Bills release 2nd unofficial depth chart

[DCbillsfan]

1 hour ago, Flip Johnson said:

The idea that this chart has any real reflection on the battles at OL, TE, RB, and WR is just not realistic.

I expect the Bills are spending roughly 30-60 seconds updating this each week.

I tend to agree.  I believe the Bills are trying a bunch of guys at various positions on the OL to see what they have in case of injury not to mention the current injuries.  Nothing like game action to evaluate players,  I thought the starting OL against the Colts was pretty stout.

[MR8]

11 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Did you not read the post you were quoting?  Foster is a McDermott guy.  So is Cam Phillips and Ray Ray McCloud.  Every player that’s has only been on the Bills, is a McBeane player.  

 

So, you’re saying that Zay is MORE of a McBeane guy that Robert Foster?  I don’t understand 

 

Zay getting extra chances when showing just as little in preseason and TC as foster, yet being #2 with Foster not even getting rotations in the spot is proof that McDermott values him more.   For quick Clarity I'm saying #2 WR but by that I mean the outside WR opposite Brown... Who is #1, #2, #3 based on targets etc is academic until the season starts.

 

I've seen nothing, read nothing, and heard nothing to say Zay has earned the #2 spot over anyone.  Outside of Brown and Beasley, I've read and seen nothing but inconsistency from the other WRs... Honestly I've been more impressed with Ray Ray and McKenzie than Zay or Foster to this point.

 

However both Zay and Foster have those higher ceilings than Ray Ray or McKenzie, and neither Ray Ray or McKenzie have the size or skill set necessary to play the outside like a #2 WR needs to do.  So you settle back to "who will be the #2 WR" Zay gets every look despite lackluster performance in TC and now his first outing in preseason.  Foster has been about the same up and down and doesn't get rotated in with the 1s...

 

To me that says Zay is a favorite.  If you don't agree, that's your call.

[YoloinOhio]

1 minute ago, MR8 said:

 

Zay getting extra chances when showing just as little in preseason and TC as foster, yet being #2 with Foster not even getting rotations in the spot is proof that McDermott values him more.   For quick Clarity I'm saying #2 WR but by that I mean the outside WR opposite Brown... Who is #1, #2, #3 based on targets etc is academic until the season starts.

 

I've seen nothing, read nothing, and heard nothing to say Zay has earned the #2 spot over anyone.  Outside of Brown and Beasley, I've read and seen nothing but inconsistency from the other WRs... Honestly I've been more impressed with Ray Ray and McKenzie than Zay or Foster to this point.

 

However both Zay and Foster have those higher ceilings than Ray Ray or McKenzie, and neither Ray Ray or McKenzie have the size or skill set necessary to play the outside like a #2 WR needs to do.  So you settle back to "who will be the #2 WR" Zay gets every look despite lackluster performance in TC and now his first outing in preseason.  Foster has been about the same up and down and doesn't get rotated in with the 1s...

 

To me that says Zay is a favorite.  If you don't agree, that's your call.

You won’t read or hear anything like that for anyone because it has not been established. I have seen and read a lot about Zay having a strong camp  though.

[loyal2dagame]

Nobody has brought up Robert Foster? He's not even listed.  What gives. 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

45 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Depth lacking at LB??  Care to expound?  I see tons of depth.  

 

I’m in the middle here. We have three solid starters. Stanford filled in well at times last year. Thompson has shown growth and could be Lorax replacement. VoJo/Lacey duking it out for the 6th LB.

 

i don’t think we have tons of depth. We’ve got a good group though, albeit unproven behind our starters 

1 minute ago, loyal2dagame said:

Nobody has brought up Robert Foster? He's not even listed.  What gives. 

 

Listed right behind John Brown 

[Bobby Hooks]

2 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

 

I wouldn't be so pretentious and or confident in the many posters here.

 

I could "guess" maybe 30 of the 53 with certainty. 

 

30?! That’s super weak. There are 26 starters listed. You couldn’t get more than 4 more correct? 

 

Billz n00b

[loyal2dagame]

2 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

 

Listed right behind John Brown 

This depth chart is so "unofficial" that it's a Chinese knockoff. 

[MR8]

Just now, loyal2dagame said:

This depth chart is so "unofficial" that it's a Chinese knockoff. 

 

Roster version of Replithentic? 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

31 minutes ago, DieHardBillsFan said:

 

You aren't wrong but what out of this analysis did you disagree with? To be a WR you have to catch the ball and Zay just has real issues. Maybe it is mental and he needs to get over it but he hasn't shown that he is over it yet. Guy is 50/50 to catch the ball when it matters. Like 3rd down or in the redzone/endzone.

 

 

 

I disagree with the notion that anyone can be “pretty done” with Zay Jones.  He’s had his hands issues, but the kid is entering his 3rd season and had a pretty darn good season last year (all things considered...the abortion that was our offense).  By all accounts, he has had a tremendous camp and busted his ass in the offseason.

 

I guess I’m thinking that Zay deserves at least this season to piss or get off the pot.  If he can’t perform with, you know, a good offensive line, decent WR’s and TE’s around him, a respectable running game??  Then let’s start talking about whether or not we’re “done” with him.

 

JMHO

[LB3]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

You know he’s going to be one of our top 3 WR’s all season unless he gets injured, right? I’m just saying...well, hate is a powerful and exhausting emotion and it’s a long season.  Might want to try some transindental meditation?  Just lookin out for ya...?

[Socal-805]

 

THANKS FOR THE LIST.

 

As long as Bodine is buried on the depth chart, I'm GOOD!

 

 

[NewEra]

54 minutes ago, MR8 said:

 

Zay getting extra chances when showing just as little in preseason and TC as foster, yet being #2 with Foster not even getting rotations in the spot is proof that McDermott values him more.   For quick Clarity I'm saying #2 WR but by that I mean the outside WR opposite Brown... Who is #1, #2, #3 based on targets etc is academic until the season starts.

 

I've seen nothing, read nothing, and heard nothing to say Zay has earned the #2 spot over anyone.  Outside of Brown and Beasley, I've read and seen nothing but inconsistency from the other WRs... Honestly I've been more impressed with Ray Ray and McKenzie than Zay or Foster to this point.

 

However both Zay and Foster have those higher ceilings than Ray Ray or McKenzie, and neither Ray Ray or McKenzie have the size or skill set necessary to play the outside like a #2 WR needs to do.  So you settle back to "who will be the #2 WR" Zay gets every look despite lackluster performance in TC and now his first outing in preseason.  Foster has been about the same up and down and doesn't get rotated in with the 1s...

 

To me that says Zay is a favorite.  If you don't agree, that's your call.

Oh man. 

 

You said it yourself.  No one has stepped up to take the spot away from him. Not even Foster.  Ray Ray and McKenzie are little guys and don’t fit the #2 wr role.  Based on this training camp, that leaves Foster and Cam

Phillips battling Zay.  There has been 1 preseason game and Zay got the nod filling the outside opposite Brown.  There’s 3 more games and almost month before the season start.  Zay won the best offseason workout award (or whatever it’s called).  He put in the work this offseason and was rewarded through one preseason game.  

 

He started last season because our wR unit sucked.  Of course he was going to start.  There clearly weren’t any better options.  If he continues to drop balls or if someone steps up and challenges him in the upcoming weeks and Zay gets the nod at that point, I’ll agree with you.  We’ve played 1 of 4 preseason games.  It’s still too early to confirm your alleged bias imo.  

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 hour ago, YoloinOhio said:

You won’t read or hear anything like that for anyone because it has not been established. I have seen and read a lot about Zay having a strong camp  though.

 

Like the Bills in general,  Zay needs to prove himself on the field. 

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

42 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

I disagree with the notion that anyone can be “pretty done” with Zay Jones.  He’s had his hands issues, but the kid is entering his 3rd season and had a pretty darn good season last year (all things considered...the abortion that was our offense).  By all accounts, he has had a tremendous camp and busted his ass in the offseason.

 

I guess I’m thinking that Zay deserves at least this season to piss or get off the pot.  If he can’t perform with, you know, a good offensive line, decent WR’s and TE’s around him, a respectable running game??  Then let’s start talking about whether or not we’re “done” with him.

 

JMHO

 

I agree 100%. 

 

Sometimes you just have to wonder how much people are trolling on Zay.   

 

to counter the trolling honesty ...

 

Zay was 2 of 5.   The only one we should be able to complain about was the drop on the play when he got hurt after he went to the ground.    ]

IIRC the announcer mentioned the sun was in his eyes and he looked away from the ball to the defender too soon.  We see that often in the NFL.   

The other 2 "drops" were poorly placed passes. 

[BuffaloMatt]

Damn, I had Vlad on my 2nd unofficial DC( Kidding)

[YoloinOhio]

23 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

 

Like the Bills in general,  Zay needs to prove himself on the field. 

 

5 TDs in his last 5 games. For a young WR the most important variance is the QB. He played with 5 starting QBs in his two seasons. All were backup level or worse except one, who was a raw rookie. And they both started developing together down the stretch. No way they pull the plug now. 

Edited August 12, 2019 by YoloinOhio

[SCBills]

21 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

 

I agree 100%. 

 

Sometimes you just have to wonder how much people are trolling on Zay.   

 

to counter the trolling honesty ...

 

Zay was 2 of 5.   The only one we should be able to complain about was the drop on the play when he got hurt after he went to the ground.    ]

IIRC the announcer mentioned the sun was in his eyes and he looked away from the ball to the defender too soon.  We see that often in the NFL.   

The other 2 "drops" were poorly placed passes. 

 

As someone who is critical of Zay, I have to say that the actual tape of the Colts game is promising.   The drops need to stop with such regularity, but on all 5 targets, he got open.  He looks to be bigger, stronger, faster and made a couple nice catches on 2 of the 3 catchable balls he was thrown. 

 

One, he was immediately hit - Catch

Two, he got both feet down on the sideline - Catch

Three, he dropped as he turned into the sun and heard footsteps - Drop

 

 

Edited August 12, 2019 by SCBills

[formerlyofCtown]

apparently we dont use a FS anymore?

[muppy]

Im curious as to whom the "bills communications" staff is..... Chris Brown. Murph and Tasker? Other Bills employees? Are they including media that exclusively cover the Bills? 

EDIT: I googled Bills "staff" and found they have a "communications staff" as well as "media & content". So its really anyones guess who the "communications staff" is whom makes these depth charts. posted FYI

Communications
Kevin Kearns Director of Communications

Chris Fanelli Manager of Communications

• Nicole Hendricks Coordinator of Communications
• Qadeer Morgan Communications Coordinator

Media & Content
Mike Adamek Sr. Director of Media and Content

• Chris Jenkins Sr. Director of Content
• James Acton Associate Producer
• Chris Brown !@#$
• Corrina Dolan Associate Producer
• Jonathan Harkey Associate Producer
• John Murphy Co-host of One Bills Live & Radio Voice of the Bills
• Steve Tasker Co-host of One Bills Live
• Simon Tuckey Associate Producer

 

 

................noone is really talking much about our kickers but it appears that both those positions are up for grabs..is Haushka really healthy or still hampered and punter may be a toss up. whadayathink?
 

Edited August 12, 2019 by muppy

[YoloinOhio]

Just now, muppy said:

Im curious as to whom the "bills communications" staff is..... Chris Brown. Murph and Tasker? Other Bills employees? Are they including media that exclusively cover the Bills? 

EDIT: I googled Bills "staff" and found they have a "communications staff" as well as "media & content". So its really anyones guess who the "communications staff" is whom makes these depth charts. posted FYI

Communications
Kevin Kearns Director of Communications

Chris Fanelli Manager of Communications

• Nicole Hendricks Coordinator of Communications
• Qadeer Morgan Communications Coordinator

Media & Content
Mike Adamek Sr. Director of Media and Content

• Chris Jenkins Sr. Director of Content
• James Acton Associate Producer
• Chris Brown !@#$
• Corrina Dolan Associate Producer
• Jonathan Harkey Associate Producer
• John Murphy Co-host of One Bills Live & Radio Voice of the Bills
• Steve Tasker Co-host of One Bills Live
• Simon Tuckey Associate Producer

They are just the ones who release the depth chart. The info is from the team. Every team is required to release one prior to every preseason game 

[Logic]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

I disagree with the notion that anyone can be “pretty done” with Zay Jones.  He’s had his hands issues, but the kid is entering his 3rd season and had a pretty darn good season last year (all things considered...the abortion that was our offense).  By all accounts, he has had a tremendous camp and busted his ass in the offseason.

 

I guess I’m thinking that Zay deserves at least this season to piss or get off the pot.  If he can’t perform with, you know, a good offensive line, decent WR’s and TE’s around him, a respectable running game??  Then let’s start talking about whether or not we’re “done” with him.

 

JMHO

Agreed.

In 2018, Zay Jones had more touchdown catches (7) than the following players:

Robert Woods, Odell Beckham Jr, TY Hilton, Larry Fitzgerald, Julian Edelman, George Kittle, Alshon Jeffrey, Brandon Cooks, etc, etc.

Considering the absolute abomination that was our 2018 passing game, that's pretty damned impressive.

While I agree that Zay Jones needs to step up and be a big time playmaker THIS YEAR without fail, it is silly to write him off completely at this point. Absolutely silly.

[muppy]

4 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

They are just the ones who release the depth chart. The info is from the team. Every team is required to release one prior to every preseason game 

so its actually the coaches whom make the depth chart then not the staff I posted above..So the communications staff just posted the info given to them. Okay that makes sense thanks

so in regarding the special teams....................noone is really talking much about our kickers but it appears that both those positions are up for grabs..is Hauschka really healthy or still hampered and punter may be a toss up....thoughts anybody?

Edited August 12, 2019 by muppy

[Bakin]

2 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Depth lacking at LB??  Care to expound?  I see tons of depth.  

Though my expounding doesn’t mean much - I don’t see an acceptable backup in any of the LB positions.  

None of those players strike me as ‘good enough’. 

Please correct me. 

[mjt328]

2 hours ago, MR8 said:

 

 

 

You mean like signing Panthers guys McDermott loves that  Mike Tolbert, Star Lotulelei, Dean Marlowe, Kurt Coleman, Captain Munnerlyn, Derek Anderson,.... I mean do I really need to keep going?

 

You said that Beane/McDermott have a history of showing favoritism to "their" guys...  and that is one reason Zay Jones may have a better chance of sticking to the roster.

What you gave are examples of them signing former Carolina Panthers in free agency.  I'm just not seeing the connection.  Not to mention, none of the ex-Panthers we've signed have been given preference for starting positions or roster spots. 

 

Most GMs and coaches go after veterans from their former teams.  It's really not that strange.  I recall Bill Parcells had the same 5-10 guys follow him from the Giants to the Jets to the Patriots to the Cowboys.

 

 

[JoshAllenHasBigHands]

45 minutes ago, Logic said:

Agreed.

In 2018, Zay Jones had more touchdown catches (7) than the following players:

Robert Woods, Odell Beckham Jr, TY Hilton, Larry Fitzgerald, Julian Edelman, George Kittle, Alshon Jeffrey, Brandon Cooks, etc, etc.

Considering the absolute abomination that was our 2018 passing game, that's pretty damned impressive.

While I agree that Zay Jones needs to step up and be a big time playmaker THIS YEAR without fail, it is silly to write him off completely at this point. Absolutely silly.

 

Its a narrative bias thing. He had a bunch of drops his rookie year, and so a narrative developed.  He had a perfectly average season from a drops perspective his second year, but the narrative survives. So every time he drops a single ball, it becomes "he had multiple drops" last game. Like, this last game. He definitely dropped that TD pass; however, afterwards, I saw multiple posters describing Say as having multiple drops.  It was crazy.  Sports fans are so ripe for psychological analysis, and I don't know why there isn't more of it. 

[The Bills Blog]

3 hours ago, 4BillsintheBurgh said:

I don't think I'm worried about what the communications team thinks.

The coaching staff puts this together. It's just labeled as the communications team so the staff has a way to avoid questions about it at this point.

People talking about Zay being in trouble is hilarious. It never ends. It's not gonna happen, folks.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

1 hour ago, Bakin said:

Though my expounding doesn’t mean much - I don’t see an acceptable backup in any of the LB positions.  

None of those players strike me as ‘good enough’. 

Please correct me. 

 

I think Stanford and Thompson are both very capable back ups.  Love the promise of VoJo, and I think he will be more than a special teams player this season.  Mo Alexander can be a good fill in at WLB.  I think we have quality depth behind 3 very good starters.  Depth at LB for once in a long time, IMO.

 

Edit:  I wanted to add #53 Tyrel Dodson as a player I really like.  Watched him closely at TC and in the game.  53 is always around the ball when he is in there.

 

 

Edited August 12, 2019 by Johnny Hammersticks

[Marv's Neighbor]

5 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

I’m fairly certain we can all guess 50 of the 53. Many probably could immediately following the Draft.

How about the backup QB?  Don't think Jackson will make the 53.  Anybody else worth looking at?

[Buffalo716]

5 hours ago, 2020 Our Year For Sure said:

I always thought Milano was the Will linebacker.

 

5 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Me too ?. But I recall reading that the LBs in this defense move around and the strong side/weak side aren’t really defined 

 Realistically the only time a strong side or weak side LBr is on the field is when the Bills go base 43. In that situation there are clear defined roles between the SS and WS

 

Milano played the Strong side at BC and excelled playing over TEs

 

ZO has maybe lost a step and he is better suited for pursuing from the back side now instead of man up

 

The Bills go nickel 60%+ of the time anyways so their will only be 2 LBrs out mostly anyways

[Formerly Allan in MD]

5 hours ago, MR8 said:

 

I'm pretty done with Zay.  He had a disaster of a rookie season, and while he bounced back pretty well least year, he was still unremarkable and never made a statement that he was "sure handed". 

 

I don't want to make an entire case about why he should be cut based on 1 preseason game, so I am not going to make that the only evidence that he hasn't progressed, but the drop at the goal line was just another example of what we've consistently seen from him for 2 seasons.

 

On top of that there have been murmurs that in TC he has been unremarkable and hasn't separated himself there either.  

 

The feather he has in his cap is that McDermott and Beane have shown they tend to favor "their guys" and Zay is one of "their guys", and on top of that Josh targeted Zay 5 times in the first game... there is A LOT of comfort he has with Zay, and I don't think they'll move on from a guy that Josh trusts.  Whether or not we agree with that trust, if Josh likes him, he'll get every opportunity to prove he can be better than what we're seeing.

 

I would be perfectly fine with a Zay Jones cut, and move Foster into that #3 spot to grow into the role.  He too has been a bit of a disappointment thus far in camp and preseason, but his ceiling is light-years beyond Zay, and when forced into a starting role he took the bull by the horns.  I think hes a guy who needs to be pushed to rise to the occasion... so DO IT. 

Is it safe to zay you're not a big Jones fan?

[Mark Vader]

4 hours ago, Socal-805 said:

 

THANKS FOR THE LIST.

 

As long as Bodine is buried on  off the depth chart, I'm GOOD!

 

 

Fixed

[MR8]

1 hour ago, Formerly Allan in MD said:

Is it safe to zay you're not a big Jones fan?

 

As I've said in my other replies to people who've asked me this, yes that is correct... I have gone into more detail in those but I'm not retyping the same thing over and over. 

[BobbyC81]

4 hours ago, MR8 said:

 

As I've said in my other replies to people who've asked me this, yes that is correct... I have gone into more detail in those but I'm not retyping the same thing over and over. 

 

Put it in a WordPad doc and cut and paste.  ?

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

12 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

I’m fairly certain we can all guess 50 of the 53. Many probably could immediately following the Draft.

 

12 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

 

I wouldn't be so pretentious and or confident in the many posters here.

 

I could "guess" maybe 30 of the 53 with certainty. 

 

 

I just picked 40 pretty certain ones.  Beyond that gets tougher like who's the 6th WR or 6th LB. Can see a choice between a couple .  Who's the punter,, I can easily pick 7 in the secondary, after that, not so sure, does Croom or Sweeney make the team, or both, Teller or Wesley on the O-line?  Is Harrison Phillips a lock?

[Mark Vader]

11 hours ago, MR8 said:

On a side note, Does anyone know how many snaps Patrick Dimarco took in week 1 of preseason. That's a spot I have been curious about but really forgot to watch.

 

 

 

I don't remember how many snaps he got, but he was in the game a few times.

 

I am a bit puzzled as to why Dimarco is still with the team. Do we really need a fullback? I think that Lee Smith could take Dimarco's place on the team and put him in certain packages they use.

 

Does anyone else think that we really need Dimarco?

[Phil The Thrill]

14 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

 

I wouldn't be so pretentious and or confident in the many posters here.

 

I could "guess" maybe 30 of the 53 with certainty. 

 

 

You’re right...remember last year when everyone penciled in Jeremy Kerley, Corey Coleman, Nick O’Leary, and AJ as “locks.”  There are always surprises.

 

RB, WR, TE, LB and S are all going to be positions to watch 

1 hour ago, Mark Vader said:

I don't remember how many snaps he got, but he was in the game a few times.

 

I am a bit puzzled as to why Dimarco is still with the team. Do we really need a fullback? I think that Lee Smith could take Dimarco's place on the team and put him in certain packages they use.

 

Does anyone else think that we really need Dimarco?

 

I don’t think they need him but I can see them keeping him because:

 

1 - He’s a respected, locker room leader everyone seems to love.

2 - He’s a good Special Teamer

3 - Daboll loves to run the ball and DiMarco can not only play FB but also H-back/TE.   I can see him getting reps in certain run packages. 

[reddogblitz]

Sad to see 2 guys I liked (46 Johnson and 50 Joseph) are buried on the depth chart.

[billsfan_34]

Looks like Duke aint makin’ it!!! 

[MR8]

11 hours ago, ColeB said:

 

Put it in a WordPad doc and cut and paste.  ?

or you can scroll up and save me the time ?

10 hours ago, Mark Vader said:

I don't remember how many snaps he got, but he was in the game a few times.

 

I am a bit puzzled as to why Dimarco is still with the team. Do we really need a fullback? I think that Lee Smith could take Dimarco's place on the team and put him in certain packages they use.

 

Does anyone else think that we really need Dimarco?

 

I agree, however I could see them keeping him to help block in the run game 100% due to the injuries we currently have at TE. 

 

I figured 4 TEs and 4 RBs no FB...

 

But with the TE issues, I could see Kroft being moved to the PUP or IR designated to return after preseason. If you lose Kroft and you have Knox banged up that puts you in a tough spot at TE, so maybe you keep a FB JUST IN CASE as an extra blocker if they struggle running the ball.

 

I may be over thinking it though.

 

 

Also DiMarco is big on special teams and you know how much McDermott loves his special teamers haha

[DrDawkinstein]

Interesting that they list their Nickel D as starting D.

 

Even more interesting that their Nickel D takes Hyde off the field and leaves all the LBs out there.

 

Outside of that, no real surprises. Or at least none that matter at this point of camp/preseason.