The Buffalo Bills have a gaping hole in their depth chart at the inside linebacker position. Having allowed Nigel Bradham to depart in free agency and non-tendered Ty Powell, the Bills are left with Preston Brown, an oft-injured sixth round pick entering his second year in Tony Steward, an undrafted free agent also entering his second year in AJ Tarpley, and waiver wire addition Kevin Reddick. It's no surprise, therefore, that they'd be looking into linebackers in the draft. As WKBW's Joe Buscaglia reports, they're bringing another one in for a visit:
Source: #Bills to host Florida ILB Antonio Morrison on a pre-draft visit. Read up on him and how he fits right here: https://t.co/D8Mm8bi76I
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) March 31, 2016
Morrison is a hard hitting linebacker who will remind many viewers of former Gator Brandon Spikes. In his last two seasons, he collected 204 tackles (72 solo), 18 for loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception. It's the circumstances between those seasons that give him some intrigue, however. Injured in the 2014 Birmingham Bowl, Morrison had to undergo multiple knee surgeries, which ordinarily would have knocked him out of the upcoming season altogether. Instead, he managed to accelerate his rehab to the point that he was on the field for the first game of the 2015 season, and he played in every game.
Morrison is a weird dude, but also an extremely intense one. He was arrested in 2013 for barking at a police dog and resisting arrest (his defense was that the dog barked first). He also has a tattoo on his right arm that reads "DON'T TRUST ME," so take that for what it's worth. The team that adds Morrison is getting a tone-setting run defending inside linebacker. He's explosive when moving downhill, takes on blockers well, and diagnoses plays well. He might have to come off the field on third down, but when his opponent wants to run the ball, they'll have to go in another direction.