Bills’ Mitchell could change for the better

Kawika’s a chameleon. One of the Buffalo Bills’ celebrated defensive additions this offseason, Mitchell is hoping to use his adaptability to enhance a linebacker unit that was already capable before he got to town. At the same time, he has to kill whispers that he may have benefited from being a small sprocket in a tirelessly churning engine as a New York Giant; the opportunity to establish himself as an individual is there for him to grasp as a prominent new member of a promising group.

While he automatically won the weakside linebacker starting job the moment he signed with the Bills, it’s important to remember that it’s still a relatively new position to Mitchell -- who played middle linebacker in his first four years in the league as a Kansas City Chief and only shifted to his right last year for the Giants. In that respect, Mitchell could still be in the midst of a probationary learning period, which is especially nice considering he earned a ring in the meantime.

The Bills are hoping he can employ his strengths on the weak side, perhaps by allowing the squad to take more chances. Regarding Mitchell's penchant for aggressiveness, his 3.5 sacks last season almost doubled his career total, as he now has eight over five seasons. While Bills linebackers only totaled six sacks last year, that’s largely thanks to the fact that Buffalo didn’t blitz much, preferring to restrain its back seven players in a conservative fashion.