While many teams are busy finalizing their plans for the upcoming NFL draft, the Buffalo Bills are still playing host to remaining free agents. The Bills are thin in the linebacker position and are reportedly targeting a veteran to come in as an upgrade to a defensive unit that has been average at best. The team could look to grab someone in the draft, but will first glance at free agency options. According to ESPN, the team has hosted Karlos Dansby for a visit.
Dansby has been on the free agent market since being released by the Miami Dolphins last month. Multiple teams have shown interest in him. Most recently, the Cincinnati Bengals were in consideration to sign Dansby. Instead, they used him as leverage to sign veteran James Harrison instead. He remained on the market due to salary demands being too high. The free agent market has not been kind to aging veterans and Dansby is a growing example of that.
Dansby had a productive 2012 season, which is why his release from the Dolphins was considered surprising. He racked up a career-high 134 tackles with one sack. He is highly durable for 31-years old. In his nine NFL seasons, he has only missed eight games total. Dansby would play well in the Bills' 3-4 defensive scheme. The Dolphins ran a similar plan for the past three years. His athleticism and physical style of play would make him an ideal player for the Bills.
The knock against Dansby is that he failed to play to his full potential after signing a large contract with Miami. The Bills currently have Manny Lawson and Kelvin Sheppard on the roster. Sheppard started at middle linebacker last season for the Bills, but looked less than impressive. Under new coordinator Mike Pettine, Buffalo will run with bigger men up front, making Dansby a solid option.
The Bills still have the draft to grab a linebacker. This year's class is filled with strong defensive potential. The team seems to be leaning towards a veteran to bring experience and leadership to a weak defense. Dansby does not appear to have any other veteran competition when it comes to the Bills. They would have no one on their radar that they would need to use interest in Dansby as leverage to sign. Dansby is not going anywhere fast, so if the Bills decide to wait and make a decision after the draft, he will likely still be around.
