Breaking down the competition for the Bills’ starting MLB spot

Buffalo, New York (WGR 550) – All coaches say there is competition everywhere. And while that may be true to an extent, we all know who will be starting at most positions heading into the season.

Some teams will have more starting spots open and available than others. For the Buffalo Bills, quite a few.

One of them is middle linebacker, after five-year starter Tremaine Edmonds left to sign with the Chicago Bears via free agency.

There are five legitimate candidates to stand next to poor quarterback Matt Milano when the Bills open the regular season on Monday night, September 11th with the New York Jets. Check out each one in no particular order:

Terrell Bernard

The Bills, surprisingly to many, drafted Bernard in the third round in 2022. He had a great training camp and preseason his rookie year, but struggled in one start against the New York Jets. However, Milano started that game on the outside, not Edmunds in the middle.

In all but one start against the Jets, Bernard has played significant snaps with just two snaps in home wins over the Titans and Steelers. He played 10% of the defensive snaps overall, and 64% of the special teams snaps. Is he ready for a big role?

At 6-foot-1, 224 pounds, Bernard is considered undersized for the position. However, he has good instincts and recognition and is considered an excellent cover defender, something the Bills value among their fans.

Baylon Spector

Spector saw action in six games last season after making the team as a seventh-round draft pick. It was inactive for the remaining ten. However, he played defensively in just one of six contests. The rest were only in special groups.

Like Bernard, at 6-foot, 233 pounds, Spector is not the ideal size for a starting middle linebacker in the NFL.

He is a former safety who is very instinctive and knows where to be and when to be. He has a high football IQ that will serve him well in this competition as the Bills need someone to handle defensive play calling duties.

Taking blocks from NFL offensive linemen and how to handle the release will be a big challenge for Spector in training camp.

Tyrell Dodson

Dodson has been the club’s most valuable backup for three seasons, starting five games in that span and playing in every contest over the past two years.

Dodson, like Spector, stands 6-foot, 237 pounds. He has already proven that he can step into the middle linebacker role and call the defense. That part won’t be a problem as the Bills know they can count on him and could give him an early camp lead at the position.

Dodson is a good enough athlete to play the triple, especially next to someone like Milano who can do more, but he’s a better run defender in coverage.

Dorian Williams

Williams has the same size and game as Bernard. He is 6-foot-1, 227 pounds, which is a bit lean for the position. But he is instinctive, strong and athletic. He can be a matchup supporter in coverage and knows how to track down a ball carrier on the run. But getting over the blocks to get there will be the question.

Walking on as a rookie and starting on a team with Super Bowl aspirations, not to mention one of the best defenses in the NFL, is asking of anyone.

Williams could fit right in as Matt Milano’s backup, but he’s showing flashes that he should probably be on the sidelines. However, he’s a year behind both Bernard and Spector in terms of coming through the system and understanding his position at the NFL level, and he’ll have plenty to compete for that spot.

AJ Klein.

Klein will be 32-years-old and four days into training camp. He is entering his eleventh NFL season.

At 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, he has more size than most other prototypical NFL middle linebackers, but is a more relevant linebacker against a heavier, more run-oriented team. He has been instrumental in those situations for the Bills over the past three seasons, playing 37 games for the club during that span.

Klein is a safe insurance choice here. If none of the others show that the Bills can consistently handle what they need, they know they can at least take him out as a run defender on first and second down, then make changes in coverage situations.

Follow me on Twitter: @SalSports