Skip to main content
Advertising

Camp Countdown

Presented by

Camp Countdown 2020 | What are the deepest positions on the roster? 

Center Mitch Morse leads an offensive line group that returns all five starters from last season.
Center Mitch Morse leads an offensive line group that returns all five starters from last season.

It's a roster that has been molded and shaped well by general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott. The front office has added the right kind of talent and right kind of people they felt they needed to construct a perennial contender.

Now entering season four under McDermott, the roster has depth across almost all positions. But there are some that are extraordinarily fortified with talent. Below we take a look at the positions on Buffalo's roster that offer the most depth.

Defensive end

When you consider what the Bills added at the position in free agency and the draft alone, one could argue that it was the heaviest investment in one position on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. Mario Addison was Buffalo's highest-priced free agent acquisition and A.J. Epenesa was the team's top draft choice.

Combining their respective talents with those of incumbent starters Jerry Hughes and Trent Murphy makes for an impressive quartet.

Knowing there's up and coming young players like Mike Love and Darryl Johnson and reserve options like Jonathan Woodard and Bryan Cox Jr., defensive end for the Bills is loaded.

Defensive tackle

Buffalo's front office made multiple free agent investments in their defensive tackle position. Vernon Butler and Quinton Jefferson are valuable adds to the run front to pair with veteran Star Lotulelei and former first-round pick Ed Oliver.

Knowing Harrison Phillips is returning from an ACL injury that cost him all but three games from last season and reserve Vincent Taylor saw action in 2019, all six of Buffalo's defensive tackles have NFL game experience.

Offensive line

Coach McDermott frequently uses the line that "it starts up front." He and Beane practiced what they preached in the offseason re-signing starting left guard Quinton Spain while adding veteran free agents Evan Boehm and Daryl Williams and a few undrafted rookies.

With the starting five from 2019 all returning and veteran depth in the form of Ty Nsekhe and Spencer Long as well as young talent like Ike Boettger and Ryan Bates, the Bills have a lot of answers to turn to up front even if injuries crop up.

Wide receiver

While the investments made at defensive end were focused on quality, the Bills invested both quality and quantity at wide receiver this past offseason. The trade for Stefon Diggs and the use of a pair of draft picks on receivers in the form of Gabe Davis and Isaiah Hodgins will make for a fierce competition at the position in training camp.

That's because outside of Diggs, John Brown and Cole Beasley, the last two or three spots on the roster will be fought for by eight players. Five of those eight have NFL experience like Robert Foster, Isaiah McKenzie, Ray-Ray McCloud, Andre Roberts and Duke Williams.

There's a good chance if the Bills have to part with a couple of these receivers that they'll be on an NFL roster somewhere else.

Camp Countdown, presented by Connors & Ferris, will examine some of the more pressing questions facing the team on the field, and players who could make a difference as the team makes its final preparations for the 2020 regular season. We also focus on a few different areas that impact the team off the field. We'll examine these issues one at a time until training camp begins. Here now is the latest daily installment as we carefully seek some of the answers the Buffalo Bills have to come up with between July 29th and the opener on Sept. 13th.

Related Content

Advertising