Orchard Park, N.Y. • The Buffalo Bills have signed defensive end Nate Orchard in an ongoing bid to upgrade their pass rush after an embarrassing season-opening loss at Baltimore.
The Bills also announced Monday they have released defensive tackle Adolphus Washington, the team’s 2016 third-round draft pick.
Orchard had five sacks in 34 games over the previous three seasons with Cleveland. He was selected by the Browns in the second round of the 2015 draft and cut by Cleveland on Sept. 1.
The move comes a day after Buffalo’s defense struggled by giving up six touchdowns and sacked Ravens starter Joe Flacco once in a 47-3 loss at Baltimore. It was the second-most lopsided loss in Bills history.
Washington started 21 games over his first two seasons but became the odd-man out as part of an offseason overhaul. Buffalo signed veteran defensive tackle Star Lotulelei in free agency and selected Stanford’s Harrison Phillips in this year’s draft.
Buffalo hosts the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.