30 most important Bills players of 2025: No. 29 Dorian Williams
Leading up to the season, we will be counting down the top 30 most important players on the roster. We'll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to what they'll offer in 2025, and tackle the most pressing questions surrounding them this coming year.
Next up on the countdown is linebacker Dorian Williams.
Background
Position: LB
Age at start of season: 24
Experience: Third year
2025 cap hit: $1,468,038
2024 recap
In his sophomore season in the NFL, Dorian Williams stepped up when called upon. In the absence of fellow linebacker Matt Milano, Williams started 11 games and recorded a team-leading 117 tackles to go with five tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries. He was able to hold down the fort in the middle of the field until Milano was ready to return, specifically excelling in playing downhill and tackling ball carriers. He was also a big contributor on special teams.
2025 outlook
Williams is once again in line to be the top reserve linebacker on the Bills squad. He has proved he is more than capable of stepping in, as he led the team in tackles, and both Milano and Terrel Bernard have had their struggles with injuries. He is great insurance to have, especially with Milano aging. He'll be a key factor in special teams and he may also be brought in for heavier, run-stopping packages like we saw with him being deployed by the Bills against the Ravens in the playoffs.
Biggest question: How much time will he see on defense?
Williams started to see more snaps as part of three-linebacker sets later in the year, but his playing time will most likely hinge on the availability of the LBs ahead of him. While he is in line to be a big help on special teams, he has more to offer than that. Unfortunately, if he's out there on defense and playing well like he did last year, that would most likely mean injuries have hit. It's a great thing to have experienced depth as the wear and tear of the season will hit eventually.
30 Most Important Bills of 2025
Check back as we continue to countdown on our list of the 30 most important Bills ahead of the 2025 season.
No. 30 DT T.J. Sanders
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