Two weeks in, the Buffalo Bills remain undefeated, but their defense is running empty. Giving up 31 points in back-to-back games and 736 total yards, Buffalo’s front seven is exposed and rapidly dwindling. With T.J. Sanders recovering from an appendectomy, Ed Oliver battling a hip injury, and Zane Durant on injured reserve, depth has evaporated. Rather than waiting on the front office, QB Josh Allen took matters into his own hands and launched an unexpected, on-camera recruiting campaign.

During a recent media visit to Buffalo, Allen publicly pitched five-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl LV champion Ndamukong Suh to trade his broadcasting headset for a jersey and join the Bills’ defense.

“Well, how about you just put on a jersey for us and… stop the run,” Allen urged Suh on camera. “You heard it here first. Oh, we weren’t even rolling for that? I’m going to show this to Beane real quick.”

Suh didn’t hesitate to match Allen’s energy: “No one has invited me. I’ve always had to be against you guys versus with you. I’d love to, man. Pull me out of retirement like AD [Aaron Donald]… Let’s do it.”

While the exchange carried a lighthearted tone, Allen made sure to signal that the overture was a serious pitch for GM Brandon Beane to consider. However, the subtext behind it was deadly serious. Allen wasn’t just joking around; he was pointing directly at everything Buffalo’s defense is currently lacking: unforgiving toughness and raw durability. Ndamukong Suh hasn’t suited up since his 2022 stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, long after ring-chasing as a dominant anchor for the Super Bowl LV champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Across 191 games, he recorded 600 total tackles and 214 QB hits.

Yet, even in retirement, his legacy as one of football’s most feared interior enforcers looms large. Over a grueling 13-year career, the former No. 2 overall pick terrorized offenses, racking up 71.5 sacks and 5 All-Pro selections. He played with an uncompromising, hyper-aggressive edge that earned criticism, facemask penalties, and over $420,000 in league fines (in his first seven years). His peers even voted him the dirtiest player in the NFL.

“I have a heat-seeking missile type of mentality, and I’ve always had that. I’m in the zone, I understand what I have to get done, and what to accomplish,” Suh said back in 2017. “I will pretty much do anything to get that accomplished.”

That ruthless attitude is exactly what Allen’s hurting defense craves. But Suh’s most valuable quality for Buffalo is his invincibility. Despite playing one of the most violent positions in sports, Suh’s medical record reveals only minor Grade 1 knee strains in 2016 and 2017, neither of which cost him a single game. In 13 seasons, he virtually never missed time due to injury.

The stats explain exactly why Allen felt compelled to make that pitch. The Bills have given up 368 total yards per game till now, which is the fifth-worst mark in the league. Interestingly, Buffalo ranks 11th-best against the run, giving up just 95 rushing yards per game, which suggests the primary issues lie in pass protection and interior pressure. Allen has carried the offensive load, posting five passing touchdowns, zero interceptions, and four rushing scores through two games to keep Buffalo undefeated despite the defensive struggles.

GM Brandon Beane added six defensive linemen in the offseason to build roster depth, but none have proven themselves as impactful starters yet. That volume signals the front office recognized defensive tackle depth as a priority even before Sanders, Oliver, and Durant went down in back-to-back weeks.

After being a late pregame scratch on September 17 due to a sudden hip flexor strain during warmups, Oliver is finally trending in the right direction. Following a rest day on Wednesday and limited action on Thursday, Oliver took on a full workload during Friday’s practice, a massive step toward reclaiming his spot in the lineup.

But Oliver’s return is merely a patch on a rapidly tearing defense. Across the locker room, the outlook remains bleak. Second-year defensive lineman T.J. Sanders is out indefinitely after undergoing an emergency appendectomy. Head coach Joe Brady confirmed the surgery but offered no timeline for his recovery, leaving Buffalo without another projected starter for the foreseeable future and keeping their defensive front in survival mode.

The Bills have depth in numbers, but they lack proven veteran talent, exactly what a 71.5-sack veteran like Suh brings. While GM Brandon Beane has not officially commented on Allen’s on-camera overture, Buffalo faces immediate pressure to shore up its defensive front before Week 3 as they pursue their championship goals.

What do you think? Should the Bills sign Ndamukong Suh to boost their defense? Let us know in the comments.