The Buffalo Bills are without their favorite Matt Milano once more. For the hundredth time in the previous four seasons, a torn bicep and the protracted recuperation period after his surgery threaten to ruin the Bills defense. Seeing Buffalo struggle through the season without another top player appears to be fate’s will. Dorian Williams, a sophomore player from Tulane who mostly played alongside Terrel Bernard in a rotating role last season when Matt Milano was out, appears to be the next man up. He’s expected to be the next starter, but there will undoubtedly be a significant drop-off. Is he capable of taking charge until Matt Milano comes back, perhaps this season or the next?
Dorian Williams is not the only choice, though, and neither is depending on our depth to weather the difficulties of the season. If we are just prepared to make the necessary sacrifices, we have access to a multitude of talent. Let’s examine a few guys that can supplement the currently depleted linebacker group.
Leonard Shaquille
Shaq Leonard, formerly known as Darius, has established himself during the course of his career. Throughout a large portion of his tenure with the Indianapolis Colts, the 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year was a formidable force. Among his career’s high points were leading the NFL in tackles as a rookie, being selected to the First Team All-Pro in three of his first four seasons, and, at one point, holding the record for the highest salary for an outside linebacker in NFL history. It’s not been long since then, so what’s changed?
Leonard has changed most of all. His play was taking a long time to heal because of his numerous injuries and severe beating. When he was recovering, he expressed his displeasure with his playing time and was cut—a decision that confused NFL fans at the time. He saw brief playing time after being selected by the Philadelphia Eagles the next week, but he didn’t appear to be ready to play. After one offseason, he remains unsigned.
Shaq Leonard is one of those high-reward plays that we love to hear about, if he’s ready to play for the appropriate price. Though unlikely, the possibility that his play may resume in 2024 is not out of the question. However, playing him at all could be detrimental to the squad if his play is subpar. He’s still far from the perfect fit, but he is on a limited list of credible starters on the market.
A.J. Klein
Following his declaration of retirement just a few short weeks ago, A.J. Klein could just be willing to spin the tires one last time if he hasn’t already packed up his RV. He may have to make the Bills’ emergency call once more as injuries continued to devastate our already ravaged defense in the latter part of the previous season.
He was by no means great, but his familiarity with the scheme and his sense of belonging to the club make him the best plug-and-play linebacker available. Klein offers little value to raising our ceiling, but he could be the extra depth we need to elevate our floor.
TRADE: Davis Jamin
The last option on this list is a trade rather than signing a free agent. Let’s find one, as all the finest contributors are already on rosters. Exchange Washington Commanders for Jamin Davis. With the Commanders, Davis has accrued 269 tackles, seven sacks, and one interception in three seasons. Robust and commanding, he is among the few players still available who may challenge for the starting job or at the very least provide reliable depth in a much needed position.
What about him now appeals to the Buffalo Bills so much as a trade candidate? Other than availability, the straightforward response is commitment and expense. Davis is now behind Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu in the race for a starting position. His cost is down as a result, and Washington can move him knowing that their main contributors are still there. Additionally, the Commanders have rejected his fifth-year option, thus he is about to reach the final year of his rookie deal. Davis is worth maybe a fifth-round pick in the future, at best. The caveat is that his off-field problems contribute to his availability and expense. This year, Jamin Davis has been found guilty of driving recklessly, which appears to be a pattern. It would be reasonable for a team to be reluctant to commit to him in the long run, even though it appears that jail time has been avoided for the time being and there were no injuries.
Buffalo’s linebacker core is well-positioned for the future when the ordeal of yet another Matt Milano injury is resolved, so that’s ideal. Davis won’t be able to catch up to Wagner and Luvu if he is given the opportunity to compete here and perhaps gain that new deal somewhere else. He was slightly over $2.5 million after the deal, which matches the Bills salary ceiling. The best course of action can be a simple, quick fix that relieves the team of one concern.
