How will the changes to the defense affect some veteran players?

by Pat Freeman, The Mighty O’Ba

Pat Freeman, The Mighty O’Ba

The Buffalo Bills will have a new leader this year, and that means a new draft philosophy to accommodate the new field philosophy. The last nine years, the approach to the draft has been dictated by the philosophy of Sean McDermott. This year will be quite different with a new head coach in Joe Brady and two new offensive coordinators. The greatest change with this team is the hiring of Jim Leonard as defensive coordinator who runs a 3-4 base defense.

The last nine years the Bills have chosen players that would fit a 4-3 base defense. This change will eliminate some veteran players who just will not be a fit for what the Bills will try to do in this new scheme. The Bills have already traded Taron Johnson who was deemed to be a player that does not fit this system. Believe this, he will not be the last player that will not be able to adjust to the changes in philosophy on the defensive side of the ball. The problem the organization will have with these changes is that they have already committed extensions to some of these players that will not fit this new scheme.

These players I believe will have a lot of pressure to show why they fit are Terel Bernard, Ed Oliver, and Greg Rousseau. Each has just been rewarded with a second contract based on their play in a different defense. The question now is will they be able to fit in this new defense led by new defensive coordina tor Jim Leonard.