TRAINING CAMP PREVIEW
Bills happy to greet new faces on defense
This is the second of three stories previewing Buffalo Bills training camp which opens Friday at St. John Fisher College
Like a kid at Christmas, Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell was thrilled with the new toys he received this offseason.
Now he can hardly wait to see if they all work.
“On paper, I like them and non pads I really like them,” Fewell said of free agent additions Marcus Stroud, Spencer Johnson and Kawika Mitchell as well as selections in a defensive-oriented draft led by first-round pick Leodis McKelvin. “But we haven’t played a game yet. We still have to see how everything fits together.”
The Bills hope their porous run defense will get better by getting bigger. Stroud and Mitchell were important acquisitions in that regard because they have the size and strength to make the front seven more stout than it has been in years.
The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Stroud is looking to rebound from a couple of injury-plagued seasons in Jacksonville. The Bills are hoping he returns to the gap-plugging and disruptive force he was during several Pro Bowl seasons with the Jaguars.
Mitchell is an upgrade in terms of size (6-1, 253) and experience at weak-side linebacker. The sixth-year veteran has 66 career starts and was a standout for the Super Bowl champion New York Giants last year.
“Mitchell brings a certain element of physical toughness, and he does some things technique-wise that we really like and we can learn from,” Fewell said. “Marcus is the same thing. I’ve been pleased with what he’s been doing. I like their physicalness, their mentality. They are tough-minded guys, they are no-nonsense guys. I think that helps our young guys.”
Who lines up next to Stroud at tackle will be a story line to follow in training camp. It was assumed John McCargo would step in after Larry Tripplett was released. But Kyle Williams goes into training camp as the man to beat.
A two-year starter at nose tackle, Williams got the majority of snaps with the first-team defense beside Stroud during the organized team activities and mandatory minicamp. Williams got a three-year contract extension, an indication of how the Bills feel about him. That puts more pressure on McCargo, who showed flashes of brilliance in his second year, but needs to display sustained levels of excellence to unseat Williams.
Johnson, who played behind Pat and Kevin Williams in Minnesota, also will be in the mix, especially in pass-rushing situations. Jason Jefferson contributed some last season and he’ll make the team if the Bills keep five tackles. Corey Mace is a long shot at best.
“I like our situation at defensive tackle,” Williams said. “We have a very good rotation of guys that will help us be more effective in games from beginning to end.”
The most compelling competition on defense will be at cornerback. The Bills loaded up at the position this offseason, signing veteran free agent Will James and drafting three others, including McKelvin.
While Terrence McGee’s spot in the starting lineup appears safe, Jabari Greer is expected to face a very stiff challenge from James and McKelvin. The Bills want to know how quickly McKelvin can contribute, so he’ll get a lot of work this summer. He was drafted 11th overall because the team thinks he will develop into an impact player. But if he’s going to start as a rookie he will have to earn it.
Greer’s performance in the spring workouts showed he has no intention of handing the job over to anyone. He is annually one of the biggest stars in training camp, and another strong summer will make it very difficult to knock him out of the starting lineup.
“It’s not like, hands down, Leodis is going to be the guy,” Fewell said. “Jabari Greer has really stepped his game up. I think we now have competition where we didn’t really have it last year. All those guys are fighting to be starters, and I think that makes your defense better.”
McGee, Greer, James and McKelvin go into training camp as the top four corners. James got most of the snaps as the nickel back in the spring and is the favorite to secure that role because the Bills want an experienced guy covering slot receivers. Another player to watch is Ashton Youboty, who might need a great training camp to make the team. Rookies Reggie Corner and Kennard Cox had their moments this spring and will put plenty of heat on Youboty. Dustin Fox, a practice squad player most of last season, looks like the odd man out.
The Bills have a good linebacker trio with Mitchell joining Angelo Crowell and Paul Posluszny. Posluszny looked terrific during the offseason, his first on-field work since breaking his forearm three games into his rookie season. John DiGiorgio was respectable as Posluszny’s replacement and now becomes a reliable backup. Mitchell’s arrival means Keith Ellison goes to the bench, but Fewell still has confidence in the third-year player.
The biggest question mark at linebacker is whether the Bills can find a competent backup to Crowell on the strong side. Rookie Alvin Bowen got most of the second-team snaps in the spring, but is he big enough (6-1, 220) to hold up if he has to play extended minutes? Blake Costanzo, who came up from the practice squad last December, was third on the spring depth chart. Mitchell has strong-side experience and could play there if Crowell gets hurt. But that move would leave the Bills thin on the weakside.
“You always like to have one or two more players, especially one or two more veteran players,” Fewell said. “However, I do like our people at linebacker. I think the young guys that we have back there will continue to grow and get better. But I think we have five really solid players at linebacker right now and we’ve got to compete for that sixth spot.”
The Bills were tested at defensive end last season due to Ryan Denney’s broken foot. His return to health gives Buffalo a nice three-man rotation with Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay.
Fewell would like to see rookie Chris Ellis emerge as the fourth end, but the third-round draft pick has to show more than he did in the OTAs and minicamp. Johnson’s ability to play end gives the Bills some flexibility. Copeland Bryan and Shaun Nua will fight for the fifth end spot, assuming Buffalo keeps that many.
“We’ve got to poke Chris Ellis a little bit to get him rolling,” Fewell said. “If we can get Chris Ellis rolling, we’ll have what we want depth-wise.”
One area at which the Bills are set is safety. Ko Simpson, who returns from a broken left ankle, reunites with Donte Whitner. They could become the league’s best young tandem if they stay healthy. George Wilson, who made an impressive transition from wide receiver last year, and Bryan Scott are the top reserves. John Wendling will have to make some noise to force the Bills to keep a fifth safety. Orchard Park native Jon Corto appears destined for a second year on the practice squad.
The Bills were in the bottom seven in run and passing defense last year and finished 31st in the NFL in total yards allowed. Such numbers are unacceptable for a team with playoff aspirations in 2008.
“What happened last year left a bitter taste in our mouths,” Whitner said. “But this is a new season and our expectations are a lot higher. With the talent we have coming back and the new guys we added there is no reason why we shouldn’t have one of the best defenses in the NFL.” Tuesday: Special teams
