Dion Dawkins- on the hot seat?

[Gigs]

Spain, Morse and Ford I think are locks. I think Dawkins will have to compete but will win the starting LT job because with better help he can focus on his own assignments and play well. Overall I think the line will be worlds better than what we've seen, and if so our offense should be humming this year next to a top ranked defensive unit that got a huge boost to their trench. 

 

Things are looking up 

[CaptnCoke11]

Still can’t wrap my head around why people think Dawkins is this franchise type LT.. I don’t see it

[NY Nole]

People need to relax on the Dawkins is crap line of thinking. Guy had a really good rookie year — the line and offense was a dumpster fire last year. He will be fine. Whether Tackle or Guard— he is going to be a long-term fixture on this team.

[Nester]

I am so excited to see these players fight to be part of this epic new Offensive line. Competition and depth?  Could you dream we would be in this spot a year ago?

[RochesterRob]

47 minutes ago, Billzgobowlin said:

Russell Bodine

Mitch Morse

Spencer Long

Ike Boettger

Wyatt Teller

Jon Feliciano

Quinton Spain

Jeremiah Sirles

Dion Dawkins

Cody Ford

Ty Nsekhe

Conor McDermott

LaAdrian Waddle

Vladmir Ducasse

 

14 players and curious how this is going to play out.  I bet we cut some very good linemen.

  I see some pretty easy cuts if we keep 8 O linemen.  Spencer Long resumes his form and he will be assured a spot if not a starter.   The big question is if Teller stays on the active roster or goes to the PS.

[NewEra]

54 minutes ago, Billzgobowlin said:

Russell Bodine

Mitch Morse

Spencer Long

Ike Boettger

Wyatt Teller

Jon Feliciano

Quinton Spain

Jeremiah Sirles

Dion Dawkins

Cody Ford

Ty Nsekhe

Conor McDermott

LaAdrian Waddle

Vladmir Ducasse

 

14 players and curious how this is going to play out.  I bet we cut some very good linemen.

You think we’ll cut some “very good lineman” we only have potentially very good OL imo.  We’ll cut solid depth, no question.  Don’t think the guys cut are regarded as very good

[wppete]

56 minutes ago, Billzgobowlin said:

Russell Bodine - Release/Trade

Mitch Morse

Spencer Long

Ike Boettger - Release/Trade

Wyatt Teller -Practice Squad

Jon Feliciano

Quinton Spain

Jeremiah Sirles - Release/Trade

Dion Dawkins

Cody Ford

Ty Nsekhe

Conor McDermott - Release/Trade

LaAdrian Waddle

Vladmir Ducasse - Release/Trade

 

14 players and curious how this is going to play out.  I bet we cut some very good linemen.

 

Very simple. This happens and we end up with 8 on the roster....

[NewEra]

22 minutes ago, NY Nole said:

People need to relax on the Dawkins is crap line of thinking. Guy had a really good rookie year — the line and offense was a dumpster fire last year. He will be fine. Whether Tackle or Guard— he is going to be a long-term fixture on this team.

I hope you’re right, but you’ve already admitted he’s on the hot seat.  If he wasn’t, we’d just be talking about him at LT.  Like you said, whether tackle OR GUARD, he’s going to be a long term fixture.  

 

You can say “relax” but when our 3rd year second rd pick LT of the future loses his job to a 34 year old......we shouldn’t be relaxing.  

[Phil The Thrill]

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Yes.  For example, Wood didn't look so good playing between Legursky and Urbik or (worse yet) Urbik and Pears. 

Next year he magically improved playing between Cog and Miller.

 

OL is one of the positions where the guy you're playing next to makes a huge difference, and sites like PFF fall down because they don't know the blocking assignments so when a guy (esp. on the interior) apparently "whiffs" they have no way to know - was it his man to block or not?  Wood was interviewed about this and gave a few examples.

 

 

In the interview that Wood did with Richie, he revealed that they were telling everyone what to do on each play.  So that could explain the drop off between Dion’s first and second year.  Morse seems like the perfect for the line

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

6 minutes ago, Phil The Thrill said:

 

In the interview that Wood did with Richie, he revealed that they were telling everyone what to do on each play.  So that could explain the drop off between Dion’s first and second year.  Morse seems like the perfect for the line

 

...have to believe Richie's abrupt "main spring popped" exit caused major disruption and consternation for the OL...hard to deny he was not a mainstay.....so we ended up in the Mouse McNally like "tinkering mode" which Mouse was THE master at..Castillo?...meh.....so with the new FA and draft menu of OL folks, which may just have some potential, maybe we can wait to see what develops before ringing the "sucks" doorbell....then again, an eloquent TBD poster said the FA OL signings were "nothing but castoff journeymen"....thinkin' pigeons pooped in HIS sandbox....

[Kelly the Dog]

I think Dawkins is overrated on the board, although this season will be telling, with much better players around him, next to him, and Castillo out as coach. That said, right now I move him to OG and start with Nsekhe-Dawkins-Morse-Spain-Ford, with three solid backups in Long, Waddle and Feliciano.

[NY Nole]

21 minutes ago, NewEra said:

 but when our 3rd year second rd pick LT of the future loses his job to a 34 year old......we shouldn’t be relaxing.  

 

He hasn’t lost his job yet — if Ty beats him out I believe that means we have an above-average guard to plug in.

[NewEra]

3 minutes ago, NY Nole said:

 

He hasn’t lost his job yet — if Ty beats him out I believe that means we have an above-average guard to plug in.

It was in regards to a post I was quoting that said he’ll be our starter at tackle or guard.  If he’s our starter at guard, he’d have gotten beat out (unless they just moved him to guard now)

[BullBuchanan]

5 hours ago, Ittakestime said:

If the Bills are serious about building a nasty line, they will go with:

 

Nsekhe, Dawkins, Morse, Spain, Ford

 

I'm saying it now, if Dawkins is the LT over Nsekhe, this team isn't serious about open competition an building the best line.

I think they both start on the ends with Ford inside. Rumor has it Ford is a run mauler with a weakness in pass protection and he's undersized. I'd rather pair him up with Nsekhe on the right, allowing the bigger journeyman to take care of the top pass rushers in the league.

[Billsfansinceday1]

2 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

I think they both start on the ends with Ford inside. Rumor has it Ford is a run mauler with a weakness in pass protection and he's undersized. I'd rather pair him up with Nsekhe on the right, allowing the bigger journeyman to take care of the top pass rushers in the league.

McDermott will be mixing and matching with so many new, versatile OLs.

[Doc]

3 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

I think they both start on the ends with Ford inside. Rumor has it Ford is a run mauler with a weakness in pass protection and he's undersized. I'd rather pair him up with Nsekhe on the right, allowing the bigger journeyman to take care of the top pass rushers in the league.

 

Beane said that Ford's first position is RT.  So I would guess he's pencilled-in there to start.

[BullBuchanan]

1 minute ago, Doc said:

 

Beane said that Ford's first position is RT.  So I would guess he's pencilled-in there to start.

But he also said guard is an option. I'm betting that he makes more sense there as a smaller guy who can run block. The competition is also weaker inside.

Edited April 27, 2019 by BullBuchanan

[d_wag]

Yes Dawkins is very much on the hot seat, for both his job and even his roster spot. This might light a fire under him and we see big improvements in TC but he’s going to need to show up or he’ll be off with the depth now on the roster. Currently very overrated on this board. 

[NewEra]

13 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

But he also said guard is an option. I'm betting that he makes more sense there as a smaller guy who can run block. The competition is also weaker inside.

Of they drafted him to be a RT, then why not have him play RT?  Nsekhe said he prefers LT and is better there.  So he competes with the guy that wasn’t good last year and has never won a competition under McD.  Doesn’t hurt that that guy projected better at guard as well.  

 

Lots of directions we can go, but if MCD says he’s a RT, that means they drafted him to be the RT.  Why put him at guard with exhausting other options (aka, Nsekhe and Dawkins fight for LT) as opposed to ford and Nsekhe battle for RT.

[BullBuchanan]

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

Of they drafted him to be a RT, then why not have him play RT?  Nsekhe said he prefers LT and is better there.  So he competes with the guy that wasn’t good last year and has never won a competition under McD.  Doesn’t hurt that that guy projected better at guard as well.  

 

Lots of directions we can go, but if MCD says he’s a RT, that means they drafted him to be the RT.  Why put him at guard with exhausting other options (aka, Nsekhe and Dawkins fight for LT) as opposed to ford and Nsekhe battle for RT.

My only reason for it is to have good pass blockers on the ends when we have to play against very tough ones. If Ford is a better pass blocker than people say, then do whatever. Dawkins was our best lineman last year on a bad squad, and the season before he made Glenn expendable. I think there's more evidence that the kid is good enough than evidence he isn't.