Mitch Morse seems to be at the ‘Center’ of Bills ails -TheAthletic

[Chandler#81]

“… However, the Bills’ trip to Jacksonville started a negative trend. It was the first time an opposing team turned the passing offense into an inefficient unit, as the Jaguars dared the Bills to run and the Bills had no counter. It began the Bills’ desire to get the ground game going a bit more, and they tried a lot of different blocking and rushing principles to accomplish it.

That brings us to Morse, who remains a good pass blocker and is an asset in run blocking schemes centered on athleticism. However, if the Bills are insistent on being more physical than the opponent with power run schemes, as they did at times against the Patriots, Morse will likely struggle. That was the case on Monday, as Morse easily had the worst game of his season and was a liability as a run blocker. He even showed some struggles as a pass blocker against bigger defensive tackles, which isn’t usually the case. Either way, the Bills needed a great deal more from Morse in a bad-weather game, where winning at the line of scrimmage was at the top of head coach Sean McDermott’s mind after the game. Over the last five games, Morse has a 2.42 GPA, and his season-long grade has plummeted. So it is fair to wonder what this means going forward, similar to last season when things unraveled with Morse.”

This has been a topic of discussion since he arrived via FA. His contract is up and we’d save $8.5M to let him walk. For as efficient as he is in passpro and Allen’s security blanket, he’s a detriment in the run game. Most importantly, our opponents know this. I seriously think we bid him farewell this offseason, not bothering to tend him even a lesser contract. Feliciano has shown well at C vs. the run, not so well vs. the pass -or at Guard. 

If he is shown the door, how do we adequately rebuild the OLine to balance the offense? This has been a crappy weather season already, so Mother Nature has dictated a lot of what we can do offensively.  No reason believe next year will be all sunshine and roses..

 

Are there players on the roster who can make the jump? Bates? Jamil Douglas?  Jacob Capra? Ford?? Bobby freakin’ Hart???

 

(excellent article, btw, for subscribers)

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Same conversation we had last year. I'm not sure what people expected? 

[Chandler#81]

Well, the article begins with a paragraph extolling his virtues as a pass blocking great, utilizing their All-22 criteria. A good pass blocking Center is certainly a Must for a Daboll/Allen offense. 
 

In short, I don’t think our next Center is currently on the team.

[Gisele]

6 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

Well, the article begins with a paragraph extolling his virtues as a pass blocking great, utilizing their All-22 criteria. A good pass blocking Center is certainly a Must for a Daboll/Allen offense. 
 

In short, I don’t think our next Center is currently on the team.

Still it's so odd that so many of our linemen are regressing.  Something is (or isn't) going on with coaching.  

[thenorthremembers]

They could go get Tyler Linderbaum in the first round, use him as a Left Guard next year and then switch him to Center when Morse's contract is up after next season.   Regardless, Mitch is going to have to take a paycut to stay around.  11 million for an average center is not going to cut it with the low cap.

[CincyBillsFan]

10 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

Well, the article begins with a paragraph extolling his virtues as a pass blocking great, utilizing their All-22 criteria. A good pass blocking Center is certainly a Must for a Daboll/Allen offense. 
 

In short, I don’t think our next Center is currently on the team.

I suspect that better guard play would elevate Morse.

 

 

[NewEra]

Maybe we should draft Creed Humphrey in the 2nd round!!  What a steal that would be!!  Oh wait.  

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Let me add I think it's guard play and not Morse. I do think the Bills should rebuild their interior OL next year.

[The Frankish Reich]

5 minutes ago, Gisele said:

Still it's so odd that so many of our linemen are regressing.  Something is (or isn't) going on with coaching.  

Real quick PFF check, just to see if they agree:

Horrible, one of the worst at his position (maybe the technical term is "garbage?"): Ford

Replacement Level: Feliciano, Boettger

Below Average: Morse, Dawkins

Average-ish starter: Williams

[Big Turk]

We need to get physical mailers that are good at pass pro. That's tough to find.

[Sherlock Holmes]

19 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

Well, the article begins with a paragraph extolling his virtues as a pass blocking great, utilizing their All-22 criteria. A good pass blocking Center is certainly a Must for a Daboll/Allen offense. 
 

In short, I don’t think our next Center is currently on the team.

Creed Humphrey 

[Robert Paulson]

13 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Maybe we should draft Creed Humphrey in the 2nd round!!  What a steal that would be!!  Oh wait.  

I  am still pissed about this

[BuffaloBillyG]

40 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

“… However, the Bills’ trip to Jacksonville started a negative trend. It was the first time an opposing team turned the passing offense into an inefficient unit, as the Jaguars dared the Bills to run and the Bills had no counter. It began the Bills’ desire to get the ground game going a bit more, and they tried a lot of different blocking and rushing principles to accomplish it.

That brings us to Morse, who remains a good pass blocker and is an asset in run blocking schemes centered on athleticism. However, if the Bills are insistent on being more physical than the opponent with power run schemes, as they did at times against the Patriots, Morse will likely struggle. That was the case on Monday, as Morse easily had the worst game of his season and was a liability as a run blocker. He even showed some struggles as a pass blocker against bigger defensive tackles, which isn’t usually the case. Either way, the Bills needed a great deal more from Morse in a bad-weather game, where winning at the line of scrimmage was at the top of head coach Sean McDermott’s mind after the game. Over the last five games, Morse has a 2.42 GPA, and his season-long grade has plummeted. So it is fair to wonder what this means going forward, similar to last season when things unraveled with Morse.”

This has been a topic of discussion since he arrived via FA. His contract is up and we’d save $8.5M to let him walk. For as efficient as he is in passpro and Allen’s security blanket, he’s a detriment in the run game. Most importantly, our opponents know this. I seriously think we bid him farewell this offseason, not bothering to tend him even a lesser contract. Feliciano has shown well at C vs. the run, not so well vs. the pass -or at Guard. 

If he is shown the door, how do we adequately rebuild the OLine to balance the offense? This has been a crappy weather season already, so Mother Nature has dictated a lot of what we can do offensively.  No reason believe next year will be all sunshine and roses..

 

Are there players on the roster who can make the jump? Bates? Jamil Douglas?  Jacob Capra? Ford?? Bobby freakin’ Hart???

 

(excellent article, btw, for subscribers)

If Bradley Bozeman of the Ravens is allowed to hit FA he would be a guy I could see the Bills make a run at.

 

Starter on a tough physical line that does excellent on run blocking. Haa position flexibility to play G. Also is their Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.

 

However just as likely I could see them rolling with Feliciano at C next year if Bobby Johnson is back.

Edited December 10, 2021 by No Place To Hyde

[BuffaloRebound]

6 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

McDermott can preach and force the physical run game all he wants…. He doesn’t seem to understand the Bills don’t have the personnel for it…. 

Agreed.  This is the team he built.  Can’t put all your resources on that side of ball  into building a top notch passing game and then whine that we can’t run the ball.  

[Gugny]

38 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

Are there players on the roster who can make the jump? Bates? Jamil Douglas?  Jacob Capra? Ford?? Bobby freakin’ Hart???

 

I have lost every ounce of faith that Ford will ever be a serviceable O lineman in the NFL.  He is a bona fide bust, IMO.  

[Straight Hucklebuck]

He can't anchor against large DTs. 

 

We've know this forever. 

[bmur66]

I have noticed the same. Morse at times appears physically overmatched. He was the best available at the time to replace Eric Wood. He is often at the center of the wall of guys standing there that the RB runs into. He's not moving people. I though Feliciano did well filling in for him last year.

[BringBackFlutie]

11 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

He can't anchor against large DTs. 

 

We've know this forever. 

 

Right. He can't anchor in general. I'm not sure how he's a better pass blocker than run blocker.  Run blockers are usually more athletic. 

[Solomon Grundy]

43 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Maybe we should draft Creed Humphrey in the 2nd round!!  What a steal that would be!!  Oh wait.  

I wonder if Cody Ford scared them from taking Humphrey? Former Sooners

24 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I have lost every ounce of faith that Ford will ever be a serviceable O lineman in the NFL.  He is a bona fide bust, IMO.  

Ford was good on the move in Oklahoma, like article say about Morse

 

37 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

We need to get physical mailers that are good at pass pro. That's tough to find.

Trey Smith is doing well in KC

Edited December 10, 2021 by Solomon Grundy

[Solomon Grundy]

49 minutes ago, thenorthremembers said:

They could go get Tyler Linderbaum in the first round, use him as a Left Guard next year and then switch him to Center when Morse's contract is up after next season.   Regardless, Mitch is going to have to take a paycut to stay around.  11 million for an average center is not going to cut it with the low cap.

There are a lot of good centers in upcoming draft. Alec Lindstrom, Dohnovan West, etc. Wouldn’t waste 1st on center. I’d like for the Bills to draft another tackle, Trevor Penning, and move Dawkins inside. Don’t think Penning would be there in 20s though.