Projecting Buffalo Bills' Most Heated Roster Battles This Offseason
For a team that just barely missed the playoffs with a 9-7 record a season ago, the Buffalo Bills have had quite a busy offseason in terms of roster movement thus far.
The team made a number of moves in free agency and on the trade front. New veterans with the team include running back LeSean McCoy, quarterback Matt Cassel, guard Richie Incognito, wide receiver Percy Harvin and tight end Charles Clay.
The Bills then found a way to add a handful of potential contributors in the draft, despite not possessing a first-round selection. Guys like cornerback Ronald Darby and running back Karlos Williams may be able to step into immediate roles.
One thing is definitely clear: The Bills roster is going to look quite different under new head coach Rex Ryan than it did a year ago, and it should be better.
However, this doesn't mean that every roster spot is set in stone. Over the next few pages, we will examine some positional battles that have the potential to heat up in the months between now and the start of the regular season.
Starting Right Guard
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Richie Incognito vs. John Miller
The Bills brought in a familiar face (he played with the team in 2009) this offseason in offensive guard Richie Incognito.
Incognito is a former Pro Bowl player, but he spent the 2014 season without a team. His NFL absence came after the 2013 bullying scandal that involved Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Jonathan Martin.
Though there may be some questions about Incognito's character, he is a hardworking professional who should step in at right guard and provide a boost to Buffalo's offensive line. His main competition at the spot will likely be rookie third-round pick John Miller of Louisville.
At 6'2" and 303 pounds, Miller has the size and the power of a future starter on the interior of the offensive line. However, Incognito's experience should give him the inside track at the job, provided he has managed to stay in football shape.
Projected Winner: Incognito
Backup Running Back
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Fred Jackson vs. Karlos Williams vs. Anthony Dixon
It should be a virtual certainty that new Bills running back LeSean McCoy will be the starter in 2015. However, it should also be a virtual certainty that the guy behind him will get plenty of opportunities with run-happy Rex Ryan leading the team.
The big question is which player will get those opportunities.
Fred Jackson has spent his entire nine-year career in Buffalo and was still a serviceable back in 2014 (525 yards and two touchdowns). However, five-year veteran Anthony Dixon (432 yards, 4.1 yards per carry) also proved to be a solid option a year ago.
The wild card here is rookie Karlos Williams, a bruising 6'1", 230-pound runner with a lot of raw potential. He has a lot of upside but might not be ready for a significant role right away.
Unless Williams surprises early, expect Ryan to make Dixon his primary backup. Jackson is a fan favorite, but he is also 34 years old and averaged a career-worst 3.7 yards per carry last season. Dixon is younger (27), fresher (253 career carries) and more explosive at this point in his career.
Projected Winner: Dixon
No. 2 Tight End
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Chris Gragg vs. Nick O'Leary
Scott Chandler is out and Charles Clay is in as the Bills' starting tight end, but there is an opportunity for someone to emerge as a standout in the No. 2 role.
Two-year veteran Chris Gragg should maintain the inside track here, as he is a solid run-blocker and above-average athlete. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 30th among all tight ends in 2014 as a run-blocker.
He saw action in 10 games last season.
Florida State product Nick O'Leary will likely have a chance to steal the job, though, because he has the potential to be a weapon in the passing game.
The 6'2", 252-pounder hauled in 48 receptions for 618 yards and six scores last season. If O'Leary can show promise as an in-line blocker, the job could be his.
However, Gragg is a proven asset in the running game, which should be enough to make Rex Ryan happy to give him playing time.
Projected Winner: Gragg
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Starting Right Tackle
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Seantrel Henderson vs. Cyrus Kouandjio
The Bills spent a second-round pick on former Alabama tackle Cyrus Kouandjio in the 2014 draft, hoping that he would become a mainstay on the offensive line. Unfortunately, he struggled with conditioning and with his NFL adjustment and barely saw the field as a rookie.
Instead, it was seventh-round selection Seantrel Henderson who managed to earn a starting job at right tackle last season. The problem is that he did not play particularly well.
According to Pro Football Focus, Henderson ranked just 82nd overall among tackles in 2014.
This is why Kouandjio should get every opportunity to redeem himself during the offseason.
"Have I been impressed by him? I absolutely have been impressed by him." Rex Ryan recently said of Kouandjio, per Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle.
If Kouandjio can continue to impress and learn from his new coaching staff, expect him to push Henderson into a depth position. The seventh-rounder is likely better suited there anyway.
Projected Winner: Kouandjio
Starting Fullback
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Jerome Felton vs. John Conner
The Bills have two new additions at the fullback position, and both bring something desirable to the table.
Former Minnesota Viking Jerome Felton is one of the league's better blocking fullbacks and has been to a Pro Bowl. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked seventh overall among all fullbacks in 2014.
John Conner spent two stints with the New York Jets and should have a solid grasp on what Ryan wants from his offense. If Ryan was calling the shots on that side of the football, the job might be his.
However, Greg Roman is the offensive coordinator in Buffalo, and his system will most likely differ from what the Jets ran during Conner's time there. He can help the Bills adjust to Ryan and his staff, but Felton is the better overall player.
Projected Winner: Felton
Starting Quarterback
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EJ Manuel vs. Matt Cassel vs. Tyrod Taylor
The Bills leaned on veteran quarterback Kyle Orton in 2014 and brought in another seasoned veteran in Matt Cassel this offseason. However, Cassel is not guaranteed to be the Week 1 starter.
"It’s going to be open. It’s a competition and whoever earns the job will be the guy that’s out there,” Coach Ryan said, via the Bills' official website. “We have some talented guys and we’ll see what happens."
If Cassel wants to win the job, he will have to beat out third-year pro EJ Manuel and former Baltimore Ravens backup Tyrod Taylor.
Manuel has disappointed as a former first-round draft pick but has shown flashes of promise. He started 10 games in 2013 but was rated 41st overall among quarterbacks by Pro Football Focus. He was benched after four starts in 2014.
Taylor is a physically gifted player but has zero starting experience in the NFL. In his final year at Virginia Tech, he passed for 2,743 yards with 24 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
Realistically, Taylor is probably best suited to become Ryan's next Wildcat project.
Ryan proved with Mark Sanchez that he can win with a game manager at quarterback, which suggests Cassel will have the best chance to win the starting job. Manuel, of course, has more upside and can claim the job if he proves to be more efficient than he was in his first two seasons.
Don't be surprised if Cassel enters the season as the starter but gets replaced after a few games.
Projected Winner: Cassel
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