We made it. The day Buffalo Bills fans have been waiting for the most, other than Sunday, Sept. 12, is finally here.
Wednesday marks the opening of training camp, and the beginning of the most anticipated Bills season in about 30 years.
There are very few unknowns about this team, as they prepare for their first workout of the summer in Orchard Park. That is usually the case when you have almost everyone back after a 13-3 season in 2020. However, there are a few starting spots to be determined over the course of the preseason, one each on offense, defense and special teams.
The biggest question on offense is who will be the fifth starter along the offensive line.
Barring a major surprise, Dion Dawkins, Mitch Morse, Jon Feliciano and Daryl Williams will have four of the five spots. One guard spot is up for grabs with Cody Ford the leading candidate to win the job.
Ike Boettger, who did a nice job at left guard when Ford was injured last season, and free agent pickup Forrest Lamp will provide the competition. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is a make or break season for Ford, but it wouldn’t be a good look if the team’s second round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft can’t win the job.
For what it's worth, Lamp started all 16 games at left guard for the Los Angeles Chargers last season.
On the defensive side of the ball, the lone starting spot up for grabs is the cornerback spot opposite Tre'Davious White. I’m not including the defensive line in the starting discussion since those are not every down spots and everyone plays as part of the rotation.
To the surprise of some (including me), the Bills did not bring in a veteran free agent or use a high draft pick on a cornerback. The battle will be between incumbent Levi Wallace, who started every game last season, and second-year pro Dane Jackson, who looked good in a very small sample size when pressed into duty as a rookie.
I’d expect Wallace to win the job, but his biggest issue has been playing consistently enough to be the every-down answer opposite White. Two years ago, the Bills turned to Kevin Johnson to help out at that spot, and last season it was Josh Norman.
The biggest hole that opened up via an offseason departure is on special teams.
Not surprisingly, the Bills let wide receiver/returner Andre Roberts leave in free agency. Roberts was effective at both kick and punt returns during his two seasons with the Bills, averaging more than 28 yards on kick returns and just under nine yards on punt returns.
Assuming the Bills have one player handle both responsibilities, the leading candidate would be wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, who brings blazing speed to the job. Other candidates include Brandon Powell, who the Bills signed in the offseason, and 2021 sixth round draft pick Marquez Stevenson.
Watching the draft class is always fun during the preseason, but it's likely the Bills will only see two of the eight players selected have a chance to contribute in their first pro campaign. Those two players, Greg Rousseau and Carlos Basham Jr., were a big part of the Bills' offseason plan to improve their pass rush (and hope that it helps knock off Kansas City).
Unless sixth round cornerback Rachad Wildgoose has a stunning preseason and sky rockets up the depth chart, Stevenson would be the only other draft pick who could make notable contributions this season.
As far as positions go, there’s no question the most heated competition will come on the defensive line. There are more qualified players than there will be roster spots.
On the end, Rousseau and Basham will be here, as will 2020 second round pick A.J. Epenesa. Jerry Hughes has been the Bills' most consistent end, and there’s no reason to believe a significant drop off is about to happen.
That would leave three players vying for one or two spots with Mario Addison, Efe Obada and Darryl Johnson. Johnson’s ability to play special teams certainly helps his case, so it might come down to Addison or Obada.
Keep in mind, Addison will count $8.1 million towards the Bills' salary cap this season and his base salary is a little more than $4 million. Obada has a cap number of $1.5 million and a base salary of $1.0 million.
There is one significant off the field story to keep an eye on - Josh Allen’s contract. Will the Bills be able to work out, what will be, the biggest contract in franchise history before opening day?
I would think the team and Allen would like to get that out of the way and the focus can be strictly on football once the season begins.
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