Who is our other OT?

[Virgil]

It seems that most people have agreed that OT is a major focus with either of our top 2 picks and I agree. However, as I think about it, even if we get the best OT in the draft, who is our other OT? Who really solidified that position last year.

 

I have Levitre, Wood, and Hangartner as the inside 3, but then who? Is it Butler or Meredith? I didn't think any of them won that job. Am I just forgetting something here?

 

If not, unless there is a free agent out there, I don't know why we wouldn't go OT with our first two picks. Especially if we can get that NT Hampton from Pitt in FA, maybe sign Pierce from the Giants. That would address our other 2 big position needs, and then use the last 5 picks to find our QB and get some depth, possibly a SS.

[Ghost of Rob Johnson]

It seems that most people have agreed that OT is a major focus with either of our top 2 picks and I agree. However, as I think about it, even if we get the best OT in the draft, who is our other OT? Who really solidified that position last year.

 

I have Levitre, Wood, and Hangartner as the inside 3, but then who? Is it Butler or Meredith? I didn't think any of them won that job. Am I just forgetting something here?

 

If not, unless there is a free agent out there, I don't know why we wouldn't go OT with our first two picks. Especially if we can get that NT Hampton from Pitt in FA, maybe sign Pierce from the Giants. That would address our other 2 big position needs, and then use the last 5 picks to find our QB and get some depth, possibly a SS.

I don't recall Butler playing poorly before his injury, but how he will recover from said injury and staying healthy in general has been a concern regardging him in the past. I think if a player is selected in the first round to be the starter at LT, it is a three way dance between Butler, Meredith, and Bell in camp next year. Another option is perhaps they sign one of the veteran free agents that are available to compete as well or incase an OT is not selected in round 1.

[justnzane]

Brad Butler was playing well and always has played well. The knock on him is that he has gotten hurt quite often. If the new strength and conditioning coaches can keep him healthy, the right side will be fine.

[DanInUticaTampa]

I think none of us are going to know what the offensive line will look like until after the draft. Because right now, it is still a mess.

 

The way I would assume, it would be LT is a Draftee/FA, Wood and Levitre are guards, hanggartner is center, and RT is butler. Then incognito (if re-signed) would play back up along with meridith.

 

But the way people here have talked Levitre played pretty well at LT (i didn't see the last two games, so I am not too sure). So if that happens, we have Levitre at LT, Wood at guard and hangartner at center. As for the other guard position, I would put butler back in there (he played pretty well as a guard) and the RT could be a draftee. And that would be nice, because RT seems to be easier to fill than an LT position.

 

That all depends on where they place levitre, if wood is healthy, and whatever else happens with who the draft/sign. One thing I am pretty sure about is hangartner is staying at center. I know a lot of people think Wood is going to start center. But I think hangartner was signed specifically for the center position, has done well, he has more experience, and he worked pretty hard for the team overall (played through injuries and didn't miss a game). To me, he is an asset to this team even though he isn't a great player. He is good enough and is reliable. I wouldn't move him.

[justnzane]

Dan the other possibility could be that incognition starts at RG with Wood at C. If Wood is not healthy come start of the season Our RG will be Incognito (possibly in name and literally)

[DanInUticaTampa]

Brad Butler was playing well and always has played well. The knock on him is that he has gotten hurt quite often. If the new strength and conditioning coaches can keep him healthy, the right side will be fine.

 

Yeah, Butler will be in the starting lineup somewhere. He is a pretty good player. I am hoping the strength and condioning crew can fix a lot of these injury problems. That and practicing in pads will help keep them healthy.

 

Dan the other possibility could be that incognition starts at RG with Wood at C. If Wood is not healthy come start of the season Our RG will be Incognito (possibly in name and literally)

 

Yeah, there are a lot of options. Since incognito hasn't been re-signed yet, I don't know what happens to him. If they indeed resign him, that will raise more questions. I think if they don't re-sign him the first week of FA, some other team will and they know that. But that wood injury is going to have some influence in how they decide this stuff.

[Ghost of Rob Johnson]

Dan the other possibility could be that incognition starts at RG with Wood at C. If Wood is not healthy come start of the season Our RG will be Incognito (possibly in name and literally)

 

If Levitre is moved to LT and Incognito resigned, it could look like this: Levitre-Wood-Hangartner-Incognito-Butler

[DanInUticaTampa]

If Levitre is moved to LT and Incognito resigned, it could look like this: Levitre-Wood-Hangartner-Incognito-Butler

 

That isn't bad. I am not a huge incognito fan, just because of the penalty issue. But a lot of our oline had penalty problems. But I don't think his are fixable. Still, incognito is still nice to have with the lack of talent and amound of injuries our oline had.

[Doc]

Yep, Levitre, Hangman, Incognito and Wood (when he returns) will play inside. On the outside will be Butler, Meredith, Bell, and a rookie to fight it out for the OT spots.

[OldTimer1960]

I like Levitre at G. I would not like to see them move him to LT as he is, at best, a compromise at that spot. Putting

Levitre at LT would take Levitre out of his best position and put him where he will be a marginal player due to lack of

height and elite athleticism.

[John from Riverside]

I think we have a plethera of RT candidates on this team......Butler, Bell, Meradith

 

The problem is none of them are the quality we need to play the LEFT T position......and honestly I think we should take more hten one LT in this draft......or draft a LT high and bring in a quality free agent

[Mr. ChumChums]

Does anyone think this line combination will work?

 

LT:Levitre / Draft

LG:Incognito

C:Wood

RG:Butler

RT:Draft / Levitre

 

I didn't really pay attention when Levitre kicked out to LT for a while. How did he do, and does he have any potential to do that in the future?

[BillsVet]

At RT, Butler is the best of a bad bunch. He's 4 for 4 in getting injured in his career, the latest was an ACL tear which will probably hinder his mobility. He may have played well before this latest (and major) injury, but banking on him again is a big risk.

 

Guards are generally not as mobile as tackles, and it's for this reason Butler and Levitre were originally moved inside when they graduated to the pros. It's why finding guards is much easier than tackles and why solid guards can be found late or undrafted.

[jeffhcb1]

Does anyone think this line combination will work?

 

LT:Levitre / Draft

LG:Incognito

C:Wood

RG:Butler

RT:Draft / Levitre

 

I didn't really pay attention when Levitre kicked out to LT for a while. How did he do, and does he have any potential to do that in the future?

 

C'mon guys. We need a REAL LT. This patchwork BS, stick the best guy we've got in there, doesnt work. That is clear. I think with a Rd 1 or Rd 2 pick there is no choice but to select a LT. They blew it with Oher last year. If they had made that pick we wouldnt be worrying about this crap. Or if they took Orakpo think how much better off we'd be. You need to address the glaring needs. And that is OL and DL, has been for 10 years. I'd love a QB and LB too, but this game is won and lost up front. Unless they get a shot a Claussen or Bradford, they go LINE, LINE, LINE with the first 3 picks.

[Bob in STL]

Assuming we sign Incognito I think we have four solid players (counting Wood, Levitre and Hangartner) on the inside to battle for 3 starting positions.

 

I do not think moving Levitre to tackle is a good move. I think we need to draft a player that can man the Left OT spot for years to come. I suspect that will take a first or second rounder. To be safe we need to bring in a veteran

OT from free agency if possible. We can't rely on a rookie and Bell/ Meredith/ Scott for LT like last year. After that we can have Butler battle with Bell, Meredith and Scott for RT. Butler can be valuable, even as a backup, in that he can also swing to OG. I suspect we will draft more players for OL depth in the mid to late rounds.

 

We need as much competition as possible. Thanks to the improvements in the interrior that were made last year, this line is getting close to a top-flight unit. It is critical we get someone good to play LT.

[VADC Bills]

Does anyone think this line combination will work?

 

LT:Levitre / Draft

LG:Incognito

C:Wood

RG:Butler

RT:Draft / Levitre

 

I didn't really pay attention when Levitre kicked out to LT for a while. How did he do, and does he have any potential to do that in the future?

No.

I noticed you have Hangartner as the odd man out. I agree with this. The off season needs to bring us 2 OT's and a G.

Not sure if Incognito is the right person for a guard spot he may be. Butler has not proven to be a solid T.

Levitre will get blown away at the OT position. He was only average at the G position but since he was a rookie I expect to see more upside.

Everyone is worth keeping since we need depth.

[Rob's House]

I think none of us are going to know what the offensive line will look like until after the draft. Because right now, it is still a mess.

 

The way I would assume, it would be LT is a Draftee/FA, Wood and Levitre are guards, hanggartner is center, and RT is butler. Then incognito (if re-signed) would play back up along with meridith.

 

But the way people here have talked Levitre played pretty well at LT (i didn't see the last two games, so I am not too sure). So if that happens, we have Levitre at LT, Wood at guard and hangartner at center. As for the other guard position, I would put butler back in there (he played pretty well as a guard) and the RT could be a draftee. And that would be nice, because RT seems to be easier to fill than an LT position.

 

That all depends on where they place levitre, if wood is healthy, and whatever else happens with who the draft/sign. One thing I am pretty sure about is hangartner is staying at center. I know a lot of people think Wood is going to start center. But I think hangartner was signed specifically for the center position, has done well, he has more experience, and he worked pretty hard for the team overall (played through injuries and didn't miss a game). To me, he is an asset to this team even though he isn't a great player. He is good enough and is reliable. I wouldn't move him.

 

Hangartner is to the defense what Poz is to the offense. A smart player who brings a lot to the direction of the players around him, but whose physical strength makes him a liability as he gets pushed around too much by stronger players.

[Rob's House]

C'mon guys. We need a REAL LT. This patchwork BS, stick the best guy we've got in there, doesnt work. That is clear. I think with a Rd 1 or Rd 2 pick there is no choice but to select a LT. They blew it with Oher last year. If they had made that pick we wouldnt be worrying about this crap. Or if they took Orakpo think how much better off we'd be. You need to address the glaring needs. And that is OL and DL, has been for 10 years. I'd love a QB and LB too, but this game is won and lost up front. Unless they get a shot a Claussen or Bradford, they go LINE, LINE, LINE with the first 3 picks.

 

+1

 

I hope the front office is on the same page.

[GrudginglyPessimistic]

C'mon guys. We need a REAL LT. This patchwork BS, stick the best guy we've got in there, doesnt work. That is clear. I think with a Rd 1 or Rd 2 pick there is no choice but to select a LT. They blew it with Oher last year. If they had made that pick we wouldnt be worrying about this crap. Or if they took Orakpo think how much better off we'd be. You need to address the glaring needs. And that is OL and DL, has been for 10 years. I'd love a QB and LB too, but this game is won and lost up front. Unless they get a shot a Claussen or Bradford, they go LINE, LINE, LINE with the first 3 picks.

It is exactly the reasoning you lay out here which is why I hope to gosh that they do not go chasing rainbows by drafting Bradford, Clausen) or gosh forbid Tebow in a likely vain attempt to find the next Jim Kelly. Sure one of these talented youngsters MIGHT turn out to be the next Peyton Manning. However, he easily and more likely (particularly at #9) turnout to be the next Ryan Leaf.

 

Even if he is Peyton, this best QB ever hurtled Indy from 3-13 up to a 3-13 record where the next year they added Edgerrin to still be not good enough. It is a QB league for sure, but as demonstrated yet again by Drew Brees, the answer to finding the QB that a team definitely needs can be found as reasonably (and actually perhaps more reasonably looking again at the real world examples of folks like Favre, Warner, et al) through FA or trade as through drafting a #1 QB.

 

The irony here is that folks argue interminably (but often interestingly) about particular individuals when in reality it is not about picking any specific individual but in the end the TEAM is the thing. The Bills need to focus on building a solid TEAM as best they can and then hope for dumb luck to occur and like the Saints this year, or the Gints with Eli saw dumb luck allow us to beat much better teams at key points (the seemingly flawless Pats in the NYG case and the only flawed when they choose to be Indy team).

 

As always the key is the "simple" task of not simply building a team but to instead build a TEAM!

[ChanOverChin]

This is pretty easy really. If the Bills have any sense at all they will make it a priority to acquire a stud LT since their offense will not function well without one. Most likely, that player will come from the draft in R1.

 

Levitre is not a LT (but he does play one on TV and can play the position at the pro level in a pinch).

 

I see our O-line shaping up as follows for 2010:

 

LT R1 pick (too important)

LG Wood

OC Hangartner

RG Incognito (will be resigned because he's very good and reasonably priced)

RT Butler/Bell/J. Scott/Meredith/vet FA

 

Levitre will be the primary backup at the OG positions. Wood will be the backup OC. Bell will be the backup at the OT positions. J. Scott may also be a backup OT.

 

Unfortunately, the Bills can't afford to draft an OT is both R1 and R2 because they have too many other needs. I think they are set as mentioned above from LT to RG, but the RT spot will be undecided for awhile and will be up for grabs for most of training camp.

 

To answer the question the was orginally raised, the starting RT will likely be either Butler, Bell or a vet FA.