TPS Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 With all of the talk about Von Miller, is the #1 need really a pass-rushing OLB specialist? Or, the real question, do we already have one on the roster in the name of Arthur Moats? - He had a statistically decent year (33TT and 2.5 Sacks) for someone who: came from a small school; became a starter mid-season; had an injury; and started the pre-season at a different position. - If you focus on his last 6 games and "annualize" those stats, it works out to 5-6 sacks and 50-60 tackles for the year. That would be a very strong showing for any first year player who started 16 games. - Moats is about the same size as James Harrison, a MAC product. I've certainly been on King Arthur's bandwagon, and I think he has shown he can be a legitimate starting ROLB...maybe even an excellent ROLB. While I like Miller, I think the more pressing needs for the D are the line and ILBs, and hope those get addressed early in the draft.
Astrobot Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 I think Moats is the answer. Nix has said he's happy with his OLB's; it's the ILB's he thinks need improving.
bananathumb Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 With all of the talk about Von Miller, is the #1 need really a pass-rushing OLB specialist? Or, the real question, do we already have one on the roster in the name of Arthur Moats? - He had a statistically decent year (33TT and 2.5 Sacks) for someone who: came from a small school; became a starter mid-season; had an injury; and started the pre-season at a different position. - If you focus on his last 6 games and "annualize" those stats, it works out to 5-6 sacks and 50-60 tackles for the year. That would be a very strong showing for any first year player who started 16 games. - Moats is about the same size as James Harrison, a MAC product. I've certainly been on King Arthur's bandwagon, and I think he has shown he can be a legitimate starting ROLB...maybe even an excellent ROLB. While I like Miller, I think the more pressing needs for the D are the line and ILBs, and hope those get addressed early in the draft. Gotta agree with the ILB need as being #1. But who in this draft is any good? That's the big question.
NoSaint Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 truly, i dont think this is a situation that you look at a guy like moats and say pass on anyone this year. hes unproven, and quite frankly we need a solid 6-7 very good lbs on the roster next year. right now we have moats merriman hopefully poz? i dont think you skip on an elite talent because of anyone on this roster this year. even the fact that you dont know if moats will want to re-up when his deal is done. or if he could get injured. i want the dilemma of getting too many talented players on the field. i want talent on the bench for when people get dinged.
shoretalk Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 With all of the talk about Von Miller, is the #1 need really a pass-rushing OLB specialist? Or, the real question, do we already have one on the roster in the name of Arthur Moats? - He had a statistically decent year (33TT and 2.5 Sacks) for someone who: came from a small school; became a starter mid-season; had an injury; and started the pre-season at a different position. - If you focus on his last 6 games and "annualize" those stats, it works out to 5-6 sacks and 50-60 tackles for the year. That would be a very strong showing for any first year player who started 16 games. - Moats is about the same size as James Harrison, a MAC product. I've certainly been on King Arthur's bandwagon, and I think he has shown he can be a legitimate starting ROLB...maybe even an excellent ROLB. While I like Miller, I think the more pressing needs for the D are the line and ILBs, and hope those get addressed early in the draft. Moats seems to have the tools ... we just need to start over in the middle. Poz gets pushed downfield before finally making tackles and he can't cover worth a darn. I am not a big Von Miller fan because he seems to play for the big play not every down ... he takes a lot of time off, which to me is not what we would want from a #3 pick.
Mark Long Beach Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 We thought we had a decent SILB in last years free-agent signing Andre Davis. Unfortunately he got hurt very early on. He tried to play though it but was unsuccessful and IIRC was IRed not too long into the season. We didn't have an adequate replacement, and it showed. At OLB we have Merriman (HUGE question mark) who could be dominating or could be an early IR candidate(Sigh). Kelsey who's not a good fit for the role (decent as a 4-3 DE which we'll sometimes run) And Moats who has some promise, but no guarantees that he takes a step forward. We have nobody of any quality behind those three, just some warm bodies. Granted I think a couple are good enough to keep as backups, but we were dead-last vs the run with them starting so I'm not that impressed. Maybe Batten has promise but we've not seen enough of him to know. At the Other ILB position we have nobody unless we resign Poz. Even with Poz he hasn't made it through a season uninjured. Pretty much every single LB position we have is a big question mark. Moats MIGHT be our smallest question mark, but there are absolutely no guarantees that he can take a step forward. We've had plenty of examples of guys with early promise who never got better such as Ko "I'm worth Millions" Simpson. Or even guys who show promise but take a long time to get good (and still may not)like our young LT Demitrius Bell. Bottom line is we've got lots of risk with little depth.
Buffalo Barbarian Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Maybe, Kid has got some nasty in em, still want Quinn and Brooks though.
H2o Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Miller>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Kelsay There, fixed it.
TPS Posted February 10, 2011 Author Posted February 10, 2011 truly, i dont think this is a situation that you look at a guy like moats and say pass on anyone this year. hes unproven, and quite frankly we need a solid 6-7 very good lbs on the roster next year. right now we have moats merriman hopefully poz? i dont think you skip on an elite talent because of anyone on this roster this year. even the fact that you dont know if moats will want to re-up when his deal is done. or if he could get injured. i want the dilemma of getting too many talented players on the field. i want talent on the bench for when people get dinged. Good points. Of any year, I hope this is the one where they can work a deal to trade back a few slots--they could really use 4 picks in the top 70.
bills_fan_in_raleigh Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 I think we need DE and ILB help more than OLB.
sllib olaffub Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Danny Batten might be pretty good on the inside - tough attitude like Poz, lunchpail type, but quicker. Still, we'll need to upgrade there, and hopefully we'll add a F.A. and a higher draft pick, not to mention undrafted F.A.'s. I'd be excited to see Quinn with our first, Taylor with our second (if we can't get Saliai), and an ILB with our third - or, an ILB with our 2nd, and a NT with our 3rd. That would really give our front seven potential - and then bring in a good F.A., too.
QCity Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Right now Moats is at best a long-yardage pass rushing specialist. And that's being kind. He's a huge liability in the run game and has shown zero success in setting an edge or playing in open space. Did you see the last Jets game? He looked like a traffic cop dancing a tango out there. The guy got 2 timely sacks, but don't mistake him for an every down linebacker, right now he's far, far from it.
jumbalaya Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 doesn't matter, we are going newton in the first.
dgrid Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 I think we need DE and ILB help more than OLB. so does Nix, in his Sr Bowl vid interview w/ Chris Brown
NoSaint Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 so does Nix, in his Sr Bowl vid interview w/ Chris Brown although i will say i think that includes nix being very confident in merriman. do you go into next year with Moats, Merriman, and Kelsey as your top 3? A small school late round prospect that has shown flashes of good, but as other have said, many concerns Merriman off of several injuries, juice, etc.... will he play a single snap? will he be good if he does? gut says yes, but it might hope over reason at this point and i wont even talk about kelsay... it could be a smokescreen by nix, it could be confidence in merriman, but if you ask me, i wont be upset if they go Quinn at 3. Heaven forbid we have a rotation, depth, and too many playmakers at our playmaker position. that said, i think we need help at DT, DE, and ILB too. Drafting a big DT could kick KW out to DE, and help the LB crew too. I think we need to pump resources into DT and OLB until they are elite, at which point I think we see a lot of improvement from the guys around them. In the 3-4 it seems like you can get away with regular guys at end and inside backer, if you have talent in front of those average linebackers, and behind those average ends. If DE or ILB lines up as a best player available, ala Dareus possibly, i think you go for it, but when targeting talent on our roster I stockpile other places.
dgrid Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 although i will say i think that includes nix being very confident in merriman. do you go into next year with Moats, Merriman, and Kelsey as your top 3? A small school late round prospect that has shown flashes of good, but as other have said, many concerns Merriman off of several injuries, juice, etc.... will he play a single snap? will he be good if he does? gut says yes, but it might hope over reason at this point and i wont even talk about kelsay... Agree w/ all that, altho I think Moats will be good. Add Batten to that mix as well along w/ his questions, if he doesnt switch to ILB.
Mr_Blizzard Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 With all of the talk about Von Miller, is the #1 need really a pass-rushing OLB specialist? Or, the real question, do we already have one on the roster in the name of Arthur Moats? - He had a statistically decent year (33TT and 2.5 Sacks) for someone who: came from a small school; became a starter mid-season; had an injury; and started the pre-season at a different position. - If you focus on his last 6 games and "annualize" those stats, it works out to 5-6 sacks and 50-60 tackles for the year. That would be a very strong showing for any first year player who started 16 games. - Moats is about the same size as James Harrison, a MAC product. I've certainly been on King Arthur's bandwagon, and I think he has shown he can be a legitimate starting ROLB...maybe even an excellent ROLB. While I like Miller, I think the more pressing needs for the D are the line and ILBs, and hope those get addressed early in the draft. I think Moats has a future with the Bills at ROLB.
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