Cornerback/punt returner Leodis McKelvin’s 2014 season is over due to an ankle injury. (Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig — USA Today Sports)
BBD Editor: Dan Hope
The Buffalo Bills officially lost one of their starters for the rest of the season when they placed cornerback Leodis McKelvin, who fractured his ankle against the Miami Dolphins, on injured reserve Monday.
McKelvin, a seventh-year cornerback who has spent entire career in Buffalo, played in each of the Bills’ first 10 games this season and started nine of them. He had 48 total tackles and held the team lead with four interceptions.
Inconsistent in coverage throughout his career, McKelvin had some shaky moments defending the pass this year. The case can certainly be made that Corey Graham, who has played in place of McKelvin at times this year is expected to replace McKelvin in the starting lineup, has played better than McKelvin in coverage. While McKelvin had a great year making plays on the ball, his attempts at making big plays tend to also yield some easy receptions.
The biggest consequence from losing McKelvin from the lineup, and having Graham replace him full-time as a starting cornerback outside, is how it affects the team’s depth throughout its secondary.
Perhaps Graham’s greatest trait—and perhaps the reason why he wasn’t starting over McKelvin in the first place—is his ability to play any spot (outside cornerback, slot cornerback, safety) in the secondary. Essentially the secondary’s “sixth man” prior to McKelvin’s injury, Graham started a game at safety this year when Aaron Williams was out with an injury, and he was seeing as a rotational player at both positions.
Now, the Bills don’t have a utility player like Graham who can step in anywhere. Ron Brooks and Ross Cockrell will become the primary backups at cornerback. At safety, the Bills have a rotating trio of Aaron Williams, Da’Norris Searcy and Duke Williams who will also be backed up by Bacarri Rambo, who was signed by the team Monday to fill the roster spot vacated by McKelvin’s injury.
Bacarri Rambo (No. 24), signed by the Bills on Monday, has not played since Week 2 of this season. (Photo: Geoff Burke — USA Today Sports)
A 2013 sixth-round draft pick out of Georgia, Rambo actually started three games for the Washington Redskins early in his rookie season, but proved to be a liability in both pass coverage and tackling. He finished his rookie season, in which he played 11 games, with 43 tackles, one sack and zero passes defensed.
Rambo, a good athlete at 6’0″ and 211 pounds, lasted just two games this season—and allowed big-play touchdowns in both of them—before he was released by Washington. As it was obvious Rambo did not belong on a regularly playing role on the team’s defense, Washington coach Jay Gruden suggested that the safety was released because of other players on the team at the position who were better on special teams, according to Zac Boyer of The Washington Times.
Since being released by Washington in September, Rambo had not been with a team this season until his signing by the Bills on Monday.
Rambo’s a fine addition to the roster for depth purposes, but the Bills are probably in trouble if they need him to play any significant role. He’s not a player they’ll want to work onto the field at safety, while he has no proven special teams value.
The Bills also added an option for cornerback depth with the open spot on their practice squad by bringing back cornerback Brandon Smith on Monday. A player who spent time on both the 53-man roster and practice squad for the Bills in 2013, Smith’s familiarity with the team makes him a smart practice squad addition at this point, but he’s also a player Buffalo won’t want to have to turn to in its secondary. Smith joins cornerback Rod Sweeting and safety Deon Broomfield as defensive backs on the Bills practice squad.
As for the loss of McKelvin, the Bills will also need to replace him at punt returner. He gained 183 yards on 21 returns this season. The strongest candidate to replace him in that role would be wide receiver Robert Woods, who has just one return for 11 yards this year.
