The NFL has a lot of talented players in the league that get overlooked every single season. Whether it’s because of the team they play on or because there are bigger names at the position, it’s a total disrespect. The Buffalo Bills have been one of those teams for a long time (up until recently) where many talented players get overlooked.
Heck, one player that immediately comes to mind is linebacker Matt Milano. A fifth-round draft pick out of Boston College in 2017, Milano broke out onto the scene for the Bills early on in his career. He didn’t get any true recognition until 2022 where he earned his first Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors. The unfortunate part is that the last two seasons he has been hit with major injuries, so there are mixed opinions about him.
Nonetheless, Milano is someone who was disrespected early on in his career. The same thing is happening to yet another Bills linebacker. Terrel Bernard, who received a four-year $50 million deal this offseason, has been a dynamic playmaker for the Bills the last two seasons. He took over when Tremaine Edmunds left and he hasn’t disappointed whatsoever.
With over 200+ total tackles the last two seasons combined, Bernard has stepped up as the leader of the defense who can stop the run and play great pass coverage. The defense thrives with him on the field and hurts when he is not out there.
However, Bernard is facing similar disrespect just like Milano did early on in his career. Mason Cameron from Pro Football Focus (PFF), ranked the top 32 linebackers heading into the 2025 season and Bernard was completely left off the list. To make matters even worse, no Bills linebacker made it onto the list. Instead, Milano was listed as an honorable mention.
Terrel Bernard is one of the top linebackers in the NFL
It’s one thing to not put Bernard on the top half of the list. But to completely leave him off is a completely disrespectful gesture.
Bernard was someone that was highly doubted when he stepped into the starting role in 2023. Since then, he has been nothing short of a star. His first full season as a starter was better than a lot of other player’s, and last season he still performed at a high level despite some time early on in the season.
Leaving Bernard off this list and not recognizing him as one of the best linebackers in the game is completely wrong.