One of the biggest offseason storylines for the Bills is what the offense will look like under first-year offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey.
Now Giants' head coach, Brian Daboll, was in that role for four seasons and helped the Bills' offense reach new heights. There's going to be a learning curve for Dorsey going from QB coach to OC, but the fact that he has familiarity with the offense and the players will help ease the transition in 2022.
"It just makes our life a lot easier," wide receiver Gabriel Davis said about Dorsey's promotion to OC. "We still have a similar offense, tweaking some things here and there, but it's nothing too crazy of a change. But he played the quarterback position. He's been back there. He's been through the fire. He's been on great teams and played with great people. He understands what people want and what us players want. And that's a lot of fun to have a guy like that back there."
There's no doubt that there will be similarities and differences between Daboll and Dorsey running the offense. They are two different people with different ways they like to call plays. It's up to Dorsey to keep what worked and tweak whatever he thinks could work better. While the players are getting used to Dorsey as the new play caller throughout OTAs, it's been helpful that they already have a relationship with him.
"It's a little different not too big of a difference," Devin Singletary said. "Coach Ken (Dorsey) still has that dog mentality. But it's been smooth, honestly, the transition is smooth. We know him already, so that makes it easier. That's the best way to put it."
As the offseason progresses, the players on offense are excited to see how Dorsey grows in this role and how he'll be after he gets his first training camp and preseason under his belt.
"I think you look at the similarities," Morse shared. "Dabs (Daboll) wore it on his sleeve, but Dorsey is a ferocious competitor. I mean, absolutely killer competitor. It's fun to see him blow his top every once in a while, but it comes from a good place.
"It's never malice. He wants us to succeed so badly. We'll have to see. It's so new right now, so young. We'll see what we look like in training camp. I mean, half these drills are jog through, and it'll be kind of fun to see where it goes."
This will be the first time in his career that Dorsey will call plays for an NFL team. McDermott has helped him out by adding Joe Brady (QB coach) and Aaron Kromer (O-Line coach) whom both have been offensive coordinators in the league and have experience calling plays. Dorsey will be able to lean on them for assistance and he can also rely upon the knowledge he's gained from Daboll throughout the past three years.
"I think my style is kind of similar to Dabs (Daboll) philosophy," Dorsey stated. "What do we have to do to win the game? That's what it comes down to, whether it's one more point, three more points, seven, 14, whatever it is, the philosophy comes down to what do we have to do to win the game.
"Whether it's run, whether it's pass, whether it's a field position game, whether it's an outscoring them game. All that matters is trying to figure out ways to score at least one more point than your opponent and that's what we're gonna do. All the other stuff is stuff that just comes up naturally throughout the course of calling the game and the flow of the game."
Following in Daboll's footsteps is going to be a challenge for Dorsey because of the success that Daboll had in Buffalo. But Dorsey isn't trying to be the next Daboll, he's just trying to be himself and the best OC he can be. Dorsey has the confidence of his players that he's gonna be able to be a successful conductor of the offense.
"He's very hands-on like most offensive coordinators are," Morse shared. "He's a great delegator of what he wants out of the people he works with. I think he's more of a peer to his coaches than just a superior, which I think is great because you have guys who have a lot of experience underneath him. And it's free-range dialogue, they're working with Kromer and all those guys.
"I think he's gonna rise to the occasion. We're all going to have growing pains, especially as players. He's done a great job of merging what we had before into what his vision is. And right now, we're trying to marry those two, and it's kind of a fun thing to do."
Dorsey spoke to the media for the first time as OC on Tuesday. He noted that he was unsure whether he would call plays from the sideline or the booth. He wants to take the offseason and preseason to figure out what works best for him. Some of the Bills' players have already made that decision for him.
"He gets fired up quick," Davis said with a smile, "So, he's going to have to be in the box. We can't have him out there on the field. If he hears this, he needs to know that he's definitely going to be in the box all year."
"Oh, yeah, that's definitely it," Morse stated about why Dorsey should be up in the booth. "Yeah, cause the Holy Spirit comes out of him every once in a while. And it's fun to see."
Scroll to see photos of the Buffalo Bills offense as the participate in OTAs on May 31, 2022.
O.J. Howard (8). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Duke Johnson (22). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dion Dawkins (73). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Jake Kumerow (15). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dion Dawkins (73). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Gabriel Davis (13). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Devin Singletary (26). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Luke Tenuta (67). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Gabriel Davis (13). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Mitch Morse (60), Jacob Capra (66), Tanner Owen (75). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott. Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
David Quessenberry (77). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Case Keenum (18). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
David Quessenberry (77). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
O.J. Howard (8). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Khalil Shakir (10) Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Bobby Hart (68). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Zack Moss (20). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
David Quessenberry (77). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Raheem Blackshear (35). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Rodger Saffold (76). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Case Keenum (18). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
O.J. Howard (8). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Khalil Shakir (10). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
O.J. Howard (8). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Matt Barkley (11). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Matt Barkley (11). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Matt Barkley (11) and Sean McDermott. Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Aaron Kromer. Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
O.J. Howard (8). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Reggie Gilliam (41). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Zack Moss (20). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jamison Crowder (80). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Khalil Shakir (10) Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Case Keenum (18). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Marquez Stevenson (5). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Gabriel Davis (13). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Gabriel Davis (13). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Dion Dawkins (73). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Devin Singletary (26). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Case Keenum (18). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Devin Singletary (26). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Gabriel Davis (13) and Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Tremaine Edmunds (49), Tyler Matakevich (44), Bobby Babich. Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Brandin Bryant (93). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Marquez Stevenson (5). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Case Keenum (18). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Luke Tenuta (67). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Case Keenum (18). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott. Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
O.J. Howard (8). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Mitch Morse (60). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Bobby Hart (68). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Reid Ferguson (69). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Tommy Sweeney (89). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jalen Wydermyer (84). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
James Cook (28). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Gabriel Davis (13). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Reggie Gilliam (41). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Taiwan Jones (25). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Offensive line. Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Marquez Stevenson (5). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
O.J. Howard (8). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Isaiah Hodgins (16). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Gabriel Davis (13). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
O.J. Howard (8). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Mitch Morse (60). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Mitch Morse (60), DaQuan Jones (92). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Case Keenum (18). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Ben Green
James Cook (28). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott. Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jamison Crowder (80). Week Two of Buffalo Bills OTA's, May 31, 2022. Photo by Bill Wippert
