Considering how much head coach Rex Ryan says the team will run the ball, the Buffalo Bills tight ends must be prepared to block a lot.
However, according to ESPN’s Mike Rodak, the group consisting of Charles Clay, Chris Gragg and rookies Matthew Mulligan and Nick O’Leary isn’t impressing Ryan much. Ryan said:
“The tight ends, you know, sometimes can be little babies. They’re all upset because … ‘Ah, well you’re putting [defensive tackle] Kyle [Williams] in there.’ Well, ’cause he can block somebody! So that’s probably the real reason.”
At least Ryan seems to be a little happy with his rookies:
“I said, ‘Look, outside of Mulligan, I don’t see anybody blocking anybody.’ So they were going today, had another word with them or two. But the long touchdown pass by EJ (Manuel), I was impressed by that, the throw was good and all that, but the thing that impressed me was Nick O’Leary blocking the end. He was one-on-one on the defensive end and blocked the heck out of him, so that was ... I more impressed by that.”
Ryan’s report is somewhat disturbing, though, specifically when it comes to Clay. Buffalo signed him to a massive five-year, $38 million deal during the offseason.
It sounds like Ryan is going to have to keep practicing tough love to get the unit into gear to open lanes for the Bills’ rushing attack led by running back LeSean McCoy.
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