2015 Buffalo Bills Starting 4 or 5 Linebackers

[BillsImpossible]

Inside Linebackers

Mario Williams publicly said that he wants to be the Will, or weakside linebacker in the Bills new defense.
http://www.fanatix.com/news/buffalo-bills-star-mario-williams-excited-to-move-to-lb-under-rex-ryan/474174/

That's probably not going to happen. Mario wants to be the Will, but I think he's going to be the Mike in Rex Ryan's system.

The return of Kiko Alonso will occupy the weakside linebacker position in 2015.

Outside Linebackers

Nigel Bradham and Preston Brown.

Bradham is the perfect Jack because of his speed off the edge. He's faster than Jerry Hughes and plays with the same physicality - but without the personal fouls, bad reputation with the zebras, or a $14 million contract.

Preston Brown played beyond expectations last year as a rookie and I was very impressed with his pass coverage skills and play against the run.

If Mario Williams doesn't get his wish, I can see why the Bills would want to resign Brandon Spikes.

Use Williams against the pass, and Spikes against the run as a tandem at the strong side linebacker position.

After Kiko Alonso, Mario Williams, Preston Brown, Nigel Bradham and Brandon Spikes, the Bills look pretty thin at linebacker.

http://www.buffalobills.com/team/roster.html

[YardRat]

I'm honestly not sure what to do with Alonso, he isn't the greatest fit for this defense...still think he's best suited for outside, but if Spikes isn't re-signed I could see Mario-Brown-Kiko-Bradham. Would rather see Mario-Spikes-Brown/Kiko-Bradham. Rexy has a lot of versatility to work with if all five are on the roster, I'm hoping he moves Alonso all over the place just to raise hell with offenses. Don't see Mario playing inside at all.

[BillsImpossible]

If Alonso isn't a good fit for Rex Ryan's defense, would you trade him to get back in to the 1st round of the draft?

[YardRat]

No. He may not fit the base package but switching out him and Spikes might work. He's a liability against the run in the middle, but maybe the best on passing downs.

[Topas]

With regard to the OPs point about Mario in the middle:
I agree with Yardrat and dont think that works. Actually I think only the switch from DE to OLB is a huge difference. I know Mario fared well in Wades Defense in Houston as a OLB, but I am not sure he can replicate that again. And this was another D system (as I understand it).
I think Mario had such a good year and I dont like that we mess with that again. We have two excellent players in Mario and Kiko (well actually we have even more on D), and now we might use a system that does not fit with both of them. I just hope that it is true what say said that they will fit the system to the players and all our current thoughts are wrong because we assume they use the same D as in NY.
Lets see...

I think that we have an excellent D coach and actual D players. And since we are the Bills we will manage to mess all that up because the system does not fit the players. That would truely be the Bills way. Messing up even when the odds are against messing up.

Please, Pegula Bills, proove me wrong. I beg you.

[casdhf]

We are going to have a ton of substitutions in this defense. Especially with so many teams running 3, 4, and 5 wide sets, there is no reason to trade Kiko. He is a top coverage guy. Plus, who is going to give value to a guy coming off a blown out knee that hasn't played a down?

[better days]

I'm honestly not sure what to do with Alonso, he isn't the greatest fit for this defense...still think he's best suited for outside, but if Spikes isn't re-signed I could see Mario-Brown-Kiko-Bradham. Would rather see Mario-Spikes-Brown/Kiko-Bradham. Rexy has a lot of versatility to work with if all five are on the roster, I'm hoping he moves Alonso all over the place just to raise hell with offenses. Don't see Mario playing inside at all.

I disagree with this Rat.

The only defense we have seen Alonso in as a Bill was Rex Ryan's defense which Pettine brought to Buffalo.

Kiko looked GREAT in that defense his Rookie year. I'm sure Rex will know best how to use Kiko.

[Skooby]

Can't wait for Kiko to get back. I have no idea why some here continue to try and trade away our best players, crazy.

[EDS]

I disagree with this Rat.

The only defense we have seen Alonso in as a Bill was Rex Ryan's defense which Pettine brought to Buffalo.

Kiko looked GREAT in that defense his Rookie year. I'm sure Rex will know best how to use Kiko.

Agreed. No reason Kiko can't play the same role DeMario Davis plays with the Jets.

[Night Train]

Most are forgetting Lawson, who has played well when inserted in the game no matter what the scheme. He'll be standing up outside and should get snaps. OLB Randall Johnson (7th rounder) could thrive. I also liked what I saw of Ty Powell.

Not knowing who's on our roster doesn't mean we are thin. More may be coming but look at the actual depth chart.

[Mace]

Same as I've said before. Ryan's 3-4, is really a 4-3, the OLB's are really ends, and the real lb's only play in the middle (inside). By now there's tons out there about it. Means we're perfectly set at true LB, inside, with Alonso, Brown and Bradham.

[CleveSteve]

Agree with the posters who say there is a lot of value in Alonzo on passing downs even in a new defense. What percentage of snaps is the D going to be in sub packages? A player of his makeup has a lot of value as a WILB in a 3-4, not to mention in nickel and dime alignments. JMO.

[YardRat]

I disagree with this Rat.

The only defense we have seen Alonso in as a Bill was Rex Ryan's defense which Pettine brought to Buffalo.

Kiko looked GREAT in that defense his Rookie year. I'm sure Rex will know best how to use Kiko.

Yeah, we'll just have to disagree a little bit...Alonso played very well most of the time, especially against the pass or flowing to the outside, but he was a liability against the run in the middle and one of the reasons Pettine's defense consistently got gashed. There's a reason (more than just the switch in defenses) that Spikes was on Buffalo's radar and the move to outside for Kiko was already in the works before he was injured.

[better days]

Yeah, we'll just have to disagree a little bit...Alonso played very well most of the time, especially against the pass or flowing to the outside, but he was a liability against the run in the middle and one of the reasons Pettine's defense consistently got gashed. There's a reason (more than just the switch in defenses) that Spikes was on Buffalo's radar and the move to outside for Kiko was already in the works before he was injured.

Agreed about Kiko playing on the outside at times.

I think either Spikes is resigned or Harris is signed to play the middle on the first two downs.

[CleveSteve]

Agree with the posters who say there is a lot of value in Alonzo on passing downs even in a new defense. What percentage of snaps is the D going to be in sub packages? A player of his makeup has a lot of value as a WILB in a 3-4, not to mention in nickel and dime alignments. JMO.
Welp. color me wrong.