Jump to content

Bills training camp questions: Will running back Nyheim Hines have bigger role offensively?


Recommended Posts

Nyheim Hines’ impact during his opening half season with the Buffalo Bills is recognized on Page 559 of this year’s NFL Fact & Record Book.

Under the headings, “Kickoff Returns,” and “Most Touchdowns, Game,” are the 11 players who have scored two kickoff return touchdowns in the same game. Hines accomplished the feat in the regular-season finale against New England (96 and 101 yards).

No question, Hines will continue to make an impact as a kick/punt returner this year.

But entering training camp on July 25, what kind of role will he have offensively? Will it be a big role?

The numbers work against Hines.

The offense goes through Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis and Dawson Knox, Dalton Kincaid and Damien Harris, James Cook and Khalil Shakir. And don’t forget about Latavius Murray, Trent Sherfield and Deonte Harty.

There is only one football.

In nine regular-season games last year, Hines rushed six times for minus-3 yards and caught five passes for 53 yards. He was unable to take away carries from Cook and Devin Singletary and unable to carve out a receiving niche.

Was the challenge of Hines joining a new team midseason underestimated?

“Yes,” Bills running backs coach Kelly Skipper told The Buffalo News. “Especially in our offense. We have so much in our playbook – the terms were different for him. When he came in right away, he was learning (the system) game by game.”

The Bills flipped Zack Moss and a fifth-round pick to Indianapolis for Hines at last year’s trade deadline. Hines was weaned into the offense, playing four, six, 10 and four snaps in his first four games.

The Bills’ Week 13 game at New England proved to be Hines’ first and only chance to gain a foothold in the playing rotation.

Hines played 23 snaps and how he was used could provide evidence of what offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey has in mind this year.

Hines was one of two tailbacks on the field for 12 snaps.

He ran in motion 10 times, often as a decoy in a jet-sweep action along the line of scrimmage.

He lined up in the right slot and gained 21 yards to convert a third-and-11 when an under-pressure Allen flipped a pass to him.

Hines had two carries for minus-3 yards, both in first-and-goal situations. His first attempt lost three yards when unblocked Patriots cornerback Jack Jones made the open-field tackle. His second carry gained nothing when Diggs lost his leverage against Jones and edge rusher Josh Uche was unblocked.

His only other target as a receiver was on an out route from the right slot.

And that was basically it for Hines offensively. Over the final six regular-season/playoff games, he played a total of 40 snaps.

In the offseason, the Bills let Singletary depart for Houston as a free agent and signed Harris (two-year deal) and Murray (one-year contract) from New England and Denver, respectively.

Skipper said the offseason has been valuable for Hines to gain his mental footing in Dorsey’s offense.

“When you slow it down – and he’s learning it from the beginning – everything makes sense for him now,” Skipper said. “(Last year) he was trying to connect what was familiar to him in Indy to here and trying to function.”

A quick out-breaking route from the slot. Maybe the screen game from the backfield. And an occasional carry on the jet sweeps. It’s just a matter of the Bills finding Hines touches. And it’s always better to enter camp with a surplus at tailback.

“He’s definitely explosive, but you’ll see him a little more experienced in the run game,” Skipper said. “We showed him off in the pass game mostly (last year). Now, he can function in anything we do.”

“There he goes. One of God's own prototypes.

A high-powered mutant of some kind, never even considered for mass production.

Too weird to live, and too rare to die.”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, HipKat said:

Nyheim Hines’ impact during his opening half season with the Buffalo Bills is recognized on Page 559 of this year’s NFL Fact & Record Book.

Yes,” Bills running backs coach Kelly Skipper told The Buffalo News. “Especially in our offense. We have so much in our playbook.

Didn't look like they had a whole lot in the playbook last season. I guess we wait and see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, SpikedLemonade said:

I fuckin' hope so

I'm more interested in L Murray

“There he goes. One of God's own prototypes.

A high-powered mutant of some kind, never even considered for mass production.

Too weird to live, and too rare to die.”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes Latavius Murray...Shit almost forgot about that...Our back field if they fucking decide to use the running game will be potent....Murray-Harris  Cook...lets roll!  IMO keep Hines doing returns on a regular basis and some short passing plays out of the backfield.....Lets see if Dorsey can elevate himeself as an OC in his 2nd year...

  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...