I just break it down, see where I can get better," Oliver said. "See where I wasn’t so good. Understand why I wasn’t so good. Understand how they were attacking me, understand how they’re going to continue to attack me. How they’re going to game plan for me, how I need to be ready for their game plan.”
One voice Oliver will continue to listen to is defensive line coach Marcus West, promoted from his assistant role as he replaces Eric Washington.
“I wouldn’t say it’s the same thing. Different coaching styles, different personalities," Oliver said. "The system hasn’t changed, so he’s helped me with getting into some little details. Just his coaching.”
In a defense with plenty of new faces, there is some continuity up front, with Daquan Jones, Von Miller, and AJ Epenesa all back alongside Oliver. It’s a group he hopes can collectively elevate its play to help the Bills get to where they want to go this season.
"We just feed off each other," Oliver said. "You need help to get to where I got last year. It took all four of us, all 11 of us for me to accomplish what I did, you know, just having that supporting cast and being a supporting cast for them. Takes all of us to get there."