Will Bills Sign Another RB?

[Nublar7]

I just a look at your guys roster, and behind Willis McGahee, your depth is pretty thin.

Shaud Williams is the main backup according to Ourlads, and he has only played in a total of four games during his two year career. Also, he is a little on the small side at 5-7, and 193 pounds.

After him is Lionel Gates, and while he can become a dominating and reliable backup for McGahee, I wouldn't want to count on him much this season.

After Gates is Reshard Lee, who also doesn't display that ability to be the #2 back on a team.

So, are the Bills planning to sign anyone else? Has there been talk up in Buffalo about adding another back?


*NOTE* Don't take this as an attack on the Bills just because I am a Dolphins fan, but just as a football fan asking a serious question.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

I just a look at your guys roster, and behind Willis McGahee, your depth is pretty thin....

...So, are the Bills planning to sign anyone else? Has there been talk up in Buffalo about adding another back?


*NOTE* Don't take this as an attack on the Bills just because I am a Dolphins fan, but just as a football fan asking a serious question.

No. Not from anything that I have read.

According to the reports in the media and that Bills Zoners who have been to the practices have been posting, Shaud Williams and Antonio Gates have been looking extremely good so far. According to the posts from Zoners who have seen them in practice, Lee has not stood out, but, in articles in the local media following the OTAs, the coaches had a lot of praise for Lee.

According to several BZ posts, apparently, Shaud Williams has bulked up considerably after last season. While it is hard to tell from the video clips that I have seen that were posted here and on the Bills' website, it appears that Williams is solidly muscled now and not as frail in the upper body as he was last season. While I was a big fan of S.Williams last season (check the posts!), I must admit that I had concerns about his size based on what I saw of him last year and in college, but he looked good--much more solid--in the brief glimpses of him on the video clips. All reports are that he is running well.

Lionel Gates apparently is also making a good impression so far in camp. There have been a couple of posts that have mentioned that he appears to be faster than originally thought. I don't know if those posts were based on expectations because the scouting reports said that Gates wasn't particularly fast or not. As someone who touted Gates as a possible 4th round draft pick if Henry was traded on or by draft day, I'm not surprised that he has looked good so far. While he is, as you point out, a rookie and isn't particularly outstanding in any single facet of the game, Gates is a well-rounded player who has a real shot at being a good back-up RB to McGahee--he's not as fast or shifty as S.Williams, but he has the kind of size that the Bills' coaches like.

While the reports on Lee by Zoners who have been to practice so far have not been glowing and there's very little of him in the video clips, Lee did work with the first team offense in the OTAs that McGahee sat out and the coaches had a lot of good things to say about him. They really like his size and speed. If that's any indication of how they feel about him, I would have to imagine that he is still pretty much in the mix, even if he hasn't stood out so far in camp.

Given the older veteran RBs who are available, I doubt that the Bills would be interested in bringing any of them into camp at this stage. If, as one of the coaches has said, they intend to give Gandy one or two preseason games to prove that he can do the job at LT, I would expect that they will give S.Williams, L.Gates and R.Lee that at least that much time to show if they can handle the back-up RB spot. Personally, I do not think that the Bills will have one primary back-up for Willis McGahee this season (ala L.Johnson or C.Taylor (who, BTW, isn't very much bigger than S.Williams), etc.), I think that, if they need to, they will use S.Williams, who has done exceptionally well in limited playing-time particularly between the 20s--and a big back--either Lee or Gates--situationally to spell McGahee as needed.

(I know this is the kind of situation that people who play Fantasy Football hate, but I think it is what the Bills will do and that it will be better for the team than bringing in one of the older veteran RBs who are still on the market.)

[ParanoidAndroid]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

This has been discussed at great length here recently.

I think that the coaching staff is happy with who they have for now. I imagine that if there is a let down in camp, they will look for someone else.

If Lee can learn how to pick up a blitz, then he'll likely be the guy. He showed he can run the ball in Dallas, but he missed blocking assignments which apparently didn't sit well with Parcells. Shaud Williams showed he can carry some of the load but is not a starter (This is his second year BTW). Lionel Gates is the guy I'm looking at because of his numbers his junior year at Louisville. ("Despite working in a shuttle system with Shelton and Bush, he led the squad with 141 carries for 817 yards (5.8 avg.) and 11 touchdowns, adding another 368 yards on 25 catches in 2003." http://www.buffalobills.com/team/pla...ayer_id=122605) He is very well rounded and an excellent receiver. If he had entered the draft after his junior year there is little doubt in my mind that he would have been a first day pick. He has more sleeper potential than anyone the Bills have drafted in years IMO. His knock this year was his slower 40 time and his injuries, both completely healed.
Lee, Williams, and McGahee are all coming off their first year of playing. Gates is, of course, a rookie. There is not much experience here, but there is tons of upside. Joe Burns is also in the mix but unless he makes the roster as a FB, he's likely the odd man out even though he was a good ST player.
The tandem of those three backs is probably capable of being effective in the event that McGahee goes down.

We'll see.

[clumping platelets]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

I would still like to see a vet RB added like Dorsey Levens who has the playoff experience that can truly help down the stretch. Gates could be a PS candidate or make the roster if Burns is let go

[SABURZFAN]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

i'm not too worried about our depth.these guys are no mcgahee but they can step in and do the job.

[Jan Reimers]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

Shaud Williams and RaShard Lee have some NFL experience, Joe Burns has quite a bit, and Lionel Gates is looking good. Barring injury, I don't see the need for another RB.

[Michael82]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

[mysticsoto]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

No. Not from anything that I have read.

According to the reports in the media and that Bills Zoners who have been to the practices have been posting, Shaud Williams and Antonio Gates have been looking extremely good so far. According to the posts from Zoners who have seen them in practice, Lee has not stood out, but, in articles in the local media following the OTAs, the coaches had a lot of praise for Lee.
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I pretty much agree, as I've mentioned before, that we don't need any has-beens for back up RBs. We have plenty of talent on our roster already. Shaud bulking up was a surprise, and may actually lock him into the 2nd spot. I haven't seen or heard enough of Lee to know, but he'll probably fight it out and maybe win over Lionel Gates. Still, Gates can be put on the PS.

We have so much talent, it's a shame we can't keep them all on the roster. Why are we going to use up another roster spot by bringing in a veteran has-been when we are low on roster spots to begin with? I have a feeling that like the San Fran game last year, for games where we overly dominate, our 2nd and maybe even 3rd string will get alot of playing time and experience this year.

[Italian Stallion]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

I think Lee gets cut. I think he looks that booty in camp so far. My vote is for Gates to back up Willis, he reminds me of a faster version of Travis Henry. Williams looks good as well, but no matter how much he bulks up, he's still a little too short to be truly effective, especially if he needs to start some games.

Look for Gates to seperate himself from the three, Lee to be cut in the last wave of cuts, Williams to stick because of his special teams ability, and Burns to be kept because of his experience/versatility.

I agree with clump tho, ideally it be nice to see the addition of a experienced player like Levens or George, but I just have one of those feelings about Gates. Sometimes you just know a player is gonna be good, and I think exactly that about our 7th round steal

[McBFLO]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

The only guy I would maybe like to see brought in is that Jesse Chatman from SD. That kid was pretty good in backup duty for LT. PS for Gates, let burns go and bring in Chatman.

[justasportsfan]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

My vote is for Gates to back up Willis, he reminds me of a faster version of Travis Henry.

and he's huge.

[Jan Reimers]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

I think Lee gets cut. I think he looks that booty in camp so far. My vote is for Gates to back up Willis, he reminds me of a faster version of Travis Henry. Williams looks good as well, but no matter how much he bulks up, he's still a little too short to be truly effective, especially if he needs to start some games.

Look for Gates to seperate himself from the three, Lee to be cut in the last wave of cuts, Williams to stick because of his special teams ability, and Burns to be kept because of his experience/versatility.

I agree with clump tho, ideally it be nice to see the addition of a experienced player like Levens or George, but I just have one of those feelings about Gates. Sometimes you just know a player is gonna be good, and I think exactly that about our 7th round steal

I don't disagree with your thinking except that Williams is too short to be effective. Running back is a position where height means very little - just look at Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. Speed, strength, agility and other attributes are far more important. Shaud may not be bulky enough weight-wise, or fast enough, to be an every down back, but I don't think his height is a big detriment, except perhaps to his pass catching.

[Italian Stallion]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

I don't disagree with your thinking except that Williams is too short to be effective. Running back is a position where height means very little - just look at Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. Speed, strength, agility and other attributes are far more important. Shaud may not be bulky enough weight-wise, or fast enough, to be an every down back, but I don't think his height is a big detriment, except perhaps to his pass catching.

...and his pass blocking for JP. I think thats another chink in his armor. I like Williams alot, and that's a good point you made about those other small backs, but those guys knew how to use their height to their advantage at the pro level (and were more purley talented). Now Shaud could figure out how to best be sucessful his height, just like those guys, but right now for this season, I'd be extremely worried if he had to start games in the absence of Willis.

[mysticsoto]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

I think Lee gets cut. I think he looks that booty in camp so far. My vote is for Gates to back up Willis, he reminds me of a faster version of Travis Henry. Williams looks good as well, but no matter how much he bulks up, he's still a little too short to be truly effective, especially if he needs to start some games.
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I knew another little guy who nobody thought much of and was chosen after all these losers in the 1988 draft:

1	14	Gaston Green	RB	UCLA
1	17	John Stephens	RB	Northwestern State, La.
1	22	Lorenzo White	RB	Michigan State
1	23	Brad Muster	RB	Stanford
1	24	Craig Heyward	RB	Pittsburgh
2	31	Ickey Woods	RB	Nevada-Las Vegas
2	38	Tony Jeffery	RB	Texas Christian

[TigerJ]

Re: Will Bills Sign Another RB?

No, Buffalo doesn't have two obvious starting caliber RBs on the roster like Rickey Williams and Ron Brown, but I don't think depth is an issue. Running back is not like QB where a premium is placed on experience. Shaud Williams can play. Being smaller, there may be questions about durability if he had to average 20+ carries a game, but he can be a short term reliever. Reshard Lee has looked good in limited opportunities with Dallas and Gates was solid in college as well. Buffalo has gone extensive periods with Travis Henry as starter and plugger Joe Burns as the main backup. The running back situation is much healthier now as Joe Burns may not even make the team. S. Williams, Lee and Gates are all athletically superior to Burns. If Burns does make the team, it may be more as a blocking back backup and special teamer than as a backup running back.