LEFT TACKLE

[Turbosrrgood]

Nope but his talent evaluation hasn't gone from practice squad to NFL starter either.

 

Haha. Love it.

 

I think Bell holds his own, but a guy that just "survives" the position isn't exactly something to get excited about. The problem is he also gets injured often, and we apparently have no one even remotely NFL worthy behind him. Let alone on the other side.

Edited August 9, 2011 by Turbosrrgood

[CodeMonkey]

I've had Virginia Tech season tickets since 1993 and IMHO it was clear in college that Wang would never be an NFL left tackle. He (in college) had good technique and good feet, but was susceptible to the bull rush and always had trouble with bigger, stronger players (guys like Merriman).

 

This year we focused on defense in the draft (probably rightfully so). Next year I assume the plan is to draft offense, including some tackles. So I see nothing wrong with trying to get a year out of an older player like McKinney. Better to have an experienced guy in there than a "never will be" guy at left tackle. At worst, the experienced guy may be able to help Bell get better.

And keep Fitz out of the obituaries.

[John from Riverside]

OK a couple of things here.....

 

- First off....I am not opposed to bringing in a vet guy on this team at Tackle....but if you are going to bring someone in make sure he is BETTER THEN WHAT WE HAVE.....because if you dont do that then all you are doing is taking away reps from younger players who need to develop.....even Gailey himself said we were thin at OT.....this is interesting because there WERE guys on the market.

 

- I really dont understand the bashing of Bell...who has done nothing but get better every year and last year held his own against some pretty good pass rushers......to prove the point that we need depth at the OT position you dont have to bash a young player who has a high ceiling and keeps improving. Players get dinged up....it happens.....and Bell played last year despite a nasty injury the year before.

[NickelCity]

I don't bash bell, I just hope he can stay healthy. That being said, it would be foolish not to bring in a vet for depth.

[Bill from NYC]

Finally, I find someone on this board who is wise enough to take off the rose colored glasses and state the truth. I wish the Bills management and coaches would stop rationalizing this blatant weakness.

 

The Bills offensive line is seriously sub-par. It is a fatal flaw if you don't have quality tackles. Therefore, the Bills are far far away from being contenders.

 

You are right. I have been refusing to face this issue for years.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

but but but ....Just give our guys more time to develop!....Wait to see what happens when player X is not coming back from injury this off season...so and so is serviceable and still learning.

 

 

Our OT situation is in a really really sad state and it has been for a while. Time to admit that we shouldn't have cut Peters and Walker because whether you liked them or not they were far and away better than what we have now. It's probably too late now but Ralph should have opened the coffers and gotten a couple play off caliber OTs instead of the failing projects we currently have.

 

So should we work with what we got our should Ralph have opened the coffers?

 

 

One month is not enough time for Wang to develop and Peters wasn't cut he was traded. It's time work Pears at LT as he started for Denver there.

[Turbosrrgood]

OK a couple of things here.....

 

- First off....I am not opposed to bringing in a vet guy on this team at Tackle....but if you are going to bring someone in make sure he is BETTER THEN WHAT WE HAVE.....because if you dont do that then all you are doing is taking away reps from younger players who need to develop.....even Gailey himself said we were thin at OT.....this is interesting because there WERE guys on the market.

 

- I really dont understand the bashing of Bell...who has done nothing but get better every year and last year held his own against some pretty good pass rushers......to prove the point that we need depth at the OT position you dont have to bash a young player who has a high ceiling and keeps improving. Players get dinged up....it happens.....and Bell played last year despite a nasty injury the year before.

 

Finding better than what we have shouldn't be that hard should it? Bell is overrated by some, underrated by others IMO. To me he is an average player, which immediately makes him by far the best OT on the team. I am all for looking for improvement, depth at the very least.

[PDaDdy]

OK a couple of things here.....

 

- First off....I am not opposed to bringing in a vet guy on this team at Tackle....but if you are going to bring someone in make sure he is BETTER THEN WHAT WE HAVE.....because if you dont do that then all you are doing is taking away reps from younger players who need to develop.....even Gailey himself said we were thin at OT.....this is interesting because there WERE guys on the market.

 

- I really dont understand the bashing of Bell...who has done nothing but get better every year and last year held his own against some pretty good pass rushers......to prove the point that we need depth at the OT position you dont have to bash a young player who has a high ceiling and keeps improving. Players get dinged up....it happens.....and Bell played last year despite a nasty injury the year before.

 

To the fans that want to bring somebody in it is implicit that they will be better. The "young" Bell at 27 has yet to get it and despite supposed annual improvement still isn't there. This alleged improvement alone does not an NFL caliber LT make. He still has a long way to go and he realistically probably won't get there if he hasn't done it by the ripe age of 27. At 27 he should be at the peak of his performance and looking for the best NFL contract he will ever hope to get in his life. Instead we are still waiting for him to step up. Lets wake up guys.

 

Although unfortunate, injury prone is a trait that can't be ignored. In addition to his age and lack of starting NFL caliber performance the guy can't stay on the field. I feel sorry for him but it doesn't help us win games.

Edited August 9, 2011 by PDaDdy

[Turbosrrgood]

So should we work with what we got our should Ralph have opened the coffers?

 

 

One month is not enough time for Wang to develop and Peters wasn't cut he was traded. It's time work Pears at LT as he started for Denver there.

 

In theory that sounds good, but he was no star in Denver. I've heard he's been getting beat frequently in camp. In fact his last season as a "starting" tackle, was 2007.

Edited August 9, 2011 by Turbosrrgood

[Buffalo Barbarian]

To the fans that want to bring somebody in it is implicit that they will be better. The "young" Bell at 27 has yet to get it and despite supposed annual improvement still isn't there. This alleged improvement alone does not an NFL caliber LT make. He still has a long way to go and he realistically probably won't get there if he hasn't done it yet.

 

Although unfortunate, injury prone is a trait that can't be ignored. In addition to his age and lack of starting NFL caliber performance the guy can't stay on the field. I feel sorry for him but it doesn't help us win games.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

link

One Month is not long enough for those guys to develop, I will be pissed if Fitz is getting Killed out there when we could have picked up some serviceable tackles.

[Turbosrrgood]

By the way, some more notes about Erik Pears...

 

He was Cornell Green's BACKUP in Oakland...

 

The Jags had MAJOR O-line issues last year, and still let Erik Pears go...

(Side note, the Steelers also had major O-line questions when they let go of Ubrik a few years ago)

 

After starting in 06 and 07 for denver due to injury to Lepsis, they did not try to keep him.

 

He was asked to gain weight, as he was only 290 lbs last year at 6-8. He is now supposedly over 300.

 

I am not setting out to smash Pears, this is just what I know about the guy. I honestly haven't seen him play much, but I have yet to hear many positives about him.

Edited August 9, 2011 by Turbosrrgood

[Buffalo Barbarian]

I've had Virginia Tech season tickets since 1993 and IMHO it was clear in college that Wang would never be an NFL left tackle. He (in college) had good technique and good feet, but was susceptible to the bull rush and always had trouble with bigger, stronger players (guys like Merriman).

 

This year we focused on defense in the draft (probably rightfully so). Next year I assume the plan is to draft offense, including some tackles. So I see nothing wrong with trying to get a year out of an older player like McKinney. Better to have an experienced guy in there than a "never will be" guy at left tackle. At worst, the experienced guy may be able to help Bell get better.

Thank you.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

http://footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

 

Take a look at the second table. The Bills ranked #1 in the NFL running in the Left Tackle direction. I think Demetrius Bell is the long term answer at LT if he can stay healthy like last season.

IF

 

I'm pretty certain that would be considered a run to the left.

 

65% of the Bills rushes were up the middle or to the guards...I would guess because Jackson is primarily a vertical rusher?

or that we have Wood and Levitre in the middle.

[nonprophet]

With D Bell out at LT and Ed Wang getting schooled in practice it may be wise to Bring in Bryant McKinney for a year even though I am not a big fan of his. If Wang Starts the season our hopes of a good season will go down the tubes.

Left tackle play is less important in the wildcat.

[John from Riverside]

By the way, some more notes about Erik Pears...

 

He was Cornell Green's BACKUP in Oakland...

 

The Jags had MAJOR O-line issues last year, and still let Erik Pears go...

(Side note, the Steelers also had major O-line questions when they let go of Ubrik a few years ago)

 

After starting in 06 and 07 for denver due to injury to Lepsis, they did not try to keep him.

 

He was asked to gain weight, as he was only 290 lbs last year at 6-8. He is now supposedly over 300.

 

I am not setting out to smash Pears, this is just what I know about the guy. I honestly haven't seen him play much, but I have yet to hear many positives about him.

 

So where does Pears recovery from his injury factor into all of this?

[Turbosrrgood]

Perhaps I should throw my hat in the ring....

 

I may be a hair undersized at 5-11 175, but I ran a 4.7 40 in high school. That's good for an OT right?

 

Granted I played CB/WR, but I can be coached up right?

 

I can even do 2 reps of 225.

 

At 31 I'm in my prime

 

Plus, and Ralph will love this, I will gladly sign for the league minimum.

[John from Riverside]

To the fans that want to bring somebody in it is implicit that they will be better. The "young" Bell at 27 has yet to get it and despite supposed annual improvement still isn't there. This alleged improvement alone does not an NFL caliber LT make. He still has a long way to go and he realistically probably won't get there if he hasn't done it by the ripe age of 27. At 27 he should be at the peak of his performance and looking for the best NFL contract he will ever hope to get in his life. Instead we are still waiting for him to step up. Lets wake up guys.

 

Although unfortunate, injury prone is a trait that can't be ignored. In addition to his age and lack of starting NFL caliber performance the guy can't stay on the field. I feel sorry for him but it doesn't help us win games.

 

It was not "supposid" improvement.....it WAS improvement. False starts were down......pass protection against good pass rushers was up.

 

He had some very good performances last year....and he had some games where he didnt do well.

 

In the previous year he had several false starts......and showed promise as a pass protecter.

 

 

That is improvement. And as far as the "injury prone" comment.....Bell played pretty much all year last year after a knee injury the prior year....he has a bum shoulder that is not going to cause him to miss any significant time.......we had players like Jonas Jennings that we would have gladly had as our LT even though he couldnt stay healthy.

[Turbosrrgood]

So where does Pears recovery from his injury factor into all of this?

 

You mean his appendectomy? He was beaten out by Ryan Harris (a rookie), in training camp. He blew his appendix later in the year (week 8), which landed him on IR since he was just a backup (never played that year, 2008). He then went to Raiders where he was good enough to be Cornell Greens backup for a year, even getting some time due to CG injuries. They cut him. He went to the Jags, who cut him despite needing OL help. He had no other major injuries that I am aware of.

 

It was not "supposid" improvement.....it WAS improvement. False starts were down......pass protection against good pass rushers was up.

 

He had some very good performances last year....and he had some games where he didnt do well.

 

In the previous year he had several false starts......and showed promise as a pass protecter.

 

 

That is improvement. And as far as the "injury prone" comment.....Bell played pretty much all year last year after a knee injury the prior year....he has a bum shoulder that is not going to cause him to miss any significant time.......we had players like Jonas Jennings that we would have gladly had as our LT even though he couldnt stay healthy.

 

I think Bell DID show improvement, the problem is that doesn't make him good by NFL standards (maybe Bills standards). We should still look to improve the position as a whole. Bell isn't half the OT Jennings was.

Edited August 9, 2011 by Turbosrrgood

[PDaDdy]

It was not "supposid" improvement.....it WAS improvement. False starts were down......pass protection against good pass rushers was up.

 

He had some very good performances last year....and he had some games where he didnt do well.

 

In the previous year he had several false starts......and showed promise as a pass protecter.

 

 

That is improvement. And as far as the "injury prone" comment.....Bell played pretty much all year last year after a knee injury the prior year....he has a bum shoulder that is not going to cause him to miss any significant time.......we had players like Jonas Jennings that we would have gladly had as our LT even though he couldnt stay healthy.

 

Well thank goodness for small miracles!!! Now Bell can remember the snap count that's called in the huddle? He doesn't suck every game just some of them? At this rate maybe the 27 year old will be a complete LT by the time he hits 33. Bravo! Let's get him a bust in Canton!

Edited August 9, 2011 by PDaDdy