Buffalo Bills: 5 Players That Should Be on Sean McDermott’s Leadership Council

Buffalo Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott has spoken of a leadership council consisting of players that will help deliver his message to the team.

I don’t think it’s a secret that Buffalo Bills‘ new head coach Sean McDermott values leadership just as much as anything else. He has even spoken of creating a leadership council on the team of qualified Bills’ players.

When he began to reshape the Buffalo Bills‘ coaching staff, he wanted coaches that embodied great leadership. When he started to rebuild the roster, he stayed consistent with the leadership quality.

Now, we are seeing McDermott’s decisions influence Terry and Kim Pegula as they began rebuilding the front office. Personally, looking at the personnel from top to bottom, it’s hands down the best looking staff this team has had in a long time.

Of course, we won’t truly see what that means for another four months, but it shows that the Buffalo Bills‘ franchise is headed in the right direction.

A little over a month ago, when Sean McDermott had just started to meet the players in the classroom, it was announced that he would be putting together a ‘leadership council’ including Bills’ players that can help deliver his message to the team.

McDermott will be looking at a wide range of qualities when selecting the players that fit the build, but made it known that age won’t be the only thing considered. Here’s what he said in the beginning of April:

"“I think you look for a range of characteristics. Age is one of them. Experience – but that doesn’t just limit it to the older crowd, so to speak. You want representation from, really, the cross-section of the team and really guys that represent the whole team, not just certain parts of the team. I’ve been around it at the two different spots that I’ve been at – both Philadelphia and Carolina – I’ve seen it work well. … Anybody [can step up]. Leadership is a big part of this football team and having the right type of chemistry on the team. Every ship needs a rudder and so obviously I’m one of the leaders, and the player-driven leadership component of it is big. There needs to be leadership in that locker room and on the field, whether it’s practice or during the games. Young or old, it’s time to step up and lead.”"

I love the idea of this, especially since it isn’t rare throughout the league. Even Tyrod Taylor noted that he had been on teams in the past that did the same thing. It’s a great way for a team to stay connected to the coach’s message.

The only thing we are missing are the names of the players that will be included in this leadership council. Of course, McDermott probably spoke of it that early so people like me can speculate on it.

That’s what I’ll do.

I have a list of five players that I would like to see included in the leadership council. At the end, I have honorable mentions that would also be good fits.

Let’s get started.

DT Kyle Williams

I mean, Kyle Williams is the one player I would see as a lock for the leadership council. Remember, he considered retiring this offseason, but Sean McDermott rallied him to come back for one last hoorah.

Kyle Williams has represented what this team is all about ever since he was drafted by them in 2006. Entering his 12th season, he considered retiring following last season. Luckily, Terry and Kim Pegula chose to hire Sean McDermott, who gave Williams enough hope to return.

Not only does Williams work his tail off every single day, but he’s the most vocal leader in the locker room and makes every pre-game memorable. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check the video below!

I have no doubt in my mind that Kyle Williams will be a member of McDermott’s council and will be the biggest leader of all of them. He’ll do what he has continued to do since entering the league and will take one more stab at ending this dreadful 17-year playoff drought.

Remember, he has been a part of 11 of those, so he knows our pain. He wants it just as bad as anyone and McDermott (as well as the rest of the team) can see that.

Williams made it known early that he wasn’t here to mess around in 2017.

"“I’m not afraid to say anything at any time or to make a point of bringing something up,” Williams said. “Because at the end of the day, this will be 12 years playing for me, who knows how long you can play? You never know. There’s no time to waste with the little things and not getting it right. And I am not going to let feelings, or anything like that get in the way what I see could be a hurdle for us to be a winning football team. Really never have.”"

Moving on to the second player I think would be a good fit on the council.

LB Lorenzo Alexander

Lorenzo Alexander was in the right place at the right time last offseason when he signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent. Originally, he was signed as a special teams player and depth linebacker, but that all changed when Shaq Lawson’s shoulder injury caused him to miss the first half of the season.

Alexander stepped in and amazed the entire league, leading the NFL in sacks most of the season before finishing third overall at season’s end with 12.5 sacks. He added 76 tackles, three forced fumbles, one interception, 6 passes defensed and 4 stuffs.

To make it all that much sweeter, it was his 10th season in the league and most of those stats were more than his entire career totals. It was truly an amazing showing by the veteran linebacker.

Good enough to return for two more years in what could be his final years in the league. His contract ($9 million/2 years) means he will hold a larger role than just special teams, once again. He will look to be the starter at outside linebacker and add valuable pass rush to the Bills’ defense.

He will also look to have a bigger role in the locker room and become more vocal as a leader, which is why I see him being chosen for Sean McDermott’s leadership council. Earlier in the offseason, Alexander was quoted:

"“Last year I did talk to guys and take them to the side, but I think I will kind of step to the forefront,” he said. “Kind of like what Kyle Williams does before games, or even in meetings and just holding guys accountable when I see something go down versus kind of waiting and maybe get them after a meeting. Making sure that it is out front, everyone knows about it and if I correct one guy, or help one guy everybody else sees it and maybe will learn from that and that same correction.”Rex Ryan’s policy of rotating his captains each week – who can forget when IK Enemkpali got his turn – made a mockery of the entire idea. But a bigger problem was Ryan’s inability to get his players on the same page when it came to embracing his scheme."

I’m excited to see Alexander return this season and can’t wait to see what else he can do for this defense.

Next up on my list is a player that might be new to the team, but isn’t new to the coach.

HB/FB Mike Tolbert

Mike Tolbert will be one of the MANY new faces donning a Buffalo Bills‘ uniform next season. With the team electing to not match Mike Gillislee’s offer sheet from the Patriots, he could have a larger role with the team — especially since they didn’t draft a running back this year.

Tolbert comes from the Carolina Panthers and received high praise from Sean McDermott right out the gate. With Buffalo’s new GM coming from Carolina as well, he will be a player that those two will look to when delivering a message. His familiarity with how they like things run will likely land him a spot on the leadership council.

Entering his 10th season, the past five were spent with Carolina, where he was a touchdown machine racking in 21 touchdowns in a backup role. He showed the ability to start at running back in 2010 with the Chargers, finishing with 735 yards and 11 touchdowns on 182 carries.

In addition to that, he has the necessary qualities and personality to fill the role perfectly. Here’s something he said early this offseason:

"“Nothing’s given, everything’s earned,” he said. “As a player you learn how to go through adversity. You learn that there are days that you don’t want to wake up and get there at 6:30 am, but you don’t turn the snooze off because you have to do it. It’s the way that we feed our families. It’s the way that we take care of our livelihood. Sometimes you got to do it even if you don’t want to.”"

He combines that type of attitude with a super friendly and relaxed personality. He has been known to keep players loose and cut any tension that is currently surrounding the locker room. This will be a very valuable asset to the Buffalo Bills.

I would love to see Mike Tolbert gain a leadership role with the Buffalo Bills and think he will be received well throughout the locker room.

On to the next one, a familiar face and one of the bigger voices in the locker room the past two seasons — next to Kyle Williams.

QB Tyrod Taylor

Tyrod Taylor, despite receiving a lot of criticism for his play — which is unjustified in my opinion — is one of the players that aren’t afraid to speak up when something needs to be said. Not to mention, he’s the quarterback and conductor of this offense and is trying to prove that he can be the Buffalo Bills‘ franchise quarterback.

One quick way to do that is to take control of this team. I think Tyrod Taylor will do that this season and gain a lot of respect from the new coaching staff and front office, as well as the new players on the team.

As far as speaking up when something needs to be said, take his comments on the Bills’ local media at the end of the season. He criticized the media for misuse of information and just keeping an overall negative outlook on the team. He didn’t appreciate it and he addressed the media about it.

"“It was more so just the media in Buffalo. I feel it’s a very negative group. For their reasons, winning hasn’t been a tradition around there. I understand they(‘re) fed up with it, they want a team to get to the playoffs,” Taylor said “But I also felt that they were attacking the wrong things at the wrong time. It wasn’t fair to me at the time, but this game isn’t fair. I could have carried it a different way looking back on it, but I think that also sparked some things as far as my teammates, to see me react the way I did, I definitely think it made them look at me a different way too.”"

I would expect more of this next season, but hopefully it isn’t negative comments that need to be said.

In addition to all of that, I think he will be a part of the leadership council because of his ability to find what needs to be worked on and making sure it gets worked on — on and off the field. He also probably gained a lot of respect from this locker room after restructuring his contract to remain with the team.

Any time a player takes a pay cut to stay with a team, it shows that he’s 100% committed to everything this team stands for — including leadership.

Now, the last player I would like to see included in Sean McDermott’s leadership council.

C Eric Wood

Much like Lorenzo Alexander and Kyle Williams will likely be the biggest leaders on defense, I see Tyrod Taylor and Eric Wood being the biggest leaders on offense. For that reason, it would make sense to have those four returning players in the leadership council, especially since they’ve already won the support of the locker room.

Eric Wood has been one of the bigger leaders since joining the team in 2009 and has been with the team through most of their 17-year playoff drought. Remind you of Kyle Williams?

He has stuck with this team through thick and thin and has embodied exactly what this team means on and off the field. He’s perceived well in the locker room and fans absolutely love him. He would be an easy pick for Sean McDermott’s leadership council.

The two-time Pro Bowler is coming off a season where he missed the second half due to a broken leg suffered Week 9 vs. the Seattle Seahawks. The Buffalo Bills‘ offensive line was missing the biggest piece most of the year, although Ryan Groy luckily filled the void well.

In a recent interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio, Wood shared his optimism for the team this season, stating that they have a lot of respect for the New England Patriots, “but feel like we’re ready to take a jump.” Of course, he’s saying the team is on the right track to becoming a strong point in the AFC East — which is saying a lot when you figure how dominant the Patriots are and how up-and-coming the Dolphins are.

Strong words from one of the leaders on this team. He’ll have to show that the team is ready when Week 1 comes around, but I have complete faith in this team.

Alright, those are my top five picks for Sean McDermott’s leadership council, but I still have a few players I think would be a good fit. Let’s go through some honorable mentions.

These four players could also find themselves on Sean McDermott’s leadership council this season.

Now, I’m not sure how many players Sean McDermott wants to include in this council, but if it is more than five, there are several other players that should be considered. I’ve put together four more players I wouldn’t mind him selecting for the leadership council.

Above, I selected a good mix of players that have been with the team, players that re rather new and one player that is completely new. With these last four players, I will look at a rookie, one of the most talented players on the roster and two more newcomers this offseason.

Let’s start with the most talented player on the roster.

HB LeSean McCoy

LeSean McCoy is another returning player that is seen as one of the leaders in the locker room, but needs to speak up during the season — which I think will happen in 2017. As we saw this offseason, McCoy is no longer here to have fun. He wants to win a championship and is ready to hold players accountable on a daily basis.

It started this offseason when he was criticizing Rex Ryan’s loose style of coaching. Accountability and leadership were two things he saw lacking from this team. I expect him to be one of the players to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

Not to mention, he has one of the bigger voices when it comes to national media. Everyone recognizes and respects McCoy for what he does on the field, so now it’s time to bring that respect off the field as well. Again, not that he doesn’t already, but he could do it a lot more.

MUST READ: LeSean McCoy is 1,046 Yards Away From Massive Career Milestone

DB Micah Hyde

Micah Hyde was the Buffalo Bills‘ top free agent signed and will be one of the two new starting safeties this season. Losing Corey Graham and Aaron Williams created big holes on the roster, but Micah Hyde will fill one of those holes very well.

He was a very respected player with the Green Bay Packers, which should say a lot. He’s versatile on the field, which McDermott values fairly high. Also, being a new player on this team, he has a chance to make a very good first impression for this city.

Being on the leadership council would be quite the confidence builder and good first impression.

He’s also ready to bring an end to the 17-year playoff drought:

"“Seventeen years ago, I was nine years old,” Hyde said. “I don’t know anything about any of that losing and not making it to the playoffs and all of that stuff. Me personally, this is a new football team, new opportunity. I’m sure Sean will say the same thing. I’m sure a lot of guys in the locker room will say the same thing. We’re not looking into the past and the history of the Buffalo Bills, we’re looking to make history.”"

CB Leonard Johnson

Leonard Johnson is another new piece to this defensive back crew and another player that has good experience with Sean McDermott. He spent the 2016 season with McDermott in Carolina and appeared in 10 games.

Johnson finished with 30 tackles, one sack and one pass defensed last season with the Panthers and showed McDermott enough to bring him to Buffalo — where he could potentially compete for a lot of playing time. I mean, I already expect him to receive a good amount of playing time.

He also has experience with the Patriots (2015), but only appeared in 4 games. That knowledge could be useful, though. Before that, he had his better days in Tampa Bay (2012-2014) where he totaled 148 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 5 interceptions, 2 touchdowns, 21 passes defensed and 5 stuffs.

Hopefully he returns to his Tampa Bay days, am I right? Either way, he was a good addition to the family and will help players understand what Sean McDermott wants in his team.

"“I’m just coming in to help, man, and this is what I love to do,” Johnson said. “Compete, and make sure everyone around me can be in the right place at the right time. That way, we all hold each other accountable.”"

CB Tre’Davious White

My last honorable mention is a rookie, but remember what McDermott said about the qualifications — experience is key, but not necessarily age.

White was the Buffalo Bills‘ first round selection in this year’s draft after the team traded their No. 10 pick to the Chiefs for the 27th pick, a third round pick and a 2018 first rounder. Personally, I love the pick. The Bills got a quality cornerback that can start day one — huge need — and got someone that fills Sean McDermott’s bill to a tee.

Plus, look at it this way. The Buffalo Bills could’ve selected someone at No. 10 and gotten an O.J. Howard, Mahomes, Lattimore, Reddick, Hooker, really anyone. Instead, they got White, Zay Jones (they traded the Chiefs’ third round pick and the Bills second round to grab Jones) and a future starter in next year’s draft.

White would make an interesting, but good pick for the leadership council. He was honored to wear No. 18 at LSU, which is given to the player that is a leader on and off the field. It would be a big confidence booster for the rookie to have that type of title carry into the NFL.

He would have to prove himself to the rest of the locker room, but he will have plenty of time to do so if he hasn’t already.

Next: Buffalo Bills Saying Goodbye to 35 Players This Offseason

Who would you like to see included in Sean McDermott’s leadership council? Leave your thoughts below!