The Buffalo Bills defense has been consistently respectable since 2013. The players listed on this 2010s All-Decade Defensive Team have made a huge impact for the Bills on defense.
Buffalo Bills 2010s All-Decade Defensive Team
Defensive End: Jerry Hughes (2013-present), Mario Williams (2012-2015)
Doug Whaley made arguably his best move as general manager acquiring Jerry Hughes via trade with the Indianapolis Colts. Hughes recorded 10 sacks in back-to-back seasons upon his arrival in Buffalo. The best he’s had since ’13-’14 was seven in his 2018 campaign. One thing for sure, if the Bills defense is on the field, so is Hughes. He’s been one of the most reliable and productive players the Bills have had this decade.
Raise your hand if you remember the Bills backing up the Brinks truck to sign Mario Williams to 50 million guaranteed dollars in 2012. That was the richest contract ever signed by a defensive player. Williams recorded three-straight double-digit sack seasons. He was an excellent addition to a team without a quarterback, but never valuable enough to push the Bills into the post-season.
Defensive Tackle: Marcell Dareus (2011-2017), Kyle Williams (2006-2018)
Marcell Dareus seemed to always be in some type of trouble in Buffalo. If he wasn’t on Chippewa in downtown Buffalo with Sammy Watkins, he was racing his sports cars in Hamburg, NY. Buffalo drafted Dareus third overall in 2011. What if Andrew Luck had declared for that draft? The Bills had developed an obvious hole in the middle of their defense after Dareus was traded and have since invested heavily in their defensive line unit. Dareus earned First-Team All-Pro Honors in 2014.
Kyle Williams still has an impact and veteran influence within the Bills locker room. His picture is next to the word culture in Sean McDermott’s dictionary. Seriously, however, Williams was everything many Bills fans saw in themselves; a hard-working, blue-collar individual with a never-quit attitude. Williams will forever be a Bills legend.
Linebacker: Lorenzo Alexander (2016-2019), Preston Brown (2014-2017)
Lorenzo Alexander made the Pro Bowl in his first season with the Bills. He was the star on defense in the team’s 2017 playoff game totaling seven tackles and one quarterback hit. Alexander was already long in the tooth when he arrived in Buffalo. But he immediately became a fan favorite while making an impact in the local community.
Preston Brown was a tackling machine. Always around the football for the Bills, he racked up 144 tackles in 2017. He was limited athletically in pass coverage but was consistent for the Bills overall. The Bills drafted Tremaine Edmunds in the first round of the subsequent draft to replace Brown.
Honorable Mention: Nick Barnett (2011-2012) racked up 150 solo tackles and five sacks in two seasons with the Bills.
Cornerback: Stephon Gilmore (2012-2016), Tre’Davious White (2017-present)
These are the best two cornerbacks in the league right now. Stephon Gilmore was good for the Bills, but he didn’t garner league-wide respect and recognition until he played with the New England Patriots. Upon signing with the Patriots, Gilmore tweeted, “My People finally going to get to see me play on TV.” No lies there. In 2020, Tre’Davious White and the Buffalo Bills will be on the national stage at least four times this upcoming fall. White earned First-Team All-Pro honors alongside Gilmore in 2019 and will have a big stage in 2020 to make his claim as the best cornerback in the NFL.
Safety: Micah Hyde (2017-present), Jairus Byrd (2009-2013), Jordan Poyer (2017-present)
Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer signed with the Bills in 2017 and have consistently helped the Bills lead the league in pass defense. Hyde tallied five interceptions in his first season with the Bills and Poyer, though underrated, has been as consistent as they come for the Bills.
Jairus Byrd was an exciting player for the Bills and always seemed to have a nose for the football. He was one of the best defensive players the Bills employed over the decade.
