MAJKA takes us around the horn with Slick L and Maniac on all the hot topics as we get Bills training camp underway. Here are some thoughts on the topics in blog form for ya.
Who will be the top offensive weapon? Will there just be one?
Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid are getting all of the hype and as they should. Kincaid, last year’s first round pick and Coleman, this years second round pick (as close to a first rounder as you can get) highlight a group of receivers that is being disrespected around the league.
Is it warranted? Perhaps. Bill Barnwell of ESPN ranked the Bills weaponry 24th in the league. Disrespectful? Perhaps.
The truth is there are so many unknowns with the group that national media doesn’t want to go out on a limb and put stock into this team until they see it. It’s fair to a point, but it’s also been overblown.
James Cook was a legit top 5 back last year and Ray Davis will have a role day one. The RB room hasn’t been this strong since Shady was around.
Curtis Samuel had his best year with Joe Brady as his OC and has never played with a QB like Allen. Neither has KJ Hamler, who has yet to reach his potential due to injuries and QB play. Mack Hollins seems to be a guy everyone loves as a contributor but won’t go far enough to like him as a starter. Dawson Knox struggled last year, but feels like it was an anomaly due to usage with Dorsey to start the year.
Sleep on this group if you want. I won’t.
Who starts in the secondary?
Will Cole Bishop take over as a rookie? Will Mike Edwards and Taylor Rapp be good enough as vets? The safety position has been written in pen every year with McD, and losing Poyer and Hyde has thrown it into instability. Bishop has a lot of promise and hype coming into the year, will he be ready to be thrust into the role? If not, are Edwards and Rapp good enough?
Also, presumed starters at CB are Benford, Douglas and Johnson. But with Benford and Douglas having injury issues last year, is Kaiir Elam ready for a prime role? Can he push one of the starters for playing time? It’s his make or break year.
Von Miller back?
Von Miller had a tumultuous year on and off the field last year. Fans may have expected too much from him returning from an ACL tear, which is usually a 2 year recovery.
But he also put himself in a situation off the field where patience has worn thin and for good reason. Winning is the best medicine. Can he get back to form and live up to his expectations? The Bills defensive ceiling depends on it.
How much does McDermott trust the new coordinators?
We imagine Joe Brady will have full control of the offense after the back half of last season. But how much influence did McD have in the scheme then and how much has he had in the offseason? The Bills favored the run MUCH more in the 2nd half of the year. Will they be a run heavy team? Closer to 50/50 than ever before in the Allen era? Or will they attack teams differently each week depending on the gameplan? Seems like part of the plan with the varied WR group and upgraded RB room.
Will McDermott let Babich call plays? How much control will he keep?
How are the vibes?
The most important question. The Bills went from the fun-loving, good vibes team to drama-filled, bad vibes team. Can they restore the energy from the early 2020’s?
The pressure is off this team. They are not being considered a contender and are being picked against in their own division.
But they have the talent, coaching and experience still to be a contender. They just need good vibes. Can the new leadership core restore them?
Also available on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bills-training-camp-opens-biggest-storylines-from-bills/id1161947471?i=1000663154747