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Quarterbacks

The Bills gambled when they traded up for J.P. Losman in the first round of the 2004 draft. They also gambled when they made Drew Bledsoe a cap-casualty in the 2005 offseason, effectively handing over the starting quarterback job to Losman. Now it's time to see if the gamble pays off.

 

Losman has a rifle for an arm and his athletic ability should help ease the transition as a rookie, as he's able to create things with his feet that many young quarterbacks are unable to perform. However, his inexperience, inconsistency, lack of ideal size, durability and questionable leadership skills are reason for concern. Reports from Bills' camp all seem positive in terms of Losman's progress and work ethic so far but the verdict is still very much out.

 

Kelly Holcomb is an eight-year NFL veteran quarterback who has spent most of his career as a backup and was signed by the Bills to be exactly that in 2005. However, considering the uncertainties surrounding Losman, it wouldn't shock us a bit if Holcomb wound up starting several games for the team this season. Holcomb has had a serious shoulder injury and cracked ribs that cost him significant playing time with the Browns the past two seasons. Healthy and with fresh scenery in Buffalo, Holcomb is thriving in camp.

 

The 33-year old lacks great size and arm strength, but he's experienced, accurate and knows how to run an offense. If he can stay healthy and continue to progress within the system, Holcomb should be an excellent backup to Losman and could wind up emerging as the unlikely answer at the quarterback position for a Bills team that has few other question marks on its roster.

 

Shane Matthews saw brief playing time in three relief-performances last season. He can be considered a quality No. 3 quarterback for a team like the Bills, who are grooming a young starter and need an insurance policy should Holcomb's durability issues persist in 2005. He is experienced and understands his role as a mentor.

 

However, his lack of arm strength and mobility really make him a liability if forced to play for an extended amount of time. The team would much rather use its No. 3 quarterback spot on a younger player with more upside, such as Troy Woodbury.

 

However, Woodbury will need to show significant strides in order to secure the job in camp. Woodbury is a good athlete with some developmental upside at the QB position because of his arm strength. While he has made some strides over the last few years, he has not come far enough along in terms of his accuracy, consistency and ability to read coverages.

 

Finally, the team also signed Kevin Thompson to compete for a roster spot. Thompson is a veteran journeyman with great size and decent arm strength. But in all reality, Thompson's age (27), price tag, inconsistency and poor athleticism make him nothing more than a training camp arm at this point.

 

Running backs

After sitting out his entire rookie season with a torn ACL and MCL that he suffered in the Fiesta Bowl on January 3, 2003, it didn't take long for the fully recovered Willis McGahee to supplant Travis Henry as the Bills premier running back. Durability is always going to be a concern with McGahee but he held up well with an average of four yards on 284 carries in 2004, and he's still only 23 years old.

 

McGahee is a powerful runner with homerun burst in the open-field. He got stronger as the 2004 season progressed and there's no reason to believe he won't emerge as one of the top runners in the NFL in 2005. McGahee is still raw as a route runner and a receiver, but he should only improve in those two areas over the next couple of seasons.

 

Henry was a starter for his first three seasons in the NFL and developed into one of the league's most versatile and productive backs during a two-year stretch from 2002-'03, when he averaged almost 4.3 yards on 656 carries, with 71 receptions. However, Henry had some fumbling problems early in his career and missed time early in the 2004 season with a leg injury, which opened the window for McGahee. The four-year veteran did not show up to mini-camp and is still on the trading block, but Henry has not yet been traded and is vowing not to report to training camp.

 

With Henry presumably out of the picture, the Bills could be thin at the position, which is nerve-racking considering McGahee's past. The team will have some competition for the backup job between Shaud Williams and rookie seventh-round pick Lionel Gates. Williams, an undrafted rookie free agent in 2004, was only active for the final five games as a result of injuries to Henry and McGahee but carried a heavy load for a three-week span from Week 15-17, and finished with 167 yards and two TDs on 47 carries.

 

While there's a lot to like about his toughness, work ethic and elusiveness as a runner, his lack of size and power severely limit his upside. Gates has good size, adequate initial burst and is a solid north-south runner. He also has reliable hands and the potential to develop into a solid blocker in the passing game. However, his lack of explosiveness, durability issues and minor fumbling problems are red flags.

 

The only other possibility at the position is Joe Burns, who has been a versatile reserve the past couple of seasons. He's a 'tweener type back who has seen time as a tailback, one-back and up-back during his three-year career, but he's too small to be a true fullback and lacks the speed and elusiveness of a true tailback.

 

Fullbacks

Daimon Shelton does not offer much as a runner and has not had a carry in a regular season game since the 2000 season. Shelton is a solid blocker and decent in the short-area as a receiver, but is by no means great in either area. The Bills can get away with Shelton as a starter for one more season but we feel he's a marginal starter. He doesn't give them enough flexibility and, at 33, his skills will only deteriorate from here.

 

With Burns likely to play more of a versatile role and Shelton's career coming to an end, the team must quickly develop undrafted rookie free agent John Goldsberry, who is a former linebacker with limited experience at the FB position. He has a very good combination of size and speed and showed vast improvement late in his collegiate career. Goldsberry might not offer much more than special teams play in 2005, but he likely will be groomed to compete for the team's starting fullback job in 2006.

 

Wide Receivers

The Bills were decent at wide receiver last season and should be much stronger at the position in 2005. Eric Moulds had his third highest reception total (88) in 2004 and also had five TDs and just one fumble. Moulds, 32, agreed to a contract extension in February, 2005 that will keep him in Buffalo through the 2007 season, meaning there's a strong possibility he will finish his career as a Bill. The 10-year veteran is clearly on the downside of his career and is no longer the vertical threat he once was. But he still is a solid No.1 starter with excellent savvy, route running skills and hands.

 

Moulds remains the go-to-receiver, but not for long, as 2004 first-round pick Lee Evans has emerged as a legitimate threat on the opposite side. Evans started off slow and missed one game (Week 7 vs. Ravens) because of a minor injury, but came on strong in the second half of his rookie season. He finished with 483 yards and nine TD's on 48 receptions -- and 37 of his 48 receptions came in the final nine games of the season. Evans lacks elite size and has some durability concerns, but he's a fast, tough, aggressive and sure-handed receiver with big play characteristics -- both as a route runner and after the catch.

 

The Bills are set with Moulds and Evans as starters but the picture gets a bit cloudier when it comes to depth behind them. Josh Reed got off to a strong start to his NFL career with 37 receptions for 509 yards as a No. 3 slot-WR as a rookie in 2002, but has since regressed. He failed to make the transition to an outside starting WR role as a second-year pro and took more steps backwards as a third-year pro in 2004, when he missed four games due to a left knee injury and wound up with just 16 receptions for 153 yards.

 

Despite all the warranted criticism, when healthy in 2004, Reed showed enough promise to be considered a solid No. 3 slot-receiver. He needs to bounce back healthy and re-adjust to his role, but if he can regain his confidence, stay on the field and establish a rapport with the new starting quarterback (Losman), Reed has a good opportunity to rebound in 2005.

 

After watching Reed struggle last season, the Bills did not want to take any chances, which is why they spent a second-round draft pick on Roscoe Parrish. The diminutive rookie will always be limited by his lack of size but has the potential to develop into a sure-handed and shifty slot receiver who can also contribute as a punt return specialist.

 

Sam Aiken seems capable of stepping up into the No. 3 receiver role if Reed and Parrish fail to do so, but we think he fits much better as a No. 4 possession receiver at this point. Aiken made strides as a second-year pro in 2004, finishing with 11 receptions for 148 yards in 16 games played. He has good size, hands and blocking skills. His value is also aided by his contributions on special teams, but he lacks explosiveness and big-play potential.

 

Assuming Moulds, Evans, Reed, Parrish and Aiken fill out the team's top-five roster spots at the wide receiver position, there might not be room left for other reserves such as Johnathan Smith, Drew Haddad, Will Peoples, George Wilson and Tony Brown.

 

However, if the Bills keep a sixth receiver or have injury problems at the position, Smith is most worth of keeping around. Smith, a seventh-round pick last year, lacks size and top-end speed, but showed some versatility in the nine games he was activated for as a rookie in 2004. He contributed in several different facets of special teams and he even showed some upside as a punt return specialist.

 

Tight End

The tight end position is one of concern for the Bills as they head into the 2005 training camp. The starting job is Mark Campbell's to lose. When healthy, Campbell is a solid all-around starter with above average blocking skills and adequate short-to-intermediate receiving skills. He is not, however, a threat to stretch the seam vertically and there must be concerns regarding his long-term durability after suffering his second major knee injury in 2004.

 

Tim Euhus made strides as a rookie and finished with 11 receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns in the first 12 games of the regular season, but he also suffered a knee injury that landed him on the injured reserve for the final four games.

 

Euhus has more upside than Campbell, as he is quicker, more agile and shows more potential to stretch the seam as a receiver. However, Euhus isn't as big or strong as Campbell is as a blocker and also has a long way to go in terms of improving his angles and consistency in all facets of the game, which is why he's likely to resume his role as Campbell's backup this fall.

 

Ryan Neufeld, who started five of the 16 games he played last season, has the speed, size and hands to develop into an excellent situational pass catcher. However, he is inconsistent route-runner who offers little as an in-line blocker at this point and will likely never be an every-down player.

 

What makes the situation interesting is that rookie third-round pick, Kevin Everett, has the best physical tools of any tight end on the Bills' roster but is also the rawest of group. If Everett can stay healthy and make strides in training camp, he should take over Neufeld's job as No. 3 tight end and contribute as a situational pass-catcher this season. David Pruce is the only other option, but he has failed to catch on with the four teams he has played with in the past four training camps.

 

Offensive line

The Bills' offensive line improved under line coach Jim McNally in 2004 but the unit will experience a bit of a facelift after letting go of Jonas Jennings (49ers). Jennings and ROT Mike Williams formed a solid tackle tandem, but Williams' inconsistency remains a problem and Jennings' replacement, Mike Gandy, is a downgrade.

 

In order to get this unit back up to par in 2005, McNally has his work cut out for him. Williams will remain the starter at ROT but has to get in better shape and improve his awareness and balance. He's a massive road-grader in the running game, but gives up too much pressure in pass protection.

 

Gandy is a better fit at guard than he is at LOT. He also missed the entire 2004 season because of a hamstring injury and needs to re-establish himself as a durable and reliable starter. If Gandy can't make the healthy return and successful transition, the next option is to move OC Trey Teague back to the starting LOT position that he played with the Broncos before signing with the Bills as a free agent two seasons ago. Teague has developed into the units' leader and most consistent performer, which is why the Bills would prefer to keep him as the anchor in the middle.

 

The two guard positions are set with Chris Villarial, who signed as a free agent in 2004, and Bennie Anderson, who signed as a free agent in 2005. Villarial was a fulltime starter at ROG for the Bills in 2004 and is set to maintain the job in 2005. He lacks elite physical tools but is a reliable above-average starter. Anderson, who will step in as the starter at LOG, has become one of the better guards in the NFL over the past two seasons. He may lack ideal quickness and athleticism, but compensates with good technique and outstanding power.

 

Ross Tucker is a solid reserve who can fill in at OC and both OG positions if necessary. The team has good depth at the guard position with Ben Sobieski, Lawrence Smith and Justin Bannan, who is making the fulltime transition to OG after spending most of his first three NFL seasons at DT. The team also drafted two powerful, hard working rookies in OC Duke Preston and OG Justin Geisinger, who should provide solid depth on the interior.

 

The Bills lack a reliable swingman at offensive tackle should one of the starters go down. Dylan McFarland (2004 seventh-round pick) and Jason Peters (2004 rookie free agent) both flash upside but are not ready to play for an extended period of time.

 

McFarland has a great frame and enough mobility to continue to work with as a developmental prospect. He also is a hard worker and high-effortplayer. However, he is at least one more full year of technique and weight-room work away from being able to realistically compete for playing time even as a solid backup. Peters, a former collegiate tight end, might never develop into anything more than a reserve OT in the NFL, but his combination of size and athletic ability are promising.

 

Defensive line

The Bills ranked second in overall yards allowed last season and registered 45 sacks. The unit was strong on all three levels within its 4-3 scheme, but the improvement of the front-four had much to do with the overall success of the unit. DT Sam Adams is 32 years old and his physical tools are bound to decline soon, but the bottom line is that Adams has been an elite interior run stuffer in the NFL over the course of the last three seasons and also provided five sacks in each of the last two seasons.

 

The big question now is how well the defense will rebound following Pat Williams' departure to Minnesota? In his absence, Ron Edwards is expected to take over. Edwards is an underrated player with good upside but needs to play with better leverage and more overall consistency. The team is gambling on youngsters Tim Anderson and Lauvale Sape to fill out the four-man "wave".

 

Anderson wasn't ready as a rookie third-round pick in 2004, when he wasn't even active for 12 games. However, he is young, has enough physical tools and a good enough work ethic to bounce back from the early disappointment. Sape has improved his work ethic and shown enough potential as a one-gap DT with quickness, but must improve his bulk and upper body strength.

 

The Bills' top defensive lineman is RDE Aaron Schobel, who is coming off his best season as a pro with 73 total tackles and eight sacks in 2004. Schobel is young, durable and aggressive with a nose for the football. The team rewarded him with a long-term extension, which locks him up through the 2009 season. After struggling as a rookie, Chris Kelsay emerged as a solid starter at the LDE in 2004. He will never reach elite status because he lacks an ideal base and explosive speed, but he is still young and should only improve with more consistent technique and time to increase his lower-body strength.

 

Ryan Denney has leveled off as a solid "wave" player who can give good production on obvious running downs at LDE and also move inside as an interior pass rusher on obvious passing downs. However, his lack of explosiveness and natural athletic ability will always limit him to a situational role. Behind Denney are two young former undrafted rookie free agents in Constantin Ritzmann (2004) and George Gause (2005). Ritzmann lacks ideal size and has had some durability issues, but he is a late-bloomer with a high motor and good power and quickness. Gause is powerful and athletic, but is unpolished and will need to be coached extremely well.

 

Linebackers

Few teams in the NFL boast a stronger starting trio of linebackers than the Bills. WLB Takeo Spikes is the headliner of the group and is coming off another Pro Bowl season. In his first two seasons with the Bills (2003-'04), Spikes has been an absolutely dominating playmaker with a combined 225 total tackles, seven interceptions, five sacks, five forced fumbles and three fumbles recovered.

 

MLB London Fletcher isn't getting any younger and has some limitations in terms of size and coverage matchups, but continues to make plays from sideline-to-sideline versus the run and is coming off his second-highest tackle total of his career with 144 in 2004. Neither Spikes nor Fletcher is as effective when taking on blocks, which is why the play up front is so critical to this units' production when it comes to stopping the run.

 

SLB Jeff Posey is the weakest link of the Bills' starting linebackers and the team really needs to work on finding an upgrade over him in the near future. Posey is at his best taking on blocks at the line of scrimmage versus the run and he's much better rushing the passer than he is when asked to turn and run in coverage.

 

The depth behind Spikes, Fletcher and Posey is just decent. Mario Haggan and Angelo Crowell are both versatile youngsters from the 2003 draft that have continued to improve but still are not ready to contribute more than on special teams. Josh Stamer lacks the upside of Haggan or Crowell, but has developed into a special teams' contributor. The team also brought in two rookie free agents, WLB Wendell Hunter and MLB Liam Ezekiel, to compete for depth spots in the linebacking corps. Hunter is athletic, but needs to improve his bulk and strength. Ezekiel is a big, powerful and nasty player who lacks smooth hips and ideal speed.

 

Defensive Backs

Defensive coordinator Jerry Gray relies heavily on man-coverage on the perimeter and Nate Clements is one of the reasons this scheme worked so well last season. Clements who finished with a career-high 78 total tackles and tied his career-high with six interceptions in 2004, has emerged as one of the elite cover corners in the NFL and can still improve by avoiding lapses in focus.

 

The other starter, Terrence McGee (LDC), improved his coverage skills last season but his lack of size will always limit his upside. In our opinion, McGee would fit better as a No. 3 DC but the team doesn't have any competition to replace him. Kevin Thomas is capable of handling the No. 3 cornerback job but grades out a lot better as a No. 4 due to his lack of ideal speed and playmaking skills.

 

Jabari Greer's lack of size and strength will always prevent him from developing into anything more than a slot-cover corner in the NFL, but he far exceeded expectations as an undrafted rookie last season and we think he has enough speed, athletic ability, instincts and confidence to eventually beat Thomas out for the No. 3 job. The team spent a fifth-round pick in 2005 on Eric King, who will likely provide depth as its No. 5 cornerback in 2005.

 

A big key to this units' success in 2005 is the transition that Troy Vincent will be making from cornerback to safety. He may struggle early on but we expect that he will settle in as a centerfielder-type FS who will provide good range and decent run-support production. Vincent is also a great complement for Lawyer Milloy, who is an in-the-box strong safety type.

 

Milloy missed five games because of injury last season and has lost a step over the course of the last two seasons. However, he had not missed a game because of injury in the eight seasons prior (1996-'03) and still remains extremely productive when healthy. He needs to be protected from deep zone and certain man-to-man matchups, but Milloy is a physical presence over the middle in coverage, provides big plays in the form of turnovers and sacks. He is an absolute ball-hawk versus the run.

 

Due largely in part to Coy Wire, who is at an early crossroads in his career, depth at the safety position is tenuous. Wire's upside is great thanks to a terrific combination of size, strength and speed, but his marginal recognition skills and inability to stay healthy have led to him regressing over the course of the last two seasons. In fact, Rashad Baker, an undrafted player from the 2004 class, unseated Wire as the backup at both safety positions last season.

 

Baker has always had good physical tools and finally began to play to his potential in 2004. While rookie free agent Leonhard has almost no chance of developing into a starter in the NFL, he still is worth keeping an eye on because of his instincts and playmaking skills as a centerfielder-type FS who can also contribute in several different areas on special teams.

 

Special teams

Coach Mike Mularkey has made special teams an emphasis since taking over as head coach of the Bills and it paid off in 2004, when the team scored an NFL-high 36 points on special teams. McGee, who made the Pro Bowl on his merits as a return specialist, returned three kickoffs for touchdowns and led the AFC in kickoff-return yardage. Clements and Smith both scored punt-return touchdowns last season but Parrish was drafted to take over that role.

 

PT Brian Moorman has developed into one of the best all-around punters in the NFL. He re-signed with the Bills in 2003 and is under contract through the 2009 season. He still can improve his consistency but is only 29 years old and should continue to get better with more experience.

 

PK Rian Lindell is only a decent starter, but is young and made big strides last season. He hit 24 of 28 FGAs in 2004, which was his best field goal kicking percentage (85.7) since his rookie season, but still struggled on longer attempts and also missed critical attempts in the seasons' opener and final game.

 

Because Lindell lacks a strong leg on field goal attempts and on kickoffs, Owen Pochman was signed to handle both duties. The team also signed undrafted rookie free-agent Joe Rheem to compete at the PK position. Rheem will never be able to kickoff in the NFL and his range on field goal attempts is limited, but he is extremely efficient from inside 40 yards.

 

Coaching

Mularkey has molded the Bills into a team that relies on the time-consuming power running game on offense in order to put its defense and special teams in best position to win. The team showed a lot of character bouncing back from an 0-4 start to finish 7-9 in 2004, but now Mularkey will need to prove that he's capable of taking this team to the next level despite losing QB Bledsoe, LOT Jennings and DT Williams.

 

Gray has done a fine job of utilizing his strong talent on the defensive side of the ball. The unit will continue to use an aggressive 4-3 scheme that emphasizes man-to-man coverage on the perimeter and a lot of eight-man fronts on early downs. Special teams coach Bobby April has also done a good job of exploiting opponents who fail to use as much starting talent as Mularkey allows him to use on special teams.

 

The pressure, however, is now on offensive coordinator Tom Clements to simplify the offensive game-plan in order to take pressure off second-year pro Losman. The team has a massive offensive line, a young stud at running back (McGahee) and enough speed and playmaking skills at wide receiver to stretch the field vertically and keep opposing defenses honest. If Clements can work with Losman to cut down the number of sacks and turnovers that came from the quarterback position a year ago, the Bills will be legitimate contenders in the AFC East.

 

 

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Summary: The Bills have no depth, Losman may sh-- the bed, Moulds is old but decent, Posey blows, O-line is scary, and McGahee is God!

 

Translation: As long as Drew Bledsoe doesn't get cut and picked up by the Bills during training camp, we could be contenders (you figure it out :D )

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Losman has a rifle for an arm and his athletic ability should help ease the transition as a rookie, as he's able to create things with his feet that many young quarterbacks are unable to perform. However, his inexperience, inconsistency, lack of ideal size, durability and questionable leadership skills are reason for concern. Reports from Bills' camp all seem positive in terms of Losman's progress and work ethic so far but the verdict is still very much out.

 

Can you please explain what they are talking about Losman's "inconsistancy, lack of ideal size, questionable leadership, and lack of durability?" How can one be inconsistant if you haven't played? Same with leadership? Durability? I guess one injury makes you fragile. Lack of ideal size???? Losman is 6'2" 217!!! How big is he supposed to be??? We're not talking Flutie-sized here.

 

Does somebody actually write this stuff, or do they just cut-and-paste old camp reports and just change the names?

 

PTR

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Fug ESPN. Just about everything on their NFL page is an 'Insider' item now.

386373[/snapback]

 

Read the other day Comcast may start a new sportschannel to try and challange them again. God, ESPN is just God awful now outside of PTI. And that even sucks during the summer when either Tony or Wilbon on on vacation.

 

Comcast will feature the NHL, with an extensive package of HD games is what I'm hearing.

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Fug ESPN. Just about everything on their NFL page is an 'Insider' item now.

386373[/snapback]

 

Good, someone else noticed this too...it goes across the board on sports...about the onyl thing i can read on the baseball page is a game recap and an injury report...everything else is friggin insider subscription required...ESPN is quickyl turning intoa pay site...

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They seem totally unaware that Everett blew out his knee.

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Yeah - I think only people in Buffalo know that. It's like it was a secret - you had to give the special Bills handshake to get the word that the guy is done for the year. Mayb that's TD's plan - let everyone game plan for a guy who's not going to play.

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Lack of ideal size????  Losman is 6'2" 217!!!  How big is he supposed to be???  

386371[/snapback]

 

 

People want Losman to be tiny, regardless of whether he is or not. I don't get it at all, it just is. Last fall, there was some guy in here who was very vocal about his defense of Drew Bledsoe (he was, in the end, just another LAMPish type in that he had to proclaim to everyone in a separate thread how he was "leaving" because after his short time here, he just "couldn't take it")

 

Anywhoo, I even went to the trouble of posting a freaking picture of Losman and Bledsoe, standing together for the Anthem before the Cardinals game, taken from the 2nd row on the 50, that showed plain as day that Losman was not that much shorter than Bledsoe, and was still as tall or taller than alot of guys around him.

 

Even with the picture, he wrote back that he still thought Losman was short. His need to defend Drew Bledsoe was that blinding, I didn't even care about what he thought about Drew Bledsoe, I just wanted to show him how tall these people really are.

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Totally unprofessional article that a 5 year old Bills fan could have done a better job on. Some have already been mentioned, but I wrote down all the mistakes to skewer them with:

 

Holcomb is 32 (just turned 32 7/9) not 33

 

If they wanted Woodbury to be #3, they wouldn't be wasting Shane's time by resigning him.

 

As noted, the didn't mention Rashard Lee

 

They don't know that Moulds will have to be restructured again because his cap hit is huge for 2006, so the signed through 2007 & probably a career Bill is tenuous at best

 

As noted, Everett won't be playing in camp (he'll probably be PUPd)

 

Mike Williams is in the best shape of his career, contrary to their statement that he needs to get in better shape

 

Bannan is slated to go back to DT. After signing Anderson & drafting 2 OL, Bannan will have to make the team as a backup DL.

 

Lindell made big strides-IS HE ON CRACK?

 

Pochman & Rheem have already been cut & won't even be in camp.

 

As noted we were 9-7, not 7-9

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