4 Position Battles To Watch

With the NFL preseason underway, Chan Gailey and the rest of the Buffalo Bills coaching staff are still trying to determine who will rise to the top of the depth chart for opening day. With rosters currently at 90 players, there will be some major decisions as to who will make the final 53 man team. There are a multitude of positions that are up for grabs, mainly wide receiver and running back, among others.

Running Back C.J. Spiller vs. Fred Jackson

While Fred Jackson may be the best running back in the AFC East, he is still battling to keep his starting role over last year’s No. 9 overall draft pick,

C.J. Spiller. Jackson is more of an in between the tackles runner while Spiller is a speed back with breakaway ability. However, Spiller couldn’t adjust to the speed of play in the National Football League last year and carried the ball just 74 times for a mere 283 yards while failing to score a rushing touchdown. He added 24 receptions for 157 yards out of the backfield and was decent on special teams, but the Bills really need him to grow as a player worthy of a top 10 selection. Jackson, who worked his way up from a Division II school to playing in the NFL’s European League to finally getting a chance with the Bills, rushed for a respectable 4.2 yards per carry, gaining 927 rushing yards and scoring five times. The previous year, he became the only player to have 1,000 return yards and 1,000 rushing yards. Spiller is definitely going to see more touches as head coach, Chan Gailey, needs to “force” him into the offense to justify his draft status as the “scat-back” he said he wanted prior to selecting the Clemson standout.

Roscoe Parrish vs. Donald Jones

With Lee Evans out of the picture, wide receiver Steve Johnson has been upgraded to the No. 1 wideout on the Bills’ roster. Last season, Roscoe Parrish was the starting No. 2 receiver opposite Evans before being benched for Johnson, who had a stellar year recording 82 receptions, 1,073 yards and 10 touchdowns. In my opinion, David Nelson should be a serious candidate for the No. 2 role as he had a solid rookie outing, but the Bills’ coaching staff likes him inside as a slot receiver. This leaves Donald Jones and Parrish battling for the No. 2 spot. Jones started the first two preseason games at wideout due to Parrish nursing an injury, but his 2010 statistics of 18 catches for 213 yards and a touchdown don’t exactly strike as much confidence in him as they do for Sports Illustrated’s Peter King. Roscoe Parrish was having one of the most successful seasons of his career, hauling in 33 catches for 400 yards and two scores, before being sidelined for the remainder of the year due to a hand injury suffered against the Chicago Bears.

Terrence McGee Vs. Drayton Florence Vs. Leodis McKelvin Vs. Aaron Williams

Terrence McGee was the No. 1 cornerback last year and has a lot of veteran experience. However, because of injuries, I’m not sure where he stands with the team as far as where the Bills have him lined up. Drayton Florence was retained by the Bills after becoming a free agent and is another veteran with solid play. Leodis McKelvin, a former high first round draft pick, has yet to reach his potential and is way too inconsistent with his play. Aaron Williams was selected out of Texas in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and has the versatility to play cornerback and safety. He has reportedly shined in training camp and made a spectacular interception against the Bears in his first preseason game. While it is a positive to have four solid corners in a division featuring Santonio Holmes, Chad Ochocinco, Wes Welker, and Brandon Marshall, the Bills really need one of these guys to step up and take over a full-time starting role.

Demetrius Bell Vs. Andy Levitre

Since being drafted in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft, Demetrius Bell has started 24 games at tackle for the Buffalo Bills. However, after an embarrassing performance against the Denver Broncos in last week’s preseason matchup, coach Gailey has been shuffling around the offensive line, especially the left tackle and left guard position. Chad Rinehart has been getting reps at left guard while the incumbent starter at left guard, Andy Levitre, is splitting reps with Bell at left tackle. While this may come as a shock to many, Gailey seems to have confidence in the position switch. Levitre held down the blindside for his final two seasons at Oregon State. On whether this will be a permanent move, Gailey stated, “I think it depends on them.  It depends on both Levitre and Demetrius (Bell).  How long we go with it or whether it becomes permanent or whether it becomes just something we tried for a little while”