Bills training camp: 7 burning questions for Buffalo’s offense
The Buffalo Bills head off to St. John Fisher for training camp on July 26. The team has wrapped up an interesting offseason and now turn their attention fully to the 2023 season.
As the summer continues, things will heat up for the Buffalo Bills as well. Here are seven burning questions for the Bills offense ahead of training camp:
How will things shake out at running back?
The Bills moved on from Devin Singletary, who operated as the team’s RB1 after taking the reigns from Frank Gore in 2019. Singeltary, a third-round pick by the Bills in 2019, left via free agency for the Houston Texans this offseason.
Now, the Bills running back room is a bit crowded with adequate, although uncertain options, for the backfield.
James Cook, Buffalo’s second-round pick last year, performed admirably with limited touches.
The Bills signed Damien Harris this offseason. Harris broke out with 15 rushing touchdowns in 2021, but was limited last season due to injuries.
Nyheim Hines is also in the fold, but if his usage from last year is any indication moving forward, his largest contributions will be limited to the return game. In addition, Buffalo brought in veteran Latavius Murray to compete as well.
It will be interesting to see if any of these running backs can grab take hold of the top spot on the depth chart. The offense runs through quarterback Josh Allen’s arm, however, an efficient running game will go a long way in complementing the aerial attack.
What will Dalton Kincaid's role be?
The Bills traded up to draft Kincaid in this year’s draft. The primary goal of adding firepower around Allen was fulfilled with this pick.
The Bills had some struggles out of the slot last year. There was a lack of consistency from the combination of players utilized, with Jamison Crowder, Isaiah McKenzie, and Cole Beasley all attempting to help in the intermediate passing game.
Now, the Bills add a tight end who can line up there and create massive matchup issues with opposing defensive backs. His size and ability to find space will be a massive plus for the Buffalo offensive. In addition, Kincaid has great hands and is a solid route-runner. The hope is that he can give the offense a new dynamic.
The big question is how quickly will Kincaid earn a large share of snaps. With Buffalo being more flexible with their personnel packages, they should be less predictable with their playcalling this year.
Who will be the traditional slot receiver?
It looks like the Bills will use more 12 personnel, but what will their lineup look like when they return to the traditional 11 formation? The Bills hope to have some consistency at the slot position following a rotating cast of players in that role last year.
Buffalo brought in Trent Sherfield as an option via free agency. Deonte Harty is another playmaker who will challenge for snap all over the field. Shakir was called upon sparingly last year, but he could have a much larger role this upcoming season.
The biggest thing that Buffalo hopes is that they can gain some consistency out of the slot position. The Bills need to give Allen more options in the intermediate game.
How will the right side of the offensive line play out?
The left side of Buffalo’s offense line is in shape right now. Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern, and Mitch Morse will work the left side of Buffalo’s line. There is some intrigue with the right side.
Buffalo drafted O’Cyrus Torrence in the second round of this year’s draft. The Bills have traditionally used guards who get out into space. Torrence, however, is a bit of a mauler. The hope is that Torrence can offer a bit more than free-agent addition David Edwards and returnees Ike Boettger and Ryan Bates.
At right tackle, Spencer Brown has the inside track to start. The big concern is if Brown will return to his rookie form. Brown was a little behind after having surgery last off-season. Then, an ankle injury prevented Brown from being on the field for multiple weeks. A full offseason of health should help Brown get back to his best.
Can Gabriel Davis break out?
Davis is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so it will be a massive one for him. Davis caught 48-of-93 targets last year for 836 yards. While he has been great with stretching the field, there seems to be more that needs to be done to round out his game.
Davis has wowed fans with his big-play ability. His breakout game in the 2021 playoffs expanded expectations for the wideout. While Davis has been a good depth option, Buffalo would benefit from him being a stronger option to complement Stefon Diggs.
Can Ken Dorsey get the most of out his players?
Dorsey begins year two at the helm of Buffalo’s offense. Statistically, the team looked very similar to 2021, Brian Daboll’s final season as the offensive coordinator.
The Bills’ points per game were nearly identical, while they increased their total yards per game and third-down success rate. The Bills took a major leap in rushing yards per game over the second half of the season, improving from 117 yards per game prior to last year’s bye week, to 152 yards per game following the bye week.
However, there were times when some playcalling and decisions were concerning. There were moments were it seemed the Bills could not get the ball into the hands of Diggs. Allen took more sacks in 2022 than 2021 (33-to-26). In addition, Allen led the league in turnovers last year with 19.
Dorsey, with some new personnel, will need to scheme ways for players to make something after the catch. especially in the intermediate game.
What's the deal with Stefon Diggs?
It’s easy to see that Diggs is the most dynamic player on Buffalo’s offense. His connection with Allen has been nothing short of amazing.
The concern is all of the speculation regarding Diggs. There seem to be these odd issues that pop up, and the Bills do little to adequately put out any smoldering fires.
Look, there might be a lot of nothing with these stories. But the combination of cryptic tweets along with odd media session answers from other Buffalo personnel is just, well, odd.
What if Diggs isn’t happy? What will the implication be for the Bills?
Diggs’ contract places him in Buffalo for a long time. The team is in a Super Bowl window, and Diggs is getting closer to the back end of his career. Hopefully, all of the speculation is just for naught, as there isn’t a great deal of action occurring in the summer. But, if something is brewing, the season could go sideways before kickoff.
