LeSean McCoy's been the Bills' best offensive player since being traded to the team in 2015. That is until last season, when Shady had the worst year of his career with 514 yards and three touchdowns. His 3.2 yards per carry was the first time he's ever been under four in his career.

Some point to age. Others, including the coaching staff, hint to the offensive line issues. It may be a combination of both. McCoy's not getting younger, but the situation up-front appears to be improved, so the Bills believe so too will Shady.

Still, the questions linger about his future with the team, as the 31-year-old's on the final year of his contract. Then there's the fact the team brought in three other backs this offseason.

There's Frank Gore, the 36-year-old vet who ran for 726 yards on over four-and-a-half a carry last season. The coaching staff's really emphasized his leadership from the jump.

T.J. Yeldon signed a two-year deal in late April. He's a solid pass-catcher with a career-high 55 grabs last season with Jacksonville. His arrival came a week before Devin Singletary was selected in the third round. He's been in the mix with McCoy and Gore — ahead of Yeldon, from what I've seen in OTAs and minicamp.

The Bills kept four running backs out of camp a year ago, but one was a key special teams contributor in Taiwan Jones. None of that foursome seems in that mold, leaving the door open for guys like Marcus Murphy, Senorise Perry, and English rugby star Christian Wade.

It certainly seems like someone will be the odd-man-out, making this one of the more intriguing positions to keep an eye on as the preseason moves along.