This is the eighth in a series looking at the status of each position before the Buffalo Bills report to training camp on July 23. This installment: Linebackers.
The biggest addition to the Buffalo Bills’ 2024 defense won’t come from outside the organization.
The return of All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano, who suffered a season-ending leg injury last year in Week 5 against the Jaguars, easily is the most important development at a position of strength for the Bills. Milano will join Terrel Bernard, last year’s breakout star, in forming an imposing duo in the team’s base defense.
Bills linebacker Matt Milano is expected back this season after a leg injury cut short his 2023 campaign. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Analytics website Pro Football Focus placed Milano at No. 4 on its list of top linebackers in the NFL entering the 2024 season despite his extended absence last year – a good indication of the respect that exists for his game.
“Credit to Matt and what he’s been able to do with our training staff and the work he’s put in,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said during mandatory minicamp last month. “He’s so focused. He was focused before this. I feel like he’s even more focused, if that’s even possible now, in wanting to get back out there for himself, but also for his teammates.”
The Bills’ base defense is nickel, which means five defensive backs and two linebackers are on the field for most plays. Entering 2023, who would line up next to Milano was an open question. Bernard provided a resounding answer, putting together a fantastic season. Because of that, he enters 2024 with the expectation that he’ll take a big step forward as both a player and leader.
“Whether it’s the player-to-coach relationship or the coach-to-player relationship, there’s a sense of trust that has to be earned, right? The coach has to show a player that you can help them grow and help them succeed,” Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said. “And in turn, the player has to show that they can be trustworthy. We can give him the keys to the car and he’s going to drive it, and it’s going to be a smooth, smooth ride. And it grew.”
Returnees: Matt Milano, Terrell Bernard, Dorian Williams, Baylon Spector.
Newcomers: Joe Andreessen, Nicholas Morrow, Deion Jones, Edefuan Ulofoshio.
Departures: A.J. Klein, Tyler Matakevich, Tyrel Dodson.
Top battle: Jones vs. Morrow vs. Spector vs. Ulofoshio
Let’s go with a WWE-style, fatal-fourway matchup here. For this purpose, we’re excluding Andreessen, who is considered a roster long shot. The Bills carried six linebackers on the 53-man roster. Working off that number, it’s safe to assume Bernard, Milano and Williams, as a 2023 third-round pick, are safe. That leaves three spots for four players. A strong case can be made for each of them. Morrow made 12 starts and 95 tackles for Philadelphia last year. He’s probably the first choice as Bernard’s backup at middle linebacker. Spector is entering his third season in Buffalo, so he knows the defensive scheme well and is in line for a key job on special teams, perhaps as Matakevich’s replacement. The Bills used a fifth-round pick on Ulofoshio and likely don’t want to expose him to waivers. Jones, meanwhile, is another veteran option, with 91 career starts in eight NFL seasons. Barring an injury, there doesn’t figure to be room for all of them.
What to expect: If Milano and Bernard stay healthy, the Bills should have one of the best duos in the NFL at the position. It would be nice to see Williams take a big step in his second season. That way, the Bills can feel comfortable putting him on the field when they go to three-linebacker sets, or he can be the first backup to come into the game if Bernard and/or Milano miss time. It was clear last year that Williams has the athleticism to make an impact in the NFL, but the coaching staff was hesitant to play him, ultimately deciding on Dodson as Milano’s long-term replacement. The additions of Morrow and Jones give the team two reliable veteran options. Spector needs to stay healthy. It’s not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but missing mandatory minicamp with an undisclosed injury won’t do anything to shake the idea that he’s injury prone. Ulofoshio was a leader at Washington, which made it to the national championship game. He worked his way up from walk-on to team captain with the Huskies. Here’s some good bar trivia for you: He’s looking to become just the 16th player ever born in Alaska to appear in an NFL game.
