The Dolphins Host Former Bills Defender on a Visit
The Miami Dolphins are doing some last-minute shopping before the draft, as they summoned former Buffalo Bills edge rusher A.J. Epenesa to the headquarters. Miami is expected to target edge rushers early in the draft, but the addition of someone like Epenesa may make that need less urgent.
AJ Epenesa, a former highly touted edge rusher from the 2020 NFL Draft class, has been a rotational edge rusher for the last 6 seasons with Buffalo. He has recorded 24 sacks with the club, alongside 4 interceptions in the last 3 years.
At the University of Iowa, Epenesa was one of the most feared power rushers in the country. He wreaked havoc as a sophomore and junior, hitting over 10 sacks in each of those years. He was then selected in round 2 by the Buffalo Bills.
Epenesa has never been a true starter for the Bills, but has played the most in his entire career throughout the last 2 seasons. He has a decent bull rush, but has never developed a tool bag of pass rush moves. Although he doesn’t have many moves, he had a 10.9 pressure rate this season. His size is an advantage at the line of scrimmage for batting passes, with him recording 21 since 2020.
Veteran defenders who made visits today, per the NFL’s transaction wire:
Dante Fowler with the #Seahawks
A.J. Epenesa with the #Dolphins
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 16, 2026
Prior to meeting with the Miami Dolphins, AJ Epenesa had been signed to a 1-year deal worth $ 5 million with the Cleveland Browns. A few weeks later, they backed out of the contract, citing a failed physical as the reason the deal fell through. There are no specifics as to what health issue led the club to back away from Epenesa. The Dolphins will be able to interpret his health for their own sake.
Miami owns picks 11 and 30 in the 1st round of the draft, which is happening next Thursday. The team has made minor moves along their defensive line, signing Josh Uche and David Ojabo to 1-year deals. The addition of Epenesa would not be a permanent solution, but it adds size and experience to a young front. Miami may be targeting other position groups early, such as receiver or offensive line, and signing a defensive end can help delay the need to select a player at that position.
Nothing is finalized, as this was just a veteran visit reported on the NFL transaction wire.
