After months of waiting, football is finally here! The Buffalo Bills are in training camp, which means that the preseason and actual meaningful games are just around the corner. While it’s important to not draw too many hard conclusions from these early practices, some players have stood out in camp, while others have left something to be desired.
Four Buffalo Bills Training Camp Takeaways
Jake Kumerow Earning A Roster Spot
Wide receiver Jake Kumerow only had one reception last year and is anything but a sure bet to make the roster. However, if these early practices are to be believed, the former undrafted free agent is making a case to stick around in 2021. Kumerow has reportedly been running with the first-team offense and has been making plays when his number is called. The wideout hauled in multiple passes from Josh Allen, including a touchdown against Levi Wallace.
Even with these impressive practices, it’s hard to imagine a world where Kumerow is anything more than the WR5 on this offense. Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, Emmanuel Sanders, and Gabriel Davis are all well ahead of Kumerow, but there is no such thing as too much wide receiver depth. If the former Green Bay Packer can keep this up, then he should lock down the final spot on the depth chart.
Josh Allen throws an absolute dart to Jake Kumerow for the TD.
Kumerow is the 13th #Bills player to catch a touchdown this season, tying an NFL record.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 19, 2020
Gregory Rousseau, Carlos Basham Impress Early
The Buffalo Bills went all-in on improving their front seven in the NFL Draft. Despite rumors of addressing the cornerback or running back position, Buffalo used their first two picks on edge rushers Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Basham. That move appears to be paying off, as both rookies have reportedly made a good first impression.
Buffalo normally has a good defense, but the 2020 iteration of the Bills had a difficult time stopping opposing offenses. It’s too early to say if these two rookies will improve the unit, but it’s definitely a good sign that they’re already sticking out. Defensive end is one of the most interesting positional battles on the roster, and if the rookies can still dominate in padded practices, they could force the coaching staff to make some difficult decisions.
[pickup_prop id=”6818″]
Bobby Hart Struggles
Of course, it can’t all be good news for everyone. Offensive tackle Bobby Hart was already facing an uphill battle to make the roster, and his first few practices have not helped his odds. Hart has reportedly lost several reps and given up multiple sacks thus far, which is never a good thing. Once again, we’ll need to see him in pads before we draw any serious conclusions, but it’s still not a good look for the former seventh-round pick.
Jake Fromm Clearly QB3
The Buffalo Bills have a great young quarterback in Josh Allen, but the backup position leaves something to be desired. Mitchell Trubisky is not a good quarterback, but he could keep the team afloat if Allen misses some time. You can certainly do better than Trubisky, but early reports indicate that Jake Fromm isn’t exactly pushing for the backup job.
From a physical standpoint, Fromm doesn’t bring much to the table. During his time in college, Fromm won by making the right read, getting the ball out of time, and managing the game. Those skills reportedly have not transferred to the NFL, as the former fifth-round pick has reportedly thrown into double coverage on multiple occasions while missing wide-open targets. Perhaps the Bills keep him as the third option on the depth chart, but that’s probably all he’ll be in 2021.
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