The Great Tremaine Edmunds Debate

[JohnNord]

Over the past few days, Bills Twitter has been split over Tremaine Edmunds.
 

The Case for Edmunds:

WGR’s Nate Geary and Cover 1’s Erik Turner

Both have defended Edmunds and believes that he isn’t the problem.  They have also said THE excuse - he’s 22!  Also feels he’s a scapegoat and suffering from having a poor DL.

 

To be fair the stuff about the DL is a good argument but I’m not sure that’s the entire issue.  

 

The case against Edmunds:

Majority of Bills Twitter
 

They will point to weakness Edmunds has shown in run support, how easily he can get fooled and lost in space, and the lack of overall impact plays.  

Maybe this group doesn’t know the X and O’s but they see a player who appears to have struggled on the field quite a bit. 

My take

I normally agree with Nate and Erik but as of February 2021, I’m skeptical that Edmunds will ever live up to his potential in the defense.  I don’t think he got much better and while the issue of the DL and injuries are valid, I just don’t think he’s shown that he’s a special player.

 

I’m really hoping we see a different player because after next year there are no more excuses.  No more....”but he’s only 22.”  Because after 4 years the excuses need to stop.  
 

Many here were not high on Josh last offseason and look what happened.  So you never know....but we need to see more.  

 

PRO EDMUNDS

 

 

Against Edmunds:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 4, 2021 by JohnNord

[Beast]

Edmunds is a damned good player. I will leave it at that. 

[JohnNord]

2 minutes ago, Beast said:

Edmunds is a damned good player. I will leave it at that. 

Not sure I few that strongly.  The potential is there but I didn’t see it this season

[gobills404]

He's far from the problem on defense, but I'd be lying if said didn't expect more from a 16th overall pick in year 3. The most annoying part is how he's been used. He was (and still is) a physical freak with below average processing/recognition that people thought would be a chess piece in the front 7. Instead we've boxed him in at mlb and tried to make him be Luke Kuechly.

Edited February 5, 2021 by gobills404

[Rc2catch]

I like to think it has a lot to do with scheme and pass rush. 
You can’t expect this guy to cover the middle of the field after 3 seconds. When he’s dropping back the quarterback needs to force a decision in less than 4 seconds or basically Edmunds is hung out to dry. 
There’s not a linebacker in the league that’s gonna drop like that and have success if the pass rush isn’t getting home. 
I do still think there’s a lot of room to grow in the run game, and I can agree with a lot of people who say he plays soft. Basically if anyone touches him he’s out of the play. Not a good trait to be in the middle. 
I hope they have plans to switch things up a little. I think getting a good edge pass rusher changes an awful lot in this defense. 

[transplantbillsfan]

The debate doesn't really matter.  With news that Milano is going to seek top dollar, he's not going to be with the team next year--I really wish he would change his mind because I think he and Jerry Hughes were our 2 most consistent defensive players and biggest impact players all year--but we will exercise Edmunds's 5th year option and I think OBD will work on a long term extension for him next offseason.

 

Edmunds actually made me more of a believer in him this year.  I always thought he shied away from contact as a tackler and just wasn't very good against the run.  This year he did much, much better in that category.

 

Like Allen, Edmunds still has plenty of room to improve and has improved through each of his first 3 seasons.

[Frat-Train]

He’s like the new Star Wars trilogy, by Disney...  Starts pretty cool, but then Suddenly pulls hard to the left in WTF’s-ville.  Here’s hoping he can find his mandalorian and restore a little confidence in fans hearts.

Edited February 5, 2021 by Frat-Train

[BuffaloRebound]

I want my LB to be more of a dawg, more nasty.  His dad was a great NFL Tight End. Tremaine is a physical freak. Things probably always came easy for him. He’s gotta start playing like there’s no tomorrow. No way I’m exercising his 5th year option.  I wanna see how he plays without tomorrow guaranteed.  Time to realize your potential young man or find something else to do.  

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 minute ago, transplantbillsfan said:

The debate doesn't really matter.  With news that Milano is going to seek top dollar, he's not going to be with the team next year--I really wish he would change his mind because I think he and Jerry Hughes were our 2 most consistent defensive players and biggest impact players all year--but we will exercise Edmunds's 5th year option and I think OBD will work on a long term extension for him next offseason.

 

Edmunds actually made me more of a believer in him this year.  I always thought he shied away from contact as a tackler and just wasn't very good against the run.  This year he did much, much better in that category.

 

Like Allen, Edmunds still has plenty of room to improve and has improved through each of his first 3 seasons.

😂  And what makes you think Edmunds won’t when the time comes. 
 

[JaCrispy]

Edmunds is such a frustrating player...I feel that if he were a mid round pick, we would be looking to upgrade...but because he was a first round pick we are stuck with him, and will likely pay him top dollar...unfortunately...👎

[NoSaint]

20 minutes ago, Beast said:

Edmunds is a damned good player. I will leave it at that. 

he’s a talented athlete, that has struggled. 
 

I don’t doubt that’s a combo of scheme, d line, youth, and probably some skill issues too. Not to mention injury. 
 

he too often guesses the wrong hole, and when he gets there he’s rarely a missile... but with a bum shoulder and not great DT play.... would we expect him to be firing through and blowing up everything?

 

 

it’s tough to evaluate him this year and he is walking into a major “prove it” season. 

[bigK14094]

Seems to lack the head and instinct of a middle linebacker.  Not as bad a miss as Shaq Lawson, but down that kind road.

[Beast]

13 minutes ago, JaCrispy said:

Edmunds is such a frustrating player...I feel that if he were a mid round pick, we would be looking to upgrade...but because he was a first round pick we are stuck with him, and will likely pay him top dollar...unfortunately...👎

 

And he consistantly gets voted to the Pro Bowl by his peers because he has cool dreads.

[NewEra]

35 minutes ago, Beast said:

Edmunds is a damned good player. I will leave it at that. 

He is at times. I’ll give him that.  Watching him play, at times, I can see what teams will pay him a lot of money. We’ll probably be the team. I just hope he becomes more instinctual and decisive with every year he plays 

[transplantbillsfan]

16 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

😂  And what makes you think Edmunds won’t when the time comes. 
 

 

The time hasn't come for Edmunds.

 

The time has come for Milano.

 

There's really no need for this debate because we have Edmunds locked down with us for 2 more years.  The debate really should be whether we just let Milano walk or pay him top dollar.  I'm on the side that we should let him walk because when he says "top dollar" I'm assuming he's talking Khalil Mack and Von Miller type money, and he's definitely not worth that.

[Process]

He either stinks, or is not a good fit scheme wise. 

 

Either way, Edmunds as MLB in this defense has been a massive failure and it needs to be figured out this off-season. 

 

There is also no doubt that we need a big man in the middle on the d line, which will help everyone. 

[ProcessTruster]

9 minutes ago, NewEra said:

He is at times. I’ll give him that.  Watching him play, at times, I can see what teams will pay him a lot of money. We’ll probably be the team. I just hope he becomes more instinctual and decisive with every year he plays 

When Star is back in front of him, he will be better.  

[Mr. WEO]

I don't see how his age matters.  He's a 3rd year NFL vet.  I f he was a 24 year old 3rd year vet, he would be better? 

[JGMcD2]

I vote we get rid of Edmunds and replace him with a linebacker from the 1980s. We will then be able to stop all the elite running offenses in the league like the Ravens, Colts, Patriots and Rams. 
 

Our 1980s LB won’t be able to defend against the pass, but that’s ok. 

[BuffaloRebound]

2 minutes ago, ProcessTruster said:

When Star is back in front of him, he will be better.  

He’s supposedly gonna make Oliver better too.  The guy McBeane asked to take a pay cut last year is being counted on to solve a lot of problems on the defense.