Latest information on the Bills' LB situation after Matt Milano's injury

Following the outside linebacker Matt MilanoDue to the bicep tear that will keep the 2022 First Team All-Pro out of action indefinitely, the Bills must find an adequate replacement. According to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (subscription required), Buffalo will likely Dorian Williams the first attempt to take over Milan.

That's not a huge surprise, as Williams was drafted in the third round last year and served as Milano's backup for most of training camp anyway, but his ascension to the starting lineup is still dependent on improvements in several areas.

The most glaring weakness in Williams' game is his ability to cover, as he often falls for play-action fakes. While his speed is an advantage and allows him to make spectacular plays in run defense, he remains vulnerable in the passing game, and considering how much the Bills demand of their linebackers – which is why they invest more money in the position than many other teams – the second-year pro is still learning his roles.

Of course, Milano suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 5 of the 2023 season, and Buffalo initially gave Williams a chance at a bigger role before finally settling on Tyrel DodsonDodson seized his opportunity and was able to parlay his strong performance in the offseason into a one-year, $4.26 million contract with the Seahawks, giving Williams a better chance at a starting spot this time around.

Nevertheless, professional in the third year Baylon Spector has made a good impression in the training camp and could be considered as Milano's replacement, although he has spent most of his time as Bernard Terrel's replacement as middle linebacker. Veteran Nicholas Morrow is another option, although he is dealing with a core/groin injury. Despite the injury, Milano's absence certainly improves Morrow's chances of making the initial 53-man roster.

If the Bills want to capitalize on Williams' run defense potential while mitigating his deficiencies in coverage, the team could add an additional safety for obvious pass attempts and put another safety in the second layer of defense to act as a de facto third LB on those plays. That's what Jordan Poyer last year, but Poyer is now with the Dolphins and in Buscaglia's view, the safety position may be the weakest position on the team, so Buffalo may not be able to play dime coverage as often as it would like.

The Bills could also resort to free agency or a trade if Williams and Co. are not up to the challenge. However, Sean McDermott prefers to solve these types of problems through internal promotions, so Buffalo may avoid that route, especially in light of the aforementioned complexities that come with the club's linebacker positions.

Williams played in all 17 of the Bills' regular season games last year, including two starts. He played in 211 defensive snaps and recorded 40 total tackles.