Bills’ Fred Jackson: Rex Ryan is the right guy

By Evan Massey | Jan 28, 2015

Jan 14, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan speaks during a press conference at ADPRO Sports Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /

Buffalo Bills veteran running back Fred Jackson believes that new head coach Rex Ryan is the right guy to get them over the hump.

Fred Jackson and the Buffalo Bills got back on the right track this past season, finishing the year with a 9-7 record, but just missing the AFC playoffs. Despite not making the playoffs once again, the Bills took a major step forward and are right on the cusp of getting over the hump and into playoff contention once again.

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Head coach Doug Marrone stepped away from the Bills following the season, and starting quarterback Kyle Orton decided to retire. That left two holes for Buffalo to fill, and they were happy to hire former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan to fill one of them. He is a major upgrade over Marrone, and the players are excited to play for him.

Jackson is one of the players that has come out and talked about the addition of Ryan and what he will bring to Buffalo.

“I’m extremely excited about it. Rex is Rex. Everybody knows who he is. He’s a boisterous coach that’s gonna come in and have things go his way,” Jackson said. “Teams usually take on the persona of their coaches. I think he’s gonna give us the push we need to get over this hump. We went 9-7, the best we finished in 10 years, and I think he’s going to be the guy that gets us over that hump.”

That type of comment from one of the veteran leaders of the Bills is an encouraging sign. Buffalo has a lot of talent on their roster, and they will take another step forward if they can bring in a legitimate quarterback to lead the way.

Ryan has had a rough past few seasons, but did lead the Jets to two straight AFC Championship games with Mark Sanchez at the helm. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see Buffalo go out and pursue Sanchez in free agency this offseason after his successful season with the Philadelphia Eagles. That being said, there are plenty of directions that the Bills could go in.

Perhaps another reason that Jackson likes the hire, is the usage that running backs have seen under Ryan. C.J. Spiller is a free agent and there is a good chance that he won’t be back in Buffalo. That would mean that the bulk of the carries passes on to Jackson unless the Bills bring in another running back.

All of that being said, the Bills are headed in the right direction and Ryan is the right man to lead them. The players are excited about having him on board, and he will get the best out of them.

H/T Pro Football Talk

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