This article is part of our Team Previews series.
STATE OF THE FRANCHISE
Rex, in Latin, means "king." In Buffalo, Rex also signifies hope. And purpose. And swagger. New head coach Rex Ryan brings all of this to town, along with an impressive resume of success in the National Football League. But it's the players who do the playing, and the Bills finally look to have gathered an impressive crew on both sides of the ball, giving Ryan plenty to work with.The offense will be driven by a strong rushing attack headed by LeSean McCoy, who arrives via a trade with the Eagles. Meanwhile, some combo of his former Philly running mate Bryce Brown, steady veteran Fred Jackson, Anthony Dixon and rookie Karlos Williams will work behind McCoy to pose a potent threat on the ground. Hope remains that third-year pro EJ Manuel could still grab the reins as the Bills' quarterback, not just for the future but the present as well. However, this is probably the season where the team finds out for sure whether Manuel can take on that crucial role – especially with so many other important parts in place – or if the 2013 first-round pick is officially a bust. If Manuel isn't up to the task, journeyman Matt Cassel brings a level of experience that gives the position a stable floor. Whichever QB throws the passes will have a slew of weapons to target. Charles Clay comes to town as the new tight end, and Percy Harvin joins a quality
STATE OF THE FRANCHISE
Rex, in Latin, means "king." In Buffalo, Rex also signifies hope. And purpose. And swagger. New head coach Rex Ryan brings all of this to town, along with an impressive resume of success in the National Football League. But it's the players who do the playing, and the Bills finally look to have gathered an impressive crew on both sides of the ball, giving Ryan plenty to work with.The offense will be driven by a strong rushing attack headed by LeSean McCoy, who arrives via a trade with the Eagles. Meanwhile, some combo of his former Philly running mate Bryce Brown, steady veteran Fred Jackson, Anthony Dixon and rookie Karlos Williams will work behind McCoy to pose a potent threat on the ground. Hope remains that third-year pro EJ Manuel could still grab the reins as the Bills' quarterback, not just for the future but the present as well. However, this is probably the season where the team finds out for sure whether Manuel can take on that crucial role – especially with so many other important parts in place – or if the 2013 first-round pick is officially a bust. If Manuel isn't up to the task, journeyman Matt Cassel brings a level of experience that gives the position a stable floor. Whichever QB throws the passes will have a slew of weapons to target. Charles Clay comes to town as the new tight end, and Percy Harvin joins a quality receiving corps led by second-year breakout candidate Sammy Watkins and promising third-year receiver Robert Woods.
Ranking fourth in the NFL in both points allowed and yards allowed last season, the Buffalo defense has earned all the praise it's received. A stellar secondary combined with a potent pass rush leaves opposing offenses with little time to breathe and few options but to try and run the ball. The secondary returns most of its talent, including corners Stephon Gilmore, Leodis McKelvin and Corey Graham, bolstered by the addition of rookie Ronald Darby.
The real motor for this unit is the up-field push, though. That's supplied by a number of effective pass rushers, each with double-digit sacks in 2014, namely Mario Williams, Jerry Hughes and Marcell Dareus. Backing them up are two linebackers who recorded more than 100 tackles last year, Preston Brown and Nigel Bradham.
Buffalo fans have waited since the 90s for a playoff game, the longest drought in the NFL. With a solid array of talent on the roster and a dynamic new coach on hand to energize the franchise, a 2015 postseason berth appears plausible, though such an outcome hinges largely on how things pan out with the team's work-in-progress quarterback position.
OFFSEASON MOVES
Key Acquisitions
LeSean McCoy – RB, EaglesCycled out of the Eagles' backfield by coach Chip Kelly, he'll now be Rex Ryan's lead back.
Matt Cassel – QB, Vikings
Provides security at the team's most important position if EJ Manuel isn't the answer.
Charles Clay – TE, Dolphins
The Bills land their dynamic receiving option at tight end.
Percy Harvin – WR, Jets
The talented underachiever still can be a home run threat in this offense.
Karlos Williams – RB, Florida State (ROUND 5, 155th Overall)
At 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, he adds a power element to the team's backup RB mix.
Key Losses
Kiko Alonso – LB, EaglesThe trade of the fantastic young stopper, who was injured all of last year, brought McCoy in return.
C.J. Spiller – RB, Saints
Flashed plenty of promise with the Bills, but injuries stunted his career with the team.
Scott Chandler – TE, Patriots
A comfortable shoe of a tight end, but Clay fits the team's new offense better.
TEAM NOTES
EJ Manuel: YEAR 3Sure, people talk about the strength of the Bills' defense. And it's well known how capable LeSean McCoy is as a running back. Meanwhile, folks are waiting for pass-catchers like Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Charles Clay to take off. The question, though, is whether Manuel – whom the Bills selected 16th overall in 2013 – can ever arrive as a reliable every-week NFL starter. If the answer is yes, then everything else falls into place. And there is reason for hope. In his first two years in the league, Manuel played in 15 games and compiled a quarterback rating of 78.5 with four more touchdowns than interceptions, plus 238 yards rushing and another three touchdowns on the ground. That's respectable production for a young quarterback, so the step up to legit fantasy value really isn't as big as one might think.
WHAT ABOUT Matt Cassel AND TYROD TAYLOR?
On the other side of the coin, even though both GM Doug Whaley and offensive coordinator Greg Roman have downplayed chatter that Manuel might be on the outs in Buffalo, the team still appears poised to hold an open competition at signal-caller this summer. At a minimum, Cassel gives the team a veteran backup quarterback to fill the void created by Kyle Orton's retirement, though if Manuel struggles this summer, Cassel could well claim the Bills' starting job. Taylor remains the long shot here, but the situation does appear fluid at press time, so his candidacy can't be altogether dismissed.
RUNNING BACK ROTATION
Last season, the Bills turned to Fred Jackson and Anthony Dixon as their main running backs when C.J. Spiller ended up on the shelf. Spiller is now in New Orleans, while LeSean McCoy enters the picture as the main man in the backfield. Buffalo is hoping for a Pro Bowl season from McCoy, but the offense will also be looking for another solid veteran season from Jackson, more production from Dixon and a bounce-back season from Bryce Brown. If that isn't enough, the team invested a fifth-round draft pick in Karlos Williams, a big back with good speed. Even in a run-oriented attack, it's unlikely that all of those players can produce notable numbers, so you have to wonder if the four complementary backs dissolve into the background as McCoy shines or if they continue to play a significant role. If they carve out key complementary assignments in the offense it should keep McCoy fresh, but such an outcome could conceivably be something of a hit to his fantasy value.
VALUE METER
Rising: Now in his second year, Sammy Watkins has all the talent in the world, buoyed by a season of NFL experience, plus another offseason now under his belt.Declining:Fred Jackson put up 1,026 yards from scrimmage but it was mostly out of necessity. He's yet another year older, and LeSean McCoy will get most of the work.
Sleeper:Robert Woods looks primed to take the next step in his third season as a pro.
Supersleeper:Dan Carpenter has back-to-back 130-plus point seasons to his credit but no one talks about him. He only missed four kicks last year and made six over 50 yards.
IDP WATCH
Mario Williams – DEJust 30 years old, the former No. 1 overall pick had 14.5 sacks in 2014.
Preston Brown – LB
Burst onto the scene as a rookie with 109 tackles, in large part due to Kiko Alonso's injury.
Corey Graham – CB
The veteran was a surprising source of tackles with 84 stops, to go along with two picks.
