Bills Central

How Bills LB Tremaine Edmunds Has Been at His Best in Contract Year

Tremaine Edmunds is playing at a high level and will likely have plenty of suitors in free agency if the Buffalo Bills do not re-sign him.

Harrison Reno

The Buffalo Bills defense has played at a high level, holding opponents to just 17.9 points per game. A big part of their ability to find success defensively has been due to the performance of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. 

The fifth-year linebacker had a day against the Miami Dolphins in Sunday's AFC Wild Card, as he recorded five tackles, one tackle-for-loss and an impressive four pass breakups in the win. One of those breakups came in the fourth quarter against Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki. 

The Bills inside linebacker started the play pre-snap up along the line of scrimmage, indicating a potential rusher before he bailed to the deep middle of the field. Reading the eyes of Miami quarterback Skylar Thompson, he broke up a pass intended for Gesicki. 

It is plays like these that made Pro Football Focus rank him as one of the best coverage linebackers in the league. Edmunds' 90.2 grade in coverage is tied for first with Germain Pratt of the Cincinnati Bengals.

"He's done a really nice job," Sean McDermott said. "Leadership wise as well and just really, his maturation, his development." 

“Yeah, it showed up there,” McDermott added about Edmunds’ pass breakup. “He’s a tough guy to throw over in that regard because of his height, because of his wingspan. He’s a great guy to have out there.”

His strong play in the middle of the second level of the Bills' defense will earn him a contract this offseason. The big question is, where will that next contract come from?

That isn't on the mind of Edmunds. He and the team are preparing for their Divisional Round matchup versus the Bengals in a rematch from the Week 17 "Monday Night Football" game that was being dubbed the "Game of the Year" before it turned into historical health scare, as Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered from cardiac arrest just minutes into the contest.

Kickoff between the Bills and Bengals is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. (EST).

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Harrison Reno
HARRISON RENO

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