The 2018 Buffalo Bills have plenty of holes to fill and will have new leaders at several positions. With the team’s younger players stepping into starting roles, four in particular have opportunities to have major impacts this year.
There are plenty of questions up and down the depth chart for the Buffalo Bills in 2018. The team added several big free agents and several high-profile picks that have been integrated into the roster. What that means for this season is there are new players ready to make an impact.
Roster spots are open on the offensive line, at wide receiver, linebacker, slot corner and other positions where there has been a lot of turnover and new additions. Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott have continued to bring in players that fit what they want to do on both sides of the ball and build a roster to compete now and in the long-term.
We recently got a glimpse of how the team may line up come training camp with OTAs taking place last week, but there is still plenty of time for players to earn starting spots in the next several months. I believe that there are four specific players due for breakout seasons and will establish themselves as keys to the team’s future.
Zay Jones
While I understand the timing may be bad as Zay Jones is out for the rest of spring with knee surgery, I still believe he is in position to take over as the team’s number one receiver. Coming off a poor rookie season where he had 27 receptions, 316 yards and two touchdowns, Jones didn’t exactly live up to his draft status.
A lot is to blame on the offense the Bills ran and quarterback Tyrod Taylor – who was not known for putting the ball in the most catchable areas and doesn’t exactly throw near defenders.
Zay is a talented receiver and for those who don’t think so, he holds the NCAA record for receptions in a career (339) and receptions in a season (158). He is 6-foot-2 and has well above average hands, despite what the drop numbers may say from his rookie season. He doesn’t have elite speed, but has solid route running and can play inside and outside. All-in-all, he is a good receiver.
I see Jones competing for the number one receiver role this season. Kelvin Benjamin is good, but he is a big-time possession receiver that doesn’t necessarily get in and out of breaks well. Zay is a more complete receiver. I believe he has been humbled by his rookie season and the off the field incident he had earlier this offseason. That could push him even more to prove he was worth the No. 37 pick in the 2017 draft and show his teammates and coaches what he is capable of.
Also in Jones’ favor is the time it takes for a wide receiver to adjust from the college to pro game. While both were injured for a majority of last season, No. 6 overall pick Corey Davis (Tennessee) and No. 7 pick Mike Williams (LA Rams) each had tough rookie seasons despite being picked a round prior. Davis recorded 34 receptions for 375 yards while Williams had 11 receptions for 95 yards.
The top performer in the 2017 draft class for receivers was JuJu Smith-Schuster with 58 receptions, 917 yards and seven touchdowns. However, he was playing with the best receiver in football on the other side of the field, the best running back in football in the backfield and a Hall of Fame quarterback.
I have been a fan of Jones ever since his Senior Bowl performance prior to being drafted. He dominated all week and proved that he can be a stud receiver. I expect him to show more of that this season in a new offense and with a new quarterback.
Tremaine Edmunds
Edmunds has to be the most obvious breakout candidate this season for the Bills.
The No. 16 overall pick in the NFL Draft this past April, Edmunds has been lining up through rookie minicamps and OTAs as the starting middle linebacker for the Bills. With his size, speed and incredible athletic abilities, I don’t see how he ever comes off the field.
Buffalo filled a huge need with a huge player by selecting Edmunds. When Preston Brown left, a void was opened up in the middle of the defense.
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The team spent plenty of money on the defensive line in free agency and most of their secondary is returning and will be the strength of the team once again. Matt Milano stepped up last season and is a starter this season as Lorenzo Alexander is on the other side as a veteran presence.
Enter Edmunds.
As I touched on, his size and athleticism is incredible. A man that large should not be able to move the way he does. He falls into a perfect situation where he will be relied upon to be the starting middle linebacker and do a little bit of everything.
He can hang with players in the pass, stuff the run, and get sideline-to-sideline in a flash, as well as rush the passer. He mainly needs to work on his ability to diagnose plays.
Edmunds will be working with Sean McDermott frequently as he is the future of the defense, especially at only 20 years old. McDermott has a history of transforming linebackers into elite players and he has an incredible talent he can mold in Edmunds. If he doesn’t win or finish in the top two of Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, I would be surprised.
Ryan Groy
I think Ryan Groy is one of the best players on this team that you have barely heard of. In 2016, Groy filled in for Eric Wood at center for the final seven games of the season and was outstanding. He took 539 snaps, didn’t allow a sack in 291 pass-blocking snaps and had allowed just nine total pressures in those seven games. Pro Football Focus declared him as the team’s secret superstar after his performance in 2016.
To me, Groy should be the starting center without question. There is enough competition at either guard position with the likes of Vlad Ducasse, John Miller and Wyatt Teller. At center, the only competition for Groy is Russell Bodine. I believe that due to his proven track record at center for the Bills and being able to open up lanes for LeSean McCoy.
I recently saw a video put out by the guys over at Cover 1 where they did an in-depth overview of the offensive line and what each player brings to the table. At about the 11:30 mark of the video, the guys begin to break down Bodine’s game and then start to cover Groy.
They do an excellent job in breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of Bodine and Groy and how Groy is a more athletic player and when he was asked to fill in for Eric Wood in years past, there was no real difference. That isn’t in any way a knock on Wood (puns are fun), but it just goes to show the value and set of skills that Groy has.
In my eyes, Groy is a fantastic luxury to have. At the beginning of the offseason in 2017, the team matched an offer-sheet for Groy from the Los Angeles Rams to keep him in Buffalo. While he has often served as the sixth offensive lineman in larger sets, it shows that the team sees something in him and now is his time to show he is a starter in this league.
Matt Milano
After being inserted as a starter last season, linebacker Matt Milano continued to improve every single game and became an impact player by season’s end. While not the biggest player at 6-feet-tall and 220 pounds, Milano is of the new breed of linebackers in the NFL where they are smaller but are more versatile and faster.
At Boston College, Milano also saw time as safety and that helps tremendously in coverage as linebackers are asked to match up more and more on passing downs. His coverage ability is showcased here by his first career interception in Week 7 against Tampa Bay. Milano does a very good job of reading Winston’s eyes and staying with Brate on the route to force the turnover.
His ability to make plays on defense is also evident here with his fumble return for a touchdown in Week 8 against Oakland. He has big-play ability as a defender and a nose for the ball. His experience playing safety and linebacker greatly helps him understand coverages and be able to stick with tight ends, running backs and the occasional receiver.
Last season, Milano was taken in the fifth round (No. 163 overall) by the Bills and played a surprisingly large role as the season went on. He played in all 16 games, starting five and racked up 43 total tackles. His five starts came in the final five games of the season.
As a full-time starter this season, every single one of his numbers should increase as he becomes one of the key figures in the starting lineup. The improved defensive line in front of him should also help plays be made.
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Milano certainly complements Tremaine Edmunds well in the middle because they can each do things well. Edmunds is a strong tackler and a massive human being while Milano is solid in coverage and is quicker and smaller. They are both obviously extremely young and can grow and learn together under Sean McDermott to create one of the best linebacker groups in the NFL.