Inside The Bills

WR rundown as expected

With the team’s first official depth coming out in advance of the team’s first preseason game there weren’t any real surprises with respect to the team’s order at receiver.

The two WR positions on either side of the formation listed the receivers as follows.

WR – S. Johnson, Hagan, Martin, Roosevelt, Aiken, Session
WR - D. Jones, Nelson, Graham, Easley, Clowney

Putting those two listings together the order would shake out as follows based on the reps we’ve witnessed in practice.

Johnson, Jones, Nelson, Hagan, Graham, Martin, Easley, Roosevelt, Clowney, Aiken, Session.

Rogers is lead kick returner

The team’s first official depth chart is out and there’s an interesting pecking order on kick return.

Second-year cornerback Justin Rogers is listed as the team’s top kick returner with Leodis McKelvin second and Brad Smith third on the depth chart. While it may be surprising to some knowing part of the reason Smith was signed as a free agent in 2011 was for his kick return abilities, the bottom line is Rogers outperformed Smith last season when he was inserted into the role late in the season.

Rogers averaged an impressive 28.7 yards a return with 13 total on the season and a long of 57 yards.

Smith on 15 returns averaged 18.8 yards with a long of 28.

C.J. Spiller averaged 23.8 yards a return, but only had 6 attempts all season. Leodis McKelvin averaged 21.5 yards a return on just two attempts.

Rogers was an accomplished return man in college at the University of Richmond. As a freshman he served in a return role ranking third in the nation in kick return average (30.4). As a senior he led the Colonial Athletic Association conference in punt return average (12.4) and set the CAA record for kick return yards in a career, most notably passing Brian Westbrook on the all-time list.

Chan’s take on depth chart

Bills head coach Chan Gailey was asked several questions about some of the position battles that figure to be up wide open come training camp. Gailey doesn’t believe any of them are set in stone and neither is his depth chart.

Gailey was asked when he’d have a depth chart set and he indicated right before training camp. The veteran coach also made it clear there isn’t much on his depth chart that’s immovable.

“Nothing is set,” said Gailey of the depth chart on the wall of his office. ”They’re up there, but they’re all magnets. They can be moved.”

Bills fans we’ve penciled in what we’ve been able to put together with respect to a depth chart in observing OTA practices. You can view our unofficial depth chart right here. Let us know what you think might change come training camp.