91 Buffalo Bills Players 91 Days: G/C Will Clapp

The Buffalo Bills like the versatility of their offensive linemen, especially those they don’t view as starters. If this gives the team the ability to carry fewer linemen on game day, then the Bills will prioritize the backup lineman who can play different positions almost every time.

Although the team did a lot of cross-training with tackles moonlighting as guards, it was just as aggressive in playing its centers as guards and vice versa. However, center is a difficult spot to play rarely, as the center must learn the number of snaps in addition to the quarterback’s cadence, and he is often second in command when it comes to setting up protections at the front.

On today’s episode of “91 Players in 91 Days,” we discuss a veteran addition along the offensive line who is capable of playing both guard and center.

Name: Go applaud

Number: 77

Position: CG

Size weight: 6’5″, 311 pounds

Age: 28 (29 on 10/12/2024)

Experience/Project: 7; selected in the seventh round (245th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints

College: LSU

Acquired: Signed with Bills as a UFA on 03/22/2024

Financial situation (by Spotrac): Clapp signed a one-year contract worth a total of $1,292,500. Of this total, $287,500 is guaranteed. The latter figure represents the dead cap charge Buffalo will carry if it releases Clapp, while its cap hit for the year will be $1,152,500 if he makes the roster.

2023 summary: Clapp started last season as a reserve with the Los Angeles Chargers, but after starting center Corey Linsley was diagnosed with a heart problem that ended his season before Week 4, Clapp took over as as a starting center. He has only committed one penalty this season, but earned a rating of just 56.7 from Focus on professional football. Clapp ended up on injured reserve himself, as he injured his knee during the Chargers’ Week 15 contest.

Positioning prospects: As a hybrid center/guard, Clapp is one of the most versatile pieces the Bills have among their interior group. He joins Connor McGovern, David Edwards, O’Cyrus Torrence, Keaton Bills, Gunner Britton, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and Kevin Jarvis. Of this group, McGovern and Van Pran-Granger are the other two players expected to see time at center, while the others will play guard.

2024 offseason: Clapp has recovered from his knee injury and has participated in OTAs thus far.

Outlook for the 2024 season: There are three ways to do this: either Clapp will sneak onto the roster as the ninth or tenth offensive lineman (inactive on game days), he will be released near the end of the preseason, or he will be traded to another team. for a late draft pick. I think picks 1 and 3 are the most likely, as Clapp is experienced enough to help at multiple positions, and in a league where offensive line play is a desperate need for several teams, he could be worth a sixth-round pick in August if another team has injuries up front.

With McGovern, Torrence, Edwards and Van Pran-Granger feeling like a safe 1-4, Clapp could also be competing against another hybrid player, Alec Anderson, who is listed as a tackle but can play anywhere except center , for last place. the list. I suppose there is also a fourth option for Clapp, which is him being released by the Bills and remaining on their practice squad as veteran insurance.

Given Clapp’s ties to offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who was an offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints during Clapp’s rookie season, it wouldn’t surprise me if there was mutual interest in keeping him as a member of the training team. While Clapp might not be someone you want to start most of your team’s games, things could be a lot worse in a pinch. He has good camp depth.