The Buffalo Bills offense had high hopes coming into the season, but injuries at several key skill positions left the team and fans wondering what could have been.

With improved health, a solid draft, and another offseason for E.J. to soak in information, it is hopeful that these young, fast skill players can be a bit more explosive, and help end the longest playoff drought in the league. 

Below is our free agency offensive preview. Check back for more as NFL free agency revs up, and gets closer to the NFL Draft.

Coaching:

Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett likely won’t be telling the media about how he is going to feed C.J. Spiller until he pukes this offseason.  After admitting it was a difficult job to prepare multiple quarterbacks to play each week, Hackett will have some help this year.  In an under the radar move, Jim Schwartz brought over his quarterbacks coach from Detroit, Todd Downing to help tutor E.J. Manuel.  Receivers coach Ike Hilliard was let go and will be replaced by Rob Moore, formerly the WR coach of Syracuse University. The Bills also hired offensive guru Jim Hostler from the Baltimore Ravens.  Officially Hostler’s title is senior offensive assistant, but he will no doubt have input on the receivers who make the team and weekly preparation.   

Quarterback:

E.J. Manuel returns as the starter, that’s the good news.  The bad news is that E.J. Manuel returns as the starter with a new reputation as an injury risk and inaccurate deep ball passer.  Thad Lewis is a backup who the Bills would like to return in the same capacity as he filled in admirably when Manuel went down.  Jeff Tuel is a developmental project.  The Bills are unlikely to add any additional veteran help in this category.  Another late round project or undrafted free agent is possible for training camp depth. 

Skill Positions:

The Bills haven’t had a playmaking tight end since Keith McKeller.  Unrestricted free agent Scott Chandler is an underwhelming player who defenses aren’t scared will beat them.  That said he did lead the team in catches this season.  Hackett, (and Marrone), have to show he can coach the players they have and if that means using two tight ends because they are the best players on the team then figure out how to do so.  If they go into next year with Chandler as their guy then they are saying we are going to try and beat other teams vertically as he is a possession underneath route runner. 

This brings us to the wide receiver corps.  Stevie Johnson was a mess this year both on the field and off.  That’s saying something since previous coach Chan Gailey benched him on more than one occasion for a poor attitude.  On the field Johnson had his lowest output since his 2^ndyear when he saw only spot playing time.  Robert Woods was picked in the second round of last year’s draft to be a possession type receiver, perhaps signaling the end of the Johnson as the go to guy era.  The last two years the Bills have drafted speedsters T.J Graham and Marquise Goodwin to attempt to be that vertical passing team.  Goodwin showed flashes of being a downfield threat this year while Graham, drafted by previous regime, didn’t seem to fit into the team’s plans. 

The Bills sorely need a red zone weapon a la Jimmy Graham.  A big target they can throw it up and say go get the ball.  Those guys don’t grow on trees or come available in free agency unless they are coming off surgery or have some off field concerns.  They could look to a Brandon Pettigrew from Detroit, but he isn’t much of an upgrade over Chandler and has been less healthy in his career. 

The running back position is obviously the team’s strength.  With C.J. Spiller underachieving and being dinged up for most of the season, Fred Jackson proved he had plenty left in the tank.  Jackson himself played hurt for stretches of the season but showed why he is a leader and that the team needs him.  Look for both to be back next season with Spiller to assume the role the team wanted him to have last season.  Tashard Choice was cut toward the end of the season, so the Bills could spend a mid to late round draft pick on a back as Jackson will be 33 next season. 

With improved health from Spiller and Jackson as well as Manuel, the short passing game should be the Bills offensive focus as this is the area of most skill on the team.  Pairing them with WR’s Robert Woods and Stevie Johnson, two “possession” type receivers, again leaves fans thinking this is a quick pass offense until they can establish their speed receivers outside.  Frank Summers will likely be back as he was a special teams contributor as well as lead blocker playing only 19% of offensive snaps. 

Top areas of need:

1.       Big wide receiver

2.       Matchup nightmare TE

3.       Improved play and health from Manuel

4.       Developmental running back

Top options for help:

1.   Draft either WR Mike Evans of Texas A&M or TE Eric Ebron of North Carolina in the first round.

2.   Danario Alexander San Diego. Coming off an ACL injury is a risk and his track record of injuries may make him a bargain if the Bills can give him an incentive laden deal. 

3.  Kenny Britt is another player coming off injury that has something to prove and could be a home run…or first round training camp cut. 

4.  Fred Davis TE Washington.  He also is coming off an injury, and a younger player seems to have supplanted him (Jordan Reed) making him expendable.  He has good pass catching skills but not much of a run blocker, and is facing a 6 game suspension for failing his second drug test. 

Offensive Line:

The Bills enjoyed some stability up front for the first time in many years.  Eric Wood, Cordy Glenn and Kraig Urbik stayed on the field to anchor the line.  Erik Pears stayed healthy at right tackle but played like he was injured, and left guard was a revolving door between Colin Brown and Doug Legursky.  Neither played well when in and are better suited as backups next year. 

Top options for help:

1.       Jon Asamoah-G Kansas City

2.       Eric Winston-T Arizona

3.       2^nd round pick on G/T