Close Article Return to stream X
NFL

A Healthy Cyrus Kouandjio Will Start for the Buffalo Bills in 2015

+Read full article
Cyrus Kouandjio Buffalo Bills Position Battle

Chuck Cook – USA TODAY Sports

Last week, I wrote a piece about five training camp battles to watch for the Buffalo Bills. One of the most important battles I listed was the battle for the starting right tackle position.

Last season, right tackle was one of the Bills’ weaknesses, as rookie Seantrel Henderson started all 16 games for the team. This season, it looked like Henderson was poised to battle Cyrus Kouandjio for the position and that Henderson would have the upper hand. However, Kouandjio has looked good this offseason. As a result, he may end up winning the battle.

Kouandjio was a second-round pick by the Bills in the 2014 NFL Draft, but he struggled with injuries during his first season and that caused his play to be subpar. He only made it onto the field for one game total because of the nagging injuries he was dealing with. Now that he is healthy, Kouandjio will probably be able to start at right tackle.

Kouandjio is a massive man at 6-foot-7, 332 pounds. His frame will allow him to hold up as a solid right tackle. He has better technique than Henderson, and he’ll be a major asset in the run game. He should develop into a better pass blocker as the season goes along. Considering that some projected Kouandjio to be a first-round pick in the 2014 draft, and that he had the potential to be a left tackle, the Bills may end up getting a huge impact player who will help take their offense to the next level.

The key for this to work out for both Kouandjio and the Bills is to be sure that Kouandjio can stay healthy. He has had injury concerns throughout his college and professional careers, and those are holding him back. He has developed well and shown great potential this offseason, so the team should be happy. It’s just a matter of seeing whether or not he’ll be healthy for training camp, the preseason and, most importantly, the regular season. If he is, then he will likely win the starting job if he continues to perform well.

Jacob Camenker is a Buffalo Bills Beat Writer for www.RantSports.com. You can “like” him on Facebook here, follow him on Twitter @jacobyhorse, or add him to your network on Google. 

Your Favorites