Question #6: Will James Hardy start?

[The Spaz]

Dick Jauron made it plain leading up to the draft that the team needed a big receiver. Someone his quarterback could throw to even if he was covered. He wanted a mismatch receiver similar to the ones other teams had that made plays when it didn't look as though one could be made. Jauron's request was more than answered with the 6'5"-plus James Hardy.

Hardy had off the charts production at Indiana where he scored 36 touchdowns in 33 games. To call him a mismatch in the passing game is an understatement. However, receivers rarely make a giant impact in their first NFL season.

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=6223

[DraftBoy]

I dont think he is starting come week 1

[Ebenezer]

nothing would surprise me...let's see what the kid has in camp first.

[Al the Bills Fan]

To start the season - NO

by week 8 - maybe

by end of the season - YES

[Mitchy moo]

No way we draft a 6'5" WR and sit him on the bench. His job is to take heat away from Lee and get open as a threat. If our opponents have to gameplan for 1 extra weapon, one of our other weapons will be open.

<!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->He's on the field day 1 and the first regular season game.

[The Answer]

He will start, but I don't see him having an impact until midseason.

~The Answer

[justasportsfan]

Hardy will start. He only needs to point his gun at Dick.

[Al the Bills Fan]

Hardy will start. He only needs to point his gun at Dick.

If you swap gun & Dick = best post ever!

[mysticsoto]

He will ABSOLUTELY start! Like The Answer said, he may not start making an impact into midseason, but he will absolutely start! It would be ludicrous to keep a 6'5" athletic WR on the bench in favor of...Reed? Absolutely, NO WAY!!!

[Bill Cody]

And if he doesn't, who does? Hell yes he starts.

[Goobylal]

If he doesn't start, nothing will change. There is no real #2 WR on this team outside of him. And if he makes some rookie mistakes, so what? Just have him go out in a pattern and draw coverage away from Evans. If he makes a reception here or there, great!

[yordad]

He will ABSOLUTELY start! Like The Answer said, he may not start making an impact into midseason, but he will absolutely start! It would be ludicrous to keep a 6'5" athletic WR on the bench in favor of...Reed? Absolutely, NO WAY!!!Well, I was going to type something.... then I seen this and it said it all.

[patmoran2006]

To start the season - NO

by week 8 - maybe

by end of the season - YES
Totally agree.

He wont' start week #1, though he could certainly have an impact early. I feel the exact same way about McKelvin.

Those are good signs.

[Pride]

Start? No... Dick doesnt like to start rookies week 1. But will he get the lions share of the snaps? Yes. My guess is that he is in on the first 3rd down of the game, and doesnt come out the rest of the day.

[mysticsoto]

I don't see how anyone could believe that the disaster of Price not panning out last year, forcing Reed to play #2 WR would be repeated come the start of the year when you have a 6'5" athletic weapon on the roster. What people around here don't seem to understand is that we don't need Hardy to have a 1000 yd season like a #1 WR. He is a #2. His job is ideally to get atleast in the 700s...but more importantly, his job is to free up Evans so that now Evans can get 1000+ yds. Safeties cannot cheat anymore toward Evans when they have this giant 6'5" guy lumbering their way and virtually very few CBs able to present anywhere close to a reasonable matchup on a jump ball. Safeties will HAVE to play Hardy over the top and Evans will get quite a few one on ones from here forward. That is something that Reed cannot bring to the game and that will force Hardy in to start!

[Confused]

Hardy is being compared to rookie WRs who were expected to come in as a No.1 WR. That is the main difference in our case. We got Evans.
I think Hardy will be most dangerous early in the season when team arent paying as much attention to him as the should.As long as wplay towards his strengths early on, I think he will excel.

[Captain gameboy]

To me, it doesn't matter if he starts week one or not.

What does matter is that defenses will have to react to him when he is in, just as they will react when he comes out and we go with those quick midgets.

Its about dictating/forcing coverage changes, not so much who is in.

I do think that he will be starting soon enough though.

[PECKERWOOD]

He better start, our WR core is a joke.

[Romes]

Hardy will start. Parish/Reed are more ideally suited for the slot. Though we probably won't see Hardy having a huge impact until earliest week 8.

And he better be on the field inside the 30 yard line. Reed and Roscoe combined for 1 whole TD last year.

[gr8slayer]

I don't see why not.

[acehole]

I dont think he is starting come week 1

I agree....but he probably will share lots of time.

He has to develope a chemistry with the QB.

There is only one way that happens.

I bet you see him in three wide...

And giving Reed/Parrish a breather.

By game 6/7 if he can get the offense he will start.

[acehole]

Totally agree.

He wont' start week #1, though he could certainly have an impact early. I feel the exact same way about McKelvin.

Those are good signs.

Mcelvin starts.

[Oaf]

If Hardy proves competent, DJ would be doing a disfavor to him, to Josh Reed, to Trent Edwards , and to the team by not starting him by week 3.

Peerless Price is a better #2 than Reed is, and actually bettered our offense because Reed could then stay in the slot.

Hardy is more effective as a #2 than #3 because of his effect on the defensive strategy. Reed is twice the #3 WR than he is a #2. So unless Parrish can play outside, start Hardy. This is far more important than replacing Greer with McKelvin week 1.

[Oaf]

When I glanced at this thread and then saw Question 5, I was thinking why wouldn't Brown just combine an article about Will James Starting and about the battle at the RCB starter spot.