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2005 Team Report: Buffalo Bills
Quarterbacks
Starter: J.P. Losman
Starting QB: Drew Bledsoe was released after throwing 20 TDs and leading the Bills to a solid 9-7 season. Mike Mularkey and the coaching staff decided they wanted more mobility from the QB position, and have named J.P. Losman the new starter. The Bills traded their 2004 second and fifth round picks along with their first in 2005 for Losman, so they have a lot invested in him. He is a tremendous athlete with a very strong arm, and his play will remind many Bills fans of Doug Flutie as he can make a lot of things happen with his feet. His development was slowed by a broken leg suffered in practice last year, and he'll need to do a better job of avoiding contact with defenders when he gets past the line of scrimmage if he hopes to stay healthy for an entire season. The Bills believe Bledsoe had taken them as far as he could and hope that Losman is the guy to take them to the next level. Given the impressive level of surrounding talent and the coaching staff in place, a young QB couldn't ask to be put in a much better situation.
Backup QB: With Bledsoe moving to Dallas, and an unproven player in Losman taking over the starting job, the chances of the backup seeing significant playing time have risen considerably. As a result, the Bills went out and signed Kelly Holcomb to a four-year deal. Holcomb had his moments in Cleveland, but seemed to play better as the backup then he did as a starter. He's most known for his performance in a playoff game against the Steelers in 2002, when he threw for 429 yards and three TDs. Butch Davis named him his starter the following year, but he struggled early on and couldn't stay healthy. The Browns were interested in bringing him back but dragged their feet during the contract negotiations, and that led to him taking less money to sign with the Bills. If Losman struggles early or suffers an injury, Holcomb should be able to put up solid numbers with the talent he'll have around him. Shane Matthews was recently re-signed to be the third string QB. After having spent last year as Bledsoe's backup, he should be comfortable with the system and will provide quality insurance should anything happen to the Holcomb.
Running Backs
Starter: Willis McGahee
Starting RB: When the Bills drafted McGahee in 2003, it created quite a stir. At the time, Travis Henry had already established himself as one of the more productive young RBs in the league, and McGahee was coming off one of the most devastating knee injuries in some time. Henry went into the 2004 season as the starting RB, but the team struggled early on in the season and McGahee eventually got his first start in the Bills fifth game of the season. He went on to run for over 100 yards in seven of 12 games, and finished as the #9 ranked fantasy RB thanks primarily to the 13 TDs he scored. McGahee is a big back at 6'0", 228 lbs., and has demonstrated great patience, vision, and power. He ran somewhat tentative at times, but began to show more of a burst as his confidence in his reconstructed knee grew. With another year removed from the injury, there's a very good chance he could develop into one of the elite RBs in the league. Backup RBs: With Travis Henry now a Titan, it is not clear who the Bills' backup will be. Lionel Gates (6-0, 223) is a strong, power back that could become a goal-line specialist if McGahee was to go down. Gates had an excellent training camp, and coach Mularkey has lauded his efforts. Shaud Williams demonstrated in 2004 that he was a capable backup, running for 165 yards over a three-game stretch late in the season. He's a small RB (5'7", 193 lbs) who the Bills signed as an undrafted free agent, but he produced in the tough SEC while playing at Alabama. Williams doesn't seem to be the type of RB that could carry the entire load as an every down RB, however. Joe Burns is a versatile Bills veteran, but doesn't appear to be in the running for the backup RB spot.
Fullback: Shelton is a seven-year veteran who did a good job of opening holes for McGahee last year. He's not much of a runner (zero rushing attempts over the last three seasons), but he did establish himself as a capable receiving option out of the backfield with 17 receptions last year. In contrast, Joe Burns used to be a backup to Henry at RB and is not exactly known for his blocking ability.
Wide Receivers
Starters: Eric Moulds, Lee Evans
Starting WRs: Eric Moulds continues to be one of the best receivers in the league, and at just 31 years old, he should have at least a few more good years remaining. In 2004, he finished with 88 receptions (ranked 10th in the league) and broke 1000 yards for the fourth time in his nine-year career. His fantasy numbers have been hurt the past couple years by injuries and inconsistent play from the QB position, and it's hard to imagine things improving very much with an unproven QB like Losman under center in 2005. Starting opposite him will be last year's first round pick Lee Evans, who finished with seven TDs in his last six games. He is a big-play WR that can stretch defenses with his speed, as evidenced by his 17.6 yards per reception. The combination of Moulds and Evans gives the Bills one of the best starting WR tandems in the league, but the conservative offense combined with inexperience at QB will likely hinder their fantasy value for the upcoming season. Backup WRs: Josh Reed looked very promising during his rookie season in 2002. In fact, the Bills liked him enough to trade Peerless Price to Atlanta, and make him a starter. Turns out he was not quite ready, however, and he got off to a terrible start. Reed is a former RB who can make things happen after the catch, but he lacks the height or speed needed to create separation against quality CBs. His fantasy value plummeted as injuries and the emergence of Evans pushed him back to the bench. The Bills spent their first draft pick on Roscoe Parrish. Parrish is a small, quick WR out of Miami who compares to players like Az Hakim and Antwaan Randle-El. He worked out with former Hurricanes Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson and Santana Moss this off-season, and was the team's primary slot receiver when Buffalo opened training camp. Parrish had wrist surgery in mid-August, but no timetable was given for his return other than "sometime this season." Sam Aiken is a former fourth round pick who provides quality depth at the position. He's got good size, is not afraid to make plays over the middle, and should be the primary backup to Moulds. Jonathan Smith was a seventh round pick who made significant contributions to the team as a punt returner late last season.
Tight Ends
Starters: Mark Campbell
The Bills went into the draft with an eye towards upgrading this position. Mark Campbell was acquired before the 2003 season to replace Jay Riemersma, and he's proven himself to be an adequate starter. He's a very strong blocker, particularly in the running game, and he's demonstrated the ability to make very tough catches. Campbell lacked great speed to challenge defenses before tearing his ACL late last season, and isn't much of a downfield threat. His recovery from surgery was successful, and he's suffered no set backs so far in training camp. Hoping to upgrade the TE position, the team drafted Kevin Everett in this year's draft. Unfortunately Everett tore his ACL in the team's first minicamp and is sidelined indefinitely, possibly missing all of the season. That leaves Tim Euhus, a fourth round pick last year out of Oregon State, as the primary backup. He's a good athlete (also lettered in basketball) and a good receiver, but he gets overpowered as a blocker. Euhus, who also tore his ACL last year, has been able to take part in team practices thus far in training camp without problem. Ryan Neufeld rounds out the active tight end roster. Place Kicker Rian Lindell : Twenty-four of 28 on FGs (85.7%), 45 of 45 PATs, totaling 117 points for eighth place in the NFL sounds like a good 2004. Fans and media however, were calling for Lindell to be replaced, citing his 1 for 3 stat in kicks over 40 yards and the missed 28-yarder in the season finale against Pittsburgh. Team management has stated they do not share those concerns, and that they are behind Lindell, however rumors indicate that the Bills contacted both Doug Brien and Paul Edinger when they were on the market. Lindell looked much better on longer field goals and kickoffs during preseason, although he ended on a negative note by missing a 32 yard FG in the final preseason game. Kick and Punt Returners Kick Returners: Terrence McGee, Lionel Gates [r], Jonathan Smith, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish [inj] CB Terrance McGee emerged last year to lead the top ranked Bills return team, with 1368 yards, a 26.3 average, and three TDs. He ranked seventh among all fantasy returners despite not returning a single punt. Rookie RB Lionel Gates emerged during the preseason as a capable backup. Punt returner Jonathan Smith is a possible backup although he had only one KR last year since McGee was the main guy. The team also took a look at WR Josh Reed and WR Roscoe Parrish during the preseason. Punt Returners: Nate Clements, Roscoe Parrish [inj], Jonathan Smith, Jim Leonhard Second round draft pick WR Roscoe Parrish returned punts (16.2 avg, eighth ranked) for Miami (FL) last year. He scored twice including a 72-yarder in the Peach Bowl win over Florida. CB Nate Clements was the PR for most of the year with 35 returns, a 9.3 yard average, and a TD. WR Roscoe Parrish is expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks after wrist surgery in the middle of August, so CB Nate Clements will get to keep his PR job. Rookie WR Jonathan Smith was originally cut but then resigned later. He returned nine punts late in the year with a gaudy 17.4 yard average and a TD. If he can avoid fumbles and mental errors, he could factor into the PR picture. Offensive Line
Projected Starters: RT Mike Williams, RG Chris Villarrial, C Trey Teague, LG Bennie Anderson, LT Mike Gandy
The Bills offensive line will be at least average but has the potential to be very good if the guys can come together as a unit. This is a pivotal year for Mike Williams, and he will need to develop into the elite player he was supposed to be for this group to become a top unit. Newcomers Mike Gandy and Bennie Anderson form a new left side of the line and will be tested early protecting inexperienced J.P. Losman. Both guards, Anderson and Chris Villarrial are good run blockers and will do a solid job in 2005 as will veteran center Trey Teague who is a good anchor. Look for the Bills to have some success running the ball, but the line will need to make big improvements when it comes to protecting the quarterback. Team Defense Despite losing Dick LeBeau to the Steelers, the Bills finished 2004 as the top ranked fantasy defense. The main reason for their rise to the top was their playmaking ability. After finishing near the bottom of the league in takeaways for several years, they racked up 24 INTs and 15 fumble recoveries in 2004, which was more than any other team in the league. The zone blitz schemes favored by coordinator Jerry Gray also resulted in 46 sacks, which ranked third in the league behind the Falcons and Eagles. Pat Williams was the only significant loss on defense this offseason, and that could hurt their run defense. Otherwise, this team has all the pieces in place to remain a dominant defense: a pass rushing DE and a run plugging DT up front, one of the best LB tandems in the league, and two playmaking CBs combined with two veteran safeties in the secondary. The Bills special teams units got in on the playmaking act as well, finishing 2004 with a record-tying five kicks returned for TDs. Overall, this is a veteran group playing in an aggressive scheme, who should continue to be a fantasy force in 2005. Defensive Line
Starters: DE Aaron Schobel, DE Chris Kelsay, DT Sam Adams, DT Ron Edwards
Starting DL: Aaron Schobel has established himself as one of the better defensive ends in the league after completing his third straight season with eight or more sacks. He has good speed as an edge rusher, holds up well against the run, and never quits on a play until the whistle blows. The Bills made a wise move in locking him up to a contract extension last offseason. Chris Kelsay beat out Ryan Denney for a starting job, and had a pretty solid season. He is a hard worker with decent athletic ability and strength, and although he's unlikely to ever produce elite pass rush numbers, he should solidify the LDE position. Inside at DT, despite a very slow start that saw him get benched at one point, Sam Adams finished second on the team in sacks with five. His partner in the trenches, Pat Williams, left to sign with the Vikings as a free agent this offseason. The Bills would have loved to re-sign him, but decided he wasn't worth the risk at 32 years old. Replacing him will be Ron Edwards, who was a starter prior to Sam Adams' arrival. He has played well in limited opportunities, including two sacks in a game against the Dolphins last year. Edwards is not the run-stopper that Williams was, but has a quick first step and should benefit from Adams drawing lots of double teams. Backup DL: Tom Donahoe traded up to draft Ryan Denney in the second round of the 2002 draft. He won the starting LDE job by default in 2003 and established himself as a solid run defender, but his pass rush skills left a lot to be desired. He's very tall, which should help him clog passing lanes, but it often works as a detriment as offensive tackles have little difficulty getting leverage and pushing him backwards. Tim Anderson was the Bills third round pick last year. He didn't see much playing time as he was buried on the depth chart, but the Bills think highly of him. Anderson is a blue collar type of player with a nonstop motor that should fit in well with the Bills. He was a big component of the tough Buckeye run defense that won a national championship. Justin Bannan has been a solid depth player at DT, and last year, Mularkey gave him a chance to play offensive guard in certain short yardage formations. He showed great mobility as a pulling guard and may continue to get playing time on both sides of the ball. Lauvale Sape spent last year on the Bills practice squad and was kept as a 5th DT after a strong preseason.
Linebackers
Starters: WLB Takeo Spikes, MLB London Fletcher, SLB Jeff Posey
Starting LBs: Takeo Spikes has been one of the best free agent signings in the league over the past two years. Since joining the Bills, he's gone to two straight Pro Bowls, and has produced numbers in all the big play categories that would rival any other OLB in the entire league. He's a fierce competitor who is capable of raising the level of play of everyone around him. Whereas Spikes is the big play guy in the Bills defense, Fletcher is the guy who helps hold everything together. Fletcher plays much bigger than his listed height of 5'10", and is one of the most consistent tacklers in the league. He's averaged nearly 100 solo tackles over the past five years, is great at timing the blitz, and is capable of dropping into coverage and running stride for stride with opposing RBs and TEs. Spikes and Fletcher are on the field for nearly every down and distance, and Fletcher even served as the lead blocker on kick returns last year. Jeff Posey is coming off a somewhat disappointing season. After putting up 13.5 sacks from 2002-2003, he only managed to one in 2004. With the emergence of Kelsay up front, Posey saw less time as a down lineman on passing downs, but the coaching staff should try to figure out ways to take advantage of his pass rush ability. Backup LBs: Angelo Crowell is a former third round pick and the brother of former Lions WR Germane Crowell. He's slightly undersized to be a starting MLB, and not quite athletic enough to be a great WLB, but he can backup at both positions while contributing on special teams. Mario Haggan was a seventh round draft pick of the Bills in 2003 who spent some time on the practice squad early in his career and is now primarily a special teamer. He's got good size and good instincts, but was pretty raw coming into the league and probably wouldn't be ready to take on a huge role in the defense if Fletcher were to go down with an injury. The last backup LB of note is Josh Stamer, who is a big contributor on special teams and would likely be the primary backup at SLB.
Defensive Backs
Starters: CB Nate Clements, CB Terrence McGee, SS Lawyer Milloy, FS Troy Vincent
Starting DBs: Nate Clements had the best year of his young career and was rewarded with a trip to the Pro Bowl as an alternate. In addition to playing shutdown defense against team's best WR most weeks, he was one of the most valuable fantasy DBs. He's entering his contract year and the Bills would be wise to try and lock him up long term. To replace Antoine Winfield, the Bills signed Troy Vincent who was coming off 5 straight Pro Bowl seasons. Vincent suffered an injury during the second game of the season, however, and Terrence McGee stepped in. Despite giving up some big plays early, he made more plays and as a result, Troy Vincent was moved to free safety upon return from injury. He proved to be something of a natural in his first game at FS when he produced a sack, an INT, and a FR in a game against the Browns. At strong safety, Lawyer Milloy isn't the same player he was earlier in his career, but he provides stability and leadership. He broke his arm before the 2004 season and wound up missing five games. Apart from a three sack game against the Rams and a couple INTs, he didn't really stand out, but he certainly didn't hurt the team either. With Vincent and McGee adjusting to their full time positions, the Bills secondary should again be one of the league's best. Backup DBs: Kevin Thomas has played well as a nickel DB throughout his three-year career, and provides quality depth at the position. He has the size to match up well with WRs on the outside, which allows the shorter McGee to move inside and cover the smaller slot WRs when the Bills go to a nickel. Thomas had microfracture surgery on his knee this offseason and will begin the year on the physically-unable-to-perform list. Thanks to a series of injuries, Jabari Greer was forced into action after being an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee and he played surprisingly well. He will begin the year as the nickel back and last year's experience should help him in that role. Coy Wire once looked like a very promising player, but his career was sidetracked when the Bills picked up Lawyer Milloy. That curtailed his development, and even led the Bills to experiment with him at FS, which didn't work out. He's an above average backup at SS and a big contributor on special teams, but there have been some reports that he could be a salary cap cut after June 1st if the Bills need to free up any space under the cap. Backing up Vincent at FS will likely be Rashad Baker, who played with Greer at Tennessee and was also an undrafted free agent last year. Baker impressed everyone with his steady play and could develop into a very solid backup. Jim Leonhard made the roster as an undrafted rookie free agent and will likely be inactive most weeks unless he can find a niche for himself on special teams.
Last modified: 2005-09-05 14:54:29
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