AJ Klein returning

[YardRat]

Per Sal...



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[Woodman]

19764


:gobills:

[DraftBoy]

Well if the defense ain’t broke, don’t fix it right?

[YardRat]

Well if the defense ain’t broke, don’t fix it right?

Klein will be a good mentor/back-up for their first round LBer :beers:

[Woodman]

19765

Welcome back A.J.

[DraftBoy]

Klein will be a good mentor/back-up for their first round LBer :beers:

:rofl:

[Woodman]

Klein might just be a starter.

[Mace]

If they do in fact...adjust the defense....Klein can contribute as a traditional lb. I 'm good with it.

If they don't adjust...it won't matter so I'm.still good with it.

[Novacane]

He might not even make the team. Nothing to get riled up over either way.

[Forward_Lateral]

I thought he’d retire for good and be a lb coach somewhere. I doubt he makes the team because if he does that means both Dotson and Bernard suck and they didn’t draft a LB

[OpIv37]

I’m good with this. Klein is a solid player who knows the D.

This is not the move that makes us true SB contenders. But he’s the solid role player that any successful team needs. Keeping him is smart and cheap.

[Mace]

I’m good with this. Klein is a solid player who knows the D.

This is not the move that makes us true SB contenders. But he’s the solid role player that any successful team needs. Keeping him is smart and cheap.

That's just the thing. He can't range like Edmunds...in pursuit he runs in molasses..but he can command a limited zone....see a play hapoening...and reliably get there and tackle within that limited range that a good dc shkuld be able tio account for if necessary because you're pkaying a solid limited backup with some savvy. He's not a bell ringer.. but if he makes the roster...he's a usable piece if they learn to adjust.

[Clumpy]

:bf1:

[TigerJ]

I'm OK with the signing, but it really doesn't move the needle. It certainly doesn't change the need Buffalo has to try and find a good starting MLB.

[swiper]

Seems there is some hate here for this. The Bills need a MLB. Klein is a LB. No one said he is the starting MLB. He was a good special teams player and a good back-up. Good enough. I can't get overly excited about the signing, but don't hate it either. Purely based on his familiarity with the Bills system, the signing seems to make sense. Camp sorts out everything else.

[Woodman]

Bills re-sign A.J. Klein - ProFootballTalk (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/04/17/bills-re-sign-a-j-klein/)

Bills re-sign A.J. Klein

Buffalo announced on Monday that Klein has re-signed with the club on a one-year deal.

After signing a three-year contract with the Bills in 2020, Buffalo released Klein last March. But after spending time with the Giants, Ravens, and Bears last season, Klein ended up back with the Bills when the team claimed him off waivers in November.

Klein ended up playing in six games for Buffalo with one start. He recorded 11 total tackles with one tackle for loss, playing 86 defensive snaps and 83 special teams snaps.

Klein, who turns 32 in July, was a Panthers fifth-round pick in 2013. He played his first four seasons with Carolina before spending three seasons with New Orleans.

[notacon]

This was expected. It was just a matter of when they would come to an agreement.

AJ Klein has been a solid backup LB for the Bills. He only left after 2021 season because his cap hit of over $6M just did not make any sense. The market agreed with that and he kicked around three team’s practice squad until being claimed off waivers by the Bills in late Nov 2022 for vet minimum.


His value to the Bills is his familiarity with the defensive system and coaches and playing alongside Milano.

He is a steady presence in the defense with Milano at his side. With the Bills solidifying the secondary with Elam going into his second year, Tre’ White probably starting the season in top form, Taron Johnson as a critical nickel back and both Hyde and Poyer secured, with Hamlin and Benford promising youngsters, there is little reason to panic after the loss of Edmunds.

It’s looking more and more like the idea of drafting a LB in the 1st round is probably (but not a sure thing, it all depends on who is there at #27) not going to happen, nor should it.

Jack Campbell would be a welcome addition, but NOT in round one. That would be a waste of a first round pick.

[Woodman]

Happy to have the veteran back with us.

[sukie]

I dunno, I’m just developing the sense that the Bills D is a little AJ heavy by two.

[Woodman]

I’m good with this. Klein is a solid player who knows the D.

This is not the move that makes us true SB contenders. But he’s the solid role player that any successful team needs. Keeping him is smart and cheap.

He's gonna be better without the past DC's approach.

[ParanoidAndroid]

He played his best football next to Edmunds.

They tried putting him on the weakside in 2021 when Milano was hurt but that was a disaster. They adjusted and put him on the strong side with Edmunds doing his sideline to opposite hash ranging from the weak side.

McDermott is going to draft one high.

If Sanders is there at 27, I think he's McD's guy.

[Woodman]

In 6 days we'll all know.

LB OL WR DT CB RB. Ooops or Edge Rusher

It'll be one of these!

[notacon]

He played his best football next to Edmunds.

They tried putting him on the weakside in 2021 when Milano was hurt but that was a disaster. They adjusted and put him on the strong side with Edmunds doing his sideline to opposite hash ranging from the weak side.

McDermott is going to draft one high.

If Sanders is there at 27, I think he's McD's guy.
YES, AJ Klein was more effective next to Edmunds. But, that is true of any replacements when Edmunds was injured as opposed to the same when Milano was out.

That is testament of how critical Edmunds was to the Bills defense.

No one has any idea what Beane is going to do, and I expect that Beane doesn’t either. Not at least until the draft actually starts and players start coming off the board.

I would not bet one penny on a LB being a Bills first round pick. No matter who is on the board. That’s not to say that it won’t happen but from everything that Beane has been saying (and he is not one to blow smoke) and especially by his actions, I truly belive he thinks that Edmunds replacement is on the roster right now. At least for the short term.

A first round choice has a special value, mainly because of the five year limited contract as opposed to four years for other.

That is huge and the Bills, with their constant challenge of the cap with an elite, extremely high paid QB for years to come it becomes even more critical to get that high value position right.

RB’s have rapidly fallen from the value of using a first round selection. IOL is quickly following the same path.

The mock drafts I have been monitoring (a lot of them) earlier this year usually had Trenton Simpson and sometimes Sanders as the first ILB off the board. Right around #20 to #28 or so. But many of them had no ILB’s in the first round.

Lately, it is relatively usual to see any mocks with any ILB in the first round.

Interestingly, in the latest 7-round mock from NFL.com’s draft analyst, Chad Reuter (https://www.nfl.com/news/seven-round-2023-nfl-mock-draft-round-1), has the Bills trading UP to #20 to get WR Jordan Addison (which I would be ecstatic if we got him) and grabbing Drew Sanders in the second round, #59 overall. The 3rd ILB off the board.

He has the first ILB going off the board at #26, Trenton Simpson to Dallas. The second, Noah Sewell at #48 overall to Detroit.

Jack Campbell, the other most mentioned by some Bills fans, falling to round 3, #73 overall to Houston.

Of course, mock drafts are mock drafts. In hindsight most of them can be mocked pretty easily.

This is not to say you are anywhere off-base with your prediction. I would not be surprised at just about anything that Bills will do in round one, save drafting a QB. :D:

Which is why Thursday and Friday are must watch TV for me. Going to be fun.

[Woodman]

In 6 days we'll all know.

LB OL WR DT CB RB. Ooops or Edge Rusher

It'll be one of these!

Now just 5 days!

:gobills: