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Bills Top 20 Talents: No 12 - TE Charles Clay

Bills Top 20 Talents: No 12 - TE Charles Clay
Posted at 7:39 AM, Jun 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-06 07:39:41-04

In under two months, the Buffalo Bills will get to work at St. John Fisher College for training camp and the 2016 season. And this year, with how the team ended things in 2015, is extremely important to not waste the talent that exists on the roster.

So, as offseason workouts continue at One Bills Drive, WKBW will preview the roster — and more specifically, the top talent that exists on the roster that can help the Bills to putting an end to the playoff drought. You’ll be introduced to the Bills’ ‘Top 20 Talents.’

It's a bit of a different 'most talented' list, because it also takes other factors into consideration. The countdown criteria:

- Overall skill level
- On-the-field performance
- Projection based on film study over the past several years
- Age, and improving/declining ability

With that written, on to the countdown:

No. 12 - TE Charles Clay

Age: 27 (2/13/89)

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 255

Last year’s rank: 10

Why he’s here

- The Buffalo Bills signed Charles Clay to a huge contract and addressed the tight end position with a significant piece for the first time in a long time. In his first season with the Bills, Clay showed some signs of life and what he could bring to the team (the first game against Miami, the game-winning touchdown catch against Houston), but for the most part, he faded into the background of the offense. Even still, his responsibilities aren't solely dedicated to just catching passes, although one would argue that's the reason he's getting paid as much as he is by the Bills. Clay is a willing and talented blocker, and in a run-based offense, provides a multi-faceted threat at the tight end spot. Still in the prime of his career, Clay has a lot of talent and athleticism to warrant a pretty lofty spot on this list.

2016 outlook

- Even though Clay can do all the little things at the tight end position, the Bills should look to try and unlock all the big things that went missing from Clay's game for weeks at a time. There was a big message from the organization this offseason that they want to get the ball over the middle of the field in the passing game more and more, and the biggest recipient of that will be Clay. If Taylor can better take advantage of those areas, then Clay stands to grow quite a bit statistically. He has the talent to do it, he just needs the chance.

Top 20 Talents Countdown

12) TE Charles Clay

13) LB Reggie Ragland

14) C Eric Wood

15) WR Robert Woods

16) S Aaron Williams

17) HB Karlos Williams

18) P Colton Schmidt

19) LB Preston Brown

20) S Corey Graham

Twitter: @JoeBuscaglia