Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - All coaches will say there is competition at every position. While that may be true on some level, we all generally know who will be starting at most positions headed into a given season.
Some teams will have more starting spots open and available than others. For the Buffalo Bills, there are very few.
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One of those openings happen to be at middle linebacker after five-year starter Tremaine Edmunds left via free agency to sign with the Chicago Bears.
There are five legitimate candidates to be standing next to weakside linebacker Matt Milano when the Bills open the 2023 regular season on Monday, Sept. 11 against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Here’s a look at each of them, in no specific order:
Terrel Bernard
The Bills, surprisingly to many, drafted Bernard in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He had a terrific training camp and preseason his rookie year, but struggled in his one start against the Jets.
However, he started that game for Milano on the outside and not Edmunds in the middle.
Other than that one start in New Jersey, Bernard only played significant snaps in two blowouts games, which were home wins over the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers. He played a total of 10% of the defensive snaps overall, and 64% of the special teams snaps.
Is he ready for a bigger role?
At 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds, Bernard is considered undersized for the position. However, he has great instincts and recognition, and is considered an excellent coverage linebacker. That's something the Bills really value in their linebackers.
Baylon Spector
Spector saw action in six games last season after making the team as a seventh-round draft choice. He was inactive for the other 10 games.
However, he played snaps on defense in only one of those six contests. The rest were only on special teams.
Like Bernard, at 6-foot and 233 pounds, Spector is not the ideal size for a starting middle linebacker in the NFL.
Spector is a former safety who is very instinctual, and knows where to be and when to be there. He has a high football IQ, which will serve him well in this competition, as the Bills look for someone who can handle the defensive play-calling duties.
How he can handle taking on and getting off of blocks from NFL offensive linemen will be a big test for Spector at training camp.
Tyrel Dodson
Dodson has been a very valuable backup for the club for three seasons, starting five games over that span and playing in every contest over the past two years.
Dodson is about the exact same size as Spector, standing at 6-foot and 237 pounds. He's already proven he can step right into the middle linebacker role and call the defense since he’s done it before. That part won't be an issue, and might even give him the early-camp lead for the spot since the Bills know they can trust him.
Dodson is a good enough athlete to play three downs, especially next to someone like Milano who can do so much, but is a better run defender than he is in coverage.
Dorian Williams
Williams’ size and game is a lot like Bernard’s. He's 6-foot-1 and 227 pounds, which is a little lean for the spot.
However, he’s instinctual, tough, and athletic. He can be a matchup linebacker in coverage, and knows how to track down a ball carrier against the run.
Getting through blocks to get there, though, will be the question.
Not to mention, to walk right in as a rookie and start in the middle of one of the best defenses in the NFL on a team with Super Bowl aspirations is a lot to ask of anyone.
Williams might fit best right away as Milano's backup, but probably show flashes that say he should be on the field next to him.
However, he’s a year behind both Bernard and Spector when it comes to the system and understanding the position at the NFL level, and will have a lot on his plate early-on in order to compete for this spot.
A.J. Klein
Klein will be 32-years-old four days into training camp. He’s also entering his 11th NFL season.
At 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, he has much more of the size of a prototypical NFL middle linebacker than most of the others. However, he's more of a matchup backer when facing a heavier, more run-oriented team.
The veteran has been useful in those situations for the Bills over the last three seasons, playing 37 games for the club in that span.
Klein is the safe insurance choice here. If none of the others show they can handle what the Bills want on a consistent basis, they know they can, at least, trot him out on the field on first and second down as a run defender, then make a change in coverage situations.
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