with plenty of questions at the linebacker position. They had a second-year player aiming to
build on a solid rookie season. They had a 20-year-old rookie manning the middle
linebacker position. And they also had a wily veteran thought by many to be too
old to play a majority of the snaps on defense
Infant Dawson Knox Jersey , too slow to cover players, and too ill a fit at the strong side linebacker position to be a three-down player in the modern NFL.Heading
into the 2019 season, the Bills have far fewer questions at the position, thanks
mostly to the strong campaigns by the aforementioned trio of starters. If the
Bills can add depth and a pipeline player to replace that veteran linchpin, then
they can make a strong positional group even stronger.In our latest look at the
state of the Bills roster, we look at the linebackers—a group where little
turnover is expected heading into next season.Lorenzo AlexanderContract status
for 2019: Signed; $3 million cap hit ($3 million dead cap if cut)Age: 35 (36 on
5/31/19)Playing time: 16 games (8 starts), 629 snaps(62.03% of defensive total),
171 ST snaps (38.95%)Key statistics: 74 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 10 QB
hits, 6.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 9 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble
recoveredThe ageless veteran keeps on playing at a high level. Alexander has
been an invaluable leader throughout his time in Buffalo, and general manager
Brandon Beane made re-signing him a priority this off-season. Alexander should
not be counted out, though the Bills must find a player to develop behind him as
a replacement for the 2020 season. Limiting Alexander’s snaps, even if only a
bit, could help the veteran to stay fresh and maintain maximum effectiveness. It
could also help to prepare his replacement
Dawson Knox Jersey Draft , whomever that may be.Tremaine EdmundsContract status for 2019: Signed; $2,877,169 cap hit ($10,357,809 dead cap if cut)Age: 20 (21 on
5/2/19)Playing time: 15 games (15 starts), 926 snaps (91.32% of defensive
total), 71 ST snaps (16.17%)Key statistics: 121 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 7
QB hits, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 12 passes defended, 2 fumbles forcedThe
youngest player in the NFL had a tremendous responsibility this season, serving
as the Bills’ defensive play-caller and “quarterback” of the defense as the
team’s middle linebacker. He rarely came off the field, missing time due to a
concussion suffered against the New England Patriots in October, but otherwise
was on the field at all times. With 121 total tackles, he was tied with three
other players for twelfth in the league in that category. His 12 pass breakups
were second among linebackers. If his rookie year is any indication, the second
of Buffalo’s first-round draft choices in 2018 has a tremendous future ahead of
him.Matt MilanoContract status for 2019: Signed; $710,376 cap hit
($130
Dawson Knox NFL Jersey ,754 dead cap if cut)Age: 24 (25 on 7/28/19)Playing time: 13 games (13 starts), 741 snaps (73.08% of defensive snaps), 142 ST snaps
(32.35%)Key statistics: 78 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 3 QB hits, 1 sack, 3
interceptions, 7 passes defended, 3 fumbles recovered Buffalo’s ball-hawking
second-year man was having a fantastic season through 13 games, but a broken leg
ended his year prematurely. Milano is undersized, but he consistently proves the
old cliche that it isn’t the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the
fight in the dog. He is a solid run-stuffer who is especially adept at
penetrating rush lanes. He is a strong cover man, able to lock down running
backs and tight ends alike. He should be ready for the start of training camp,
and he will hopefully pick up right where he left off in 2018.Julian
StanfordContract status for 2019: Signed; $1.525 million cap hit ($175,000 dead
cap if cut)Age: 28 (29 on 9/2/19)Playing time: 13 games (1 start), 89 snaps
(8.78% of defensive total), 225 ST snaps (51.25%)Key statistics: 15 tackles, 1
tackle for loss, 1 QB hit
Dawson Knox NFL Draft , 1 sack, 1 fumble forced, 1 pass defendedThe veteran filled in at middle linebacker for Edmunds in one game this season, a 41-9 loss against
the Chicago Bears. Stanford is primarily a special teams player, and he is solid
veteran depth. However, if the Bills feel the need to go younger at the
position, he could be the odd man out at the position. Corey ThompsonContract
status for 2019: Signed; $570,000 cap hit ($0 guaranteed)Age: 25 (26 on
12/23/19)Playing time: 6 games (1 start), 80 snaps (7.89% of defensive total),
104 ST snaps (23.69%)Key statistics: 14 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 QB hit, 1
forced fumbleThompson joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent this year. He
is a nice athlete who adds value on special teams, but he struggled at the point
of attack against the run in his time filling in for Milano late this season. He
will be on the bubble next year.Deon LaceyContract status for 2019: Unsigned;
ERFA (per Buffalo News)Age: 28 (29 on 7/18/19)Playing time: 16 games (0 starts),
14 snaps (1.38% of defensive total), 299 ST snaps (68.11%)Key statistics: 7
tacklesWhile Lacey doesn’t exactly fill up the stats line, he does play more on
special teams than any other person on Buffalo’s roster. As an exclusive-rights
free agent (one that I admittedly missed earlier this off-season, as Spotrac
doesn’t have him listed as such), the Bills would be wise to bring him back next
season.Positional OutlookThe Bills are set here in terms of the starting lineup
heading into 2019. Alexander
Dawson Knox Buffalo Bills Jersey , Edmunds, and Milano will all reprise their roles barring injury or an unforeseen addition. The team would certainly do well
to add a future replacement for Alexander through the draft, which means that
one of the three players the team has in reserve could be in jeopardy. With
Lacey seeing more special teams snaps than any other Buffalo player in both 2017
and 2018, it’s unlikely that he is the odd man out. If the team decides to go
young, they’ll keep Thompson and release Stanford, saving a touch under $1
million in the process. If the team wants to keep Stanford, then they could
release Thompson and try to sign him to the practice squad, which is the more
likely scenario given Stanford’s versatility and Thompson’s struggles with an
expanded role during December.Whatever Buffalo decides to do, they are in a
favorable position here. They have their starters, they have their special teams
options, but best of all, they have their leader. With Kyle Williams retiring,
that final point makes a world of difference. The weekend report that Dolphins
V.P. of football operations Mike Tannenbaum is all but certain to be fired is if
anything becoming more certain as Week 17 approaches. So if/when Tannenbaum
goes, what happens next?At this point, no one knows. Chris Grier serves as the
G.M., but he doesn’t have true G.M. powers. As Armando Salguero of the explained
it over the weekend, coach Adam Gase holds the contractual final say over the
team.Salguero also suggested that the Dolphins should offer Gase an extension
and a raise, along with a reeling in of his authority. And that may become a
necessity, given what the Dolphins could be planning for the future.Per a league
source
Color Rush Dawson Knox Jersey , Vikings assistant G.M. George Paton and Bills assistant G.M. Joe Schoen are among those who could be interviewed for a position in
Miami, possibly for the same title Tannenbaum holds. But if Miami isn’t able to
offer a new employee control over the football operation, the Vikings and Bills
(and any other team with a current front-office employee under contract) would
be able to block the process.That’s why the Dolphins need to wrest power from
Gase, either voluntarily or involuntarily, if the goal is to hire a high-level
executive from another NFL franchise. And that gives Gase plenty of leverage
over the team, since Gase sacrificing his say becomes the key both to keeping
him and to adding a high-end candidate, regardless of whether the title is G.M.
or V.P. of football operations.The wild-card in all of this becomes Grier. After
the retirement of Ozzie Newsome, Grier will become the only minority G.M. left
in the NFL, and there soon will be plenty of external pressure placed on the
league both to rectify the situation and to not exacerbate it. The league could
then turn that pressure toward the Dolphins, and the Dolphins may feel compelled
to find a way to keep Grier, even if the new head of football operations
(whatever the title) wants to hire his own staff.Looming over everything is the
lingering belief that owner Stephen Ross would be interested in hiring Ravens
coach John Harbaugh. Before hiring Harbaugh, however, Ross would have to: (1)
fire Gase; (2) conduct an inclusive coaching search that satisfies the Rooney
Rule; (3) work out compensation with the Ravens in the event Harbaugh is hired;
and (4) negotiate a contract with Harbaugh. Absent deft and discreet
back-channeling, Ross may have to pull the plug on a coach he’d otherwise prefer
to keep and then hope that Harbaugh can eventually be landed.However it plays
out, the expected termination of Tannenbaum will become the first in what
ultimately could become a messy pile of dominoes that will land Lord knows
where. Which basically summarizes the state of the Dolphins over most of the
past decade.
