Part 2 of the Buffalo Bills’ 2013 season review focuses on the players on the offensive unit. Statistically, the offense may have been more productive in previous years with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm. There was little doubt, however, following the 2012 season, that Buffalo needed to make a change at the sport’s most important position. The club finally pinpointed their “quarterback of the future” in the 2013 draft, and EJ Manuel showed some signs that he was the right choice. In order for the offense to become a productive unit in 2014, one thing has to be a major point of emphasis for coach Doug Marrone and his staff – stability at the QB position. They have to find a way to keep Manuel on the field so he can continue in his development in the offense. Here’s my assessment of the offensive roster:
Quarterbacks
Three different injuries caused Manuel to miss valuable time on the field this season, and that’s a shame because it means he will still be learning things in 2014 that should already be ingrained. When he did play, Manuel was mostly unspectacular, but the good things about his play were that, other than a couple of games, he avoided making big mistakes, and showed good athletic ability with his feet, adding a dimension to the position the Bills have never had before. The main goal of the coaching staff should be to develop consistency in Manuel’s game. If he maintains the ability to consistently avoid turnovers while eventually gaining the confidence to make big plays in the passing game, the Bills will be rewarded with a guy they can turn the franchise around with. As for backups, Thad Lewis made great strides here after being acquired right before the season from Detroit. He worked his way into the starting job when Manuel was hurt and won the support and confidence of his teammates. He did enough to be given a full shot at keeping the backup job next year, but the club shouldn’t hesitate to try to upgrade the spot if possible. Jeff Tuel looks like a decent development project to keep on the roster. Injury-prone veteran Kevin Kolb has most likely seen his final days with the team.
Running Backs
The running game was the strength of the Bills’ attack this year, but could also focus on maintaining consistency. This was supposed to be the year the major load was transferred from Fred Jackson to C.J. Spiller, but Spiller was hampered by injury a lot and Jackson had the better year. Both players complement each other well, and it’s a shame that two backs as talented as they are have had to labor on a losing team for so long. The team cut ties with an old Chan Gailey favorite, Tashard Choice, during the season, so young Ronnie Wingo, if he’s brought back, will have a shot at winning a role in training camp next year. The Bills completely turned over the fullback position in 2013, with undrafted free agent Frank Summers doing a good job as a blocker, as well as a runner and receiver in the few chances he had in those roles. Evan Rodriguez was signed in-season and got some major playing time. He appears to be a decent blocker also, and hopefully will help improve the team’s dismal kick coverage teams.
Receivers
Like the quarterback position, the receiving unit underwent a major makeover in 2013 also. At wide receiver, the one mainstay was Stevie Johnson, a talented but inconsistent player whose 2013 season ended on a low note, as he missed the final 2 games because of the death of his mother. Johnson has been a flamboyant presence in his time with the team, but overall has been a solid citizen and well-respected teammate, so hopefully he returns in 2014. His unconventional knack for getting open can make him an asset to Buffalo’s passing game. He just needs to work on two things – improving his hands so he cuts down on his drops, and developing some chemistry with Manuel. T.J. Graham was invisible in the offense save for a few flashes once in awhile this year, so he needs to majorly step up his game in 2014 to stay on the roster. The team’s two prize draft choices at the position – Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin – are definitely keepers. Although their production was predictably spotty as rookies, they played with confidence and made plays when their number was called. Goodwin’s track star speed makes him an especially exciting prospect, although he showed all year, with athletic ability and toughness, that he’s a football player, not just a track runner. Woods, on the other hand, appears to be a great route runner who’ll develop into a reliable “possession” receiver in the Bob Chandler/Frank Lewis mold. Marcus Easley and Kevin Hogan, two backup receivers, have mostly made their mark on special teams. The Bills could use a big wideout who can win “jump ball” battles with defenders in the red zone, and signed a couple of future players to the roster who are interesting prospects – 6’4 Cordell Roberson and 6’5 Brandon Kaufman, who was a late cut at the end of training camp in 2013. The Bills enter the off-season with four tight ends on their roster, and their late-season signing of veteran Tony Moeaki could be a sign that they’re looking to upgrade from starter Scott Chandler, a decent player who had his share of ups and downs this year. Veteran Lee Smith is used almost exclusively as a blocker, and has been penalty-prone in his few opportunities. Rookie Chris Gragg earned some playing time late in the year, and has potential but like a lot of young players on the roster, needs to work harder at stepping up his game if he wants to make a bigger contribution next season.
Offensive Line
The offensive line had an inconsistent season, but amazingly stayed healthy all year as a unit. In fact, after Colin Brown was cut and replaced at guard by Doug Legursky, they started together as a unit for every game. The Bills had one of the NFL’s top rushing attacks and protected the passer fairly well, so their solid starting five of center Eric Wood, Legursky and fellow guard Kraig Urbik and tackles Cordy Glenn and Erik Pears can be considered a strength of the team. Wood and Glenn would probably be getting Pro Bowl consideration if they played for a contending team. Mirroring the rest of the team, however, the line’s performances were inconsistent, as they were fairly solid at home but struggled on the road – at times leaving their quarterback running for his life, and at others getting called for ill-timed penalties that killed drives. The club brought in various prospects, including Antoine McClain, Mark Asper, J.J. ‘Unga and Jamaal Johnson-Webb, in an attempt to add some depth here, since any injury problems next year would severely weaken the unit. Look for the Bills to draft some linemen also, maybe even using a high pick or two.