Pro Football Rumors
The Bills parted ways with longtime starting linebacker Matt Milano this offseason, leaving a vacancy next to Terrel Bernard in the middle of their defense.
[Dorian Williams](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillDo04.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2026-06-28_pfr) entered the offseason as the top candidate to take over Milano’s role. The 2023 third-rounder made 22 starts in the last three seasons amid several injuries to his veteran teammate, who appeared in just 21 games in that span.
Williams showed signs of development last year. He allowed a 73.5% completion rate and 6.9 yards per target in his first two seasons; those numbers dropped to 52.6% and 5.1 in 2025. He also generated 13 pressures on 59 pass rushing snaps for a strong 22.0% pressure rate, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), though his missed tackle rate jumped to a career-high 18.2%.
However, the 25-year-old was sidelined throughout OTAs and mandatory minicamp due to a lower-body injury, giving rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr a crack at first-team reps. The fourth-round pick (No. 126 overall) impressed in spring practices and could push to supplant Williams in the starting lineup during training camp.
“He’s doing everything we’re asking him right now,” defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said at OTAs (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg).
Elarms-Orr, 22, spent his college years at Cal (2021-2023) and TCU (2024-2025). He sat out his freshman year as a medical redshirt as he recovered from a torn ACL in high school. He took on a special teams role in 2022 before stepping into the Golden Bears’ starting lineup the following year and leading the team in tackles.
Elarms-Orr transferred to TCU in 2024 and saw a reduced role at first, playing just over 300 snaps across 13 appearances with no starts. Last year, he started all 13 games with a team-highs of 130 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and four sacks. He also earned career-best grades from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) with an 84.4 overall grade and a 89.1 run defense grade that both ranked among the NCAA’s top 20 linebackers. Those were also top-10 numbers among players that were drafted this year.
However, transitioning to the pros at linebacker is more difficult than any other position except for quarterback. Physical speed that led to success in college must now be matched by processing speed in the NFL. So while Elarms tested as one of the most athletic linebackers in the 2026 draft class, that alone will not be enough to earn a starting job in Buffalo. Williams’ experience should still give him a significant leg up in the upcoming training camp battle, though he will have to be healthy to triumph.
