Chris Kelsay is a career quality starter β a pass rusher whose body of work places Kelsay in the top quarter of all players at the position historically. The Knox model values sustained contribution over flash, and Kelsay's career arc reflects exactly that kind of reliable professional-grade performance.
Chris Kelsay
Height6'4"
Weight263 lb
BornOct 31, 1979
Age46
CollegeNebraskaSee College Stats
Rookie yr2003
Draft2003 Β· Rd 2, Pick 48 Β· BUF
A top 20% all-time edge rusher who consistently made an impact across multiple seasons.
Career Value Β· VORP
VORP 97 Β· #1169 Β· High-ValueWorth 97 points of value above a freely-available replacement edge rusher β top 26% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 8 of 10 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +12.1 on average.See board β
Seasons above replacement
8 cleared
Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it β adds 0, never a debit
51
Replacement
the KC-H bar
β
8
Seasons over
cleared the bar
Γ
+12.1
Avg surplus
peak +19
8 seasons Γ ~12.1 surplus β VORP 97
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at onceβno tab hopping.
1 grid split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 2003 | β | BUF | 10 | β | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | β | BUF | 16 | β | 32 | 17 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | β | BUF | 16 | β | 36 | 17 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | β | BUF | 16 | β | 46 | 26 | 20 | 0 | 11 | 5.0 | 16.0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | β | BUF | 14 | β | 35 | 26 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 2.5 | 11.5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | β | BUF | 15 | β | 40 | 26 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 2.0 | 18.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | β | BUF | 16 | β | 38 | 17 | 21 | 6 | 10 | 5.5 | 21.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | β | BUF | 15 | β | 48 | 23 | 25 | 6 | 9 | 4.0 | 19.0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | β | BUF | 12 | β | 35 | 19 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 5.0 | 15.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | β | BUF | 5 | β | 13 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2.0 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 1 |
| Career | β | 135 | β | 337 | 189 | 148 | 28 | 55 | 33.0 | 116.0 | 3 | 21 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 2 | |
Defense
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 24 | BUF | 10 | β | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 4.4 |
| 2004 | 25 | BUF | 16 | β | 32 | 17 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10.5 |
| 2005 | 26 | BUF | 16 | β | 36 | 17 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.4 |
| 2006 | 27 | BUF | 16 | β | 46 | 26 | 20 | 0 | 11 | 5.0 | 16.0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12.3 |
| 2007 | 28 | BUF | 14 | β | 35 | 26 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 2.5 | 11.5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10.2 |
| 2008 | 29 | BUF | 15 | β | 40 | 26 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 2.0 | 18.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 | 10.4 |
| 2009 | 30 | BUF | 16 | β | 38 | 17 | 21 | 6 | 10 | 5.5 | 21.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 2010 | 31 | BUF | 15 | β | 48 | 23 | 25 | 6 | 9 | 4.0 | 19.0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 | 12.1 |
| 2011 | 32 | BUF | 12 | β | 35 | 19 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 5.0 | 15.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | β | 0 | 0 | 10.5 |
| 2012 | 33 | BUF | 5 | β | 13 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2.0 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 1 | 4.2 |
| Career | 135 | 337 | 189 | 148 | 28 | 55 | β | β | 3 | 21 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 97 |
KV-H Anatomy
KV-H 64 Β· Strong StarterA strong starter career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 64 of 100, era-normalized against sacks/g peers across 10 scored seasons.
61
Sustained
career value
Γ.6
68
Peak
best 3 seasons
Γ.4
Γ1
Longevity
career length
Blend 63.8 Γ longevity 1 = KV-H 64Β· confidence 96%
What builds the career mark of 61
On-field 42.9
Availability 18.1
On-field production Staying available
Season-by-season quality (era-relative sacks/g)
2003bestavg 58elite 702012
All-Time Standing
how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position15
Depth
of 100
Reached 17% of the all-time Sacks leader β a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.
17% of the all-time Sacks leader17
0 categories β₯25% of the all-time leader0
A 0β100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data β career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence β so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite β₯ 85 Β· Strong β₯ 65 Β· Solid β₯ 45 Β· Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 88%.
Career Aging Trajectory
vs. position group average Β· KV-H basisAmber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average edge rushers aging curve. Group peak age: 25. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).
Combine Β· 2003
Percentiles compare each raw measurement against position peers, the full combine pool, and the same draft class where enough samples exist.
4.75s
40-Yard
Above avg Β· 53th pct
Pos 53thAll 39thClass Pos 64thClass All 44th
36.5"
Vertical
Strong Β· 81th pct
Pos 81thAll 77thClass Pos 71thClass All 79th
121"
Broad Jump
Strong Β· 76th pct
Pos 76thAll 70thClass Pos 81thClass All 75th
23 reps
Bench
Below avg Β· 40th pct
Pos 40thAll 63thClass Pos 40thClass All 53th
College stats are not imported for this profile yet.
StatVault has the verified college attribution (Nebraska), but no parsed college box-score table is present in this profile artifact. The section stays here so every profile has a consistent college-stats landing point without fabricating unavailable rows.
Reference Graph
Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters β every name is linked.
Top Teammates
Rian LindellK10yTerrence McGeeCB10yBrian MoormanP10yKyle WilliamsDT7yAaron SchobelDE7yLee EvansWR7yJosh ReedWR7yRyan DenneyDE7yRoscoe ParrishWR7yFred JacksonRB6yBryan ScottLB6yGeorge WilsonS6yDonte WhitnerS5yJabari GreerCB5ySpencer JohnsonDT5ySteve JohnsonWR5yLeodis McKelvinCB5yCoy WireOLB5yKeith EllisonILB5yJ.P. LosmanQB5ySam AikenWR5yCorey McIntyreFB5yJosh StamerLB5yRyan NeufeldFB5y
2003 Draft ClassΒ· this player went #48
Franchise Succession
the room, before and afterChris inherited the Buffalo Bills DL room from Sam Adams (2003β2005), and handed it to Kyle Williams (2006β2018).
Similar Players
Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0β100%).
Movementderived from season history
- 2012final season
Last recorded season with BUF
- 2003draft
Drafted by BUF β Round 2, Pick 48
Athletic & Unique Profile
verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts6'4" / 263 lb
Frame
273 lb at 4.75s
Size-speed
36.5" vert / 121" broad
Explosion
23 reps
Bench power
Injury History
6 career games missed (Out)From nflverse weekly injury reports Β· coverage begins 2009.
| Season | Team | Games Out | Designations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | BUF | 3 | W10QuestionableΒ· NeckW11OutΒ· NeckW13OutΒ· NeckW14OutΒ· Neck |
| 2011 | BUF | 3 | W5OutΒ· CalfW6OutΒ· CalfW9QuestionableΒ· CalfW10OutΒ· Calf |
Knox
StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works β
Historical Knox Β· KV-H
Era-normalized career quality β z-scored against 10-season peers. See all β
64
peak 68
Season Report CardsΒ· KV-H era-normalized per season
C2003
B2004
C+2005
B2006
C+2007
C+2008
B+2009
B2010
B2011
D2012
Availability
Career durability β games played vs. scheduled, across 10 seasons.
84%
Era Translator
Sacks translated to the 2025NFL β each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.
| Season | Actual Sacks | Sacks/G | β 2025 Sacks | β 2025 /G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 5+0.5 | 0.3 |
| 2005 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 3+0.5 | 0.1 |
| 2006 | 5 | 0.3 | 5 | 0.3 |
| 2007 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 3+0.5 | 0.2 |
| 2008 | 2 | 0.1 | 2 | 0.1 |
| 2009 | 5.5 | 0.3 | 6+0.5 | 0.4 |
| 2010 | 4 | 0.3 | 5+1 | 0.3 |
| 2011 | 5 | 0.4 | 7+2 | 0.4 |
| 2012 | 2 | 0.4 | 7+5 | 0.4 |
Data: nflverse:players, nflverse:player_stats_def, nflverse:combine, nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:injuries Β· multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle Β· updated 6/18/2026
Career Value Β· VORP
97 career value over replacement β #1169 all-time of 4,642. 9.7/season above a replacement-level EDGE.
Draft OutcomeValue β
Pick #48 (Rd 2) Β· BUF Β· 2003 Β· +14.8 vs expected KV-H
64actual
49.2 expected Β· Ξ+14.8
Fan Rating
Rate Chris Kelsay β All-Time
Tap a star to rate
Explore More
Similar Players