Buffalo Bills: 3 questions at cornerback entering training camp
Is Siran Neal the answer for the Buffalo Bills at ‘big nickel’?
One of the risks teams run when they primarily work out of the nickel formation is that offenses will try to either lean heavily into the run or use tight ends and bigger wide receivers in the slot to try to take advantage of smaller personnel on the field.
The Buffalo Bills coaching staff try to minimize this advantage with the ‘Buffalo nickel’ or ‘big nickel’. Essentially, the coaching staff will try to find a player who is a bigger player that can contribute more against the run, defend the bigger wide receivers but allow the team to remain in that nickel formation.
This is not something that is easy to find but one option, and probably the best option for the Bills is Siran Neal. The former safety started to transition into this role last year and he is the favorite entering training camp.
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If the coaching staff is not confident in Neal’s ability to hold down this role, it would not be surprising to see the team look outside the organization and possibly bring in a veteran that can be that piece for this defense.