Let’s not sugarcoat anything; the Buffalo Bills have a quarterback problem. Ok, that statement may be misleading, as Josh Allen is one of the best quarterbacks in the AFC East, AFC, and even the entire NFL. He is not going anywhere anytime soon. Here, the point is to talk about what is affectionately known as the “quarterback of the defense—” the middle linebacker position. And there is no twisting the fact that the Bills MLB position is the one gaping hole that the Bills have on their 2023 roster.
Preseason Game 2: The Bills MLB Position Battle (vs. Steelers)
First, take a deep breath, knowing that the MLB spot is this team’s ONE issue. Every team in the NFL typically has multiple position problems, so being able to home in on one group is a privilege. Albeit, ever since Tremaine Edmunds signed with the Chicago Bears, the Mike Linebacker role has surfaced as the glaring issue on this team
Many Bills fans who watched the 2023 NFL Draft hoped to see the squad address the position, but they were left disappointed, except for linebacker Dorian Williams. This is no sneeze at Williams or his skill set, but he is a rookie with experience at the outside linebacker spot, not a proven captain of the defense.
Dorian Williams vs. the Colts
With the abovementioned points, it behooves all onlookers to respect Williams’ performance last Saturday afternoon. He shined and showed up as a force who knows how to wrap up a play. Williams’ instincts and ability to find the angle and finish a play are nearly unparalleled for a rookie. All in all, concerning Williams and the newbie LB that he is, there is a ton of hope in Orchard Park.
Nevertheless, he is a rookie and has no experience in the middle linebacker position. So, who on the current Bills roster undoubtedly has the potential to fill Edmunds’s shoes? There isn’t one. Since Terrel Bernard sat out last week vs. the Colts, only a marginal competition sample was even had. Going into this week at Pittsburgh, the battle will ramp up.
In the Leader House
This would be so funny 😂😂 love you guys gtg! https://t.co/FsHWAZCEDC
— Tyrel Dodson (@tdots25) August 15, 2023
It’s hard to say who leads the way at this time, specifically since Tyrel Dodson got the majority of reps vs. the Colts last week, while Baylon Spector saw the bulk of playing time throughout training camp. Bernard’s unexpected (and hopefully short-lived) injury threw a wrench into the works, and the fact that guys like A.J. Klein have seen limited reps at the position does nothing other than narrow down the battle.
At this time, Dodson is in the lead, although Spector is a close second. With that said, however, Bernard is the favorite. This is understandably confusing and contradictory, so this statement should come with the disclaimer that if Bernard is healthy, he is the favorite to take the MLB role. If Bernard is good to go against the Steelers, it should be assumed that he will get most of the reps. But where does this leave Spector?
Who Gets the Reps Over Who Gets the Leftovers
On Thursday, head coach Sean McDermott said that from a communication and an execution standpoint, the middle linebacker position could be better. With Bernard still injured and Spector having missed all week of practice with a back injury, who gets the reps against the Steelers? It feels like Dodson will run away with the competition right now, but whether or not that pacifies the Mafia is a divided assumption.
Deep veteran Klein might have the chance to run with the first line as starting MLB on Saturday. General Manager Brandon Beane referenced the notion of Klein filling the role, but obviously, performance will make the difference. It will be interesting to see who gets the reps in preseason game two and who gets the garbage time warm-ups. The results are sure to surprise.
Main Photo: Jamie Germano – USA Today Sports
