Bills roster comparison: 2017 vs. 2020 defense, special teams

Buffalo Bills roster comparisons from 2017 training camp to 2020 training camp.

Linebacker

Buffalo Bills middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

 

2017 2020
Preston Brown Tremaine Edmunds
Lorenzo Alexander Vosean Joseph
Ramon Humber AJ Klein
Matt Milano Tyler Matakevich
Tanner Vallejo Matt Milano
Gerald Hodges Corey Thompson
Carl Bradford Tyrel Dodson
Jacob Lindsey Del’Shawn Phillips
Reggie Ragland

Advantage: 2020
In 2017 the Bills started to get some pieces in place in their linebacker room. Preston Brown was a tackling machine, but lacked in coverage. Ramon Humber was a solid depth piece and special teamer. Lorenzo Alexander turned out to be even more versatile than we thought.  But the Bills’ top-duo of Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano trump all of that. The Bills play plenty of nickel defense (2 linebackers) and with that pair on the field, Buffalo sports one of the best linebacking groups in the NFL.