Health Will be the Key for the Buffalo Bills' Success in 2008

As the Buffalo Bills start gearing up for the 2008-2009 season via free agency and the draft, health issues play an even more vital role than usual for most teams.

After placing a league-high 17 players on IR last year, the Bills are looking to get much healthier and hoping that their over-achievements from last year can carry over to the upcoming season, and with a recovered roster, they can improve even further.

With key pieces to the team's defense - including MLB Paul Posluszny and FS Ko Simpson - missing crucial parts of last season, it is certainly easy to see why Buffalo's defense finished the season ranked 31st in total defense, 25th against the run, and 29th against the pass. Somehow the team still managed to go 7-9, even though most had them slated for a worse record even WITH all their key players healthy. Needless to say, those numbers should improve with the return of a healthy Posluszny and Simpson, as well as new free agent acquisition Kawika Mitchell, and the recently acquired Marcus Stroud, who both should add a large boost to this team.

Mitchell played for the Super Bowl champion Giants last year and is an immediate upgrade at WLB over incompetent starter Keith Ellison.

Stroud, a three-time Pro Bowler, should drastically help shore up the run defense, filling in for the newly released under-achieving Larry Tripplett, teaming up with up-and-coming third year player John McCargo.

Although I still believe DE is a position that needs to be addressed through the draft, as Chris Kelsay is nothing more than a rotational player at best and Aaron Schobel only has another year or two left in the tank, the defense should have a new and improved look next season, especially with the addition of either Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Aqib Talib come round one of draft day (feel free to quote me on that prediction). This defense is poised for a return to glory next year, easily capable of making it back to top-15 or even top-10 status in the league.

* Tomorrow I'll address the offensive side of the ball, where the Bills are currently hosting free agents Ben Troupe of the Titans and Bryant Johnson of the Cardinals. *