Oh, what could have been if not for a series of unfortunate events
Entering the 2023 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills had one sure thing at linebacker, and one huge question mark next to him. By the end of the season, Buffalo had linebackers on the field that were nowhere near the team’s main plans — or their secondary plans, for that matter — as injuries decimated the group.
While injuries at the linebacker position aren’t the only reason the Bills were unable to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the playoffs this past season, those injuries certainly created some big mismatch advantages in Kansas City’s favor. That’s the negative. The positive? The Bills now know that they have two legitimate studs at linebacker under contract for next season, and a third player who emerged as a tremendous asset as the year progressed.
In today’s look at the state of the Buffalo Bills’ roster, we discuss the linebackers — a group in need of some depth, but not a major overhaul.
Terrel Bernard
Contract status for 2024: Signed; third year of four-year rookie contract ($1,399,872 cap hit; $456,496 dead-cap charge if released or traded; .58% of total team cap)
Age: 24 (25 on 5/7/2024)
Playing time: 17 games (17 starts), 999 defensive snaps (93.2% of team total), 56 special teams snaps (13% of team total)
Key statistics: 143 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 9 QB hits, 6.5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 5 pass breakups, 3 interceptions
Entering the season, Bernard was one of the biggest question marks on the Bills’ roster. After missing the entire preseason with a hamstring injury, there were series doubts about Bernard and his ability to step into the middle linebacker role held by Tremaine Edmunds for the previous five years. As the season progressed, it was clear that Bernard not only could hold his own in Edmunds’ place, but that he was a much better fit for Buffalo’s stop unit than Edmunds ever was. Bernard was an absolute revelation, and when Matt Milano was injured, Bernard continued to thrive in his new role as the team’s middle linebacker. There’s an argument to be made that, if Bernard hadn’t re-injured his ankle against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Buffalo’s Wild Card victory, we might have been covering the Super Bowl rather than writing the postmortem on the 2023 Bills’ season. Alas, that’s not how it went down, and the Bills will instead have to settle for an offseason where they know that the top of their depth chart at linebacker is in excellent shape.
Tyrel Dodson
Contract status for 2024: Unsigned; UFA
Age: 25 (26 on 6/25/2024)
Playing time: 17 games (10 starts), 549 defensive snaps (51.2% of team total), 184 special teams snaps (42.8% of team total)
Key statistics: 74 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 6 QB hits, 2.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble, 2 pass breakups
If you would have told me that Tyrel Dodson was needed to start for most of the season for the Bills, I’d have assumed that the team was in rough shape. If you’d have told me that Dodson would not only start, but that he would grade out as one of the NFL’s best linebackers — I’d probably have asked about whatever drugs you were taking. However, that’s exactly what happened, as Dodson thrived in his role as a full-time starter. He was excellent against the run, he showed improvement in pass coverage, and he was consistently one of the bright spots on Buffalo’s defense. He’s likely earned the right to go start elsewhere next season, and while I hope that he sees that opportunity come to fruition for his sake, there’s definitely part of me that hopes he’d prefer to stay with the Bills as a top-tier reserve, a third linebacker to match heavier personnel, and a special teams stalwart. Either way, Dodson was outstanding in 2023, and he was a huge part of the reason why Buffalo’s banged-up defense didn’t completely collapse in the wake of numerous injuries.
Tyler Matakevich
Contract status for 2024: Unsigned; UFA (Void year cap hit of $667,500; .28% of total team cap)
Age: 31 (32 on 12/22/2024)
Playing time: 17 games, 343 special teams snaps (79.8% of team total), 16 defensive snaps (1.5% of team total)
Key statistics: 7 tackles
All you need to know about Buffalo’s view on Matakevich as a linebacker is that they signed A.J. Klein, who was readying for an RV trip to Florida, to play in a playoff game before they considered playing Matakevich in the game. Then, after Klein was injured against the Chiefs, they taped his ankle up and sent him back out there on one leg. Matakevich is a great leader and a valuable special teams player, but the Bills can — and should — look to find those traits in a younger player who can also contribute to the defense.
Baylon Spector
Contract status for 2024: Signed; third year of four-year rookie contract ($1,010,931 cap hit; $51,862 dead-cap charge if released or traded; .42% of total team cap)
Age: 25 (26 on 10/20/2024)
Playing time: 9 games, 141 special teams snaps (32.8% of team total), 25 defensive snaps (2.3% of team total)
Key statistics: 6 tackles
Spector made his first career start in a huge spot, as he slotted in as the starting linebacker next to Dodson for Buffalo’s Wild Card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He took a knee to the back in that game and missed the Bills’ loss against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he played significant snaps in the team’s final two victories of the year. He played plenty against the Miami Dolphins after Dodson injured his shoulder, and he acquitted himself quite well throughout. Spector is well positioned to fill Tyler Matakevich’s role as the Bills’ top linebacker on special teams, and he could also slide into Dodson’s role as one of the top defensive reserves should No. 25 move on this offseason.
Dorian Williams
Contract status for 2024: Signed; second year of four-year rookie contract ($1,253,365 cap hit; $686,076 dead-cap charge if released or traded; .52% of total team cap)
Age: 22 (23 on 6/28/2024)
Playing time: 17 games (2 starts), 261 special teams snaps (60.7% of team total), 211 defensive snaps (19.7% of team total)
Key statistics: 40 tackles, 2 QB hits, 1 pass breakup
Speaking of young players who could take a big leap next season, Williams is a fantastic athlete who will absolutely benefit form another season in the Bills’ defensive system. At times, it seemed like Williams relied more on his athleticism than his processing of offenses, which led to some issues in coverage. He had limited opportunities on the defensive end, but he flashed in Buffalo’s final game against the Chiefs in some of those opportunities. Entering his second year, the goal for Williams should be to take a firm hold on the top backup job to Matt Milano while also contributing on special teams. If Dodson moves on this spring, Williams will likely be in the mix, along with Spector, for a third linebacker role should the Bills choose to match heavier personnel with a heavier defensive grouping. There’s definitely room for improvement, but Williams showed flashes of what could be a great future this year.
Matt Milano
Contract status for 2024: Signed through 2026 season (Milano signed a four-year extension prior to the 2021 season, and then signed an additional extension prior to last season. The two contracts overlap this year). Milano’s cap hit for 2024 is $12,437,000, which is 5.13% of the team’s total cap.
Age: 29 (30 on 7/28/2024)
Playing time: 5 games (5 starts), 211 defensive snaps (19.7% of team total), 1 special teams snaps (.23% of team total)
Key statistics: 30 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 QB hit, 1 forced fumble, 2 pass breakups, 2 interceptions
Milano was the third major injury on defense, and the second in the same game, when he suffered what appeared to be a tibial plateau fracture in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Up until that point, Milano had been having a stellar season, and the linebacker duo of Milano and Bernard seemed to be the perfect pair for the Bills. Buffalo can feel reasonably confident that, even though Milano turns 30 this summer, he’ll be ready to roll and as good as ever come September.
A.J. Klein
Contract status for 2024: Unsigned; UFA
Age: 32 (33 on 7/30/2024)
Playing time: 2 games (in the regular season), 19 special teams snaps (4.4% of team total)
Key statistics: None in the regular season; however, Klein notched 16 tackles in Buffalo’s two playoff games
Buffalo’s linebackers were so banged up in the playoffs that Klein started and played all but one snap in the Divisional Round. He led the team in tackles against the Steelers in the Wild Card round. Klein is a solid veteran presence who is and always has been a team-first guy. He isn’t a player that the Bills should look to retain as a first option, but if he wants to play and is okay with a spot on the practice squad, the Bills should definitely keep him in mind.
If you had told me at the beginning of the season that the linebackers would be the group on defense that I think would be least in need of changing come season’s end, I’d have thought you were a liar. However, that’s exactly how things shook out as the year progressed. Buffalo has two legitimate studs in Bernard and Milano, and they have two young players under contract who are more than capable of performing both on special teams and defense in Williams and Spector.
If you had told me that Dodson would not only become a viable starter this season, but that he’d also become one worth re-signing, and that he also might have played himself into a larger contract elsewhere, I’d have thought you were certifiably insane. However, that’s exactly what Dodson did in replacing Milano in the lineup. Sure, he still has limitations in coverage, but he proved that he can play extremely well on two downs. If he’s interested in returning as a reserve, the Bills should absolutely look at what that would cost them. However, I think it’s likely that Dodson is elsewhere next year as a full-time starter. He’s earned the opportunity, and he isn’t going to be guaranteed that chance in Buffalo for the foreseeable future.
If Dodson is elsewhere, then the Bills will still have Milano, Bernard, Williams, and Spector under contract — a solid core group of linebackers who all do multiple things well. If they retain Dodson, then there’s little need for high-end depth, as the Bills could instead add to the back end of the group with a late-round draft choice or a UDFA who can excel on special teams. One young player who fits the Bills fairly perfectly is Notre Dame linebacker Marist Liufau, as he seems to fit the athletic and coverage-ability profile of the last few linebackers Buffalo has drafted. NFL Draft Buzz even lists Dorian Williams as one of the top three player comps for Liufau, so it’s likely that the Bills would have some interest.
Liufau’s draft projection is all over the place right now, so I can’t rightly advocate for the Bills adding him without feeling a little better about where he’s projected to go in the draft. If Buffalo were to draft him in the third round, for example, that’s not a move I’d like, as the Bills have far more pressing needs (wideout, defensive line, and safety, to name a few). Now, if it’s the fifth round and he’s still available? That’s a deal I’ll take.
Other later-round linebackers whose athletic profiles I like include UTEP’s Tyrice Knight, Missouri’s Ty’Ron Hopper, and Ohio State’s Steele Chambers (Have you ever heard a more perfect name for a linebacker than that?). Somebody like Mason Cobb out of USC doesn’t quite have the athleticism of some of Buffalo’s ‘backers, but he definitely has the situational football awareness, especially in coverage.
As for adding veteran free agents, I just don’t see the need to pour tremendous resources into the position. Sure, some of you might think I’m crazy given the number of injuries that decimated the team at the end of the season, but the way I see it, no amount of disaster planning could realistically keep the Bills out of that situation again. Relying on second-year Williams and third-year Spector as the top end of the depth should be the plan. If they do supplement here, I’d expect it to be a low-end veteran who’s been in with the team before. Someone like Del’Shawn Phillips or Travin Howard, for example, who can be with the team through camp and the preseason in the event of injury issues early.
If I’m the Bills, I have no interest in retaining Matakevich. His leadership, while important, doesn’t make up for the fact that he’s a complete nonfactor on the defense — which is an issue when planning for injury situations. The Bills need someone who can play special teams as a secondary characteristic. A.J. Klein is also someone I wouldn’t look to retain. If he wants to play again, he knows that he can slide in for the Bills in a pinch. He shouldn’t be a Plan A, Plan B, or even a Plan C.
Basically, the plan here is simple: Add some young, athletic depth players who fly around on special teams, continue to develop the three young guys on the roster with Milano, and let this group shine in 2024 and beyond.