Teams Weakest Position

[Maury Ballstein]

Starting and Backup QB both are in need IMO. Also wouldn't hurt to have a TE that can run or a 2nd WR.

[eball]

Backup QB? Really?

 

There's a good chance that guy will never even see the field. I would understand listing QB as a whole position, because our starter is not a proven winner, but when you list a backup position as your biggest need I think thats a little bit of a stretch. We have plenty of starters that are less than spectacular (LT, LB, TE, WR). Lets worry about those before we start worrying about backups..

Yes, backup QB. The OP asked about the weakest position, and that's my opinion. I don't see glaring holes anywhere else, and since QB is the most important position on offense, I'd like to see somebody backing up Fitz in whom I have at least a little bit of confidence.

 

Please understand, I'm not suggesting there are all-pros at every other position -- but I feel there are either established starters or young guys with potential at those spots. I don't feel the same way about what's behind Fitz.

[BuffaloBillsMagic1]

TE with speed and backup QB. All the other pieces are there besides these for our coaches to figure out.

[widerightradio]

It would be easier to list which position don't need an upgrade. RB, Safety, and MAYBE D-line.

All the other positions have either question marks or just need upgrades. Hopefully some young guys will step up this year and the list of positions not needing upgrades will become longer than the ones that do.

 

That's just being silly. Our D-line looks like this: Pro-bowler, Pro-bowler, #3 overall pick in draft, 10 sacks last year. Backed up by Kelsay, Johnson, Edwards, Carrington. Under the salary cap system, you simply cannot have that kind of quality and depth at every position.

[DefenseWinzChampionshipz]

Tight End. Chandler was a breath of fresh air, but we're still missing a guy who can line up in the seam and stretch the field between the 20s.

 

I know everyone wants a TE but I believe if David Nelson gained 15-20 pounds he can be a good tight end... Or am I talking crazy?

[hondo in seattle]

Wow. I mean wow.Did you not watch these two guys play last year? Through the first half of the season, George Wilson was playing at not an pro-bowl level, but an all-pro level. And then Jairus Byrd got votes for the AP all-pro team IIRC. Give these guys a pass rush for once and let's see how our safeties look.

 

 

It's funny how people expect to have a team full of pro bowlers, Byrd and Wilson = top 5 safety tandem in the NFL!

 

 

Metzelaars, you may be right about the pass rush.

 

I think our safeties could be better because there were times that opponents could pass at will against us. Seven or eight opposing QBs passed for 290 yards or more. Even Jason Campbell topped 300 against us and Andy Dalton almost did (298). We certainly couldn't stop NE's TEs. Gronk had 109 against us in our first NE game. Both Gronk and Hernandez went over 100 in the second game. And sometimes our safeties either being out-of-position or flat-out-beat was part of the problem.

 

Wilson is a great story - converting from WR to Safety - and maybe he's still improving. Byrd had all those picks his rookie year but often looked lost. I actually think he played better last year. So it seems he's also still improving. But personally, I wouldn't rate this tandem Top 5 in the NFL - not by a long shot - not based on last year. Just my opinion.

 

Maybe the addition of a pass rush and the chance to work with some good young corners will enable our safeties to reach new heights. I hope so.

 

Safety is hardly our most pressing need but I personally wouldn't have minded if Barron wasn't picked by Tampa and we took him at #10.

Edited May 3, 2012 by hondo in seattle

[DefenseWinzChampionshipz]

Metzelaars, you may be right about the pass rush.

 

I think our safeties could be better because there were times that opponents could pass at will against us. Seven or eight opposing QBs passed for 290 yards or more. Even Jason Campbell topped 300 against us and Andy Dalton almost did (298). We certainly couldn't stop NE's TEs. Gronk had 109 against us in our first NE game. Both Gronk and Hernandez went over 100 in the second game. And sometimes our safeties either being out-of-position or flat-out-beat was part of the problem.

 

Wilson is a great story - converting from WR to Safety - and maybe he's still improving. Byrd had all those picks his rookie year but often looked lost. I actually think he played better last year. So it seems he's also still improving. But personally, I wouldn't rate this tandem Top 5 in the NFL - not by a long shot - not based on last year. Just my opinion.

 

Maybe the addition of a pass rush and the chance to work with some good young corners will enable our safeties to reach new heights. I hope so.

 

Safety is hardly our most pressing need but I personally wouldn't have minded if Barron wasn't picked by Tampa and we took him at #10.

If you wouldn't name Wilson/Byrd top 5 safety tandem in the NFL then please name me the 5 who you think ARE...

[Mark Long Beach]

We still have a lot of holes that we MAY have filled or may have an adequate player in. But we're still counting on a fair number of players to get much better then they've shown to be so far.

 

Weaknesses:

 

Backup QB: Thigpen put up some credible numbers in KC one year in a Gailey customized offense, but 54% completion & 1-11 w/l record doesn't impress. His short appearances here in Buffalo are not reassuring. I'd like to see this position have someone who has a chance to lead the team to victory, not a warm body. Our QB3 is a wr/wildcat guy, and our "development" QB is an undrafted rookie with an unimpressive college resume.

 

 

LT: Glenn is a highly drafted rookie with promise, but there are a fair number of professional evaluators who doubt he can play the position well. Our other choice is last year's 4th round pick (Hairston, previously described as a right tackle per Gailey)who played for a few games to cover up injury before HE got injured. He played during a stretch where the Bills stunk and was given plenty of help. Is Nix right that Glenn can play LT? Can Hairston play as an LT for an extended period of time? The other option is a 5th round rookie, who's a long shot for him to start/play well this year. Levitre is not the answer. This could be a much rougher season if we're rotating a bunch of poor LT's around looking for competent play.

 

MLB: We're starting a 3rd round pick from last year. Sheppard showed some nice things and a bunch of not-so-nice things. Can he recognize better and play better than his rookie year? Hopefully, but no guarantee. If he doesn't, our run defense will likely be weak like last year as we have nothing but some low round draft picks behind him.

 

OLB: Barnett played quite well, and I like him. He's no sure thing to make it through the season like he did last year and our depth is suspect to say the least. A big reason he was released from the Packers was that 2 out of the prior 3 years he was seriously injured and missed a total of 19 games. Morrison is our presumed starter on the other side. While Morrison has had productive seasons in the past (5 years with 100+ tackles with the Raiders) he did very poorly in his one year with the Jags and nothing with us last year. I think a lot of his problems were miss-use but he's definitely in the starter-ish quality range. As many have noted, the weaker of Morrison or Sheppard will be pulled out for 40% of the snaps when we're in our Nickle formation. Our big problem is that the only depth is low round rookies and previous low round converted DE's, who have shown nearly nothing.

 

WR2: We have essentially 3 players fighting it out for this role (the rest of the lot are pretty much never-were's). Newly drafted TJ Graham who's very fast but raw; previous 4th round raw WR: Marcus Easley who has a bunch of people excited from what he's done in practice, but hasn't played a game in either year he's been in the league; and lastly incumbent Donald Jones who underwhelmed in his opportunity last year. In DJ's 7 games started he's averaged 3.3 catches/game for 33 yds/game and showed little game-changing ability and got injured twice. It was only DJ's second year, and the coaches liked what they saw in practice, but it never really showed during game-time. TJG's speed will likely make him a useful situational player to draw cb's deep. It's hard for me to believe that he will be a meaningful starter in his rookie year. As for Easley, teammates have said many good things about him from offseason work and practice time but he's never been able to show it on the field. He was very raw coming out of college, but has worked hard. Is he a practice player or a gamer? No idea.

 

TE2: Chandler was a nice surprise and showed that he can be a threat in the redzone, which is a nice ability. Unfortunately he got hurt and showed that nobody behind him was worth a hoot. We've added only an undrafted FA to our stable of 2 undrafteds (Caussin & Brock), a 5th in Smith and a 6th in Onabon. The most catches that any of our backup TE's have is FIVE. ALL of our TE's have been released by other teams, we have NO TE's that we've spent a SINGLE draft pick on. It shows just how weak this position is.

 

 

 

As I see it we've two starting positions (WR2, MLB) in which we hope a low/low-ish draft pick can step up and be an adequate or better starter. The rest of the starting positions not named above I view as having at least decent+ quality with decent+ backups. Last year's significant weakness of depth has been filled with rookies. Hopefully they're better than last years crew of backups.

 

All-in-all, I'm very pleased with the improvements of this team, but we're still counting on Nix's ability to draft contributors. If this crop washes out, a few lost starters could doom our season like last year.

[hondo in seattle]

If you wouldn't name Wilson/Byrd top 5 safety tandem in the NFL then please name me the 5 who you think ARE...

 

I'm a Bills fan more than a NFL fan and don't spend much time examining other teams except when they play against the Bills. So I couldn't honestly give you a 1-32 ranking of safety tandems. But what I see in the Bills secondary is only average. I'd like to see playoff calibre strength everywhere.

 

Advanced NFL Stats rates Byrd #18 and Wilson #30 amongst NFL safeties.

 

http://wp.advancednflstats.com/defenderstats.php?year=2011&pos=S&season=reg.

 

When neither of them is rated individually in the top half of the NFL, there's no way as a tandem they can be in the Top Five.

 

I really hope 2012 proves me wrong.

 

Yes, backup QB. The OP asked about the weakest position, and that's my opinion. I don't see glaring holes anywhere else, and since QB is the most important position on offense, I'd like to see somebody backing up Fitz in whom I have at least a little bit of confidence.

 

Please understand, I'm not suggesting there are all-pros at every other position -- but I feel there are either established starters or young guys with potential at those spots. I don't feel the same way about what's behind Fitz.

 

I don't always agree with eball but I agree here. QBs are getting knocked out of games all the time. A backup is important. If we had a quality backup last year (say someone like Frank Reich), we would have presumably sat Fitz when he broke his ribs. And probably won a couple more games.

[rstencel]

i have never been so pumped on an upcoming season, we actually have talent all over the roster, not only that but a system thats been in place for three years, depth at positions, and most importanltly a new DC with weapons.

 

No way we dont go 9-7 this year or better (barring catastrophic injury) not saying playoffs as you can go 10-6 and still not make it or 8-8 and make it.

 

all teams have weak spots, all teams get better on paper ofter the draft, all teams get worse every year do to age and we seem to forget this.

 

If we had awesome everything wed be a superbowl favorite, lets just be happy we will have the most important things in the game this year, a good passer and a great pass rush.

 

Well 3 years on the offensive system. Will be first year for the new defensive system they are putting in.

[Billsrhody]

Yes, backup QB. The OP asked about the weakest position, and that's my opinion. I don't see glaring holes anywhere else, and since QB is the most important position on offense, I'd like to see somebody backing up Fitz in whom I have at least a little bit of confidence.

 

Please understand, I'm not suggesting there are all-pros at every other position -- but I feel there are either established starters or young guys with potential at those spots. I don't feel the same way about what's behind Fitz.

 

So you would rather have a good backup QB or a good #2 WR?

 

Would you rather have Colt McCoy (would be a good backup) or Julio Jones (would be a good #2)

Edited May 3, 2012 by Billsrhody

[Dan]

I would have to put WR at the top of the list. We addressed every hole on the team this off season... even kicker! However, the type of WR we needed just wasn't really available. So we went the other way, IMO, fast burner as opposed to big and able to out jump DBs.

 

However, all of these addtions have yet to prove themselves on the field. So, obviously, there's still a fair number of question marks for the more cautious fans. Heck even the DLine, which should be stellar, still has to come together and gel on the field to be as good as they look on paper.

 

My biggest concern, period, is the injury bug. If we can finally make it through the season without half the team on IR, then we have everything in place to be a playoff contending team. But, it seems like forever that we haven't been in the top five in terms of IR'd players. Just imagine last year if Jackson, Wood, Bell, 2or3 of the WRs, Chandler, Kyle, Merriman, and McGee all finished the season. This year we get all those players back, plus the addtions. If they all stay healthy, there's no reason to not see dramatic improvement in this team.

[Reed83HOF]

We already had a post in this...

 

Here is the link http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/145321-so-what-are-the-weakest-links-post-draft/

[NoName]

The one weakest is TE. No depth at all outside of Chandler. And Chandler isn't a complete TE. 2nd I'd say backup QB. If Fitz goes down or slumps, we have no viable option.

 

Unless Thigpen shows the stuff he did in K.C.

[DefenseWinzChampionshipz]

I'm a Bills fan more than a NFL fan and don't spend much time examining other teams except when they play against the Bills. So I couldn't honestly give you a 1-32 ranking of safety tandems. But what I see in the Bills secondary is only average. I'd like to see playoff calibre strength everywhere.

 

Advanced NFL Stats rates Byrd #18 and Wilson #30 amongst NFL safeties.

 

http://wp.advancednflstats.com/defenderstats.php?year=2011&pos=S&season=reg.

 

When neither of them is rated individually in the top half of the NFL, there's no way as a tandem they can be in the Top Five.

 

I really hope 2012 proves me wrong.

 

 

 

I don't always agree with eball but I agree here. QBs are getting knocked out of games all the time. A backup is important. If we had a quality backup last year (say someone like Frank Reich), we would have presumably sat Fitz when he broke his ribs. And probably won a couple more games.

 

My point is you were SURE Wilson/Byrd weren't top 5 material so I figured you knew who was... I'm a Bills fan so my opinion doesn't matter but a Jets fan buddy of mine said the Jets have the best CB tandem which I don't agree with. Revis is the baddest dude they got. But he said also that the Bill's safeties are no joke. Take it for what its worth...

[eball]

So you would rather have a good backup QB or a good #2 WR?

 

Would you rather have Colt McCoy (would be a good backup) or Julio Jones (would be a good #2)

You're simply not reading what I'm writing; I apologize if it was not clear. I believe the Bills started off the season quite well at WR last year (Stevie/Jones/Nelson), and all of those guys are now coming back, healthy, with the additions of Easley, Graham, and Hagan. I do not view the #2 WR position as a greater need than having someone behind Fitz who won't crap himself.

[Tcali]

LB,QB,WR in that order

[BRAWNDO]

I'm also thinking that Nix is doing a really nice job. But there remain many holes and questions...

 

WR. We have a lot of good backups but only one proven starter.

 

QB. Our starter is less than sensational and Thigpen really worries me as the backup (there's a reason Fitz started after cracking his ribs).

 

OL. Let's see how it all works out. Last year, despite some of the stats people quote, our line wasn't dominating.

 

LB. Not sure how our LBs will fair in the 4-3.

 

S. I think Wilson/Byrd is an okay tandem - nothing great.

 

This sounds about right.

[MississippiBillsFan]

I think our biggest need is a Starting QB...To be honest we have a VERY good backup already in Fitzy.....

[papazoid]

the one injury we can least afford, is to our starting QB.....we could take a single hit to any other group and still be ok. after QB, then i would say Stevie Johnson and the WR group. i'm not saying these are our best players, just the ones that would be the hardest to replace.