On Thursday, Bills head coach Sean McDermott stated, “Matt’s a heck of a football player.” “Just now, we saw him work his buttocks out. It’s an unfortunate set of circumstances, but I know he’s going to handle it well because he spent the summer in Buffalo recuperating from the leg injury.
But how will the Bills deal with the devastating injury to their star linebacker, who is widely considered to be their best defensive player?
Dorian Williams, a 2023 third-round pick, will have a huge chance here. Williams started just two games as a rookie and contributed primarily on special teams. Williams will be asked to play alongside Terrel Bernard in place of Milano on the Bills’ defense as he enters his second season. McDermott stated, “Yeah, Dorian’s going to do a good job.” “He’s been making progress, and now it’s not just his turn to lead, but the turn of all his teammates around him as well. It’s not just the job of one person to try to fill Matt’s shoes; you will never be able to replace a player like Matt or his influence. However, now is the time for our team to move forward with resilience and pick itself up, and guys like Dorian must step up.”
Additionally, Williams’ performance in 2024 in the best-case scenario would be that of the aforementioned Bernard. After Tremaine Edmunds left the team in free agency, the team’s linebacker position was a major concern at this time last season. Bernard, like Williams, was a third-round pick entering his second season before becoming one of the Bills’ best playmakers. It is unrealistic to anticipate Williams making the kind of significant progress that Bernard did, but the Tulane second-year linebacker does possess the necessary tools. Williams showed flashes in his first season, particularly in the run game. Williams’ pass coverage needs to be improved, but he has the potential to make a big step with more practice and experience.