Lamar Jackson… Ray-Ray McCloud… same thing?
That’s what the Buffalo Bills are hoping this week.
Ahead of their Week 14 meeting with the Baltimore Ravens, the Bills decided to use McCloud, a practice squad wide receiver, as their Jackson-clone this week in practice.
As Buffalo’s defense preps for facing the dynamic playmaker on Sunday, it wouldn’t have made much sense for back quarterbacks Matt Barkley and Davis Webb to simulate the dual-threat QB. McCloud’s got some wiggle, and he told reporters on Wednesday he actually has experience playing in a similar offense to the Ravens’ scene. Albeit was in high school.
“I ran their offense in high school, the read option,” McCloud said. “I know how he runs. I know how he moves. Some of his ways I run with dead legs, being quick, explosive. Just give them a good look.”
McCloud’s Clemson and Jackson’s Louisville faced off against one another while the two were in college, playing in the ACC. McCloud is familiar with him. That, combined with McCloud referenced past experience, make the Bills coaching staff’s decision one seem pretty smart. Or at least a creative way to find the best thing they can.
But the Bills know despite McCloud’s appreciated efforts to give him their best in-house look at Jackson, the real thing will be the real thing. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott admitted that earlier this week.
“I mean, there’s not a lot of guys on rosters around the NFL that can mimic what Lamar does,” McDermott said. “If you have them, they’re probably starting.”
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