Is D.Bell the LT of the future?

[billsfan89]

A lot of talk about wither or not Fitz is the QB we should move forward with but how about D.Bell is he the LT the Bills should invest their time in? I mean the guy has only given up one sack this season and only stands to improve as he 1- plays more and 2- is farther removed from the injury that cut last season short for him.

 

But like Fitz is Bell the answer? The guy isn't that good at run blocking and that only one sack stat is a little misleading as he has played poorly at times.

 

What is everyones take on D.Bell? I am very mixed on him as I would have to take a closer look but he is definitely light years away from where he was last year.

[PromoTheRobot]

I know everyone expects players to arrive NFL ready but really most have to learn how to play at this level. So far he shows the physical makeup. He still has to master the mental part.

 

He's the best LT we have right now. Who knows about 2011

 

PTR

[Green Lightning]

Coming off a major knee injury last year D. Bell has been solid. He's quick and moves well. Sonetimes he looks all pro leading a run block then other plays he looks pretty average. He's healing, learning and improving. He had a long day against Allen but who hasn't? It's way too early to say he's not the guy. I don't get the posters who blithely say move him to RT. He's not a power guy like an RT. He's a natural LT that I think will be damn good. See how long he'd last on the FA market.

[billsfan89]

I know everyone expects players to arrive NFL ready but really most have to learn how to play at this level. So far he shows the physical makeup. He still has to master the mental part.

 

He's the best LT we have right now. Who knows about 2011

 

PTR

 

Bell was a very in-expirenced player heading into last year. Bell going into the 2009 season only had one year of full college playing experience and spent his rookie year in Buffalo mostly on the practice squad. Then in 2009 he was asked to be a starting NFL LT and he played 10 games and played poorly and got seriously hurt.

 

This year he came in fully prepared as the starting LT (Remember Walker was suppose to be the starting LT until a week before the season) with some NFL experience under his belt his improvement has been noticeable. While Bell hasn't been lights out he is light years away from where he was.

[John from Riverside]

A few things.....

 

- In my opinion D. Bell has been better overall then Jason Peters.....who netted us a 1st rounder and is considered a franchise left tackle for the Eagles. Peters is a better run blocker....but Bell in my opinion is better at pass protection. This is the most important aspect of a left tackle because they protect the blind side of a QB the majority of the time and are usually taking on the opposing teams best pass rusher.....

 

- The sack stat IS misleading because if a QB gets hit from the left side and loses the ball....it should count against the LT...BUT keep in mind that this is the same way for ALL left tackles.....you name a left tackle in the league and I will show you a player that has benefited from this loophole in the statistics...and some of them have legit given up sacks.

 

- D. Bell has just not played that much football......and is improving year by year. Considering he is coming off a knee injury.

 

- People that think you can just move him to the RT spot and immediately upgrade it dont understand how offensive line play works.....

 

- If we had a legit TE the run blocking on this team would look a lot different.

 

 

D. BELL IS THE LEFT TACKLE OF THE FUTURE.....we need to extend him before another team swoops in.

 

-

[Spun]

D. Bell was doing a lot of chasing against the Vikings. He needed help and didn't get it.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Bell was a very in-expirenced player heading into last year. Bell going into the 2009 season only had one year of full college playing experience and spent his rookie year in Buffalo mostly on the practice squad. Then in 2009 he was asked to be a starting NFL LT and he played 10 games and played poorly and got seriously hurt.

 

This year he came in fully prepared as the starting LT (Remember Walker was suppose to be the starting LT until a week before the season) with some NFL experience under his belt his improvement has been noticeable. While Bell hasn't been lights out he is light years away from where he was.

To add to what billsfan89 says, consider the following facts:

 

Demetrius Bell's high school didn't have a football team.

 

He went to college at Northwestern State (Louisiana) on a basketball scholarship. Their football program is I-AA.

 

He took up football in 2006 as a defensive end.

 

He switched to offensive tackle in 2007. He made all-conference that year.

 

He was drafted in the 7th round by the Bills in 2008.

 

He has 15 career NFL starts.

 

He's coming off a serious knee injury last year.

 

This year he has been given Wednesdays off from practice to help in his recovery from that knee injury. He's not yet 100%.

 

In spite of all of this he's played remarkably well so far in his young career.

 

The next four weeks will decide how heavily the Bills invest in another left tackle prospect.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Coming off a major knee injury last year D. Bell has been solid. He's quick and moves well. Sonetimes he looks all pro leading a run block then other plays he looks pretty average. He's healing, learning and improving. He had a long day against Allen but who hasn't? It's way too early to say he's not the guy. I don't get the posters who blithely say move him to RT. He's not a power guy like an RT. He's a natural LT that I think will be damn good. See how long he'd last on the FA market.

 

Very good point that is often overlooked by the "we desperately need a LT" crowd. D. Bell is a natural left tackle. It would not be to our advantage to move him to RT. Our best option is to draft a RT prospect in round 2 or 3. We have depth in the interior of the line, especially with the solid play of Urbik. I would love to see this:

 

LT Bell

LG Levitre

C Wood

RG Urbik

RT Gabe Carimi

 

Hangartner, Wrotto, Howard, Wang, and a draft pick or two for depth. IMO...that could be a sick offensive line.

[....lybob]

Coming off a major knee injury last year D. Bell has been solid. He's quick and moves well. Sonetimes he looks all pro leading a run block then other plays he looks pretty average. He's healing, learning and improving. He had a long day against Allen but who hasn't? It's way too early to say he's not the guy. I don't get the posters who blithely say move him to RT. He's not a power guy like an RT. He's a natural LT that I think will be damn good. See how long he'd last on the FA market.

 

I agree- Bell needs a little more strength and a little better technique but he's on the right track also I agree on this nonsense about moving him to RT like RT is just where you stuff failures at LT.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

hopefully, but note hopeful.

[8-8 Forever?]

I know everyone expects players to arrive NFL ready but really most have to learn how to play at this level. So far he shows the physical makeup. He still has to master the mental part.

 

He's the best LT we have right now. Who knows about 2011

 

PTR

Chan and crowd have been very clear on D Bell. His injury prevented him from doing much strength work and he has been getting by this year on speed and quicks as he recovers from the injury. This off season he hits the weights like they wanted last year. I expect he will be a beast next year. Then his rookie contract will expire and he will leave in FA for huge $$ and a better team/city. This is the way of the Bills.

[Billy in 4C]

Right now D. Bell is an average LT, with the potential to be above average with experience/getting healthy.

 

It's going to be up to Nix/Gailey to determine if they can win with an average/above average tackle or if they need an elite player at that position. I've seen successful teams build both ways.

[BobChalmers]

yes to most of the above...

 

Bell is still young, raw, and recovering from injury.

 

FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE are freaking out about him getting schooled by Jared Allen - please - it's Jared Freaking Allen at home on a reinvigorated Vikings team with a new coach. Of course our young learning OLT had trouble - you will note they didn't help Bell out with a RB or TE. He did fine for where he is.

 

I also agree that moving him to ORT makes zero sense - his forte is his athleticism - not power. Draft some 360-pounder for ORT.

 

We need a TE that's a real 2-way threat, and 2-3 more LB's - one of whom is a stud OLB pass-rusher - and this team will be fine.

[CardinalScotts]

nope - but move him to right tackle

[PDaDdy]

I know the haters that still feel like jilted girl friends after Peters left want to make Bell a star. Some even think he is better than Peters. Wrong. Bell is just OK at best right now. He still has upside and may become decent enough and learn how to improve his run blocking as well as his pass blocking. How much of his "1 sack" stat can be attributed to an actual NFL QB running the ship for us who can get the ball out of his hands when he knows he doesn't have much time and can keep plays alive with his feet?

 

Bell may develop into an above average all around LT but personally I think the team would see the most improvement if we moved Bell to RT, which is somehow a bigger problem than LT, and got us the best rookie LT in the draft. If Bell could make the switch to RT and run block we could solve to positional problems with one draft. We could truly have a line that would have the potential to be not just decent but great. This is of course based on the high draft position of our young guards, who are not superstars yet, and Hangartner who was actually sorely missed this past Sunday.

Edited December 8, 2010 by PDaDdy

[billsfan89]

Right now D. Bell is an average LT, with the potential to be above average with experience/getting healthy.

 

It's going to be up to Nix/Gailey to determine if they can win with an average/above average tackle or if they need an elite player at that position. I've seen successful teams build both ways.

 

Thats a good way to sum things up about Bell. Although I think his ceiling is a bit higher then above average. Once he plays out the rest of the season and gets the off-season to recover/prepare for another season I think we will see what D.Bell is all about. The guy to me could be a good LT not a stud like Joe Thomas because the guy just isn't a mauler in the ground game but the guy could be close to a stud in pass protection and improve in run blocking.

 

Now is it likely he will develop beyond above average maybe not but I think the potential is there. All in all I don't think we need to draft a LT with the improvement and potential D.Bell has shown this season. We do need to draft a RT and find some depth along the O-line.

 

Our O-line next season should be

 

LT- D.Bell LG- Levitre C- Handy (with the plan being to move Wood to C and Urbik to guard evuentally) RG- Wood RT- High draft choice

 

with Urbik being a swing guard off the bench and Wang being a tackle off the bench, Wrotto being a swing guy, and another 3 capable backups being brought in through free agency or mid round picks.

[Rubes]

Very good point that is often overlooked by the "we desperately need a LT" crowd. D. Bell is a natural left tackle. It would not be to our advantage to move him to RT. Our best option is to draft a RT prospect in round 2 or 3. We have depth in the interior of the line, especially with the solid play of Urbik. I would love to see this:

 

LT Bell

LG Levitre

C Wood

RG Urbik

RT Gabe Carimi

 

Hangartner, Wrotto, Howard, Wang, and a draft pick or two for depth. IMO...that could be a sick offensive line.

 

I would actually be pretty happy with that set of offensive linemen going into next year. And to think, it would only take one extra person.

[marsadale]

Im sorry, but as soon as I see any poster mention moving D. Bell to right tackle....i stop reading their post.

 

We need a massive "meat wagon" with eyes on the right side, pure and simple. Somebody who eats glass, and just lost their hot GF to some a-hole from Boston.

[PDaDdy]

Im sorry, but as soon as I see any poster mention moving D. Bell to right tackle....i stop reading their post.

 

We need a massive "meat wagon" with eyes on the right side, pure and simple. Somebody who eats glass, and just lost their hot GF to some a-hole from Boston.

 

Didn't we have a guy like that? I think his name was Walker or something .

 

Although I like the idea of the "prototype" LT you mention I am looking at talent/potential. Not that tackles are completely interchangeable but the conversion from LT to RT is much much easier than the other way around. My thinking is that Bell, depending on who you talk to, is a serviceable to above average LT. Maybe he could be a REALLY good RT.

 

Would he work out at RT? I don't know but I like the idea of using him there. Instead of focusing on trying to be a quick, nimble technically proficient pass blocker at LT he could focus on continuing to gain size and strength and focus on run blocking. He has above average athleticism which could be very helpful getting out in front of runners and pulling as well as providing even better quality pass blocking at the less challenging RT spot.

 

If he has the tools and can shift his focus I think this would make the offensive line better as a "unit". If he isn't good enough to shift to RT then we are kind of stuck with what we have.

Edited December 8, 2010 by PDaDdy

[Bob in STL]

I know everyone expects players to arrive NFL ready but really most have to learn how to play at this level. So far he shows the physical makeup. He still has to master the mental part.

 

He's the best LT we have right now. Who knows about 2011

 

PTR

 

 

Bell is the ONLY player on the roster that is even close to what an NFL LT should be and that is a BIG PROBLEM.

 

I would draft a tackle early in the draft, hopefully one talented enough to push him or replace him. Either way, the rookie or Bell could improve us just by moving to RT, which is in even worse shape (Wrotto, Howard, Wang - yuck).

 

Our first pick should address LB or pass rushing DE (goodbye Maybin).

 

Second or third should be an OT that projects as a starter in the NFL.

 

We should also shore up these areas with free agents.

 

Im sorry, but as soon as I see any poster mention moving D. Bell to right tackle....i stop reading their post.

 

We need a massive "meat wagon" with eyes on the right side, pure and simple. Somebody who eats glass, and just lost their hot GF to some a-hole from Boston.

 

 

That is a huge myth. RT's are definitely less athletic than LT's but that does not mean that an LT cannot succeed at RT. There is nothing required in most offenses that says RT must be bigger and slower and stronger. When they happen to be too slow to move well enough to be an LT they simply default to RT. There are plenty of big, strong LTs in the league, they just happen to be able to move quickly.

 

Bell is big enough to play either position.