FluffHead Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 http://wgr550.com/Bills--Nix-Dishes-On-Positional-Plans/9808361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) Thanks for posting. Buddy has some STRONG faith in Shawne Merriman: One other area of perceived need among fans is a pass-rushing outside linebacker, but that just wasn't the case to the Buffalo Bills. "I know [shawne Merriman is] the answer, all he's got to do is get well. If his Achilles is well, and he's ahead of where he should be. Listen, we can't go draft one or find one like him," remarked Nix. "To think he's getting old -- he's 26 years old. He came out as a junior, he was 20 when [san Diego] drafted him. We've got an outside backer if he can get back to where he was." Edited May 11, 2011 by San Jose Bills Fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangarang Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Thanks for posting. Buddy has some STRONG faith in Shawne Merriman: One other area of perceived need among fans is a pass-rushing outside linebacker, but that just wasn't the case to the Buffalo Bills. "I know [shawne Merriman is] the answer, all he's got to do is get well. If his Achilles is well, and he's ahead of where he should be. Listen, we can't go draft one or find one like him," remarked Nix. "To think he's getting old -- he's 26 years old. He came out as a junior, he was 20 when [san Diego] drafted him. We've got an outside backer if he can get back to where he was." For what it's worth, Merriman is apparently putting the spikes on and hitting the field again. That's pretty exciting to hear. Just finished putting the cleats on and getting some field work in feels good!!!5 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KollegeStudnet Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I hope this team breaks this slump--I want to look forward to watching a playoff game before the end of days in 2012! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Thanks for posting I gotta wonder if Nix is taking into consideration.. did Merriman need the juice get all those sacks, If I recall once he tested positive for steroids and stopped using he wasn't quite the same player. 05 AP DRotY-pro bowl 06 suspended 4 games for steroids -pro bowl 07 pro bowl 08 IR on Sept 9th injured knee PCL & LCL 09 knees bothering him ,plus a foot injury-4 sacks 10 injured calf went on IR and released- picked up by Buffalo injured Achilles -IR again Hey, i hope he regains his "lights out" form that got him to the pro bowl, but I also hope Nix has a back up plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cocktosten Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I like Buddy's conviction but a little depth wouldn't hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Nix did admit that they liked Lance Kendricks, the tight end from Wisconsin, but not enough to select him as high as he went in the draft. He also pointed out that head coach Chan Gailey utilizes tight ends less than most in the league. Maybe Gailey would find a use for a TE if he had one that were worth a warm bucket of spit. It might do our OTs good to have a big body helping them with a chip block or two, and make the DEs/LBs have to think about not letting the TE get past them into the seam, and to give Fitz another safety valve. There looks to be several prime TEs available in UFA whenever a new CBA comes out. I just hate it when a staff almost completely writes off an entire position. For example, Donahoe did this with kickers --- a position where a guy with a good leg can actually put points on the board, especially in late-season weather games --- until Lindell settled in. It wasn't until Graham and another dude actually lost us games that they decided to get serious. Why do the Bills always have to wait until after they get burned to do things other teams do routinely? By the by, it's nice to hear that the uni event will be "soon" so we can just get that over with. I really don't see the logic there WRT rookie jersey sales. The Bills Store can't be moving m/any of those, can they? This is one of the prime times of the year and people won't buy when they know it's going to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cocktosten Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Maybe Gailey would find a use for a TE if he had one that were worth a warm bucket of spit. It might do our OTs good to have a big body helping them with a chip block or two, and make the DEs/LBs have to think about not letting the TE get past them into the seam, and to give Fitz another safety valve. There looks to be several prime TEs available in UFA whenever a new CBA comes out. I just hate it when a staff almost completely writes off an entire position. For example, Donahoe did this with kickers --- a position where a guy with a good leg can actually put points on the board, especially in late-season weather games --- until Lindell settled in. It wasn't until Graham and another dude actually lost us games that they decided to get serious. Why do the Bills always have to wait until after they get burned to do things other teams do routinely? Moreover, if you're going not going to use TE's then shouldn't you have a ton of WR depth? Maybe they plan on using Spiller more in the slot? No depth at LB, WR, OL or TE but depth in the secondary? Looks like 2000-2010. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I gotta wonder if Nix is taking into consideration.. did Merriman need the juice get all those sacks, If I recall once he tested positive for steroids and stopped using he wasn't quite the same player. Sorry if I come across like a douche, but do you think before posting? No, I'm sure Buddy hasn't given it a moment's thought as to whether Merriman needs steroids to perform at a high level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappy Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Was Spikes ever the same after the injury ? Is anyone the same after it ? I think Nix is betting on a horse set for the glue factory, so let's get a back-up based on sheer lack of Merriman's recent health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meathead Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 "Nix fielded several questions from fans that were apart of the club" can anybody tell me what this sentence means Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennesseeboy Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 IF Merriman is okay and if Moats turns out well, and if Kelsay adjusts well (yeah yeah...a lot of ifs, but certainly not out of the question.) AND if Dareus, Jasper (big big IF)and Kyle perform...Our front seven problems might be over. It would make sense in such a case to have drafted the DB's we did. Hope we re-sign Whitner. This would be a big rebuild with a lot of people stepping up and stepping in, but it would have considerable. potential. Now to see if we can fix the o-line in free agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max997 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 putting a lot of faith in a guy being healthy that hasnt been for a few years you can never have enough pass rushers...still think they should have drafted one in the second round Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Rob Johnson Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Moreover, if you're going not going to use TE's then shouldn't you have a ton of WR depth? Maybe they plan on using Spiller more in the slot? No depth at LB, WR, OL or TE but depth in the secondary? Looks like 2000-2010. Evans, Johnson, Parrish, Nelson, Jones, Roosevelt, Easley. Depth at WR seems okay to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Evans, Johnson, Parrish, Nelson, Jones, Roosevelt, Easley. Depth at WR seems okay to me. I agree. The main issue with WR in my opinion is the lack of a true #1. But that is way down on the list of priorities at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog69 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 For what it's worth, Merriman is apparently putting the spikes on and hitting the field again. That's pretty exciting to hear. my biggest hope for this season is for Merriman to return to his All-Pro form. As Buddy pointed out, he is only 26, so it is not completely unrealistic to think it could happen. His return to being a menacing pass rusher would give the defense an identity and it would give the team an exciting, elite level player we have not had since the Superbowl years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKBILLS Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Was Spikes ever the same after the injury ? Is anyone the same after it ? I think Nix is betting on a horse set for the glue factory, so let's get a back-up based on sheer lack of Merriman's recent health. I'm not a Doctor, but I'm pretty sure Spikes injury was a lot more severe...Spikes tore his Achilles' tendon...There is nothing that indicates Merriman has a tear like that...I think they were being cautious with Merriman to avoid the chance of an injury like Spikes...But I could be wrong... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Doug Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) One other area of perceived need among fans is a pass-rushing outside linebacker, but that just wasn't the case to the Buffalo Bills. "I know [shawne Merriman is] the answer, all he's got to do is get well. If his Achilles is well, and he's ahead of where he should be. Listen, we can't go draft one or find one like him," remarked Nix. "To think he's getting old -- he's 26 years old. He came out as a junior, he was 20 when [san Diego] drafted him. We've got an outside backer if he can get back to where he was." I don't see the part where Nix says he has a lot of faith in Merriman. There isn't one person in the NFL (or who is a fan of the NFL) who wouldn't agree with Nix. The problem is, and Nix himself says it clearly, "all he's got to do is get well". The problem is he hasn't done this in 3 years. That said, Nix really doesn't comment, at least in this quote, on the likelihood of Merriman becoming healthy again. I would say Nix has a lot of faith in Merriman if he says "all he's got to do is get well and I know he will". Nix actually sounds like he is already looking for an excuse if Merriman doesn't work out. So when he doesn't work out, he can just say "Listen, I've always said that 'We've got an outside backer if he can get back to where he was', but he never did. So the Bills moved on." Edited May 11, 2011 by kas23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpberr Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Steroids wage war on your body. Your immune system. Joints. Tendons. Emotions. Cognitive process. It's the credit card of substances. You'll pay later, for what you get up front, and Merriman did with the years of injuries. The longer you use, the more you pay. You use heavy or for a long time, you end up either like Lyle Alzado or Chris Benoit. If Merriman been clean for a while, with the steroids long gone from his system, it's *possible* his mind and body have recovered. Certainly, I believe either the Bills or Merriman himself have invested a lot of time and money into getting his body detoxed from the steroids. It's just as fans, we would never hear or read about it. In my opinion Nix's confidence in Merriman stems from how well he has detoxed and repaired his body from the steroid use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webster Guy Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I keep thinking Merriman is going to follow the same path as Sam Cowart did. From stud to dud because of the knees, and never the same player again. Out of the league in a few years. Im shocked that Nix has so much faith in this dude, but if he ends up coming back to pro bowl form then Buddy is a genius in my book. Even if he comes back as an average starter and is a good locker room guy, it's still a great move. Does anyone know anything about Merriman's character? I've never seen an interview with the guy........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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