Predicting the winner for the Buffalo Bills top training camp battles

Weakside Linebacker

A.J. Klein vs. Vosean Joseph

This is a very interesting battle and in a normal offseason it likely would be almost a coin flip. A.J. Klein is a veteran who Sean McDermott knows very well from their time together with the Carolina Panthers.

While he wasn’t a regular starter, he was a key part of their defense because he was the primary backup at every linebacker position. He was the first man up when there was an injury and did start 23 games over four seasons with the Panthers.

He recently spent the past three years with the New Orleans Saints and was a starting linebacker for them, starting 42 of 43 games. He finished with 193 total tackles and nine passes defended over that time.

The one wild card here is Vosean Joseph, due to the fact that he is relatively unknown. The Bills drafted Joseph in the fifth round of last year’s NFL Draft and played well during the preseason. However, a shoulder injury cost him the entire season as the Bills placed him on injured reserve.

While it will likely be a trend of the Buffalo Bills going with veterans due to the changes to the offseason schedule, this is one situation I believe they go with the younger player. The weakside linebacker is not on the field as much due to the Bills operating mostly out of a nickel defense so it can give Joseph a chance at snaps but not have to rely on him as a full-time starter.

It also would free up Klein to be the primary backup across all positions if the need were to arise.

Winner: Vosean Joseph