The defense for the Buffalo Bills has been a dominant unit under Sean McDermott. Even without a true defensive coordinator last season, the Bills defense still managed to produce the best football possible even with all of the injuries that they endured. Losing players like Tre’Davious White, Matt Milano and DaQuan Jones for most of if not the whole season was a gut punch for the Bills. However, that did not stop the Bills from playing hard-nosed defensive football.
One of the rising players on the defense stepped in to fill the shoes that Tremaine Edmunds left in free agency last offseason. In his first season as a starter, Terrel Bernard had a fantastic year for the Buffalo defense with 143 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 5 pass deflections and 3 fumble recoveries.
Bernard was able to accomplish this, having played only four full games with teammate Matt Milano who is a big fan favorite in Buffalo. In Week 5, Milano suffered a season-ending leg injury which looked like a bad sign as to what the Bills’ defense was going to be for the remainder of the season. Even though his presence was missed, it allowed Bernard to shine and show Bills Mafia that he can pick up the production. Now the two will be back on the field together and Bills fans have a better understanding of what this duo can do together.
Gordon McGuiness from Pro Football Focus created a linebacker rankings list going into 2024 where the Jets took the top spot with the highlighting of C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams. When it comes the duo of Milano and Bernard, McGuiness placed them outside the top ten and at the #11 spot. That is a ridiculous placement for this duo considering that Milano is one of the best defensive players in the league and Bernard rose fast to an elite level last season.
McGuiness discussed that if Milano is able to play at the same level he was at before his season-ending injury last year, the Bills will be just fine at linebacker. They are already more than fine. Milano and Bernard each have a lot to offer and putting them in a defensive scheme under Bobby Babich (who was the team’s linebackers coach) only means that they will continue to elevate the team.