Terrel Bernard has long been the leader of the Buffalo Bills defense. He won the starting job at middle linebacker in last year’s training camp and isn’t looking back. With two years of experience and one year as a starter under his belt, the 25-year-old is now moving into a more general leadership role on One Bills Drive.
Head coach Sean McDermott was asked Thursday about Bernard’s leadership status and ability after former All-Pro defensive lineman Matt Milano suffered a serious bicep injury. With the veteran now out “indefinitely,” it will again be Bernard’s job to lead the linebacker corps, as he did last season after Milano broke his tibia in Week 5. McDermott doesn’t believe Milano’s injury necessarily changes Bernard’s status, noting that the third-year player made a big effort over the summer to establish himself as a leader.
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“Similar to last year, he came in as a young player, hadn’t really played much himself last season and had a good season,” McDermott said. “What I’ve seen in the offseason is that he’s continuing to build his influence as a leader of our football team, and he’s done that very intentionally. Building that relationship now, last year was — and I was excited to see Matt and TB working together, now it’s Dorian and TB, at this point. That relationship and building that relationship is going to be important for us.”
An overall leadership role is not only natural for a middle linebacker, but necessary. As the person who relays the defensive plays to his teammates and makes sure the team is properly lined up, the “mic” must be a trusted and reliable voice. Still, it’s encouraging to hear Bernard now complement his dynamic play on the field (last season he tallied 6.5 sacks, three interceptions and a team-leading 143 tackles) with a concerted effort to be a leader, as that combination could cement his status as an integral long-term player in Orchard Park.
It’s also reassuring to hear of Bernard’s ascension to a leadership role, considering how much Buffalo’s defensive leadership suffered in the offseason due to a turnover; the team parted ways with Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer and Tre’Davious White in the spring, and each of the three defensive backs had started for the team since 2017. The team has recognized that new leadership needs to emerge in the wake of the offseason moves, and Bernard appears to be establishing himself as part of that unit.
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