Defensive Snap Review for the Buffalo Bills

As we get more acquainted with the 2012 Buffalo Bills defense, it's wise to take a look back at the 2011 version to get a feel for which players may or may not be in good standing with the team when it comes to playing time.

This will help us get an idea of which players the team will be counting on this coming season.

With help from stats website Pro Football Focus, we get a look at the Bills defensive snap counts from 2011 and what they may (or may not) mean for the 2012 season and going forward.

Defensive Line

Who's going up? 

The return of defensive tackle Kyle Williams will mean a much heavier workload for him. He played 80.8 percent of snaps when fully healthy in 2010, more than any defensive lineman played in 2011.

Another name to watch could be defensive tackle Torell Troup, who may be asked to supply a supplemental presence on the inside in relief of Williams and Marcell Dareus. 

Who's going down? 

Defensive tackles Dwan Edwards and Spencer Johnson were both starters in the 3-4 defense, and though either or both could still be a fit in the 4-3 alignment, it may be in a more rotational role with Williams and Dareus the incumbent starters.

Edwards and Johnson are also both a bit too heavy on the checkbook for such a role, with each slated to make over $3 million in 2012. Either or both could be subject to a restructured contract at some point before the start of the regular season.

Defensive tackle Alex Carrington was a product of the 3-4 system as well, but he had earned an increased workload in 2011. Will that equity carry over with a new system and defensive coordinator? It's worth watching.

Other takeaways

Take what you see here with a grain of salt. There will be a lot of changes up front, and this chart doesn't even account for the additions of defensive ends Mario Williams (five games, 225 snaps) and Mark Anderson (19 games, 640 snaps, 47.2 percent).

I also included Chris Kelsay, an outside linebacker in the 3-4 who will likely resume a role as a defensive end in the 4-3. He has played the position in the past and will likely be a rotational end along with Mark Anderson.

As suggested, the primary battle will be for rotational spots at defensive tackle behind K. Williams and Dareus, with Edwards, Johnson, Carrington and Troup at the forefront from this perspective.

Linebackers

Who's going up? 

Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard was eased into the NFL with a low snap count. In his second year, and now in a familiar defensive scheme, he could see a significant boost in his playing time.

Veteran linebacker Kirk Morrison is another name to watch. He missed a lot of 2011 with injury, and he wasn't a prominent piece in the 3-4. His experience in a 4-3 front could help him earn more time on the field, and a return to health will only improve his chances at more playing time.

Who's going down? 

Tough call right now, but it will ultimately depend on whether rookie linebacker Tank Carder and Nigel Bradham show enough in training camp to warrant extended playing time. If that's the case, Nick Barnett and Arthur Moats should be looking over their shoulders.

I'll contradict myself for a minute to point out that as likely as Morrison is to be a bigger part of the 4-3 defense, he could also not even make the roster. The Bills signed him to a contract that would have him accounting for $600,000 in dead money, according to Spotrac, and cutting him would only save $650,000 off the cap. He could be on roster watch.

Other takeaways

Linebacker is considered one of the Bills' biggest weaknesses headed into 2012, and with multiple question marks at the position, there could be a lot of experimentation going on as the Bills try to find answers.

Defensive Backs

Who's going up?

Rookie cornerback Aaron Williams had ups and downs in 2011, as would be expected of any rookie. The team may be looking to him for an increase in snaps after missing seven games in 2011 due to injuries.

But the addition of first-round pick Stephon Gilmore and fourth-round pick Ron Brooks could make it difficult for those who are on the roster to earn more playing time in 2012.

Who's going down? 

Drayton Florence. Getting cut will do that to ya.

Beyond Florence, though, cornerback Leodis McKelvin could see his playing time dip significantly, as could veteran cornerback Terrence McGee. The additions of Gilmore and Brooks have given the Bills a wealth of options in the event that McKelvin and McGee underwhelm in camp or in the preseason. 

As the Bills look to get younger in the secondary while improving on their 7.7 defensive passing yards per attempt and 90.4 defensive passer rating, these are some of the changes that could inevitably occur.

Other takeaways

Despite all of the uncertainty at cornerback, the Bills have two safeties they can count on for a majority of the snaps in George Wilson and Jairus Byrd. Wilson is coming off of a neck injury that marred his 2011 season, and Byrd is finally coming into his own as a leader of the secondary. This will be an exciting unit to watch as a whole in 2012.

Erik Frenz is the AFC East lead blogger for Bleacher Report. Be sure to follow Erik on Twitter and "like" the AFC East blog on Facebook to keep up with all the updates.