Bills HC calls on second-year LB, others to ‘step up’ after Matt Milano’s injury

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott wants linebacker Dorian Williams and others to step up after Matt Milano's bicep tear.

Kyle Silagyi | Aug 15, 2024

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Dorian Williams’ projected role within the Buffalo Bills' defense just changed dramatically.

He, at this time last week, was widely viewed as a depth player whose most significant impact would come on special teams. The sophomore is now penciled in as the starting weakside linebacker in the wake of a bicep injury suffered by former All-Pro Matt Milano; the ailment will sideline the veteran “indefinitely,” meaning Williams will likely man the middle of Buffalo’s defense alongside Terrel Bernard for the vast majority of the 2024 campaign.

Head coach Sean McDermott spoke about his confidence in Williams during his Thursday media availability, implying that he has faith in the second-year defender before stating that it’s not solely his responsibility to fill the glaring void left by Milano.

“Dorian’s going to do a good job,” McDermott said. “He’s been making progress and it’s not only his time to step up, but all of his teammates around him to step up. It’s not just one person’s job to fill the void, or try to fill the void left by Matt. You’re never going to replace a player like Matt or Matt’s influence, but now it’s time for our team to move forward in a resilient manner and pick each other up. Guys like Dorian have to step up.”

Asking any player to serve as a like-for-like replacement for Milano is setting them up for failure; the linebacker, when healthy, is one of the NFL’s most dynamic, a rangy, sideline-to-sideline defender with a penchant for being around the football. He’s a tailormade fit in a McDermott defense that oft-puts its linebackers in positions to make plays, and he’s done just that as a professional, notching 39 pass deflections, 10 interceptions, nine fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles throughout his seven-year career.

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Williams isn’t as prolific in coverage as Milano, but he’s a capable defender whom Buffalo’s brass is right to have confidence in. The 2023 third-round draft pick tallied 238 total defensive snaps as a rookie (in both the regular and postseasons), recording 40 tackles and one pass deflection in the regular season and another 10 tackles in the playoffs. He likely won’t be as dynamic as Milano, but few in the league are.

Fans should also be hesitant to write off a second-year Bills linebacker thrust into a starting role; many were questioning the feasibility of then-sophomore Terrel Bernard as the team’s middle linebacker at this time last year, and he emerged as one of the team’s more impactful defenders when given the proverbial ball to the tune of 143 tackles, 6.5 sacks, five pass deflections, and three interceptions. This isn’t to say that Williams will have a Bernard-like impact on Buffalo’s defense, but given the team’s demonstrated ability to identify and develop talented linebackers, there’s reason for optimism.

Williams will have his next opportunity to “step up” and make his mark on the team’s defense this weekend, as the team is set to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a preseason clash on Saturday evening.

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