With rosters set and the first NFL games kicking off this week, many teams still have difficult decisions to make.
For the Buffalo Bills, it comes down to who should start at the other inside linebacker position next to Terrel Bernard. The team will have to decide between the fourth-year Tulane product, Dorian Williams, and 2026 fourth-round pick Kaleb Elarms-Orr.
All offseason, the spot was Williams’ to lose, and it’ll likely go to him. However, Elarms-Orr has turned heads ever since he was drafted and quickly made it a competition. In the Bills’ first unofficial depth chart, the team has Williams starting over Elarms-Orr, but the conversation isn’t over.
Do they roll with Williams in the last season of his rookie deal, or give Elarms-Orr early playing time?
Why Should Dorian Williams Start?
The most likely outcome of this positional battle is Dorian Williams taking the starting spot. He’s waited his turn behind players like Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano, and Tyrel Dodson for years.
Since being drafted in the third round of the 2023 Draft, he hasn’t seen much playing time. This was to be expected, though. Williams faced an uphill battle for playing time but always made the most of the opportunities he got.
For example, his 2024 season. When Matt Milano suffered a biceps injury in the preseason, Williams stepped up in his place. He went on to start the first 11 games and recorded 117 tackles, five TFLs, and one forced fumble that season.
While his playing time would diminish in 2025, Williams still played a role as a run stopper.
He might not reach the level of production the guys before him did, but Dorian Williams is worth the chance. The Bills have nothing to lose by running him out there as a starter this season.
Being in the final year of his rookie deal essentially makes this a prove-it season. If he’s good, keep him. If not, cut your losses and let him walk in free agency. Having to decide between two players with the talent of Williams and Elarms-Orr is a good problem to have.
What’s the Case for Kaleb Elarms-Orr?
As every year, people set lofty expectations for rookies. Whether the player is drafted in the first or the fourth round, someone is going to bat for them.
While Kaleb Elarms-Orr had an impressive training camp and preseason, being patient with him wouldn’t hurt; he could step in right away and start if the team needed him.
If he does start, the former Cal and TCU linebacker would bring a similar blend of size and speed as Williams.
Standing at 6-foot-2, weighing 234 pounds, and ranking second in NFL.com’s “Athleticism Score” among all linebackers at the 2026 combine is already enough to get a lot of people’s attention.
At the combine, Elarms-Orr ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, had a 40-inch vertical, and a 10-foot, four-inch broad jump. For some, combine performances don’t translate to the field, but in this case, it does.
Last season at TCU, Elarms-Orr had 130 tackles, 11 TFLs, and four sacks on the route to a first-team All-Big 12 nomination.
The rookie’s training camp and preseason are what make so many people excited to see him play, especially after what Bills fans saw on the defensive side of the ball last season. But the question that everyone needs to ask is: is it too soon to start the rookie? Patience is key to developing a football player; it’s no different for Elarms-Orr.
Who Gets the Nod?
While a number of fans would like to see the team start Elarms-Orr from the get-go, it’s not the first option.
Seeing what the Bills have with Dorian Williams in the last year of his contract is the right decision for the team to make. It’s not that Elarms-Orr can’t get playing time, though.
The team could rotate the two players in different situations to put them in better spots to succeed. Not many players are on the field for every snap, which makes this an even more realistic outcome.
What it boils down to is: the Bills play Dorian Williams, and he ends up earning an extension, or he walks in free agency next year, opening a spot for Elarms-Orr to take over. Either way, the team is prepared for the future.
Fans have to give credit where it’s due; Brandon Beane has built a roster with so much depth that the Bills can recover from almost anything.
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