1st &Ten with ANDRE ROBERTS

Andre Roberts has finally been getting some more opportunities to showcase his skills on special teams in recent weeks, and it’s been a welcome development for the Bills for sure.

The 2018 Pro Bowler is considered one of the best returners in the game but there’s only so many chances to be found these days with the NFL limiting returns with a focus on preventing and lessening concussions. The return can still be one of the most thrilling and exhilarating plays in all of football, but those types of plays now come with less regularity. Bills Digest recently caught up with Roberts to talk about his first year in Buffalo and his role as the team’s top returner.

1 The return game has been more of a factor for the Bills in recent weeks. Have you been pleased with the way that’s been going?

A: Yeah, it’s been good. This is the time of year when it’s a little bit colder and kickers can’t really kick it out of the end zone as easily and there’s more chances for returns. So this is the time to get it going.

2 Have you been thinking that you might need to wait until this point of the year to get those additional opportunities?

A: Most definitely. Earlier in the season, the weather’s nice and it’s a little bit easier to punt and kick the ball. But you come to Buffalo or you go to Pittsburgh or any of these places up north and you understand that it becomes a little bit harder.

3 Has it been tough as a returner see what’s been going on league-wide with the many rule changes that affect returns on special teams? You know better than anyone else just the impact those rules have made when it comes to the return game.

A: Of course. As a returner, you want the most opportunities you can get. But the rules are the rules, you can’t really do anything about it. You don’t really think about it too much. It is what it is. Obviously you would want more opportunities.