Grading the Buffalo Bills at their bye week. We continue with the linebackers:
Nigel Bradham: Defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said two weeks ago that Bradham has done a "very good job" for the Bills but Pro Football Focus' grading disagrees, ranking him 140th among 156 NFL linebackers. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Bradham struggled two years ago in Mike Pettine's defensive scheme before finding his groove last season under Jim Schwartz. It would be fair to say he's taken a step back this season under Rex Ryan, although statistically he's still had a decent season. He ranks third on the team with 34 tackles and is tied with Aaron Williams with four passes defensed, the most behind cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby. It's a contract year for Bradham and he'll still get paid this offseason. He's played in 99 percent of snaps this season. Grade: C-plus.
Preston Brown: Pro Football Focus also hasn't graded Brown well this season, ranking him 116th among 156 NFL linebackers. Their evaluation is that Brown has been playing poorly against the run but much better in pass coverage. Brown, a third-round pick who exceeded expectations last season, has played in 98 percent of defensive snaps and ranks second on the team with 55 tackles. He's also produced turnovers for a Bills defense that could use more takeaways this season; Brown snagged two interceptions in a Week 3 win over the Miami Dolphins and returned one 43 yards for a touchdown. He cold be better, but it's hardly been doom and gloom for him. Grade: B-minus.
Manny Lawson: After filling a rotational role as a defensive end last season under Schwartz, Lawson has stood up as a linebacker this season and played almost exclusively in the base defense, staying on the field for only 46 percent of defensive snaps. His main duty has been setting the edge in the run game and he's done that well, ranking 25th in run defense among NFL linebackers according to Pro Football Focus. Grade: B.
Randell Johnson: A seventh-round pick last season who has found a niche role in Buffalo, Johnson is tied with Boobie Dixon for the Bills' team lead with five special-teams tackles. His 62 percent of special-teams snaps played leads the team. Grade: A-minus.
A.J. Tarpley: His status is uncertain after suffering a concussion in the Bills' loss to the Jaguars in London. An undrafted rookie, Tarpley impressed coaches in the spring and summer and got a boost from a season-ending knee injury to Ty Powell. He's been more or less of an emergency option this season, playing in just 3 percent of defensive snaps and 36 percent of special-teams snaps. It's an uphill climb for any undrafted rookie in the NFL, so Tarpley has exceeded expectations even if he hasn't made an obvious impact to the team. Grade: B.
Tony Steward: The Bills' sixth-round pick, Steward's rookie campaign hit a speed bump when he suffered a preseason knee injury that kept him out of the first five games of the regular season. He hasn't appeared in a game on defense and has just played 20 special-teams snaps, so there's not much to grade here. Grade: Incomplete.
