Image Credit: (Rich Barnes/USA Today Sports)
Written by: Nicholas Mullick Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-mullick-354076184/
Twitter: @nicholasmullick
With Training Camp about to start for the NFL in a few weeks, there are questions that follow each team. Like I did with the Cowboys, I will be doing the Top 5 Biggest questions for every team heading into Training Camp. Next up is the Buffalo Bills who had the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. But there are still questions that remain with this team.
1. Who will be the starting running back for the Bills?
One of the weaknesses of the Buffalo Bills last season was the running back position. There still is uncertainty at this position on who will be the starting running back in week 1.
Devin Singletary has talent but is not the most durable or consistent when he plays. James Cook is a player that they drafted in the second round and could take the starting role if he can develop quickly. In regards to Zack Moss, am I the only one that thinks his roster spot is not safe. He has been a healthy scratch in games last year, and he has struggled when he is on the field. Duke Johnson and Taiwan Jones are both veteran players, who could sneakily impress and take the starting running back role. I am not confident naming the starter at running back right now and it is going to be a wait and www as to who will win the role.
2. Who will win the number 3 receiver job?
The Buffalo Bills have a ton of targets for QB Josh Allen to utilize. It is clear that Gabriel Davis and Stefon Diggs will be the #1 and #2 Receivers. We will get to the tight ends on this team later. But who will be the number 3 receiver, well they got a lot of choices. Jamison Crowder may be past his prime, but may still have plenty left in the tank to have a strong season with the team. Khalil Shaker the Bills drafted in the 5th round of the NFL Draft and I was shocked he did not go earlier in the draft. If he gets developed well Shaker should be a weapon on this team. Jake Kumerow is not good, but they clearly see something in him if the Bills are keeping him. Isaiah McKenzie is mainly a special teams player, but he showed promise in the 2020 NFL Season and he could recapture it this season. Marquez Stevenson was injured most of last season but is mainly a special teams player. Tavon Austin I am shocked is still in the league, as he has been a disappointment since entering the league. It would not shock me if he plays snaps at running back or is mostly on special teams. Buffalo has a lot of options here and we will see who steps up.
3. Can the interior offensive line hold up throughout the season?
The second biggest weakness was on the interior offensive line as they could not hold up in production and had durability issues. During the offseason, they focused on the interior offensive line by making moves. They signed Greg Van Roten and Rodger Saffold in free agency, which is a good move as both are veteran pieces. Ryan Bates is mainly a backup but is a solid rotating piece on the offensive line. Cody Ford dealt with nagging injuries, but when healthy should be fine. Mitch Morse should continue to have a strong season as the center. The question is if they can hold up for the entire season by staying healthy and consistent. I think they can, but time will tell if that is the case.
4. Did Buffalo do enough to improve the cornerback position?
After losing CB Tre’Davious White due to injury last season, it exposed a big weakness in a lack of depth in the cornerback position. Along with Levi Wallace departure, this is a position that the Bills needed to fix in the offseason. Well, they did not do much during the Free Agency to sign anybody but focused on the 2022 NFL Draft to fix this position. They traded up to select Kaiir Elam in the 1st round and then later drafted Christian Benford in the 6th round. Elam is a solid prospect, but I thought for sure the Bills were going to be more active when it comes to improving the corner position. Maybe the Bills once training camp is over will bring in a veteran talent if the young talent is not performing well. It would not shock me at all if this was the case.
5. Is Von Miller the final piece to this defense?
The Buffalo Bills are one of the most talented teams in the NFL no question. I thought that during the offseason they were going to fix their main weaknesses at running back, cornerback, and interior offensive line. Well, the Bills made a surprising move by bolstering the defense by signing Von Miller to a 6-year deal 120 million dollar contract. This is a risky signing, but it could be worth the reward. But with the minimal weaknesses on the Bills, I wonder if Von Miller will be the final piece in Buffalo. Look at how he helped out the Los Angeles Rams in their playoff push. I'm very intrigued to see how Von Miller does on this team