Underrated LB ascending into leadership role within Bills’ locker room

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott has seen linebacker Terrel Bernard ascend into a leadership role throughout the offseason.

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Terrel Bernard has long been the leader of the Buffalo Bills’ defense, winning the team’s starting middle linebacker job during last year’s training camp and not yet looking back. With two years of professional and one year of starting experience under his belt, the 25-year-old is now ascending into a more general leadership role at One Bills Drive.

Head coach Sean McDermott was asked about Bernard’s leadership status and ability on Thursday in the wake of former All-Pro defender Matt Milano’s significant bicep injury; with the veteran now out “indefinitely,” it will again be Bernard’s responsibility to lead the linebacker corps, as he did following Milano’s Week 5 tibia fracture last season. McDermott does not feel as though Milano’s injury necessarily changes Bernard’s status, as he’s noticed a concerted effort from the third-year player to establish himself as a leader throughout the summer.

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

“Similar to last year, he came in as a young player, and having not really played a whole lot himself last season and had a good season,” McDermott said. “What I’ve seen over the offseason is him continue to step up his influence as a leader on our football team, and he’s been very intentional about that. Developing that rapport now, last year was—and I was looking forward to watching Matt and TB work together, now it’s Dorian and TB, at this point. That rapport, and building that rapport, is going to be important for us.”

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A general leadership role is not only natural, but quite necessary for a middle linebacker; as the person who relays the defensive play-call to his teammates and makes sure the team is properly aligned, the 'mike' needs to be a trusted and reliable voice. That said, it’s encouraging to hear that Bernard is now complementing his dynamic on-field play (he tallied 6.5 sacks, three interceptions, and a team-high 143 tackles last season) with a concerted effort to be a leader, as this combination could cement his status as an integral long-term piece in Orchard Park.

It’s also reassuring to hear about Bernard’s ascent into a leadership role given the turnover Buffalo’s defensive leadership corps saw in the offseason; the team parted ways with Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, and Tre’Davious White in the spring, and each of the three defensive backs had started for the team since 2017. The team has noted that a new leadership group will have to manifest in the wake of the offseason turnover, and Bernard looks set to establish himself as part of the corps.

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