Marcus Easley KR

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

With the log jam we have at kick and punt returner, having Easley return kicks seemed like a very very curious move.

 

Sort of.

 

I doubt Easley lines up to return ONCE this season, but being back there during preseason gave him invaluable experience having the ball in his hands during a live game situation.

 

Consider it part of his injury rehab, even. It was anoppprtunity to get some reps running around against live receivers AND taking a shot or two on his injured leg. That's psychology rehab 101.

 

You're right that it probably helped his psyche to get touches. But I wonder if Chan and co. were consciously thinking the same thing. Frankly, I doubt they were; they were just throwing the back-up KR's back there for some reps.

[biglukes]

If we have 4 guys who can do it, shouldn't the pre-season be an open competition btw them to see who emerges as #1?

 

5 good KRs is completely unecessary imo

An open competition to do what? Stand in the endzone and watch kicks sail past them? Or perhaps have all those guys who play very prominent roles on offense and defense risk getting hurt doing something they've done a million times in an area where there is nothing left to learn about them? Who says 5 kick returners is unnecessary? So having depth is a bad thing all of a sudden? The more things that more guys can do the better off your team is. A lot of teams would love to have one guy who is good at returning kicks. We have at least 4. Remind me how that is a bad thing?

[miserable_fan]

An open competition to do what? Stand in the endzone and watch kicks sail past them? Or perhaps have all those guys who play very prominent roles on offense and defense risk getting hurt doing something they've done a million times in an area where there is nothing left to learn about them? Who says 5 kick returners is unnecessary? So having depth is a bad thing all of a sudden? The more things that more guys can do the better off your team is. A lot of teams would love to have one guy who is good at returning kicks. We have at least 4. Remind me how that is a bad thing?

Relax. We're all entitled to our opinions. Pre season is where you get the rust off and try things out in a simulated game atmosphere. I would think that you'd want to give your go-to KRs a chance to shake the rust off. That's my two cents.

 

You contradict yourself anyway. If the Bills should try Easley out at KR but all the kicks will sail past him, what's the point?

 

Thanks for the condescending questions, though.

[CardinalScotts]

Took how many post before someone finally realized the kick returns aren't going to happen- despite our good kick returners I think we end up better off with no returns for us and no returns for you. Should only help our defense not having them at the 35-40 nearly every time

[Mr. WEO]

Took how many post before someone finally realized the kick returns aren't going to happen- despite our good kick returners I think we end up better off with no returns for us and no returns for you. Should only help our defense not having them at the 35-40 nearly every time

Kick returns will happen.

[GG]

I guess you were watching a different Easley than I was, this preseason. That's some lofty expectations for butterfingers, especially since he can't beat out a Donald Jones ....

[Bills!Win!]

They might as well throw Marcus Easley back there cuz the bills will be on the receiving end of numerous kickoffs this year.

Edited September 6, 2011 by Bills!Win!

[sllib olaffub]

I really like Easley, too. I've been saying since this summer that he has the potential to end up being our #1 receiver, in the mold of a Calvin Johnson - you know, he's fast, tall, and he is big, almost like a TE. But, he's really fast. So, if he translates those physical skills - and he's shown more in one offseason than recievers have shown in the past who didn't pan out - like Hardy, for instance. There is every reason to believe he is going to keep getting better. Keep in mind, this kid is years behind everyone around him experience-wise.

 

The combination of Easley, Johnson, Nelson, Jones, and Parrish really gives us a good young receiver corps, very much similar to what SanDiego had recently, or New Orleans, or Green Bay, even. It's obvious that Gailey and Nix are trying to emulate those teams - and, I think one of the biggest trademarks of those groups is that there really isn't a 1,2,3 reciever, necessarily, that lines up and does only certain things. Those teams recievers can all hurt you. That interchangability on offense and defense is something I like a lot. It gives the coaching staff freedom, and it makes it so hard for opponents to determine what we're doing pre-snap.

 

Go Bills!

[reddogblitz]

I guess you were watching a different Easley than I was, this preseason. That's some lofty expectations for butterfingers, especially since he can't beat out a Donald Jones ....

I don't think I want Easley running back kicks. He has too hard of a time holding onto the football for that. I'm concerned about our WRs hands. Seems to be an awfully lot of drops in the pre season. Easley dropped several, Johnson dropped several, Ruvell Martin.

 

But really, on the original topic. The Bills are just trotting someone out there to run back kicks. You don't want to put your real guy out there and get his knees taken out by some guy trying to make other team. May as well be Easley. But yeah, now he's done it and we can see that he would be OK for that if it got down to that.

Edited September 6, 2011 by reddogblitz

[bowery4]

So the title of the thread is marcus easley KR and you don't want people to talk about who else can do it too? We will see Smith back there a lot I am sure. I hope not to see McKelvin doing it and I am sure they were just trying to get the ball in Easley's hands, Rodgers might be doing some too. I think important vets that shouldn't be doing it would be Mcgee and Roscoe even though they have excelled at it before. We really have a lot of ppl who could do it CJ could be considered too. Fast and elusive is the name of the game with kick offs and punts. Fast, even more so with KOs this year with having to take out of the endzone more and getting past the 20.

[Kelly the Dog]

Brad Smith is going to be back there as KR with C.J. probably next to him.

 

Roscoe will be back for PR, with CJ as his back-up. I doubt CJ will actually be on the PR team if he is not the primary return man replacing Roscoe for a breather or due to injury.

 

Brad Smith, however, will likely be in front of Roscoe on the PR team, as he is very good on ST and was doing that in some preseason play. Smith is an amazingly versatile player, not only an excellent KR man but a very good KO team man as well. He will also probably be on the punt team. Bills fans who don't know a lot about him are going to love him.

 

http://www.buffalobills.com/team/depth-chart.html

[biglukes]

Relax. We're all entitled to our opinions. Pre season is where you get the rust off and try things out in a simulated game atmosphere. I would think that you'd want to give your go-to KRs a chance to shake the rust off. That's my two cents.

 

You contradict yourself anyway. If the Bills should try Easley out at KR but all the kicks will sail past him, what's the point?

 

Thanks for the condescending questions, though.

Wasn't being condescending but you're the one complaining. Very rarely do people use their established returners in the preseason, so why not see what else we have on the few kicks that were actually returnable? The preseason is to find out about the fringe players on your roster and gear up your regulars just enough to be ready without getting them hurt. So why could you possibly have any concern over who was returning kicks?

[Matt in KC]

If the Bills were down by 3 points with say 25 seconds left in the game, I'd want Terrence McGee to return the kick if he's healthy. But, for your average mid-game KR, I wouldn't expose him to the wear and risk. I feel similarly about Brad Smith, but with less concern for his health.

[mrags]

We really have a large group of guys that not only can but have proven they can return and proved it.

 

Smith

Spiller

Parrish

McGee

Jackson

 

and you have other guys that have done it in preseason or done it on another level and so far look pretty good or at least average:

Rogers

Searcy

Easley

 

We really have great depth at the position. I doubt were going to have any problems getting someone on the field.

 

I understand you point as why we have him doing it when we have others and we don't want to put him in a position to get injured or worn out. I don't think he will be doing it in rhe regular season much if at all. It was probably just a way of getting him as many snaps as possible. Maybe giving him opportunities to get his confidence back as well.

 

Personally I think you'll see Smith a bit at KR and PR but the majority will go to Spiller at least early in the season to get him as many touches as possible in a game. You'll see Rogers 2nd most as he has shown in the Lions game he is quick and shifty. He's small and undersized for what this coaching staff is looking for as a DB and IMO his return ability is the reason he was picked instead of Corner to make the team. He will probably take over full duty by mid season for CJ unless there is an injury in the defensive backfield.

 

Just my .02

[billsfreak]

If we have 4 guys who can do it, shouldn't the pre-season be an open competition btw them to see who emerges as #1?

 

5 good KRs is completely unecessary imo

As much as we will be returning kickoffs, we need at least 4 players who can return them. We have a possibility for good depth at the WR position, but out of all of them combined there is one quality NFL season-total. If we are lucky someone will step up like Johnson did last year, but there is no guarantee. If we are lucky one of these young unproven players will step up, but thinking we are loaded at the WR position is pretty silly. IMO trading Evans was still ridiculous and nothing but a salary dump, but what is done is done. Real football is almost here!

[The Big Cat]

So the title of the thread is marcus easley KR and you don't want people to talk about who else can do it too? We will see Smith back there a lot I am sure. I hope not to see McKelvin doing it and I am sure they were just trying to get the ball in Easley's hands, Rodgers might be doing some too. I think important vets that shouldn't be doing it would be Mcgee and Roscoe even though they have excelled at it before. We really have a lot of ppl who could do it CJ could be considered too. Fast and elusive is the name of the game with kick offs and punts. Fast, even more so with KOs this year with having to take out of the endzone more and getting past the 20.

 

It helps when you read past the thread headline.

 

THE FIRST POINT: I thought it was strange (from a strategic/personnel standpoint) to see him back there, but it made sense from a REHAB standpoint and I'm cocked-sure that's precisely why they had him running kicks out.

 

THE SECOND reason I framed the Easley convo thusly is because when he got some daylight we finally got to see him chug a little bit, and he was every bit the sub 4.4 guy he was touted to be.

 

THE THIRD reason it was framed this way was to suggest that given his size, if he can manage the dropsies (again, something I acknowledged yet the first place folks starting shooting holes in ye olde theory), he could be a beast.

[CountDorkula]

lee evans is over rated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

His "replacement" Easley has not played a game yet in the NFL. Has been hurt twice (same knee) yet everyone hear talks him up like a 5 year pro. I hope he makes it but I will hold my judgement until he proves something in teh regular season.

 

 

We have numbers on this team at WR not depth. Depth is what Baltimore, Arizona, and Kansas City have at WR.

[Dan III]

Brad Smith is going to be back there as KR with C.J. probably next to him.

 

Roscoe will be back for PR, with CJ as his back-up. I doubt CJ will actually be on the PR team if he is not the primary return man replacing Roscoe for a breather or due to injury.

 

Brad Smith, however, will likely be in front of Roscoe on the PR team, as he is very good on ST and was doing that in some preseason play. Smith is an amazingly versatile player, not only an excellent KR man but a very good KO team man as well. He will also probably be on the punt team. Bills fans who don't know a lot about him are going to love him.

 

http://www.buffalobills.com/team/depth-chart.html

http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2011/09/06/brad-smith-nails-down-kr-job/

 

 

It’s probably nothing close to surprising, but it appears that Brad Smith has nailed down the starting kick return job for the 2011 season.

That according to Buffalo’s updated depth chart, which has Smith listed first with C.J. Spiller as the second returner. Smith was second in the league in kick return average last season with 28.6 yards per return.

[eball]

http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2011/09/06/brad-smith-nails-down-kr-job/

 

 

It’s probably nothing close to surprising, but it appears that Brad Smith has nailed down the starting kick return job for the 2011 season.

That according to Buffalo’s updated depth chart, which has Smith listed first with C.J. Spiller as the second returner. Smith was second in the league in kick return average last season with 28.6 yards per return.

This is yet another hilarious thread rendered completely moot by the foregoing announcement out of OBD.

 

Most certainly, part of putting Easley back on KRs during the preseason was to get him "game action" catching the ball, running on the knee, taking hits, etc. To presume Gailey didn't have that in mind is really to insult the man's intelligence and football savvy.

 

To those who say Easley isn't worth doo-doo because he "couldn't beat out a Donald Jones" -- well, there are plenty of folks who watched Jones last season and in camp this year who think the reason for Easley's inability to beat out Jones might be that Jones is pretty good. You could include Fitz in that camp -- I'll take the QB's word for it, thankyouverymuch.

 

I have high hopes for Easley but he's basically a rookie at one of the most difficult positions from which to have an immediate impact, outside of QB. He'll get some time on the field this season, but I'm looking forward to 2012 and beyond for this young man.