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Things McCoy isn't being told

Is he actually the guy in Buffalo?

LeSean McCoy talked to the media yesterday. Because Buffalo signed Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon and drafted Devin Singletary, there's some question as to who the team's lead back will be. McCoy said he's been told he's the guy. Which makes you wonder what he hasn't been told.

"I’m the guy. I feel like that. That’s what I’ve been told,” said McCoy. “That’s my every day approach. We’re all a team and trying to help each other out to win games, compete against each other and make each other better. Me and Frank have been competing for years."

McCoy knows more about his status than any of us do, so maybe we're missing the boat characterizing him as a committee back and ranking him outside the top 40 running backs. Maybe.

But the Bills have Gore, and Yeldon, and they drafted Devin Singletary in the third round. A story in The Athletic says Singletary has been getting plenty of first-team reps. All of those guys are cheaper than McCoy, and some of them might simply be better than him at this point.

Maybe McCoy has lost a step, or maybe the line he's been running behind isn't good enough; maybe a little of both. But no getting around the over the last two years, no running back has lost yardage on a higher percentage of his carries than McCoy. If the Bills determine that Gore, or perhaps the solidly built Singletary (5-7, 203), would be less likely to have that many negative plays, they'll move on.

RUNNING BACK STUFFS, 2017-2018
PlayerAttLostPct
LeSean McCoy4487917.6%
Tevin Coleman3235216.1%
Adrian Peterson4076516.0%
Jay Ajayi2534015.8%
Kenyan Drake2533915.4%
LeGarrette Blount3274714.4%
Joe Mixon4155914.2%
Dion Lewis3354714.0%
Alfred Morris2263013.3%
Alex Collins3264313.2%
Saquon Barkley2613413.0%
Jordan Howard5266812.9%
Bilal Powell2583212.4%
Carlos Hyde4125112.4%
Leonard Fournette4014812.0%
Dalvin Cook2072411.6%
Jonathan Stewart2042311.3%
Derrick Henry3914411.3%
Matt Breida2582911.2%
Lamar Miller4485011.2%
Marlon Mack2883211.1%
Melvin Gordon4595010.9%
Isaiah Crowell3493710.6%
Todd Gurley5355610.5%
Alfred Blue2212210.0%
Latavius Murray356359.8%
Marshawn Lynch297299.8%
Kareem Hunt453449.7%
Doug Martin310309.7%
Peyton Barber342339.6%
James Conner247228.9%
Aaron Jones214198.9%
Chris Ivory227208.8%
Ezekiel Elliott546488.8%
Frank Gore417368.6%
LeVeon Bell321278.4%
C.J. Anderson312268.3%
Cam Newton240208.3%
Devonta Freeman210178.1%
David Johnson269217.8%
Christian McCaffrey336267.7%
Alvin Kamara314227.0%
Jamaal Williams274186.6%
Chris Carson296196.4%
Sony Michel209125.7%
Mark Ingram368184.9%

Table shows all backs with at least 200 attempts over the last two seasons. Now, Buffalo sunk some resources into its line in the offseason. They'll have three new starters, including center Mitch Morse from Kansas City (although he's reportedly been sitting out due to a concussion; have to keep an eye on that one, especially since there's a history there). Obviously they recognize the line was an issue and are hoping they'll be better there.

But McCoy's optimism about being the guy is hard to subscribe to. If they like what Singletary shows them enough in the preseason, McCoy could find himself in a crowded committee (as we currently have him slotted) or off the roster entirely.

--Andy Richardson

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