29-year old RB Fred Jackson got most of the work as the kickoff returner in 2009 for the Bills.  He played in 16 games for the Bills last season and he returned 41 kickoffs for 1,014 yards (24.7 avg).  Jackson has now played in 40 games in his NFL career and he has returned 56 kickoffs for 1,241 yards (22.2 avg).  I have a feeling that the Bills are going to have Jackson focus more on playing running back in 2010 and let other guys return kicks.

28-year old WR Roscoe Parrish is a tad small at 5′10″, 168 pounds but he has a lot of nice moves in the open field and he’s fast.  Parrish played in 12 games for the Bills last season and he returned 11 kickoffs for 258 yards (23.5 avg).  He has now played in 67 games in his NFL career and he has returned 29 kickoffs for 685 yards (23.6 avg). 

First round pick C.J. Spiller a RB out of Clemson will get some chances to return kickoffs in 2010 and I wouldn’t be surprised if he were the Bills’ main man in that role.  His combination of speed and power would make him a very scary weapon for the Bills on special teams.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BILLS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  B

The Bills O-Line looks solid in the middle but not so much on the outside.  Starting Demetrius Bell at LT means Bills’ QBs will have to have their heads on a swivel.  Bell is a decent run blocker but he has issues blocking in the passing game as speed rushers seem to run right around him.  LG Andy Levitre was a rookie last season and he was very solid.  He will help Bell whenever someone crosses his face to the inside.  Levitre is a player on the rise.  Center Goeff Hangartner is a solid finesse player especially when pass blocking but he does have trouble with big, strong nose tackles.  Lucky for Hangartner, he has help on the inside with Levitre on one side and Eric Wood on the other.  Eric Wood will start at right guard for the Bills in 2010 and he was the best lineman on the team last year before his season ending with a gruesome injury.  The Bills will have a new right tackle in Cornell Green.  Green is more of a run blocker than a pass blocker. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BILLS O-LINE in 2010:  C-

58-year old Chan Gailey was hired during the off-season to give the offense a jolt.  Gone are the defensive minded coaches (Dick Jauron and Perry Fewell) and in their place stands Gailey.  Gailey was last seen as a head coach in the NFL in 1999 with the Cowboys.  He was 18-14 (56.3%) during the regular season in his two years with the Cowboys leading them to the playoffs each year.  Gailey was 0-2 in the playoffs.  Just having a coach with the track record of Gailey has to get the people of Buffalo excited.

33-year old Rian Lindell is one of the most underrated kickers in the NFL.  A recently poor offense and some terrible weather in Buffalo can’t stop him from putting points on the board.  Lindell played in 16 games for the Bills last season and he connected on 28 of 33 field goals (84.8%) and all 24 of his extra points good for 108 points.  He has now played in 156 games in his NFL career and he has made 233 of 288 field goals (80.9%) and he has never missed an extra point (306).  Lindell has scored 1,005 points in his NFL career. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BILLS KICKERS in 2010:  A

29-year old Lee Evans is without a doubt the best WR on the Bills heading into 2010.  Evans played in 16 games (all starts) last season for the Bills and he caught 44 passes for 612 yards (13.9 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  He has now played in 96 games (89 starts) in his six years with the Bills and he has caught 340 passes for 5,356 yards (15.8 avg) with 39 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 10 times for 145 yards (14.5 ypc) in his career with the Bills.  Evans will likely face a ton of double teams this season as the rest of the Bills WR corps is pretty darn weak.

23-year old Steve Johnson will probably get the first shot to replace Terrell Owens opposite of Lee Evans.  Johnson played in 13 games (5 starts) for the Bills last season and he caught 2 passes for 10 yards (5.0 avg).  He has now played in 16 games (1 start) in his two years with the Bills and he has caught 12 passes for 112 yards (9.3 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  This will be Johnson’s big chance to show what he can do in the NFL.

28-year old Roscoe Parrish will likely have a much bigger role on the offense this year.  Parrish played in 12 games (0 starts) last season for the Bills and he caught only 3 passes for 34 yards (11.3 avg).  He has now played in 67 games (6 starts) in his six years with the Bills and he has caught 100 passes for 1,086 yards (10.9 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  Parrish has also carried the ball 11 times for 48 yards (4.4 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career. 

24-year old James Hardy has not done much in his career with the Bills but they’re still holding out hope that he will produce soon.  Hardy played in 2 games  (0 starts) for the Bills last season and he caught 1 pass for 9 yards.  He has now played in 16 games (3 starts) in his two years with the Bills and he has caught 10 passes for 96 yards (9.6 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Hardy could work his way up the depth chart if he plays well this year.

Rookie Marcus Easley was a 4th round pick out of U.Conn this April.  He has nice size at 6′2″, 216 pounds and he could easily move up the depth chart with a fast start to his career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BILLS WRs in 2010:  D