Buffalo Bills: 5 questions heading into training camp
By Paul Taylor
2) Will the ground game continue to be effective?
In amongst all the uncertainty surrounding various aspects on the team, the ground game was not expected to be on the list, after ranking first, first and sixth in the NFL during the past three seasons. Unfortunately for the Bills, this is no longer the case.
Most NFL fans are aware of the issues surrounding LeSean McCoy‘s personal life. The question is, what does this mean for his playing career?
Without speculating about the actual allegations, it’s entirely possible McCoy won’t be in training camp with his teammates. As Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle recently wrote, the six-time Pro Bowler could well be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.
(Update – NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has advised that McCoy will report to training camp with the rest of the veterans on Wednesday.)
There is also the possibility — no matter how big or small — McCoy will not be available for the start of the regular season, pending how any allegations against him play out. In this instance, as things stand, it would fall to Chris Ivory to carry the load in the backfield.
We’ve already discussed three factors which will impact Ivroy’s ability to be the main man. However, even in the best-case scenario, he represents a step down from McCoy.
As such, we predict the team will bring in other backs to try out in training camp and during the preseason. Ultimately though, under the assumption the Bills are without their best back when the 2018 campaign begins, the ground game will not be as effective as in previous years