Unless you feel the need to break down the differences between Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick’s throwing mechanics, about the only intriguing storyline in Buffalo these days is what intentions the Bills have for running back Marshawn Lynch.
Lynch received an increased workload in the team’s loss to the Packers last week and head coach Chan Galiey has already said that the former Cal product “will play a lot” this Sunday against the Patriots depending on the offensive package.
That begs the question: Are the Bills trying to showcase Lynch so they can deal him before the October trade deadline or do they really want to involve him more in the offense?
I don’t want to draw concussions off of 17 carries (which is what Lynch had in Week 2) and one vague quote from Gailey, but it stands to reason that the Bills are apt to play Lynch more so that they can showcase him in a trade. C.J. Spiller is the future and Fred Jackson has already proven that he can handle a full rushing load, so why keep Lynch?
That said, it’s not a bad idea for the Bills to get Lynch more involved anyway, regardless of whether or not they’re going to trade him. Spiller is only a rookie and while he dazzled in preseason, he’s proved in the early going that he’s going to need time to develop. Jackson was also limited this offseason and in Week 1 due to a hand injury.
In the meantime, the Bills don’t have a quarterback so they need to rely on the running game to keep them in games (or at least, try to keep them in games). And only giving a running back (any running back) three carries (which was Lynch’s total in a Week 1 loss to the Dolphins) isn’t going to help him get into a rhythm on Sundays. Thus, upping Lynch’s carries helps the Bills whether they intend to trade him or not.
I did find it a tad ironic, however, that Lynch received three carries in Week 1 against the Dolphins and 17 against the Packers in Week 2, seeing as how Green Bay may be in the market for a running back. Again, it’s hard to draw conclusions from the information that is at hand, but would anyone be surprised if Lynch is dealt sometime over the next couple of weeks? I certainly wouldn’t.
