In under two months, the Buffalo Bills will get to work at St. John Fisher College for training camp and the 2016 season. And this year, with how the team ended things in 2015, is extremely important to not waste the talent that exists on the roster.
So, as offseason workouts continue at One Bills Drive, WKBW will preview the roster — and more specifically, the top talent that exists on the roster that can help the Bills to putting an end to the playoff drought. You’ll be introduced to the Bills’ ‘Top 20 Talents.’
It's a bit of a different 'most talented' list, because it also takes other factors into consideration. The countdown criteria:
- Overall skill level
- On-the-field performance
- Projection based on film study over the past several years
- Age, and improving/declining ability
With that written, on to the countdown:
No. 17 - HB Karlos Williams
Age: 23 (5/4/93)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 230
Last year’s rank: NR
Why he’s here
- With a crowded running back room entering the offseason workouts in 2015, fifth-round rookie Karlos Williams did so well in his first year that the Bills parted ways every running back they had last spring not named LeSean McCoy. Fred Jackson, Bryce Brown, and Boobie Dixon are all distant memories at this point, which has paved the way for Williams to take sole control of backup runner duties yet again. Last year Williams' bruising and downhill style of running endeared him to the masses, and at one point, he was a touchdown scoring machine. That ability, combined with the offense the Bills run, makes him an intriguing player should anything happen to McCoy. However, as we saw last year as well, that running style can cause injuries to himself, and he missed five games in 2015 because of it. Although he's only 23, his backup role and a shorter shelf life for running backs with that mentality limit to how high on the list he can be.
2016 outlook
- Williams will once again be the complementary option to McCoy for the Bills in 2016, and offensive coordinator Greg Roman will utilize him in a few different ways. The second-year runner will also contribute in the passing game as he did last year, where he collected two of his nine total touchdowns. However, there is no doubting his talents and potential if he ever got into a starting role. Should McCoy suffer an injury, or worse yet for the Bills, struggles in the upcoming season, Williams stands to gain a great deal as the featured runner.
Top 20 Talents Countdown
17) HB Karlos Williams
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