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2008 Team Report: Buffalo Bills

Quarterbacks

Starter: Trent Edwards
Backup(s): J.P. Losman, Gibran Hamdan

Starting QB: Many were surprised when the Bills drafted Trent Edwards in the third round a year ago with JP Losman coming off his best year as a pro. Although QB was not considered a need at the time, the Bills thought Edwards was a first-round talent and a great value at that point in the draft. Edwards was a highly recruited QB coming out of high school, but he never got much of an opportunity to showcase his talents at Stanford because he played on some bad teams and had trouble staying healthy. As a rookie, however, Edwards showed surprising poise early on and eventually played well enough to take over the starting QB job. While he doesn't have the strong arm or mobility of Losman, he makes up for it with superior accuracy and decision-making. Edwards has limited upside as a fantasy QB since the Bills employ a conservative offensive attack that won't take many chances downfield. The offensive line should give him enough time to be effective though, and the Bills also added some much needed size with the selection of 6-foot-6 WR James Hardy in the second round. He should be a great weapon in the red zone.

Backup QB: Losman has shown flashes of being an effective NFL QB, but unfortunately wasn't able to sustain that performance long enough to hold onto the starting job in Buffalo. He has a strong arm and throws a great deep ball, but he also struggles to deliver the ball accurately at times and has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long. With one year left on his contract, the Bills would consider trading him if the right offer came along. But without another viable backup QB on the roster, he's expected to backup Edwards for a year before leaving as a free agent. Gibran Hamdan is a developmental QB who was originally a seventh-round pick of the Redskins in 2003. He has played well in NFL Europe and spent time on the practice squad of several NFL teams before signing with the Bills late last season.

Running Backs

Starter: Marshawn Lynch
Backup(s): Fred Jackson, Dwayne Wright, Xavier Omon [R]
Fullback(s): Darian Barnes

Starting RB: Seeking a replacement for Willis McGahee, the Bills drafted Marshawn Lynch with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2007 Draft. Lynch had a very impressive rookie season, finishing with just under 1,300 yards from scrimmage and seven TDs in only 13 games. Despite missing three games with an injury, he still finished the year ranked ninth in the rush attempts and wound up with more rushing yards than more established players like Frank Gore, Joseph Addai and Stephen Jackson. Lynch may not have the size of a prototypical feature back, but he runs with surprising strength and determination, almost always fighting for extra yards, particularly when he is near the goal line. He only caught 18 passes as a rookie but that number figures to improve as he becomes more reliable in pass protection. The offensive line did not provide a lot of room to run last year, but they showed steady improvement as the year went on and have the pieces in place to be one of the league's better units. Lynch is an exciting young player who should be the focal point of the Bills offense this year and finish among the top 10 fantasy RBs in the league.

Backup RBs: Fred Jackson took an unconventional route to the NFL that included stops in an indoor football league and NFL Europe, but he looks like a great find for the Bills. A strong preseason earned him a roster spot last year and he eventually supplanted veteran Anthony Thomas to become the Bills primary backup. He is a good all-around back who pulled in 22 receptions in just eight games while also averaging 5.17 YPC. The Bills drafted Dwayne Wright in the fourth round of last year's draft out of Fresno State. While not as explosive as Lynch or Jackson, Wright is a powerful runner with good hands who could contribute in short-yardage duties and may even be converted to fullback. The Bills took a flier on a small-school RB in Xavier Omon in the sixth round of this year's draft. He is a proven workhorse who dominated Division II and collected an amazing 2,500 yards from scrimmage and 38 TDs last year.

Fullback: The Bills eliminated the fullback from their offense last year and went with an H-back instead. This year, however, the plan is to move back to more of a traditional two-back offense. Darian Barnes was signed in the offseason after spending last year with the Jets. He's a big hitter who should help clear the way for the RBs but probably won't be much of a factor running or catching the ball.

Wide Receivers

Starters: Lee Evans, James Hardy [R]
Backups: Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish, Justin Jenkins, Scott Mayle, Steve Johnson [R]

Starting WRs: After a breakout season in 2006 when he finished as the No. 7 ranked fantasy WR, Lee Evans struggled through a frustrating season last year. Evans had great chemistry with J.P. Losman, but Losman was in and out of the lineup due to his inconsistent play, and his replacement, Trent Edwards, was a rookie learning on the job. The Bills were also far too conservative on offense for much of the year as they tried to keep the pressure off their young defense. Look for Evans to rebound this year as he'll be entering the final year of his contract and the Bills have a much easier schedule. If all goes according to plan, the addition of James Hardy should also make things easier for Evans. Hardy was drafted in the second round out of Indiana and should finally give the Bills a legit No. 2 WR. Hardy has tremendous size at 6-foot-6 and he was also clocked with a sub 4.5 40-time at the combine. He should provide a perfect complement to the smaller Evans and be a very effective weapon in the red zone.

Backup WRs: Josh Reed has been a valuable player for the Bills primarily thanks to his contributions as a blocker. Although he has started 35 games over his six-year career including nine in 2007, Reed is much more effective working out of the slot where he can make plays in space and take advantage of his ability to run after the catch. Roscoe Parrish is an explosive player and one of the best punt returners in the league -- he led the league with a 16.3-yard average -- but his small size makes him a better fit as a situational receiver. He's shown steady improvement over his three seasons in the league but will have a hard time improving on his numbers from last year. Justin Jenkins spent some time in NFL Europe before the Bills signed him to their practice squad last year. He was signed to the active roster midway through the season and was a valuable contributor on special teams. Scott Mayle was signed as an undrafted free agent last year and spent most of the year on the team's practice squad. Steve Johnson was a seventh-round draft pick who only started four games in two years at Kentucky and will likely need to spend some time on the practice squad.

Tight Ends

Starters: Robert Royal
Backups: Courtney Anderson, Derek Schouman, Teyo Johnson, Derek Fine [R], Tim Massaquoi

Robert Royal hasn't emerged as the receiving threat that the Bills were hoping for when they signed him to a four-year contract two years ago, but he remains one of the more effective blocking tight ends in the league. He has been an effective option in the red zone -- six TDs in two years -- although he lacks the speed to make big plays. The Bills hoped that Kevin Everett would be their receiving option in two-TE sets before he suffered a devastating spinal cord injury in last year's season opener. They brought in Michael Gaines to replace him and got some solid production out of him at times, but he signed with the Lions this offseason. The most likely player to take the No. 2 TE role is Courtney Anderson, who spent a couple of years as a starter in Oakland. While he's still just 27 years old, it has to be a concern that he finished 2007 with zero receptions despite playing a couple games for two awful teams in the Lions and Falcons. The Bills have a large group of players who are expected to compete for limited roster spots including Tim Massaquoi, fourth-round pick Derek Fine, last year's seventh-round pick Derek Schouman, and Teyo Johnson who has been out of the NFL for the past couple years.

Place Kicker

Rian Lindell : Despite a solid 2004, critics were concerned that Lindell had limited range on field goals. Over the last three years, he dispelled that myth, going 7 of 8 from 50+ yards. Last year he hit 88.9% (24 of 27) on field goals and 92.0% (23 of 25) the year before. In his eight years in the NFL, Lindell has never missed an extra point. In other words, he is probably one of the better placekickers in the league right now. Unfortunately, the offense has given him very few opportunities to kick the last two years. Last year they had only 24 PATs. The Bills ranked 28th in attempted kicking points in 2006 and 29th in 2007.

Kick and Punt Returners

Kick Returners: Terrence McGee; Leodis McKelvin; Roscoe Parrish; Fred Jackson

CB Terrence McGee remains one of the better KRs in the NFL. Last year he averaged 24.0 yards on 45 returns and scored a TD. McGee has ranked in the top twenty for fantasy returners each of the last four years. WR/PR Roscoe Parrish occasionally handles kickoffs (6 returns, 21.0 avg. last year) in addition to punt returns. Numerous players had a couple kickoff returns last year, of which RB Fred Jackson (3 returns, 15.3 avg.) remains with the team.

Punt Returners: Roscoe Parrish; Leodis McKelvin

After he recovered from a hand injury, Roscoe Parrish emerged as the Bills top punt returner as anticipated during his rookie year in 2005. His 13.3 yard average on 14 returns ranked 5th in the league that year. In 2006 he averaged 11.4 yards (10th) on 32 returns, and took one the distance for a score. Last year he scored another TD and had a whopping 16.3 yard average (5th). The return tandem of McGee and Parrish are already one of the best in the league. Nonetheless, the Bills may be better this year as they drafted CB Leodis McKelvin, one of the top returners in this year's draft. The first round pick out of Troy averaged 17.4 yards on 25 punt returns and 23.2 yards on 33 kickoff returns last year. He scored three TDs on punts bringing his career total to seven. The Bills have placed in the top seven for fantasy return points each of the last four years.

Offensive Line

Projected Starters: LT Jason Peters, LG Derrick Dockery, C Melvin Fowler, RG Brad Butler, RT Langston Walker
Key Backups: Jason Whittle, Duke Preston, Kirk Chambers

Commentary coming soon.

Team Defense

After being devastated by injuries early on in '07 the Buffalo defense finished in the middle of the pack in most scoring systems, leaving them plenty of room for improvement. The pass rush generated just 26 sacks and only four teams allowed more yards passing. Their 25th-ranked run defense fared little better. There are reasons for optimism though. The Bills posted a respectable 30 takeaways in '07 and have addressed most of their personnel deficiencies either via the draft, free agency or rehab. The draft landed them corners Leodis McKelvin in Round 1 and Reggie Corner in Round 4. Round 3 provided DE Chris Ellis who will push for playing time immediately. Free agency supplied the reinforcements for the run defense in the form of stout DT Marcus Stroud and physical LB Kawika Mitchell. It may be the return of MLB Paul Posluszny that has the biggest impact. He was playing well before breaking his arm early and his return will give the unit a big boost. Starting FS Ko Simpson returns from injury as well. With its considerable facelift, the Bills D seems headed in the right direction. They may be a year away from putting it all together but should be improved. Consider them a backup option with upside heading into this season.

Defensive Line

Starters: DE Aaron Schobel, DE Chris Kelsay, DT Marcus Stroud, DT John McCargo
Backups: DE Ryan Denney, DE Chris Ellis [R], DT Spencer Johnson, DT Kyle Williams, DT Jason Jefferson

Starting DL: Aaron Schobel averaged nearly 11 sacks per season from 2002 to 2006 before suffering a drop to 6.5 in 2007. While the year was undoubtedly disappointing for his fantasy owners, he played well enough to earn an invite to the Pro Bowl and should return to double digit sacks in 2008 thanks to some big upgrades in his surrounding talent. The Bills made resigning Chris Kelsay a priority last offseason but his play didn't quite live up to the expectations that come with a 4 year, $23 million contract. He's a strong run defender who plays hard who will need to probably double his sack total from last year if he expects to hold onto his starting job. The Bills have struggled to stop the run ever since they let Pat Williams leave but they have finally found a capable replacement in Marcus Stroud, who they acquired from Jacksonville for a 3rd and 5th round pick. Stroud is a 3-time Pro Bowl player who should be a great fit for the Bills defense as long as he can stay healthy. He could not finish the last two seasons due to ankle problems and is recovering from microfracture surgery. Playing alongside him on the inside of the line will likely be John McCargo, who the Bills traded up to select in the 1st round of the 2006 draft. After being sidelined with an injury as a rookie, McCargo started to emerge as a playmaker last season and could be headed for a breakout season

Backup DL: The Bills plan to rotate their defensive linemen frequently to keep them fresh and put as much pressure on opposing offenses as possible so the backups will see a lot of playing time. Ryan Denney missed the first half of 2007 while recovering from foot surgery and was never quite the same afterwards, but he's fully healthy now and a very solid 2-way player. Chris Ellis is a high-motor player drafted in the third round out of Virginia Tech who should see time right away as a situational pass rusher. Spencer Johnson was signed from the Vikings, where he spent the past couple years buried behind two Pro Bowl defensive tackles. Kyle Williams is a hard worker who has been starting at NT the past two years, but he is probably better suited to a backup role so he doesn't get worn down. Jason Jefferson is a depth player who hasn't made much of an impact during his previous three years with the Bills.

Linebackers

Starters: Starters: WLB Kawika Mitchell, MLB Paul Posluszny, SLB Angelo Crowell
Backups: Backups: ILB John DiGiorgio, OLB Keith Ellison, OLB Alvin Bowen [R]

Starting LBs: Kawika Mitchell started his career as a MLB with the Chiefs but was converted to WLB with the Giants last year. It took him a little while to make the adjustment, but he was instrumental in their Super Bowl run and should provide a significant upgrade to the Bills run defense. Paul Posluszny had a great debut at MLB last year with 9 solo tackles in the season opener, but he was placed on IR after he suffered a broken arm in week 3. He should put up high tackle numbers in this defense and be a very valuable fantasy contributor. Angelo Crowell is a playmaker and the team's most athletic linebacker. His cover skills help keep him on the field in all downs and situations, which allows him to be productive regardless of what position he plays.

Backup LBs: All of the Bills backup linebackers share a common theme as they are undersized but quick and athletic, which is by design for the cover-2 defense. John DiGiorgio came from a small school, worked hard, and wound up as the Bills most improved player last year. He played remarkably well as the starting MLB in place of Posluszny and should provide quality depth. Keith Ellison was a 6th round pick in 2006 who is very good in coverage but struggles against the run. He'll be a much better fit as a backup who can contribute on special teams and in certain passing situations. Alvin Bowen was a 5th round pick in the draft who led the country in tackles as a junior in 2006 and was regarded as one of the best cover linebackers in the Big 12. He will likely contribute on special teams for a year or two and then eventually compete for a starting job.

Defensive Backs

Starters: SS Donte Whitner, FS Ko Simpson, CB Terrence McGee, CB Leodis McKelvin [R]
Backups: CB Jabari Greer, CB Ashton Youboty, CB William James, SS Bryan Scott, FS George Wilson, SS John Wendling, CB Reggie Corner [R], CB Kennard Cox [R]

Starting DBs: Although Donte Whitner has emerged as one of the better defenders on this team, he hasn't really made the type of impact that was expected when the team drafted him 8th overall. With all the improvements the team has made on defense around him, however, he could be headed for a breakout season. Ko Simpson showed a lot of promise during his rookie season before missing last season with a broken ankle suffered in the season opener. He has good instincts and should help solidify the secondary. Terrence McGee is a 4-year starter whose production has been very consistent from year to year. He is a solid wrap up tackler who makes up for a lack of size and speed with sound technique and excellent ball skills. Seeking an upgrade in the secondary, the Bills used their 1st round pick to select the draft's top cornerback Leodis McKelvin. He comes from Troy, the same program that recently produced star defenders like Osi Umenyiora and DeMarcus Ware, and should take over as a starter early on.

Backup DBs: Jabari Greer has been on the team for four years but is coming off his best season. He can contribute as a starter until McKelvin is ready to take over, and then will likely settle into the nickel back job where he is best suited. Ashton Youboty has been a disappointment thus far in his career but should compete for a backup job in training camp. William James started 45 games over a 7-year career, including 6 for the Eagles last year, and his experience could give him an edge. Bryan Scott has started 37 games in a 5-year career spent mostly with Atlanta and has the early edge for the backup SS job. George Wilson is a former wide receiver who made a successful conversion to safety, starting 9 games last year and contributing two defensive TDs. John Wendling was a 6th round pick in 2007 who led the team with 24 special teams tackles and should compete for a backup job this year. The Bills used a 4th round pick to select Reggie Corner, who hauled in 7 interceptions as a college senior at Akron last year. They followed that up by taking their 3rd CB in the draft, Kennard Cox from Pitt, who has a reputation of being a very good special teamer.

Last modified: 2008-05-29 09:40:44