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| Height: 6-4 Weight: 260 Born: May 15, 1979, New Orleans, LA |
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| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Player Notes |
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July 10, 2008 Coach Dick Jauron has confirmed that the team's tight end position and depth-chart formulation are unsettled as ranks for the spot will not be determined until training camp, according to BuffaloBills.com. Robert Royal would seem the natural favorite for the starting gig, but he is coming off knee surgery and has failed to produce the consistent offensive numbers the team would like to see from the position. Our View:If anything, Jauron may be attempting to motivate Royal to step it up by asserting Derek Schouman and Derek Fine will be in the mix. Keep an eye on the situation as camp approaches and unfolds. |
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May 27, 2008 Robert Royal underwent off-season knee surgery, but is expected to be ready for training camp, according to BuffaloBills.com. Late last week, Royal did some of the most vigorous work on the field since his January surgery. He said, "I was pretty excited about what I was able to do. I haven't been doing a lot of jumping around and running. I've just been trying to strengthen my quads and my hip as strong as possible and so far I think I'm doing pretty good. I'm just focused on being here and trying to get better, rehabbing and doing the things I can do to prepare myself to get on the field." Our View:Royal registered a career-high 25 receptions over 11 games in 2007, and is hopeful that more chances will exist in the passing game for the tight ends under new offensive coordinator Turk Schonert. He will get competition from Courtney Anderson and rookie Derek Fine, but Royal should remain the Bills' starting tight end, assuming his knee is healthy. |
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May 5, 2008 Robert Royal is safe as the starting tight end this year in Buffalo, leaving rookie Derek Fine to compete with free-agent pickups Teyo Johnson and Courtney Anderson as well as second-year pro Derek Schouman for playing time, according to the Buffalo Bills News. Derek Fine’s receiving numbers at the University of Kansas weren’t jaw-dropping last season. But his 46 catches for 394 yards and four touchdowns weren’t that bad for a tight end playing in a spread offense that used multiple wide receivers and moved him all over the field. Our View:Royal might be the starter for 2008, but he hasn’t been very impressive during his six-year career. Meanwhile, Fine is a player to keep an eye on, especially in dynasty leagues, because Johnson and Anderson are career underachievers, who don’t pose much of a threat in the competition for the backup job. |