Whether he was quelling some concerns or being truthful, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane elaborated on how he the team feels about linebacker Terrel Bernard.
Bernard, Buffalo’s third-round pick at the 2022 NFL draft out of Baylor, is a talented athlete. However, he was a pick many observers of the team did not see coming.
The concern being fit. Where is it? In the defensive scheme the Bills run, there are two starting linebacker spots and those are held by Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano.
In terms of backing them up, Bernard mirrors Milano but doesn’t exactly fit the profile of Edmunds.
But that didn’t bother the Bills.
“He’s played both at Baylor, for us I’ll let the coaches ultimately determine it, but he can play both, he can play inside or play out. He really could,” Beane said via video conference. “He’s going to be undersized. He’s not going to be your prototype size. If he’s playing Mike, he’s going to be the opposite of what Tremaine looks like inside, but we do think he can do both. We like his versatility, super instinctive.”
The Bills will certainly hope Bernard proves his worth in terms of versatility. There is a need for it.
Earlier this spring, linebacker AJ Klein was cut by team in a salary cap move. He was previously the defender tasked with backing up both Edmunds and Milano, which might now be passed onto Bernard.
If the ability to play both spots does surface with Bernard, the Bills might’ve gotten a good one. Bernard was all over the field during his career at Baylor.
Bernard appeared in 13 games for the Bears in 2021, putting up 103 total tackles, including 12.5 for loss, with 7.5 sacks and four passes defended. Bernard also had a 100-plus tackle season in 2019.
Those numbers won’t get to Bernard’s head, though. He knows it’ll have to be earned in Buffalo.
“I think I can just bring another hard working piece,” Bernard said via video conference. “Special teams, fight for a roster spot–Do whatever I need to do.”
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