Buffalo Bills Depth Chart Per ESPN

[Bills!Win!]

Hot take - our only weakness is backup C and backup LT/RT and backup MLB

[hondo in seattle]

You guys know this roster better than ESPN.   I’m not interested in their projected depth chart but I am interested to see how preseason plays out.   There will be some good camp battles and some decisions to be made.

[PrimeTime101]

7 hours ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

This isn’t official or endorsed by the team at all, ESPN has no idea. 

I agree. that is why i asked for thoughts. 

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, RyanC883 said:

 

only way it’s not disappointing is if Bates is playing at a really high level that a rookie couldn’t match.  

 

Bates contract offer was matched because Bills felt he was that good of a player.

[PBF81]

6 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Floyd may very well start out as the starter in Von's spot until he comes back. Then be the main guy to rotate Von out and keep snaps down during the regular season. I see them moving him around a bit.

 

Agree.  It would seem that they fully understand how much better the D played with Miller in there.  

 

Since Miller's status is dicey, since it's a big IF that he'll still be 100% at 34, it makes sense that Floyd was an insurance policy for Miller.  Floyd at 31 may be able to provide what Miller did at 33.  

 

 

[Richard Noggin]

The ESPN content is designed solely to generate clicks and engagement; it is not a serious analysis derived from a deep dive. Obviously.

[Richard Noggin]

3 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

Hot take - our only weakness is backup C and backup LT/RT and backup MLB

 

How is Ryan Bates a weakness at backup C?! Is it because he's listed only at RG in some arbitrary, cookie-cutter offseason content generated without any authentic analysis?

 

Even IF Bates wins the RG job, he should still be the primary backup to Morse. We'd have Torrence, and maybe Edwards and/or Boettger, to step into the RG spot. Bates can legitimately back up ALL 5 spots. Even IF he's a starter. I think his greatest value is as the 6th man. 

[JDubya76]

3 hours ago, RyanC883 said:

 

only way it’s not disappointing is if Bates is playing at a really high level that a rookie couldn’t match.  

Though I do think Bates is a good player, I’m not sure he has another, higher level. I am, however, extremely open to pleasant surprises.

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by JDubya76

[TheWeatherMan]

RT is such a glaring hole for this team.  Brown and Q aren’t reliable at all and Josh deserves better. 

[Doc Brown]

9 hours ago, BullBuchanan said:

McD & Dorsey don't like Hines. If his career low usage last year wasn't a clue, not sure what is. He'll play out this year and then move on.

They would've saved 1.5 million releasing him so they like him enough to keep him on the roster.  The question is whether he'll be just a return guy or used more in the offense now that he should have a firm grasp on the playbook.  

 

It's interesting that both depth charts in this thread have Settle as the 2nd DT.  I see him as the odd man out with Oliver, Jones, Ford, and Phillips as the starting four.

[GunnerBill]

They are all just guesses at this point. Nothing more.

[Manther]

4 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

They would've saved 1.5 million releasing him so they like him enough to keep him on the roster.  The question is whether he'll be just a return guy or used more in the offense now that he should have a firm grasp on the playbook.  

 

It's interesting that both depth charts in this thread have Settle as the 2nd DT.  I see him as the odd man out with Oliver, Jones, Ford, and Phillips as the starting four.

I agree on Settle.  I’m thinking without injuries he probably won’t make the team.  He was a liability last year too.

[PrimeTime101]

3 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

They are all just guesses at this point. Nothing more.

yep. i agree, I just thought I would bring it up just for the point of conversation  

[hondo in seattle]

The weirdest thing is ESPN has us in a 4-3-4.  Do they really expect us to change from a 4-2-5 or is that just laziness?  Did ESPN standardize all 4 down linemen teams as 4-3-4?  Do they really expect Leonard Floyd to line up as a LB???

 

They have Kincaid as TE2 and it's reasonable to list him that way.  But clearly, Kincaid's role isn't to be Knox's backup.  I'm excited to see how Dorsey uses him.  

 

I'm not entirely convinced Shakir starts.  I'm keeping my eyes on Harty and Sherfield.  Plus, you've gotta imagine we'll do more 1-2 this year and that would put Shakir on the bench.   

 

I'm not convinced that Cook starts.  I think Harris will be the guy we see most often on first-downs.  

 

The OL is hardly set in stone.  There will be a battle for the guard spots.  And Brown's spot at RT isn't guaranteed if he doesn't play better than last season.

 

I'm not sure what I expect at MLB this season.  The whole post-Edmunds LB situation gets even more interesting if McD does indeed decide to run 4-3 more often.  It'll be fun watching the LBs this preseason.  

 

Rapp is an interesting addition.   Will we play big nickel more often?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[machine gun kelly]

20 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

There is a whole town in Ireland of Connor Mcgoverns

I’ve heard of County Mayo and Cork (my ancestors are from there), but County McGovern?  😇😜🦬🏋️‍♂️😂

 

Floyd is a DE.  ESPN is a bunch of ars clowns these days.

[Simon Says]

22 hours ago, PrimeTime101 said:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/depth/_/name/buf/buffalo-bills

 

Take a look Tell me if there is anything you would change. 

 

Some interesting notes

Some thought Hines would see more RB snaps this year, but CLEARLY they have Hines just as a returner with Cook having the backup.

Cook is slotted at #1 (Could this change at all?)

I think it is interesting that Kincaid is listed #2 TE. Thoughts?

They have Bates at RG, but I think It will not take long for Cyrus to win over that job.

They have Floyd in there for obvious passing downs as a WLB

Klien down the middle LB. Will this change?

And Elam is listed at the #2 CB.

 

Cam Lewis and Siran Neal as #4's. who is your extremely early surprise rising star and who is your definate camp dropout. 

 

Any thoughts or changes on these positions? 

Hines is listed as the #4 RB. I think he will get RB reps,especially if Harty takes over punt returns. 

[PrimeTime101]

7 minutes ago, Herb Nightly said:

Hines is listed as the #4 RB. I think he will get RB reps,especially if Harty takes over punt returns. 

after what happened at the end of last year it would be a hard take to take Hines off the returns

[hondo in seattle]

1 hour ago, PrimeTime101 said:

after what happened at the end of last year it would be a hard take to take Hines off the returns

 

True.  But it would also be hard to ignore his speed and playmaking ability.  

 

Hines averaged 47 catches/year in his five prior NFL seasons.  Then he joined the Bills, a pass-happy team with a desperate need for an outlet receiver, and he hauls in only 5 passes.  It was a criminal waste of talent though, supposedly, his slowness to learn the offense contributed to his lack of use.  

 

Beane says we'll see him more involved in the offense this year and that, to me, is good news.  I'm indifferent about whether we use Harty or Hines on returns.  

 

 

[Shaw66]

8 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

They are all just guesses at this point. Nothing more.

That's just your guess.

[BullBuchanan]

19 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

If they don’t like Hines why did they rework his deal and not just cut him? 

Because Beane likes him and he's a great returner. This isn't the first time coach and GM have been on a different page. Did you not listen to Beane's presser on the topic?

The reference to not liking him is giving him virtually no offensive opportunities when he played a critical offensive role for Indy and has been very good at that role thus far in his career. His stint as a Bill has been the worst stretch of his career production wise and it all comes down to extremely limited usage and poor plays when they do use him.