If the Buffalo Bills are looking for a veteran option to replace Lorenzo Alexander, they should look at a former draft pick.
One position the Buffalo Bills will need to address this offseason is at outside linebacker. The starter last year, Lorenzo Alexander, announced his retirement shortly after the Bills’ playoff loss to the Houston Texans. He joined the Bills primarily known as a special teams specialist but broke out under Rex Ryan with 12.5 sacks in 2016.
Since that season, Alexander has been more of a leader in the locker room than a contributor on the field. He saw his snaps drop over the years and this past season he only played 48% of the defensive snaps.
Now that he is retired, the Bills front office will need to find a player with experience but one that can also contribute more in their base 4-3 defense. That player should be recently released, and former Buffalo Bill, Nigel Bradham.
Bradham was drafted by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Florida State. He worked his way up and was a starter within this defense before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent in 2016.
He was a key piece of the Eagles defense over the years, including their Super Bowl run in 2018, but dealt with some injuries this past season. Bradham missed four games and with declining performance, the Eagles elected to not pick up his option and release him.
A return to Buffalo seems like a perfect fit, not only for Bradham, but for the Bills finding a replacement for Alexander. He could step in as the starter at outside linebacker but wouldn’t necessarily have to play a full-time role. The Bills utilize a nickel defense frequently and rely on the speed of Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano to cover sideline to sideline.
Bradham also would bring with him playoff, and Super Bowl experience. This would be invaluable for a team that is improving and hoping to take that next step but doesn’t have any players that can speak to what it takes to get, and win, a championship.
The front office has a number of options on how they address the hole left in the starting lineup by the retirement of Lorenzo Alexander. If they are not ready to turn the job over to second-year player Vosean Joseph, the signing of Nigel Bradham could be the perfect player to fill the role until Joseph is ready.