seanbillsfan
07-19-2007, 12:36 PM
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<TABLE class=ilt cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD bgColor=#00133f colSpan=2>Buffalo Bills Training Camp</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD width=90>http://espn.go.com/i/teamlogos/nfl/med/trans/buf.gif (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf)</TD><TD>Site: St. John Fisher College
Location: Pittsford, N.Y.
Start date: July 26
2006 Record: 7-9
Expanded NFL Training Camp Coverage (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/feature/featureIndex?page=nfltrainingcamp07)
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Three Burning Questions</I>
Did the Bills do enough to upgrade their offensive line in the offseason?
One of the major areas of concern for the Bills over the last few seasons has been the offensive line. Offensively, Buffalo finished 27th in the league in rushing last season, while allowing 47 sacks. The Bills were very aggressive addressing this need in the early stages of free agency with the additions of <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6417">Derrick Dockery, <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4637">Jason Whittle and <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5939">Langston Walker. Dockery is a big road grader who has been somewhat inconsistent over his career but is an upgrade to the interior of the Bills' offensive line. Walker played on one of the worst offensive lines in the history of the NFL last season in Oakland. He is a massive tackle with above-average athletic skills who has struggled with consistent performance throughout his career. Whittle is a journeyman backup player with decent versatility. Again, offensive line coach Jim McNally will have his hands full in developing a consistent unit that creates run lanes and protects QB <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6781">J.P. Losman.
<!-- begin whole table -->
<!-- begin top part -->Camp battle to watch
RB <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=8266">Marshawn Lynch vs. <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5485">Anthony Thomas
The Bills must find a replacement for RB <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6359">Willis McGahee, who was traded this offseason to the <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=bal">Baltimore Ravens. Rookie first-round pick Lynch has an excellent combination of size and straight-line speed. He is a tough inside runner with the speed and quickness to bend the edge and get outside, while showing a second gear to take it to the end zone. However, he will need a lot of work in his recognition skills as a pass-blocker when reacting to blitzes. Thomas is an experienced back with good size and strength, who performed well in his role in 2006. He is a downhill, north-south runner who can be effective between the tackles. He is not an elusive back but more of a one-cut zone runner. This has all the makings of a great training camp battle in which Lynch should come out on top. However, both players will contribute significantly in the Bills' running game based on game plan and design.
</TD></TR></TABLE><!-- end table -->
<!-- end whole table -->Can the Bills replace the core of their defense with younger players?
The Bills were hit hard in the offseason with the loss of the core of their defense, losing linebackers <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4539">London Fletcher and <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4278">Takeo Spikes and cornerback <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5468">Nate Clements. Clements is a major loss for the Bills' secondary that finished seventh in the NFL in pass defense last season. Last year's third-round pick, <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7819">Ashton Youboty, and newly signed corner <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5077">Jason Webster (Falcons) are expected to compete for the starting right cornerback position. Youboty has the potential to develop into a frontline player, while Webster lacks ideal size and is best suited as a No. 3 or No. 4 corner. If both players struggle in the preseason don't be surprised to see either <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7032">Jabari Greer or <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5188">Kiwaukee Thomas get an opportunity to compete. The middle and outside linebacker positions will be in transition. Second-round pick <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=8288">Paul Posluszny is expected to replace Fletcher, while second-year player <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7927">Keith Ellison will replace Spikes. Ellison is an undersized linebacker who played well as a rookie. Posluszny has the intangibles but lacks experience playing in the NFL.
Do the Bills have enough playmakers on the offensive side of the ball? ?
It's obvious on paper that the Bills simply don't have enough playmakers on offense. With that said, the Bills will need players other than WR <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6772">Lee Evans and Losman to step up and make impact plays. <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=8266">Marshawn Lynch is unproven, while <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5485">Anthony Thomas lacks explosive run skills. WR <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4703">Peerless Price is on the downside of his career and <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5922">Josh Reed is best suited as a slot receiver who can be effective in the short and intermediate areas in the passing game. However, two players who could impact this offense because of their speed are backup receiver <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7231">Roscoe Parrish and backup TE <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7262">Kevin Everett. Like Evans, Parrish is a fast receiver who can take a short throw and turn it into an explosive big play. Everett is a former third-round pick who has struggled to stay healthy. He is a natural athlete and has the physical skills to develop into an NFL starter, but he is still raw in his overall development.
<!-- begin whole table -->
<!-- begin top part -->Fantasy take
If the second half of 2006 is any indication, Lee Evans could be ready to join the fantasy elite in '07. The key to Evans' season could be J.P. Losman, who quietly showed great improvement last year and needs to show in pre-season that he can build on that success.
[I]-- Nate Ravitz
• <A href="http://games.espn.go.com/frontpage/football">Complete ESPN.com fantasy coverage
</TD></TR></TABLE><!-- end table -->
<!-- end whole table -->The player under the microscope
Losman. While the Bills have a few players who fall under this category, it has to be Losman. Even though Losman made very good strides in his development as a quarterback last season, he must continue to show more maturity and confidence in 2007. Losman is still a young, developing player with frontline ability who has the arm strength to make all the throws in the passing game. However, he must continue to trust his reads, manage the game better and make even more big plays in the passing game. If the Bills are going to make a run at the AFC East crown, Losman must play at a high level throughout the 2007 season.
Breakout player
Lynch. Offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild will build his game plans around Lynch to take pressure off Losman, especially late in the season with the challenging weather conditions in Buffalo. Lynch has the potential upside to develop into a solid starting running back in the NFL. He has good vision, run instincts and playmaking skills. He has good hands and can contribute as a receiver out of the backfield. However, he did split time in college throughout his career and has never been a full-time running back and that could affect his performance late in the season.
Comeback player of the year
DT <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7775">John McCargo. McCargo was a reach when the Bills traded up in the 2006 draft to select him in the first round. He returns after a broken foot limited his rookie season to five games. The Bills hope he will develop into a disruptive inside player in their attacking 4-3 defense. He will work in a rotation with defensive tackles <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5928">Larry Tripplett and <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7883">Kyle Williams. McCargo has the potential to be an impact one-gap penetrator with very good initial quickness at the snap. He can be very disruptive versus both the run and pass. The Bills are expecting a great season out of McCargo.
Offensive philosophy
The Bills will continue to place a heavy emphasis on ball control to take pressure off Losman. Second-year offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild will continue to emphasize a power running game on early downs. He will also spread the field to create better inside running lanes for Lynch and Thomas. This will allow both runners to be more effective as stretch zone runners. Also, Buffalo will rely on multiple groupings with three and four wide receivers. Look for the Bills to continue to incorporate shorter (three-to-five step) drops that result in quicker reads. This will allow Losman time to read the field quickly and find open receivers in soft areas in zone coverage. Also, look for the Bills to open up the offense even more and take more vertical shots down the field.
Defensive philosophy
Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will continue to incorporate his own version of the Tampa 2 defense he learned under Bears head coach Lovie Smith in St. Louis and Chicago. The Bills' defense will be a lot younger in 2007 after the departures of Fletcher, Spikes and Clements. The Bills place a big emphasis on speed and quickness within their front seven when attacking offensive schemes, while placing a lot of pressure on their corners in single coverage. The Bills love smaller, quicker defensive linemen who react and get up the field to disrupt blocking patterns. Fewell's system is not complicated, which shortens the learning curve for younger players to develop and contribute. After finishing 18th in total defense in 2006 and 28th against the run, the Bills have a lot of room for improvement. Keith Kidd spent 14 years in NFL front offices, including key roles in the personnel departments of the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.
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<TABLE class=ilt cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD bgColor=#00133f colSpan=2>Buffalo Bills Training Camp</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD width=90>http://espn.go.com/i/teamlogos/nfl/med/trans/buf.gif (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf)</TD><TD>Site: St. John Fisher College
Location: Pittsford, N.Y.
Start date: July 26
2006 Record: 7-9
Expanded NFL Training Camp Coverage (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/feature/featureIndex?page=nfltrainingcamp07)
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Three Burning Questions</I>
Did the Bills do enough to upgrade their offensive line in the offseason?
One of the major areas of concern for the Bills over the last few seasons has been the offensive line. Offensively, Buffalo finished 27th in the league in rushing last season, while allowing 47 sacks. The Bills were very aggressive addressing this need in the early stages of free agency with the additions of <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6417">Derrick Dockery, <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4637">Jason Whittle and <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5939">Langston Walker. Dockery is a big road grader who has been somewhat inconsistent over his career but is an upgrade to the interior of the Bills' offensive line. Walker played on one of the worst offensive lines in the history of the NFL last season in Oakland. He is a massive tackle with above-average athletic skills who has struggled with consistent performance throughout his career. Whittle is a journeyman backup player with decent versatility. Again, offensive line coach Jim McNally will have his hands full in developing a consistent unit that creates run lanes and protects QB <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6781">J.P. Losman.
<!-- begin whole table -->
<!-- begin top part -->Camp battle to watch
RB <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=8266">Marshawn Lynch vs. <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5485">Anthony Thomas
The Bills must find a replacement for RB <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6359">Willis McGahee, who was traded this offseason to the <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=bal">Baltimore Ravens. Rookie first-round pick Lynch has an excellent combination of size and straight-line speed. He is a tough inside runner with the speed and quickness to bend the edge and get outside, while showing a second gear to take it to the end zone. However, he will need a lot of work in his recognition skills as a pass-blocker when reacting to blitzes. Thomas is an experienced back with good size and strength, who performed well in his role in 2006. He is a downhill, north-south runner who can be effective between the tackles. He is not an elusive back but more of a one-cut zone runner. This has all the makings of a great training camp battle in which Lynch should come out on top. However, both players will contribute significantly in the Bills' running game based on game plan and design.
</TD></TR></TABLE><!-- end table -->
<!-- end whole table -->Can the Bills replace the core of their defense with younger players?
The Bills were hit hard in the offseason with the loss of the core of their defense, losing linebackers <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4539">London Fletcher and <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4278">Takeo Spikes and cornerback <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5468">Nate Clements. Clements is a major loss for the Bills' secondary that finished seventh in the NFL in pass defense last season. Last year's third-round pick, <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7819">Ashton Youboty, and newly signed corner <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5077">Jason Webster (Falcons) are expected to compete for the starting right cornerback position. Youboty has the potential to develop into a frontline player, while Webster lacks ideal size and is best suited as a No. 3 or No. 4 corner. If both players struggle in the preseason don't be surprised to see either <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7032">Jabari Greer or <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5188">Kiwaukee Thomas get an opportunity to compete. The middle and outside linebacker positions will be in transition. Second-round pick <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=8288">Paul Posluszny is expected to replace Fletcher, while second-year player <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7927">Keith Ellison will replace Spikes. Ellison is an undersized linebacker who played well as a rookie. Posluszny has the intangibles but lacks experience playing in the NFL.
Do the Bills have enough playmakers on the offensive side of the ball? ?
It's obvious on paper that the Bills simply don't have enough playmakers on offense. With that said, the Bills will need players other than WR <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6772">Lee Evans and Losman to step up and make impact plays. <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=8266">Marshawn Lynch is unproven, while <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5485">Anthony Thomas lacks explosive run skills. WR <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4703">Peerless Price is on the downside of his career and <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5922">Josh Reed is best suited as a slot receiver who can be effective in the short and intermediate areas in the passing game. However, two players who could impact this offense because of their speed are backup receiver <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7231">Roscoe Parrish and backup TE <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7262">Kevin Everett. Like Evans, Parrish is a fast receiver who can take a short throw and turn it into an explosive big play. Everett is a former third-round pick who has struggled to stay healthy. He is a natural athlete and has the physical skills to develop into an NFL starter, but he is still raw in his overall development.
<!-- begin whole table -->
<!-- begin top part -->Fantasy take
If the second half of 2006 is any indication, Lee Evans could be ready to join the fantasy elite in '07. The key to Evans' season could be J.P. Losman, who quietly showed great improvement last year and needs to show in pre-season that he can build on that success.
[I]-- Nate Ravitz
• <A href="http://games.espn.go.com/frontpage/football">Complete ESPN.com fantasy coverage
</TD></TR></TABLE><!-- end table -->
<!-- end whole table -->The player under the microscope
Losman. While the Bills have a few players who fall under this category, it has to be Losman. Even though Losman made very good strides in his development as a quarterback last season, he must continue to show more maturity and confidence in 2007. Losman is still a young, developing player with frontline ability who has the arm strength to make all the throws in the passing game. However, he must continue to trust his reads, manage the game better and make even more big plays in the passing game. If the Bills are going to make a run at the AFC East crown, Losman must play at a high level throughout the 2007 season.
Breakout player
Lynch. Offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild will build his game plans around Lynch to take pressure off Losman, especially late in the season with the challenging weather conditions in Buffalo. Lynch has the potential upside to develop into a solid starting running back in the NFL. He has good vision, run instincts and playmaking skills. He has good hands and can contribute as a receiver out of the backfield. However, he did split time in college throughout his career and has never been a full-time running back and that could affect his performance late in the season.
Comeback player of the year
DT <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7775">John McCargo. McCargo was a reach when the Bills traded up in the 2006 draft to select him in the first round. He returns after a broken foot limited his rookie season to five games. The Bills hope he will develop into a disruptive inside player in their attacking 4-3 defense. He will work in a rotation with defensive tackles <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5928">Larry Tripplett and <A href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7883">Kyle Williams. McCargo has the potential to be an impact one-gap penetrator with very good initial quickness at the snap. He can be very disruptive versus both the run and pass. The Bills are expecting a great season out of McCargo.
Offensive philosophy
The Bills will continue to place a heavy emphasis on ball control to take pressure off Losman. Second-year offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild will continue to emphasize a power running game on early downs. He will also spread the field to create better inside running lanes for Lynch and Thomas. This will allow both runners to be more effective as stretch zone runners. Also, Buffalo will rely on multiple groupings with three and four wide receivers. Look for the Bills to continue to incorporate shorter (three-to-five step) drops that result in quicker reads. This will allow Losman time to read the field quickly and find open receivers in soft areas in zone coverage. Also, look for the Bills to open up the offense even more and take more vertical shots down the field.
Defensive philosophy
Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will continue to incorporate his own version of the Tampa 2 defense he learned under Bears head coach Lovie Smith in St. Louis and Chicago. The Bills' defense will be a lot younger in 2007 after the departures of Fletcher, Spikes and Clements. The Bills place a big emphasis on speed and quickness within their front seven when attacking offensive schemes, while placing a lot of pressure on their corners in single coverage. The Bills love smaller, quicker defensive linemen who react and get up the field to disrupt blocking patterns. Fewell's system is not complicated, which shortens the learning curve for younger players to develop and contribute. After finishing 18th in total defense in 2006 and 28th against the run, the Bills have a lot of room for improvement. Keith Kidd spent 14 years in NFL front offices, including key roles in the personnel departments of the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.
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