Bleacher Report - Articles by ZOOP

Buffalo Bills' 2008 Preview: Getting to Know Your Defense

ZOOP — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:47:08 -0400

This is the second installment of my Buffalo Bills' offseason preview. In this part, we will be breaking down the defense, the special teams, and the coaching staff.

The Bills defense suffered the most last year in a season plagued with injuries. They lost two of their defensive linemen, three corners, two linebackers, and their free safety. They made it a point in the offseason to not only upgrade, but to add serious depth to the defense, especially in the secondary, which was hit the hardest.

Buffalos' defense is underrated, mostly because they do not put up great numbers. The last couple of years they have been a bend-but-don't-break defense. Allowing teams to put up good yardage against them, but it has worked in some games. This strategy forces offenses to be conservative by not allowing the big play, and has kept the Bills in some games by forcing field goals.

They are a fun group to watch though, because they fly to the ball and never take plays off. The defense is going to be much improved going in to next season, with the additions made through free agency and the draft, and just being healthy.

Defensive Line: The Bills use a rotation throughout the defensive line, in an effort to keep the players fresh. The line was fairly weak last season due to injuries. They failed to get to the quarterback or stop the run. They made some vast improvements this offseason. They traded for three-time Pro-Bowl defensive tackle Marcus Stroud, a huge addition (6'6" 310 lbs) to an undersized line. He commands double teams, and that will allow the other players to make more plays.

They also signed Spencer Johnson (6'3" 286 lbs) from the Vikings, who is exactly the type of player the Bills like because of his versatility (can play end or tackle) and work ethic. Buffalo also used its third-round pick (72nd overall) on Chris Ellis (6'4" 261 lbs), a pass-rushing end out of Virginia Tech.

Buffalo seems pretty solid up front this season, with the added depth and the addition of Stroud. That will take a lot of pressure off Aaron Schobel, a two-time Pro-Bowler, and former first-round pick (27th overall) defensive tackle John McCargo. McCargo (6'2" 307 lbs) was injured his rookie season, but showed flashes last year of why he was drafted so high. He only had 29 tackles and 2.5 sacks, but made some big plays by blowing up the run in the backfield. When a player like Stroud lines up next to him, McCargo should make a lot more plays.

Chris Kelsay will start opposite Schobel, with Ryan Denney and Ellis backing them up. Kyle Williams and Johnson will be the backups inside. With a deeper rotation and a much-improved line, expect another great year from Schobel and another trip to the Pro Bowl.

Linebacker: The linebacking unit got two major additions this offseason. They added Kawika Mitchell (6'1" 253 lbs) from the champion N.Y. Giants, and will get Paul Posluszny (6'1" 240 lbs) back from the injury that ended his very promising rookie season. This unit is also deeper now, with Keith Ellison a former starter moving into a backup role behind Mitchell, and backup John DiGiorgio having started 14 games last year in Posluszny's absence. Angelo Crowell (6'1" 246 lbs), who is one of the toughest and most underrated players on this team, is the other starting linebacker.

Buffalo needed to add more size to this unit, without sacrificing their most valuable weapon, speed. They did this with the addition of Mitchell, who is also a sure tackler, having played middle linebacker in his years at Kansas City.

Posluszny is a solid middle-linebacker who can drop into coverage, and gets through traffic on his way to the ball carrier. He only played three games last year, but had 26 tackles in those games and always seemed to be around the ball. Bills fans should be excited to get this guy back. He is a true, hard-nosed football player, who when he broke his arm was so mad that he let his teammates down, and was hoping to play the next week until the Bills placed him on IR.

The Bills added some depth here in the draft as well, picking Alvin Bowman (6'1" 222 lbs) out of Iowa State in the fifth round (147th pick overall). He is expected to contribute right away on special teams. With these additions, Crowell, the Bills' most consistent linebacker, will hopefully have a breakout year and take that step to the next level of his career.

Cornerback: The Bills' thinnest position last year could be one of their strongest this season. The Bills are expected to keep five corners, but could warrant keeping six, looking at what they have on the roster depending on preseason play. Buffalo seemed to lack size and strength last year at the corner position, but seem much improved in that area. Terrance McGee (5'9" 198 lbs) will again probably be a starter on one side, but who will start on the other?

Jabari Greer stepped in last season after injuries to Jason Webster (not with the team anymore) and Ashton Youboty, and played pretty solidly. Greer has good size (5'11" 180 lbs) and speed (a former track star at Tennessee), and made some good plays, showing solid coverage against some of the league's elite receivers last year. He will be pushed by third-year cornerback Ashton Youboty (5'11" 189 lbs), free-agent pickup Will James (6'0" 200 lbs formally Will Peterson), and first-round pick (11th overall) Leodis McKelvin (5'10" 184) out of Troy.

All five of them could warrant time on the field, but there is also the Bills' fourth-round pick Reggie Corner (5'9" 175lbs) and seventh-round pick Kennard Cox (6'0" 192 lbs). Cox most likely will be delegated to the practice squad, leaving six. Greer got significant playing time last season for the first time in his career, and is probably the favorite to start opposite McGee.

McKelvin won't be rushed unless James and Youboty don't play well. McKelvin has looked good in mini-camp, and could play some in nickel or dime packages early in the season, along with playing on special teams.

Will James will probably get to play on the outside receiver in the nickel package when McGee moves into the slot. Youboty, a former third-round pick out of Ohio State has a lot of potential, but has not quite reached it yet. If he is not traded to the Browns, then I would suspect he would be released, unless he puts on some weight and plays well in the preseason. If the latter happens, then the Bills may keep six with Corner, who is a good cover-guy, and have some real playmakers in a deep backfield. This will be an exciting battle to watch as it plays out this preseason.

Safety: The Bills had one of the most promising young safety tandems in the league going into the 2007 season. Donte Whitner and Ko Simpson had just come off of a solid rookie season, and were looking to add to their success in 2008 when Simpson broke his ankle in Week One. Now healthy, it looks like Simpson will again be the starter next to Whitner, and they should continue their promising careers.

Whitner (5'10" 208 lbs) is one of the leaders of this defense. He is a hard hitter who flies around the field, hitting anything that comes near him. The former eighth-overall pick in 2006 recorded 89 tackles last year and played every snap until Week 17. With the return of Ko Simpson (6'1" 202 lbs), Whitner should be able to make more plays and show he's one of the best safeties in the league.

John Wendling (6'1" 222 lbs), a sixth-round pick last year is the main backup to Whitner, and is a major special-teams player. George Wilson (6'0" 212) was one of the great stories from last season, a converted wide receiver who moved to safety last year to have a better shot at making the team.

When Simpson went down, and Jim Leohnard, the backup, went down, Wilson got his chance and took advantage of it, scoring on an interception on Monday Night Football against Dallas, and picking up a fumble against the Dolphins and returning it for a touchdown, finishing the season with 37 tackles and two interceptions.

The other backup will be Bryan Scott, a good run supporter and blitzer who played well joining the team halfway through the season. It will be a stretch to think the Bills will keep five safeties, but this group will make it a tough decision.

Special Teams: Always a staple of Buffalo Bills football, this year will be no different. The Bills have Pro-Bowl punter Brian Moorman, and much-improved kicker Rian Lindell to form one of the most solid, kicking duos in the league. Long snapper Ryan Neill needs to improve his game in bad weather conditions, but had a fairly solid year. Our kick-coverage units took a hit in the offseason, losing Sam Aiken, Josh Stamer, Coy Wire, and Mario Haggan, but we filled those holes with younger players like Justin Jenkins and John Wendling, who both played well last year, and via the draft with Alvin Bowen, Derek Fine, Kennard Cox, and Steve Johnson.

We have the best return duo in the league with Terrence McGee returning kicks and the electrifying Roscoe Parrish returning punts. Adding to that duo is rookie Leodis McKelvin, who's return abilities will take some of the load off both of them.

Coaching: Head coach Dick Jauron, in his third season here (14-18), is a former player, and is a coach whose players rally around him. He is a smart guy who treats his players like people, and won't feed you any bull. Turk Schonert is a first-year offensive coordinator, and was the quarterback coach last season. He uses systems built to the strength of his players, utilizing them as best as he can. As a former quarterback himself, he is putting more responsibility on that position, which will benefit Trent Edwards on the field.

Perry Fewell, in his third season as defensive coordinator, uses the cover-two defense, but mixes it up with blitz packages and exotic coverages. He coached well last year, losing a lot of players. He plugged people in and it didn't seem to matter. Bobby April is the special-teams coach, and has had one of the best special-teams units in the league each of his five years here.

This defensive group played well last year, and with the improvements it has made, I can see it being in the top fifteen next season. Schobel, Whitner, and Stroud are looking to have Pro-Bowl seasons in 2008.

Poz and Crowell should have breakout seasons, and with all of the additions to the secondary, this team is going to be a lot of fun to watch. Of course, our special teams will be one of the bright spots again, no matter what, and I can't wait to see the newbies playing, especially McKelvin.

Jauron needs to have a winning record this year or he could be done in Buffalo. I like our coaching staff, and I like what they have done so far. They have made this team a family, and put in not only high character guys, but some real strong leaders. With the Bills headed in the right direction, and with such a young team, they will be good and exciting to watch for years to come.

Buffalo Bills' 2008 Preview: Getting To Know Your Offense

ZOOP — Fri, 30 May 2008 23:27:56 -0400

Well, the season is still months away, but with the draft over, and teams starting to shake the rust off in OTAs and mini-camp, the sound of football is getting fans revved up.

With many of their core players returning, as well as their injury-reserve players becoming healthy, the Buffalo Bills appear to be a strong force in the AFC, and should contend for a playoff bid. After two consecutive 7-9 seasons under coach Dick Jauron, and with last season marred by injury, the Bills had another strong offseason, addressing many of their needs, and seem ready to make the leap so many fans have been waiting for.

Quarterback: Lets start by talking about the most important, and most scrutinized, position. Last year's starter J.P. Losman (6'2" 212 lbs) is now the backup to second-year player Trent Edwards. Edwards takes over after a strong, but inconsistent, rookie campaign. One that saw him and J.P. both have two turns as the starter. Edwards went 5-4 in his role under center, while Losman went 2-5.

Losman has struggled with inconsistent play throughout his short career, infuriating coaches and fans alike. Couple that with the fact that he was drafted during the Donahoe regime (first round, 22nd pick), and it seems to spell the end of Losman's playing career in Buffalo. He is a young and athletic gunslinger with a powerful arm, and will certainly catch on somewhere. He is also a good teammate and outstanding citizen.

Trent Edwards (6'4" 231 lbs) was a third-round draft pick (92nd overall) last season out of Stanford. He was a highly-touted prospect coming out of Los Gatos High school. Injuries derailed his promising college career, along with being on a pretty bad team in a strong conference. Edwards was expected to take a couple years to groom behind Losman, but an injury to Losman's knee in Week Three against the Patriots ended that idea.

Edwards played admirably last season, considering how he was thrown into the fire, and after an injury to his wrist gave Losman another chance at starting, he didn't lose confidence in himself. He got another shot while almost saving the season with two straight wins, which saw us in the playoff race until Week 15 where the Bills lost in the snow game to Cleveland 8-0.

Edwards had one of his best games against the Miami Dolphins, throwing for 165 yards and four touchdowns. He also had a great game against the Jets on Week Four, throwing for 234 yards, and against the Redskins, throwing for another 257 in a come-from-behind victory.

Edwards is a smart, technically sound QB, who is calm under pressure (see the game against the Redskins). He reads defenses quickly and delivers the ball with his quick release. He has an underrated arm and a compact release, and he has good pocket awareness for a young QB.

He has good leadership skills and takes command of the huddle, getting the information out and getting everybody lined up. He had a good offseason, putting on 30 pounds of muscle to better withstand the rigors of a full season. He has good potential and great expectations. If Losman stays for this season, which I think he will, then expect the Bills to keep two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster and maybe one on the practice squad.

Running Back: This is arguably their strongest position on the roster. With Marshawn Lynch (5'11" 215 lbs) returning for his second season after his first offseason in an NFL strength and conditioning program. Lynch was a beast last season, running over people for 1,115 yard and four yards per carry, despite missing three games due to an ankle injury. Lynch got stronger and quicker in the offseason, and he looks to break out in 2009.

Lynch was the Bills' first-round pick (12th overall) last season out of the University of California, and he did not disappoint. He made crucial plays and ran over opponents, even when it seemed like plays where over. He would say that he was in "BEAST MODE". He had his breakout game against the Bengals, running for over 100 yards (153 yards) for the first time, and adding a YouTube highlight-reel run to punctuate it. Lynch is also a receiving threat who runs smooth routes and has good hands.

The Bills have good depth behind Lynch, and a good one-two punch when paired with Fred Jackson. Jackson (6'1" 215 lbs) a former Coe College and Sioux City Bandit of the United Indoor Football League, came on strong last year in his first season after spending 2006 on the practice squad. He ran for 300 yards on 58 carries, a 5.5 yards per carry average. He had his first 100-yard game against Miami, running for 115 yards. He had his breakout game against the Redskins with 82 yards rushing and another 69 receiving for a total of 151 yards from scrimmage.

The third running back will probably be Dwayne Wright, a fourth-round pick (111th overall) last year out of Fresno State. Wright is a big back (5'11" 228 lbs) who isn't going to run away from too many people, but is a strong, between the tackles runner. He is also a good blocker, which could allow him to see the field in some situations and on special teams.

Xavier Omon, the team's sixth-round pick (179th overall) this year should end up on the practice squad, unless he beats out Wright for the third running back spot. Omon is a big (5'11 227 lbs), one cut back, who ran all over Division II last year, scoring 37 touchdowns last year, and 98 total touchdowns in four years. The Bills should keep three running backs on the 53-man roster, and maybe a practice squad player.

Fullback: The Bills will go with a fullback this year after a failed attempt to go with a H-back last season. Shortly after the season ended (Jan. 17 to be exact) the Bills signed Darian Barnes to the team. He is a big (6'2" 240 lbs) veteran fullback. He played for Tampa, Dallas, Miami, and most recently for the Jets, before landing in Buffalo. He will be in his seventh pro season. He is one of the few pure, blocking fullbacks in the league at a dieing position.

With the Bills going back to a power-run game with Barnes leading the way for Marshawn Lynch, defenses will be sore after games. He should also help on special teams.

Mike Viti, an undrafted free agent out of Army, is a small (5'9" 236 lbs) but compact player with a chance to make the practice squad if he can stay healthy. He holds an Army record for benching 470 pounds, and is said to have "muscles coming out of muscles". He was also a team captain at Army, and could see time on special teams. We will keep one fullback on the 53-man roster

Wide Receiver: This is arguably the most improved position on the team. Last season the team lacked height and depth, and both are areas that the Bills improved upon via the draft. They added James Hardy with the 41st-overall pick in the second round, and at 6'6" and 220 pounds, the former basketball player will provide height and playmaking ability in the red zone.

This will allow Josh Reed (5'10" 210 lbs) to move back to the slot where he can be a playmaker and a chain mover, while also allowing them to have more designed packages for Roscoe Parrish (5'9" 171 lbs) their most electrifying player.

They also added Steve Johnson in the seventh round. A 6'2" 2000-pound receiver out of Kentucky who will compete with Justin Jenkins, a good special teams player, and Felton Huggins, a practice-squad player last year. Of course, this unit isn't complete without their No. 1 receiver Lee Evans.

Evans (5'10" 197 lbs), their first-round pick (13th pick) in 2004 out of Wisconsin has become their go-to guy, a player who commands double teams because of his great speed and play-making ability. Evans is coming off of a down season where he only caught 55 balls for 849 yards and only five touchdowns.

He was the product of inconsistent quarterbacking and a conservative offense. He also had nobody else that really scared defenses, causing him to be double and triple teamed a lot. With the addition of Hardy, and a devastating ground game, Evans should breakout again in 2009, and have over 1,000 yards and almost double his scoring output from last season.

Evans didn't get many chances to shine last year, but had some spectacular catches deep down the field, and even on some end-zone fade routes, tip-toeing the sideline. His most spectacular catch was his game-winner against the Jets in Week Eight. Losman threw a pass that was under thrown late in the fourth quarter, with the Bills clinging to a 6-3 lead, and Evans fought through two Jets for the ball. He landed on his feet and kept running the rest of the way for an 85-yard score to win 13-3. The Bills will probably keep five wideouts on their 53-man roster and a practice squad player.

Tight End: Tight end is one of the team's weakest positions. They tried to address it over the offseason in free agency and in the draft. They have Robert Royal (6'4" 255 lbs) returning as the probable starter after offseason knee surgery. Royal is a sound blocker, but has shaky hands and fumble problems. Losing Michael Gaines was a big blow to this position, but he was not worth what the Lions gave him in my opinion.

I like the addition of Teyo Johnson, an early signing in January; it has gone under the radar. Johnson is a second-round pick (63rd overall) by the Raiders back in 2003 out of Stanford, where he played both football and basketball. He has good speed for a tight end, and is a big target at 6'6" and 260 pounds; he could be what the team is looking for at the position.

Another free agent brought in to compete is Courtney Anderson, another big tight end (6'6" 270 pounds) with the ability to stretch the field. The Bills still have Derek Schouman, a seventh-round choice last year and Tim Massaquoi a free-agent pickup last year. The Bills did draft a tight end this year with their second pick in the fourth round in Derek Fine out of Kansas. Fine is a decent receiver and a willing blocker, who will most likely make his mark on special teams this season.

The Bills will probably keep three tight ends instead of four on the 53-man roster, because of the fullback position will take up one of those spots. This should be a good battle to watch develop in training camp and through the preseason.

Offensive Line: One of our weakest positions has become one of our strongest, and looks to stay that way for a few more seasons. The improvement of Jason Peters on the left side has been remarkable. The addition of Derrick Dockery last season has been a good move, along with bringing in Langston Walker, a solid right tackle, and both were free-agent signings last year.

Brad Butler has been a nice surprise as well at the right guard. Melvin Fowler is a smart, technically sound center at the one spot on the O-line I thought they would bring in some serious competition. I think they will upgrade the position next year through the draft (see my "Looking Ahead" article for more info).

We have solid depth with Jason Whittle coming off of injured reserve, and Duke Preston as our interior backups, both also play special teams. Kirk Chambers is our swing tackle. We have some good, young talent on the way in rookie free-agent guard Robert Felton out of Arkansas, and seventh-round pick Demetrius Bell out of Northwestern, a former basketball center turned offensive tackle. We also have practice squad players Nevin McCaskill, Christian Gaddis, Patrick Estes, and tight end turned tackle Matt Murphy.

This is one of the most solid lines in the league, and it will only be their second season together, so watch for more improvement. It is also one of the biggest lines in the league. The former 2004, college free-agent out of Arkansas, Jason Peters, who was a tight end there and is now a Pro-Bowl left tackle (and don't worry, he will get his money, he has every other year) is 6'4" 340 pounds.

Derrick Dockery, our road-grading right guard, a former third-round pick (81st overall) in the 2003 NFL draft out of Texas by the Redskins, is a massive 6'6" 330 pounds.

At center we have the former Brown and Viking Melvin Fowler, a third-round pick (76th overall) in the 2002 draft, who stands in at 6'3" 310 pounds. Our starting right guard is our fifth-round pick (143rd overall) in 2006 out of Virginia, Brad Butler, who is 6'7" 315 pounds.

Langston Walker was a second-round pick (57th overall) out of California in the 2002 draft by the Raiders is our huge, right tackle who weighs at 366 pounds and 6'8". That's 1,661 pounds of protection for Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch. The Bills will probably keep nine offensive linemen on their 53-man roster and two on the practice squad.

I am going to put out a "Breaking Down the 2008 Buffalo Bills: Getting to Know Your Defense", discussing the improved defense and special teams very soon.