Buffalo Bills team needs
by Mocking Dan on Jun 29, 2010 10:00 AM EDT
13 comments
For a team many expect to struggle in 2010, Buffalo has some good talent at a few positions. Namely, the Bills look strong at running back, interior of the offensive line, defensive end and the defensive backfield.
After that, the team doesn't have much. Heading into the season, here's a look at the team's top needs (in no particular order):
- Quarterback: Trent Edwards is a disappointment. He's been inconsistent when he plays and has had concussions in successive seasons. The time appears to have run out on Edwards' promise. Ryan Fitzpatrick started more games than Edwards in 2009, but didn't fare much better. Bills fans seem to have hope in Brian Brohm, but that might only because they've seen him the least. Seventh-round rookie Levi Brown looks destined for the practice squad.
- Left tackle: Leading up to the 2010 NFL Draft, left tackle was a heavily projected first-round pick for Buffalo. Although Buffalo left the draft with two tackles – Ed Wang and Kyle Calloway – neither look the part of an elite left tackle. More concerning was the play of Demetrius Bell before he was hurt in 2009. Much was expected of Bell entering the year and he was average.
- Wide receiver: Once again, Buffalo will enter the year with Lee Evans as the team's only proven commodity at wide receiver. The rest of the unit has plenty of potential (and size), but little to show for it. James Hardy, Roscoe Parrish or Steve Johnson have to finally step up. Rookie Marcus Easley also shows potential, but he's no sure thing.
- Outside linebacker: As the team shifts to a 3-4, this position is full of question marks. The most immediate one is on the future of Aaron Schobel. Is he going to retire? If he doesn't, can he shift out? A 3-4 looks like the right scheme for 2009 first-round pick Aaron Maybin, but some wonder if he can do anything other than rush the passer. Expected starter Chris Kelsay doesn't look like a good fit for the move from end to linebacker. Backup rookies Antonio Coleman, Arthur Moats and Danny Batten look like pass rushers only. Chris Ellis is a non-factor. A good all-around linebacker is what Buffalo may need.
For more on the Bills, check out Buffalo Rumblings. Site managers Brian Galliford and Matt Warren are the tag team champs of blogging AND they both do steroids (allegedly). Oh, and they make reading about the Bills actually interesting.
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That QB assessment is wholly accurate.
At tackle, they’re playing Calloway at guard, so he shouldn’t even count. Bell, Jamon Meredith and Wang are the only prospects with left tackle potential. So yeah, that belongs on the list as well.
I’m not worried about receiver. You can find receivers later on during a re-building phase, and we’re only in the first year. There’s enough talent there to be patient with. That’s a very, very distant fourth if I’m prioritizing these positions.
Schobel has already stated he’s not returning to the team, so scratch him off your list. OLB is a HUGE area of concern for us, but I like the promise of Maybin and Batten. Still, we just need better pass rushers, period. Also, they’ve moved Arthur Moats to ILB (playing vet Reggie Torbor outside).
by Brian Galliford on Jun 29, 2010 10:09 AM EDT reply actions
Maybin is going to flop unfortunately. It’s really not going to be pretty by forcing him into a transition that many players fail at.
by The Licensed Pessimist on Jun 30, 2010 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Again, I re-iterate my request for the next set of lottery numbers.
by Brian Galliford on Jun 30, 2010 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
The Bills do appear to be going in the wrong direction but
that’s what I thought when Buddy Nix took over the Chargers. I was convinced the guy was smoking crack, until it became obvious quickly that he was making our franchise relevant again. Oh and PS I am still not convinced that Trent Edwards is a bad QB, I wanted the Chargers to trade a low pick for him instead of drafting a QB
IMO
Buddy Nix never ran the Chargers, though. That was A.J. Smith.
by Brian Galliford on Jun 29, 2010 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Well
He refuses to give long term contracts to his better players, and will allow them to holdout as long as possible, so yeah, maybe the guy is smoking crack lol
But I don’t think they are going in the wrong direction. The only move I disagree with is drafting CJ Spiller, They dont need him. I feel RB is the one position they are good at. But other than that I like what Gailey and Nix are doing, they are rebuilding but not breaking bank. They are building through the draft for the future. They might not be the ticket sellers people thought the Bills should’ve hired, but if given 3-5 years we will see a different Bills team.
The Bills needed a home run threat
And that is exactly what Spiller is.
by Brennan McCoy on Jun 29, 2010 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Disagree
They need everything but that. They need to improve the fundamental aspects of a team: QB, CB, OL, DL, pass rusher. They have a couple of those pieces, but surely not enough. They should’ve addressed those positions way before what you call a “home run threat” or what I call an “outside the tackles scat back”
Dont get me wrong, he could become great. But I have trouble seeing that with no QB to keep Safeties honest and no OL to block for him.
I dont get your post
like the one below me says “doesn’t everyone "need" a homerun” threat?".
Yes, and the only player on the offensive side of the ball with speed is Lee Evans. He has already demonstrated that he is not going to blow defenses off the line, since some safety help and an occasional double team will pretty much shut him down.
One of the problems with the “RB[position, which] is the one position they are good at”, accodring to you, is that neither Lynch nor Jackson can outrun any NFL starting secondary players; so, despite occasionally breaking out past the front 7, they dont break big TD runs, almost as a rule. Spiller clearly corrects that, and if you think that he cant run between the tackles you’ve clearly never seen him play.
On your “fundamental aspects”: CB in Buffalo is one of the strongest groups in the NFLall the way through to the 5th and 6th player on the depth cahrt, enough said
DL: The 2nd and 3rd picks in the draft were spent on DL, and the biggest signing of the offseason so far was a DE from Baltimore. The incumbent NT is a tweener who was a probowl alternate last year, and marcus stroud is starting as the other DE.
QB: You say there is “No QB”, but Edwards has been successful in this league before and I believe that he can again, and his Capt. Checkdown moniker is just another reason to draft perhaps the best screen player in the draft since reggie bush
OL: The interior of the OL, as Dan so kindly mentioned, is one of the areas most Bills fans are most optimistic about, with two young studs manning the Guard positions. Green is a pretty decent blocker, so while his penalties may hamstring actual wins, he should help the awful RT play the bills have had since Butler got injured in the very begining of last season. Meredith played well as an LT in his only start and might win the position from Bell, who, on the other hand, was thrust into the starting role, as a second year player who was a raw project coming from college, when the starter was released just before the season. He played OK given the circumstances when he started other than penalties, so hopefully he’ll improve. Not to mention the fact that after watching his film, the FO decided they didnt need to address the position early.
And if theres no OL to block for him how did Jackson get 1000+ yds and 4.5 ypc last year?? might not a faster more elusive back be more successful in such a circumstance? particularly in spot duty, spelling the aforementioned back?
sorry for the wall of txt, but if I insulted the Broncos’ offseason moves I;d expect nothing less
MAYBE this will break the mold , we need to come to play sunday and this year we will not SURRENDER TO KNOW ONE THIS IS BUFFALOOO Godzilla nation
-abayarde
by uPitt_BillsFan on Jun 30, 2010 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
I think what he means is
QB, left tackle, pass rusher, and corner are the premier positions in the league. Go and look at the salaries if you dont believe me.
IMO
doesn’t everyone “need” a homerun" threat?
And what is the definition of a homerun threat anyway? Do you think Spiller will be popping off 80 yard runs every game in the NFL?
by The Licensed Pessimist on Jun 30, 2010 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions
see above
MAYBE this will break the mold , we need to come to play sunday and this year we will not SURRENDER TO KNOW ONE THIS IS BUFFALOOO Godzilla nation
-abayarde
by uPitt_BillsFan on Jun 30, 2010 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
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