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Special Teams

The bomb squads were mostly ordinary last year, and that needs to be improved on this season. The kick coverage units weren’t bad in 2015, but a lot of the players on those units will be different now. The addition of Bush should give the kick return units a boost. Punter Colton Schmidt is solid, while kicker Dan Carpenter must regain his old form after an inconsistent 2015. Carpenter also now has the additional responsibility of handling kickoffs.

 Here’s a position-by-position look at the Bills’ roster going into the 2016 season:

Quarterback

QB Cardale Jones

Running Back

RB Mike Gillislee

The Bills’ rushing attack should be primed for a big season. LeSean McCoy, the workhorse back, goes into the season completely healthy and motivated to return to his Pro Bowl form. He didn’t have a bad year in 2015 but is capable of much more. Mike Gillislee is a solid backup with big play ability, and Reggie Bush, although his main job may be returning kicks, could add a major weapon to both the rushing and passing attack. Rookie Jonathan Williams is on the roster to start the year but battling injuries. There looks to be enough depth here to offset the loss of Karlos Williams, who was a big contributor last year but lost his job with a lackluster training camp coupled with a drug suspension. The Bills kept undrafted rookie Glenn “Baby Gronk” Gronkowski on the roster as a fullback, and he should be a less expensive, more versatile option than Jerome Felton, who was cut. A late addition was another rookie, Dan Vitale, who can also play tight end.

Receiver

WR Sammy Watkins 

Sammy Watkins, coming off a foot injury suffered during the offseason, will be the Bills’ #1 receiver this year. He had his most impressive season yet in 2015 despite nagging injuries. His best performances came when matched up against some of the NFL’s top corners. He has a lot of work to do before he is considered one of the league’s elite pass catchers in the Antonio Brown/Julio Jones/Dez Bryant mold, but he seems headed in that direction. Opposing teams will surely pay lots of attention to Watkins in their defensive game plans, so it will be up to the rest of the receiving corps to make plays when he draws extra coverage. Robert Woods is the other starter and is a solid possession receiver who could have a breakout year. Rounding out the pass catching unit are Greg Salas, a late season addition in 2015 who will likely replace Chris Hogan as the slot receiver. He has the size and experience to fill that role nicely. Marquise Goodwin, an Olympic athlete with blazing speed, should be the player who stretches the field as a deep threat if he can stay healthy. Staying on the field has been a major issue for him in his career. Walter Powell was a long shot free agent who also was signed off the street late last year but had a great preseason to secure a roster spot. He showed ability as a possession receiver and also the versatility to return kicks. Marcus Easley, a special teams ace, and rookie draftee Kolby Listenbee begin the season injured. Time will tell if they are able to contribute to the team. A top receiving threat for Taylor to target is tight end Charles Clay, who has shown the ability to be a playmaker but also ended 2015 on the injury list. Jim Dray was signed as a backup mostly for his blocking ability, while Nick O’Leary had a solid preseason finale to win a roster spot, and with OC Roman favoring multiple tight end sets, could see significant playing time.

Offensive Line

G John Miller 

The offensive line will enter 2016 with the luxury of having played together as a unit for almost an entire season. Center Eric Wood anchors the line, and the left side is solid with a pair of players who earned new contracts, guard Richie Incognito and tackle Cordy Glenn. John Miller enters his sophomore season as the starting right guard, and the year’s experience under his belt should help him progress. Jordan Mills took over during the 2015 season at right tackle and held down the position nicely. He enters this year as the starter as Seantrell Henderson still battles illness. Cyrus Kouandjio had a good camp and may be finally starting to become a solid pro. He’ll be an important depth player as the swing tackle. Other reserves are relative unknowns – Ryan Groy, a late 2015 addition, and Patrick Lewis, a backup center signed late in the preseason after being cut by Seattle.

Defensive Line

DE Adolphus Washington

Due to  rookie top draft pick Shaq Lawson’s injury and Marcell Dareus’ selfish behavior, the defensive line will enter the season somewhat shorthanded. The starters on the three man line in Ryan’s basic 3-4 alignment will be Kyle Williams, Corbin Bryant and rookie Adolphus Washington, the highest draft choice left standing. Washington had a solid preseason and appears ready to step in as a starter. A lot of responsibility will be placed on the shoulders of backups Jerel Worthy and Leger Douzable, who will see significant playing time spelling the starters in the D-line rotation.

Linebackers

LB Lorenzo Alexander

The linebacking corps suffered a setback when rookie draftee Reggie Ragland, a projected starter, was lost for the season with a knee injury. With Ragland gone, the inside backer spots in the 3-4 will be filled by Preston Brown, a returning starter, and a committee consisting of Brandon Spikes and Zach Brown. Jerry Hughes, the team’s top pass rushing threat, is listed as a DE but will serve more as an outside linebacker. The other outside backer is a surprise starter, free agent signee Lorenzo Alexander. He was signed as a special teams player but won a starting LB spot with an impressive preseason.  The depth players for this unit include undrafted rookie Bryson Albright and a pair of unknowns  picked up late in preseason, Ramon Humber, who played for Rob Ryan in New Orleans, and Lerentee McCray, picked up in a trade from Green Bay.

Defensive Backs

CB Ronald Darby

In Ryan’s blitz-happy scheme, a lot of pressure is put on the cornerbacks to cover receivers one on one, and the Bills have a pair of starters who appear to be up to the challenge in Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby. Gilmore has been pretty solid since joining the team, while Darby showed the potential in his rookie season last year to possibly surpass Gilmore as the #1 corner on the team. Today’s NFL game requires plenty of qualified coverage guys in the secondary, and the Bills have a plethora of players in that regard with Nickell Robey-Coleman, free agent signee Corey White and surprise late round draftee Kevon Seymour. Also, the Bills open the season heavy on their roster with safeties, carrying a total of six. The starters are Corey Graham and Aaron Williams, who both also have experience at corner so their coverage skills are good. Williams is returning from a serious neck injury and also spent almost the entire preseason in the NFL concussion protocol, so his availability to open the season is questionable. There are plenty of reserves to fill the spot if needed. Duke Williams had a good training camp and should see plenty of playing time even if Aaron Williams is ready to play. Robert Blanton was signed in the off-season and is another dependable, experienced backup. Jonathan Meeks and another newcomer, Colt Anderson, will see mostly special teams duty but can fill in at either safety spot if needed.

Overview

After a mostly disappointing 2015 season, the Bills, from upper management down through the coaching staff and on into the players, have a lot to prove this year. Rex Ryan needs to be less of a showman and more of an actual head coach this season, and steer this team in the right direction as far as executing both the offensive and defensive game plans each week, and most importantly, instill some discipline in a team that has developed such a reputation for sloppy play that the officials are now targeting them. The players themselves, save for Dareus, seem to realize their time is now and are ready to self-police their own locker room and keep everyone’s eyes on the prize. For the most part they all are buying into the “All In” motto that Ryan has put forth. Of course, it has to be done on the field on a consistent basis to be successful.

 Once again, because it’s an annual tradition, this post includes, for Bills fans who need to get psyched a little more for the start of the season, the audio below: