Buffalo Bills Rumors: LeSean McCoy Injury Forces Ray Rice, Pierre Thomas Interest as Bryce Brown, Boobie Dixon Starters for Tyrod Taylor, Sammy Watkins Offense?

Sep 02, 2015 01:59 PM EDT
LeSean McCoy
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy runs past the Carolina defense in a 2015 preseason game."

The Buffalo Bills got the NFL offseason rolling early when they acquired LeSean McCoy from the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the first big trade under Rex Ryan's tenure with the team as the running back was expected to anchor the offense in 2015. However, that has yet to truly go as planned after McCoy suffered a hamstring injury that appears to be worse than expected. With the regular season just over a week away, there is serious concern McCoy will not be healthy.

According to ESPN's Josina Anderson, the Bills are worried McCoy will not be healthy come Week 1. Anderson reports that McCoy underwent an MRI and there is a small tear in his hamstring that could end up being a big issue for the running back. Ryan acknowledged that McCoy's injury was lingering longer than hoped, but that he was cautiously optimistic about the running back being ready to start the season. Anderson reports that team sources say McCoy will only play if he is at 100 percent health which is unlikely. The team does not want to play him at 75 percent and risk losing him for a longer period of time.

The loss of McCoy is a huge concern to the offense since Fred Jackson was released on Monday and immediately signed with the Seattle Seahawks. The Bills have very few options at the position now. Bryce Brown who was dealing with a hamstring injury and Boobie Dixon who had a calf issue both returned to practice, but at not at full speed and cannot handle the work load by themselves. Karlos Williams who was expected to earn a backup spot on the depth chart also remains out after undergoing an undisclosed medical procedure. A time table for the rookie is unknown.

All of this gives very little confidence to the Bills' fan base. The team announced that Tyrod Taylor would be taking over the starting quarterback job. He needs a run game to work with. Taylor has the dream wide receiver team with Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Percy Harvin running the sidelines while Charles Clay handles the tight end spot. However, with no ground game the Bills offense will struggle.

There are options on the free agent market should the Bills feel pressure to bring in another body. Of course Ray Rice is an option, but so is Pierre Thomas and Steven Jackson who are both healthy and ready to go. The Bills need to make a decision quickly on what they intend to do with McCoy because if he sits longer than a week they need to add someone to the roster to help with depth. 

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