BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills opened 2022 NFL training camp Sunday at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, New York. Here’s a closer look at a few storylines:
Biggest question: How will the switch from Brian Daboll to Ken Dorsey at offensive coordinator affect quarterback Josh Allen and the offense?
This is one of the biggest questions of the NFL offseason, and it's not receiving enough attention league-wide. The Bills are expected to be one of the best teams -- +650 to win the Super Bowl, per Caesars Sportsbook -- but for the first time in his career, Allen will have someone new calling the plays in Dorsey after Daboll left to become the New York Giants' head coach. It helps that Allen has worked with Dorsey as his quarterbacks coach over the past three years, however, there will be changes to the offense. How will Allen respond, and will he take another step forward? With Dorsey being a first-time coordinator, there could be some growing pains.
Who is the most impactful offseason addition? linebacker Von Miller
The Bills needed a pass-rusher who could make a significant impact each time he steps on the field, so they signed Miller to a six-year, $120 million contract. While it remains to be seen if Miller, 33, will play out the deal, the immediate impact the league’s active sack leader (115.5) can make will be crucial to what the team can accomplish this year. Last year, the team had the No. 1 defense, but a significant amount of the defensive line has been turned over this offseason. How the group performs together, under the leadership of Miller, could go a long way in determining whether the Bills have a top defense again.
What is the most compelling position battle? pass-rushers behind Miller.
Greg Rousseau, a 2021 first-round pick, is slated to step into a starting role opposite Miller, but behind him is where it gets interesting. The Bills have now invested highly in pass-rushers through free agency and the draft, including 2020 second-round pick AJ Epenesa and 2021 second-round pick Boogie Basham. Both will need to play key roles as part of the defensive line rotation, but over the course of camp, one will need to emerge as the go-to third pass-rusher. Neither has finished a season with more than 2.5 sacks, and Epenesa especially has struggled to reach expectations in his first two years. Due to Miller’s age, Buffalo can’t end up in a situation where he is playing too many snaps, which makes their development that much more important. The Bills need their top draft picks to step up.
Training camp is a success if… there are no surprises.
It’s boring and pretty unlikely to have an uneventful camp, but the Bills just need things to go according to plan. There are few positions on the 53-man roster open, and Buffalo has one of the NFL's most complete rosters. Cornerback Tre’Davious White continuing to progress in the right direction with his rehab is important during the next month, but the team overall just needs to maintain the status quo and prepare for the season.
Camp prediction: Rookie running back James Cook will be the star of Bills camp.
While running back Devin Singletary is trending toward playing a lead role in the offense, Cook has a skill set as a pass-catcher to make a big impact on offense in 2022 -- especially on third downs. He also had limited playing time at Georgia -- 230 carries and 67 receptions over four years -- which could be beneficial for the Bills in keeping his ability to stay fresh during a 17-game NFL season. Zack Moss, a third-round pick from the 2020 draft, will be a player to watch during camp because he needs to prove he deserves a role. With limited contact during camp and Cook’s abilities, he’ll stand out over the course of camp, which means good things for the Bills offense, no matter how many snaps he plays.