CURTIS HENRY
Assistant Sports Editor
It was hardly more than two months ago that Rex Ryan was standing at the podium and proclaiming that the Buffalo Bills had “won the offseason.”
One could make the case that Ryan had a valid point. The Bills’ starters and nucleus of the roster were all returning and healthy. The team had successfully re-signed tackle Cordy Glenn, guard Richie Incognito, and later, they would reach a six-year extension with quarterback Tyrod Taylor. The coaching staff also saw key pickups in Ed Reed and Rex’s brother, Rob. The intent of the offseason was to fix the defense.
In addition, Doug Whaley and the Bills’ management absolutely nailed the draft in May. The obvious holes on defense from a year ago were addressed by Buffalo’s first three picks in the NFL draft: defensive end Shaq Lawson, linebacker Reggie Ragland and defensive tackle Adolphus Washington. The three rookies were expected to fill voids in the defense’s front seven right out of the gate.
However, the Bills wouldn’t last one week prior to seeing Rex Ryan eat his words. One by one, the pieces in Buffalo began to fall apart as the team began packing for summer training camp at St. John Fisher College in Rochester.
The initial mess came one month before Ryan’s comments. Over a 24-hour period in May, it was announced that both Shaq Lawson and Sammy Watkins would be having surgery: Lawson for a shoulder injury that had nagged him for months and Watkins for a broken foot.
That was only the beginning of the Bills’ misfortunes. As July and August rolled around, the Bills began to drop like flies.
Karlos Williams showed up to camp more than 30 pounds overweight. Additionally, he found himself a suspension for substance abuse, and the second-year running back was cut last week.
Linebacker Reggie Ragland tore his ACL in a non-contact injury during camp. His rookie season is over before it began. Pass rusher IK Enemkpali tore his ACL and ended up being released. The list doesn’t stop there.
Manny Lawson faces a suspension under the league’s personal conduct policy. Rookie running back Jonathan Williams does as well, though it is common belief that his suspension will wait until 2017. The team’s highest-paid player, nose tackle Marcell Dareus, will start the season on the league’s suspension list for the second consecutive season.
To top it all off, two more Bills suffered ACL injuries in this week’s preseason loss to the Washington Redskins. Second-string tight end Chris Gragg and cornerback Jonathan Dowling each suffered season-ending injuries in Washington on Friday night. Gragg’s was sustained from a hard, albeit legal, hit from DeAngelo Hall after he made a reception on a third and long. Dowling’s injury was non-contact and might be attributable to the subpar field conditions at FedEx Field. Gragg was essentially a lock to make the roster, and Dowling was making his case to make the cut with a preseason full of nice defensive plays and hustle on special teams.
Murphy’s law just seems to make its rounds through Western New York around this time of year. It’s evident that the Bills will need the dominos to begin falling their way soon, or else a 17th consecutive year without making the playoffs will be a dangerous possibility.
I’m sorry Rex, but although your squad “won” the offseason, you’ve definitely lost out during the preseason.
The Bills finish up their preseason in Detroit on Thursday, Sept. 1, prior to opening the year on Sept. 11 at 1 p.m. in Baltimore against the Ravens.