What are the four weakest starting players?

[Grondre Reed]

People love to call for a tight end, but I maintain it's a luxury position, that Chandler is good enough. Folks, he's the best we've had in years.

 

Off the top of my head, looking at all the teams in the league, here are the only ones I'd identify as having a significantly better TE than us, and as you see, not all of these teams are significantly better...

1. Cleveland
    
   
2. Indy
    
   
3. Cincy
    
   
4. New England
    
   
5. Denver
    
   
6. Dallas
    
   
7. Minnesota
    
   
8. New Orleans
    
   
9. Carolina
    
   
10. Atlanta
     
    
11. San Fran
    

LOL---- and just who is Minnesota's TE? that scud from from ND that they drafted way to high because kiper is probably paid off by the school...the only decent player to come out of that school in the past 5 years is the safety that that the vikings got...harrison and maybe golden tate.

 

players from ND are like Qbs from USC---Overrated sacks of stain.

 

where shall i begin...

1. Te'O

2. Eiffert

3. Rudolf

4. michael floyd

5. jimbo "the bimbo" clausen

6. brady "ill never win" quinn

7. john carlson

8. trevor laws

9. tom zbokowski

 

 

need i go any further?

 

What happened when the played a real school in the championship game last year?

 

I will anyways...to further my point...if you look at the big boards for this year ND has 5 players in the top 25 this year...WHAT A JOKE!!!

 

o and for you college bball fans...ben hansborough sucked too,

 

i rest my case. scratch min off the list

[papazoid]

Pears, Legursky and moats/Bradham branch/Carrington. Still firmly believe it all starts in the trenches.

 

Honorable mention to Chandler and Urbik

 

it starts in the trenches:

 

when are people gonna learn the key to a great offense is pro bowlers on the offensive line.

 

 

Will Wilford, Jim Ritcher, Kent Hull, John Davis, House Ballard = 4 trips to the Super Bowl

 

 

things get easier when you have 10 seconds to throw or holes you can run a truck through.

[2003Contenders]

I like this concept of identifying our 4 weakest starters. First, it helps identify that the positions of need are the less galmorous ones:

 

1. OG

2. LB

3. TE

4. RT

 

I also think that given the proliferation of the passing game these days, you really need more than 2 quality starting corners. So I would add CB to that list as well. I also would welcome a WR who is "open even when he is covered". I am not down on Chandler, but I believe that the offense could really thrive in 2-TE formations.

 

You can find elite players at all these positions in the 2nd or 3rd round in almost any draft class. It is usually the QBs, offensive tackles and defensive linemen that come off the draft board early. This could be another great year to trade down in the draft, depending on what the team does in free agency.

 

Another thing to acknowledge as I look over the team's existing landscape is that the roster really is not all that bad. The team has decent depth and is a classic case of the whole not being as good as the sum of the parts -- the exact opposite of, say, the Patriots. The difference, of course, is a seasoned franchise QB and a Hall of Fame head coach. If Belichick is coaching the Bills and Brady is Qb'ing instead of EJ -- and assuming the rest of the talent is the same -- then the Bills are competing for the #1 seed in the AFC.

 

But neither Brady not Belichick got to where they are overnight. Bill B was fired from his first head coaching gig, and in his first year with the Pats, they were horrible. History can be revisionistic, but there is a reason Brady was a 6th round pick. He became a starter in his second season when Bledsoe got hurt, and the Pats won a lot of ugly games back then thanks mostly to a very strong defense. His obession with winning and commitment to always getting better is why he has evolved into being one of the greatest QBs of all time.

 

Time will tell whether or not either Marrone or EJ has what it takes to get the Bills to the next level. Right now that next level is simply qualifying for the playoffs. Aside from a couple of bad games, the Bills have been in every contest. What they need to do is focus on consistency. Eliminate those bad plays. That goes for the offense as well as the defense.

 

Yes, EJ has accuracy issues -- but I have also seen him thread the needle on a tough pass plenty of times. I honestly believe that the majority of his problems are correctable, mechanical issues. Footwork, in particular. His natural talents, for example, are far superior to Fitz's, who had to put everything into every throw he made. EJ's delivery is mostly effortless by comparison, and I think he still needs to learn that he has to use the proper technique on EVERY pass he throws. I am not opposed to investing a mid-round pick on an upside QB as the Redskins did with Cousins, but it would be INSANE to give up on EJ at this point and draft another QB in the first round in 2014. It will be interesting to see how well he plays in these last 2 games both of which will be aganst division foes with plenty to play for.

[Dibs]

what i "want" is a FRANCHISE QB (Top 10).....EJ is NEVER !! going to be that.

 

.....

 

Were you stamping your foot and pouting as you wrote that?

[Kirby Jackson]

Is this our 4 weakest positions or the 4 people that we should replace? I went with where they are weakest but that does not mean that is the order that they would replace them in? For example LG is out weakest position but we should not use our first pick on a LG.

[Dibs]

Is this our 4 weakest positions or the 4 people that we should replace? I went with where they are weakest but that does not mean that is the order that they would replace them in? For example LG is out weakest position but we should not use our first pick on a LG.

 

Heh......I wanted to make the same point but it took me too long to figure how to write it succinctly so I gave up. Nicely put .

[JM57]

1) LG. This position is a void. I think part of the reason Urbik has looked so pedestrian this year is because of this. Levitre was a very good player and could handle his guy 1 on 1. This allowed Wood to chip on Urbik's guys before heading to the second level. With Legursky/Brown being so bad, Wood now has to help the LG constantly, leaving Urbik 1v1. That's bad news. If he's your weak link on the line, you've got a good line. But he's a notch above average at best.

 

2) RT I think Pears' play has dropped off a bit as well. To be expected in his mid 30s. He's nearing the end of the shelf life of NFL linemen.

 

3) TE...Chandler does his best work when the offense is pinned deep or in the red zone because of his height. That's all well and good for a TE2. But you need a dynamic TE that's good on the whole field, not just 40 yards of it.

 

4) LB another freak athlete who can play sideline to sideline with Kiko would make the defense dynamic. The Bradham/Moats role has been a weak spot when they're on the field. Lawson has been admirable, but acquiring a true 3 down guy and playing Lawson on obvious rush downs would be an upgrade IMO

 

Other runners up for me are the dime DB spot and then depth positions along both lines and at safety.

Edited December 17, 2013 by JM57

[Beerball]

four weakest:

The Big Legursky

Graham

Chandler

Bradham

 

Manuel deserves mention, but the jury is still out.

[Chandler#81]

Punter

QB

RB

OG

 

Honorable mention, LB

[Nitro]

Top 3 weakest starters LG Legursky, RG Urbik and RT Pears. They have had good moments but too often they get pushed into the backfield and are dominated. This says a lot about the talent of Spiller and Jackson (1,500 yards combined rushing). The 4th is weak side linebacker Bradham. He disappears in the run defense, gets out of position and has difficulty shedding blockers.

 

Chandler is ranked 15th in TE pass receiving and averages more yards per catch than Stevie Johnson (11.9 vs 11.5) He is solid performer.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Nitro

[artmalibu]

QB 1-4

 

If the Bills had a decent QB the would be a playoff team!!!

 

Now EJ could develop into a good one but until he does or a better QB is add loosing seasons will continue.

[NastyNateSoldiers]

Its simple if u had a chance at Jimmy Graham or Logan Mankins who do u take?

That's easy for me im going Jimmy all day.

[Garranimal]

Then I go back to my original statement: if you're sitting around waiting for the Bills to take a QB with their first pick, brace for let down. But at least you'll have something complain about!

Why would he have to brace for a letdown....he is bills fan like the rest of us....it happens every week beginning in september and ends in october, (November and December games are typically meaningless).

 

Wishing that we upgrade the QB position after reaching for guy who was (as stated numerous times) 'a project' is not silly. EJ may be good, but is more likely to not be good based on pure odds of the meat grinder that is the NFL. If the bills have a chance at a good prospect at QB when they draft and that player is also BPA, not drafting a QB in this year's first round would be bad draft management. Reaching again would be worse.

 

For EJ Manuel to end up being a great QB would mean that the bills front office out smarted everyone.....tell me who here wants to bet on that scenario?

Edited December 18, 2013 by Garranimal

[thebandit27]

Why would he have to brace for a letdown....he is bills fan like the rest of us....it happens every week beginning in september and ends in october, (November and December games are typically meaningless).

 

Wishing that we upgrade the QB position after reaching for guy who was (as stated numerous times) 'a project' is not silly. EJ may be good, but is more likely to not be good based on pure odds of the meat grinder that is the NFL. If the bills have a chance at a good prospect at QB when they draft and that player is also BPA, not drafting a QB in this year's first round would be bad draft management. Reaching again would be worse.

 

For EJ Manuel to end up being a great QB would mean that the bills front office out smarted everyone.....tell me who here wants to bet on that scenario?

 

Ummm....not really. It would mean that they picked a good QB.

 

By the way, there were 30 teams that passed on Kiko Alonso...did the Bills "outsmart" them? Or did they just pick a good player?

[Garranimal]

Ummm....not really. It would mean that they picked a good QB.

 

By the way, there were 30 teams that passed on Kiko Alonso...did the Bills "outsmart" them? Or did they just pick a good player?

Other teams didn't pass on kiko alonso.....he was projected as a 3rd round pick....so the bills in essence reached. Is that a good pick, i would still say the jury is out. Would i trade kiko for patrick willis....yes, i would. Has Kiko been worthy of his pick to date....hell yes, but using the logic prevalent in this thread, one year doesn't a career make.

 

Kiko reminds me of (in how he has been received and perceived by the fans) Paul Posluszny, adored in his first year....then not so much. I hope Kiko's fate is better. But, if BPA this year is a LB, even at the very same position as Kiko, hell yes we take him.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Garranimal

[Boludo]

TE

LB

G

QB

[The Big Cat]

Other teams didn't pass on kiko alonso.....he was projected as a 3rd round pick....so the bills in essence reached. Is that a good pick, i would still say the jury is out. Would i trade kiko for patrick willis....yes, i would. Has Kiko been worthy of his pick to date....hell yes, but using the logic prevalent in this thread, one year doesn't a career make.

 

Kiko reminds me of (in how he has been received and perceived by the fans) Paul Posluszny, adored in his first year....then not so much. I hope Kiko's fate is better. But, if BPA this year is a LB, even at the very same position as Kiko, hell yes we take him.

 

Poz played in three games his rookie season.

[thebandit27]

Other teams didn't pass on kiko alonso.....he was projected as a 3rd round pick....so the bills in essence reached. Is that a good pick, i would still say the jury is out. Would i trade kiko for patrick willis....yes, i would. Has Kiko been worthy of his pick to date....hell yes, but using the logic prevalent in this thread, one year doesn't a career make.

 

Kiko reminds me of (in how he has been received and perceived by the fans) Paul Posluszny, adored in his first year....then not so much. I hope Kiko's fate is better. But, if BPA this year is a LB, even at the very same position as Kiko, hell yes we take him.

 

The Bills did not reach just because a draft magazine says that Alonso should be a 3rd round pick. Obviously he's acquitted himself nicely as a rookie. I think if you're being genuine and fair, then yes, it appears that the Bills either (a) did outsmart everyone, or (b) shouldn't be knocked for not being able to outsmart everyone.

[cvanvol]

Honestly How many truly great TEs are there in the league? Maybe 3-5...... I think Chandler is very average but Gronkowski and Grahams dont grow on a tree.

[Garranimal]

Poz played in three games his rookie season.

ok, was it his second year that he began to show signs of life......geez, i guess i was thinking of 2008...my bad