It has taken some time to get all of the pieces in order for the Buffalo Bills. They have tried going the pure development route for a few years now, but after several failed first round picks, they went a slightly different route this off-season.
In recent years, the Bills brass have made some misguided decisions to draft Aaron Maybin and CJ Spiller in the first round. Maybin was cut during the preseason, and Spiller appears to be a glorified return man. So the philosophy seems to have changed this year. Instead of going for the workout warrior, the Bills went after players that fit their team.
Marcell Dareus was taken third overall by the team from western New York. He is a classic defensive tackle, but will be playing the end in the Bills 3-4 scheme. He had an impressive collegiate career at Alabama, and looks to be seamlessly making the jump to the pro ranks.
To play opposite 2008 first round pick Leodis McKelvin, another corner was taken in the 2ndround this year. Aaron Williams is a pro ready corner with solid coverage skills, and now with starter Terrence McGee out with a hamstring issue, Williams will be relied upon to play solid defense right away.
Finally, after realizing that Spiller offers little between the tackles last year, they went out and drafted Johnny White from North Carolina in the 5th round. He had 8 carries in Week 1, and will likely see an expanded role in the offense as the season progresses.
Another new wrinkle in the approach to building the Bills roster is the willingness to spend money. They did not break the bank, but they went out and signed Brad Smith, Kirk Morrison and Nick Barnett this off-season. Smith, the 6’2″ former quarterback, provides the team with a Wildcat option as well as a big body as a receiver, while Barnett and Morrison will help to shore up the linebacking corps that has struggled in recent years.
Barnett and Morrison joined forces with a largely forgotten player in the league, one Shawne Merriman. After being one of the most exciting defensive players in the league when he broke in, Merriman struggled with injuries in the past few seasons and found himself on waivers last year. The Bills used their top priority to snag him and pray for the best. If he can return to be fractionally as effective as he was during his time with the Chargers, he will provide an imposing presence off the edge.
But enough about the defense, this is a team that managed to put up 41 points against a respectable Chiefs defense. After ridding themselves of Marshawn Lynch last year, the top job was placed firmly in the hands of Fred Jackson, and he has done nothing to let the top job out of his grasp. He should find himself around the 1,000 yard mark once again this season, and will continue to be a solid option catching the ball out of the backfield.
One of the biggest breakout stars of the 2010 NFL season was Stevie Johnson, and not only because of his memorable tweet following a drop in the end zone.
He also had a huge season on the field. Emerging from relative obscurity as a 7th round pick from the 2008 Draft, Johnson had 82 catches for 1073 yards and 10 TD’s last year. Numbers that immediately put him amongst the second or third tier of receivers in the league. He had an acrobatic touchdown catch in Week 1, and looks poised to repeat his success from last year.
The tight end position is not one that has bred much success in recent years with Buffalo. But Scott Chandler may be changing all of that in one fell swoop. After bouncing around the league for several years, he has found himself back with the Bills after spending the first four games of last season on their roster. But this time the 6’7”, 263lbs mammoth of a man is catching the ball. It is nearly impossible to defend him in the red zone, and he exploited that to the tune of six catches, 63 yards and two trips to the end zone in the first game of the season. If he can even continue on half that pace for the rest of the season, the tight end position may have been finally solved for Buffalo.
But who is the brains of the entire Bills operation? Well it is obviously a Harvard grad. Ryan Fitzpatrick was never expected to be an NFL quarterback. After almost earning the title of Mr. Irrelevant in 2005, then subsequently bouncing around the league for a few years, he has finally landed in Buffalo and seems to be hitting his stride. Last year was his first as a true top quarterback, and he finished with 3,000 yards, 23 TD’s and 15 INT’s; solid numbers for a first time starter in a less than prolific offensive attack.
Now it is up to Fitzpatrick to lead the resurgent Bills back to respectability. They have a tough time in their division that features both the Jets and the Patriots, but finishing the season hovering around .500 is not out of the question. Aside from their divisional games, they have to host the Eagles and travel to play the Chargers, but the rest of their schedule is fairly soft.
How long until the Bills return to “Wide Right”?
