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Posted
John Oehser has an interesting perspective on Sanders. Oehser just finished a long stretch covering the Colts and is now working for the Jaguars’ website. Here's a good summary from him:

 

“First off, forget fit or scheme. When healthy, he ‘fits’ any scheme because he truly is a special talent. It's hard to say he would have been the best safety of the last decade had he been healthy, because Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed are also special players who change games and seasons -- a rarity on defense outside the end position. But from 2005-07, Sanders made more game-changing, momentum-altering plays than any non-pass rusher I've covered. Dwight Freeney and Tony Brackens are the only other defensive players I've covered who compared in terms of consistently altering games, and each played end. When healthy early in his career, Sanders truly altered games and improved defenses. Because he has played so little, it's easy to forget how good he was, but for a brief period, he was a combination of speed and power few at his position have matched. On one level, he's absolutely worth pursuing, because if signed for a reasonable, low-risk price, you're talking about bringing in a player who can improve your team drastically, immediately. Still, he has played nine games in the past three seasons and you've got to believe if the Colts believed that trend would change, they would have re-signed him."

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/37608/on-the-jaguars-courting-bob-sanders

Posted

Sanders is the EXACT OPPOSITE of Whitner. Sanders makes game-changing plays whenever he is on the field; unfortunately, that isn't very often. Whitner is extremely durable but has made a grand total of ZERO game-changing plays over his career.

 

Since 2006, what Bills players have made any game-changing plays?

Posted

shun me for this opinion but I have a feeling that wont happen but Bob is from Erie... he has been living there for the past 2 years (not positive on that) ... always been a home guy ... buffalo is 90 minutes at most to OP... IMHO he is going to get signed with all incentives... no risk high reward any way you look at it... No one is looking to give sanders a pay day it's not going to happen ... buddy and co show him some love and I see it as a perfect fit

Posted

The best part about all of this is that the majority of the posters are against signing a once great, injury prone, fairly young player cut from a much better team (Sanders), yet are all for signing a once great, injury prone fairly young player cut from another much better team (Merriman).

 

Go figure.

 

Strictly because we dont have any proven quality players at that position. If we had the equivalent of Wilson and Whitner as FA LBs, Id say "Sign our young LBs instead".

 

A 75% Merriman is better than what we have now.

 

A broken down Sanders is not.

Posted (edited)

Ryan Lilja and Raheem Brock disagree with you.

 

Also, just because with his injury history he wasn't a fit for cover 2 with the strong safety expected to help more in run support - you know- cause the front 7 are undersized, maybe he stays a little cleaner somewhere else. Not that our run defense is to write home about but if we bring in a few big bodies to protect the guys behind them maybe we stay healthier.

Edited by NoSaint
Posted

Strictly because we dont have any proven quality players at that position. If we had the equivalent of Wilson and Whitner as FA LBs, Id say "Sign our young LBs instead".

 

A 75% Merriman is better than what we have now.

 

A broken down Sanders is not.

When has Merriman last been "75%"? Is he off IR?

Posted

All that sounds good, but how much do you want to rely on players who have not been able to play the last 3 years. If we have 2 key guys that we are counting on and neither pan out it could be another long year on defense. I would agree if we can get sanders cheap it might be worth looking into, but I bet there is enough interest in him that he will not be signed cheap. I would love to see us sign 1 or 2 proven guys on defense that can step in and start. Then taking chances on unreliable players and new guys form the draft isnt so bad. With the way our D played last year and looking like its possible several starters will not be returning we need proven players not question marks.

 

 

Agreed. I think we still need to pool talent but if we let whitner walk a rotation with sanders Byrd, Wilson and Scott isnt the end of the world as long as sanders isn't hurt currently. If we can get some productive snaps, keep him in a rotation, he should help. Say he gets a 60/40 split with Scott and wilson taking some snaps to keep him fresh. Coupled with some bigger bodies up front then the colts have (we hope) and I don't think it's crazy.

 

When has Merriman last been "75%"? Is he off IR?

We have no idea where he is. For all we know he would have been ready this year but everyone decided to get him to 100% instead of putting him out there in throwaway games with the injury only mostly healed.... Definitely reasons to be skeptical but imagine if we hit on one of these guys- so what if we miss on one. Are we so good that our 50-53rd roster spots will be filled with someone we couldn't find on the streets mid season if they are ir'ed?

Posted (edited)

When has Merriman last been "75%"? Is he off IR?

 

Last time Merriman was 75% was last season, 2009, where he played 14 games and had 4 sacks.

 

Look at the number of Games Played for Sanders:

http://www.nfl.com/players/bobsanders/careerstats?id=SAN287153

 

2010 - 1

2009 - 2

2008 - 6

2007 - 15

2006 - 4

2005 - 14

2004 - 6

 

 

 

There are differences here in their Injuries/Time on IR/Production, and Positional Need.

 

Although, if we dont sign either Whitner or Wilson, than I guess Safety is a need but I dont agree with creating holes where they dont need to be at this point. Sign Whitner and Wilson and we dont HAVE to draft Safeties for a handful of more years. Let them walk and sign Sanders and we're picking DBs in 2012. Sign your young players and shore up the Front 7, THEN see where we can improve the team.

 

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

Edit: Digging a little deeper on the Sanders VS Whitner argument.

 

Sanders Career Stats Page:

http://www.nfl.com/players/bobsanders/profile?id=SAN287153

 

Whitner Career Stats Page:

http://www.nfl.com/players/dontewhitner/profile?id=WHI720119

 

 

Ok, looking at those stats, how can anyone think Sanders is better?

 

Sanders had as many INTs over his first 5 seasons as Whitner. Sanders has half as many tackles. And he's only played in 46 games his ENTIRE 7 year career (to Whitner's 69 in 5 years).

 

People gripe that Whitner is too small to play back there, yet Sanders is 2 inches shorter and 2 pounds lighter.

 

 

Look, maybe if Sanders could stay healthy and had as many games as Whitner, he would have much better stats and it would be obvious that Sanders is the better player. But what good is a player who cant get on the field? What good is letting your young, home drafted talent walk just to create a hole that you fill with a broken down player?

 

I've trusted Buddy and Co. so far, but if this is how they end up handling the safety situation, I'll be a little concerned.

Edited by DrDankenstein
Posted

Maybe this is our new plan. Instead of losing so many players to IR during the season and having to fill in the holes at the last second... we'll just sign players who are already injured so we know what to expect going into the season. The team will be great in Madden though! (with injuries turned off, of course)

 

:thumbsup:

Hopefully the new CBA will allow us to keep 106 players. That way we can sign Sanders, Merriman, Schockey and a few others. We won't be half bad!

Posted

Sanders is the EXACT OPPOSITE of Whitner. Sanders makes game-changing plays whenever he is on the field; unfortunately, that isn't very often. Whitner is extremely durable but has made a grand total of ZERO game-changing plays over his career.

Sanders is not the much different then Whitner. Neither are intuitive players like Wilson can be. What Sanders is good at is what Whitner is good at, too. Sanders, in his prime was better then Whitner and no one can say, with certainty, that he still is. Both Whitner and Sanders use athleticism to make plays on the field. That is it. Where Byrd found the location to be on the field naturally, and Wilson has the strenght, too; both Sanders and Whitner do not put themselves in location. They get themselves in location. A SS having as many INT's as Sanders did earlier is insane and is nothing more then a result of the Tampa2. When you have a capable LB who can drop in to coverage to let the SS play straight on the pass then you get Sanders. A very good SS, but a product of the system he played.

 

Since 2006, what Bills players have made any game-changing plays?

Speaking the truth.

 

Whitner is just a whipping boy in Buffalo.

Posted

If you mean in the Bills' favor, the answer would be none... but they've made plenty of 'em for the other guys!

LMAO!!!!!

 

Sanders is not the much different then Whitner. Neither are intuitive players like Wilson can be. What Sanders is good at is what Whitner is good at, too. Sanders, in his prime was better then Whitner and no one can say, with certainty, that he still is. Both Whitner and Sanders use athleticism to make plays on the field. That is it. Where Byrd found the location to be on the field naturally, and Wilson has the strenght, too; both Sanders and Whitner do not put themselves in location. They get themselves in location. A SS having as many INT's as Sanders did earlier is insane and is nothing more then a result of the Tampa2. When you have a capable LB who can drop in to coverage to let the SS play straight on the pass then you get Sanders. A very good SS, but a product of the system he played.

 

 

Speaking the truth.

 

Whitner is just a whipping boy in Buffalo.

You are 100% incorrect! No comparison! BS made plays and DW hasn't. Bottom line

Posted

You are 100% incorrect! No comparison! BS made plays and DW hasn't. Bottom line

How did Sanders make plays? What type of player is he? Can you explain the Tampa2 defense to me? Can you do this in detail? Also, explain the SS in the roles of both the 3-4 and 4-3. You are 100% lacking on football knowledge evidently.

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