Bills' LB Dorian Williams is exceeding expectations replacing Matt Milano

When Buffalo Bills stud outside linebacker Matt Milano tore his bicep in training camp, fans feared the worst. Season over, dead in the water, unable to swim on defense without one of the few remaining elite talents the Bills had left.

Players were available on the open market, but the Bills opted to stay in-house. The team had to turn to the surprising third-round draft pick from 2023: Dorian Williams out of Tulane. Teammates expressed support for Dorian, but everyone knows the impact Matt Milano has on the field; It was absent for most of last season, especially when it mattered most.

""-I trust in him just as much as Milano because I'm sure you guys have seen him, when 42 is running, somebody gets hit.""

- A.J. Epenesa on Williams, Aug 15th, 2024

Another problem added to a whirlwind of troubles that the Buffalo Bills faced entering the 2024 season, Dorian Williams had enormous shoes to fill. Now, through five weeks of NFL action, he seems to be one of the few players we don't need to worry about.

Big Shoes, Filled

In five games this season, Dorian Williams has racked up a league-leading 54 total tackles. His solo tackles have been particularly impressive, his 35 are good for third-most. Williams has been absolutely flying to the ball, and we can forget about him in coverage; A luxury many players don't provide. A stop in the backfield? He's there. Pressuring the QB? You got it. Nose for the ball? Dorian Williams has a forced fumble and two recoveries to go along with his tackle numbers.

We're not done talking about the tackle numbers either. In the first five games, he's made 9, 10, 11, 12, and 12 total. That output cannot be manufactured. He's the first Buffalo Bills since George Wilson in 2011 to accumulate 10+ tackles in four games consecutively, per the Bills.

We have yet to see an single egregious mistake from him, he's just been consistently making the right play to keep offenses from breaking loose. So often first to the ball, and rarely needing help to bring down the ball-carrier, it's a shocking turnaround. His teammates acknowledge his impact on the game already.

""Yeah, Dorian has gotten better every single week. He's flying around, making plays, communicating, executing his job, and he's been finding the ball too. He's been getting better every single week, [I'm] proud of him, and you know we're going to keep working to get better.""

- Terrel Bernard, postgame vs Hou, Oct 6th

Sean McDermott too has highlighted the growth of Dorian Williams multiple times this offseason, and he's right in doing so. One of the Buffalo Bills biggest weaknesses entering the season has quickly become a position of strength and reliability. When Matt Milano returns, as he's expected to do later this season, Dorian will provide unprecedented quality of depth and allow for unique defensive packages the Bills don't traditionally get to use. What more could you ask for?

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