Bills at Panthers
Game Info
Kickoff: Friday 8/16 at 70:00 pm (ET)
Location: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina
Betting Odds: CAR -3 via Oddsshark
Network: WKBW (Buffalo), WSOC (Charlotte)
Buffalo Bills
Tight End a Huge Question Mark
The tight end position couldn’t be in a worse spot heading into the 2019 season. The Bills didn’t have a tight end in the top 35 in receiving yards in 2018 and the group caught just one touchdown between them. Tyler Croft was signed in March, after playing several seasons in a part-time role in Cincinnati. He broke his foot ten days later and still hasn’t practiced in camp. Returning starter Jason Croom has been out with an injury but he hasn’t figured into the teams’ plans so far in the off-season. Rounding out the group is Dawson Knox, Tommy Sweeney, and Nate Becker. A who’s who of tight ends, to say the least. What the position looks like come Week 1 is anyone’s guess but it’s an area that the team needs to address.
Depth at Defensive Back
Tre’Davious White is back as the primary corner with Levi Wallace starting opposite him. Veteran Kevin White was signed from the Texans this spring and is ready for a “fresh start” and will compete for the second corner job. Still just 27, Johnson has been a pleasant surprise in camp and could have a bounceback year. To complicate matters, veteran E.J. Gaines was also signed to complete with this duo but he was placed on injured reserve this week. Enter Captain Munnerlyn, longtime CB from the Panthers. We should see all three compete for the one spot and the valuable nickel corner spot also.
The Ed Oliver Show
The ninth overall selection in this year’s NFL draft, Ed Oliver, had a solid debut in preseason Week 1 but Bills fans want to see more. When you play defensive tackle and are a top ten pick, the pressure and expectations are grand. We have seen incredible careers and busts from players in the same situation. Oliver will need to be a force in the middle and played well against the run. However, he went against one of the strongest lines in the league, Indianapolis, and was handled by Quenton Nelson easily most of the night. Eyes will again be on Oliver.
Carolina Panthers
Competition for Backup Running Back
Maybe it won’t matter much, it’s possible the backup running back in Carolina will see very little time. Or perhaps the chatter is to be believed and the team will attempt to cut back on Christian McCaffrey’s league-leading 965 snaps at running back. Cameron Artis-Payne is back again but this year he competes with rookies Jordan Scarlett and Elijah Holyfield. Holyfield showed out in his debut with two touchdowns and appears to have the upper hand. Who wins the job at this point, however, is up in the air.
Thin in the Secondary
Recently the Panthers plugged one hole at safety when they signed Tre Boston to a one-year contract to strengthen a position of need. He joins Eric Reid at the other safety spot, James Bradberry and second-year corner Donte Jackson to form a solid starting group. However, the depth is still a question left to be answered. Returning players Corn Elder and Cole Luke have the upper hand but reports out of camp are that former Tampa Bay Bucs corner Javien Elliott is quickly earning the role. Preseason Week 2 will give us another look at all three.
Brian Burns is From Another Planet
Heading into the draft the number 16 overall selection Brian Burns had to answer questions about his weight, strength, frame and fit in NFL schemes. Many scouts saw him as a situational pass rusher, a Day 2 player that would only fit a handful of teams. I saw him as a game-changing pass rusher that will be a force to be reckoned with, week in and week out. Preseason Week 1 Burns showed the explosiveness, burst and bend that makes him special. Burns can string rush moves together to get to the QB and his first sack was no exception. Burns engaged the tackle, gave him a spin then shed him on his way to the quarterback. Burns is a sleeper for defensive rookie of the year and all eyes should be on him this weekend.
-Marc Salazar (@Dingwog)