Texans looking at LJ Shelton

[Sound_n_Fury]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/s.../fb/nfl/3192107

 

May 21, 2005, 12:19AM

 

Tackle draws Texans' interest

By CARLTON THOMPSON

Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

 

 

The Texans are among several teams expressing interest in free-agent left tackle L.J. Shelton, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday.

 

Shelton, a first-round pick in 1999, was the Cardinals' starting left tackle for most of the past five seasons, but was benched last season after falling out of favor with coach Dennis Green.

 

Seth Wand is the Texans' starter at left tackle, but often switched positions with left guard Chester Pitts during coaching sessions this week. The Texans signed veteran Victor Riley last week, and tried to trade for Pro Bowler Orlando Pace earlier in the offseason, making it clear the left side of the offensive line — more specifically left tackle — is unsettled.

 

"Seth knows that we're going to try to put the best five guys on the field and look for the best combination of five guys," Texans coach Dom Capers said. " ... We weren't pleased with the amount of sacks we gave up last year. The whole goal is to come out with the most efficient five and the best five."

 

Signability could be an issue between the Texans and Shelton, who was due a base salary of $3 million in each of the next four years and will command a lot of interest.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

I'm sure several teams ARE expressing interest. But read that last line again about "signability" since he thinks he still should be making $3 a year.

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

This is an interesting piece for those who insisted that Shelton was a dog who could not play ball. If true, NFL experts (who often seem not to have enough expertise as their teams are not competitive) seem to disagree.

 

This simply adds another wrinkle to this tale in terms of figuring out what the Bills are doing since if true and the Bills can upgrade at a position they have some biq questions about it appears that Shelton will cost more to be the answer than if we had traded to get him.

 

However, in addition to the contract costs, we would have had to given up the resoures to be garnered (if any or much) from a trade of Henry so there are just tons of factors here.

[MartyBall4Buffalo]

well now I'm just baffled. Several teams are expressing interest which will drive his price up. Obviousily other nfl gm's think shelton can play yet we're stuck with Mike Gandy and trey teague in what seems a lt by committee system.

 

 

I don't know the ins and outs of the salary cap, but I do know we have a glaring need at lt, a glare which could be filled by shelton and yet we're stuck with nothing but guards who can play several positions yet no legit lt

[MadBuffaloDisease]

well now I'm just baffled. Several teams are expressing interest which will drive his price up. Obviousily other nfl gm's think shelton can play yet we're stuck with Mike Gandy and trey teague in what seems a lt by committee system.

I don't know the ins and outs of the salary cap, but I do know we have a glaring need at lt, a glare which could be filled by shelton and yet we're stuck with nothing but guards who can play several positions yet no legit lt

If the Bills express no interest in him, it means they didn't want him in the first place. And the interest in him will drive his price up from the vet minimum to somewhere in the mid-$1M range. But the true test will be to see how Shelton does at LT with his new team, versus how the Bills' new starting LT does.

[cale]

If the Bills express no interest in him, it means they didn't want him in the first place.  And the interest in him will drive his price up from the vet minimum to somewhere in the mid-$1M range.  But the true test will be to see how Shelton does at LT with his new team, versus how the Bills' new starting LT does.

341891[/snapback]

 

Yeah, and by then it will be too late...I thought Dom Capers quote about putting the best five out there was interesting. Think they know LT is an important position? nah...TD and our front office must surely know what the heck they are doing...

 

Charles

[MadBuffaloDisease]

Yeah, and by then it will be too late...I thought Dom Capers quote about putting the best five out there was interesting.  Think they know LT is an important position?  nah...TD and our front office must surely know what the heck they are doing...

Shelton may be better than THEIR projected starting LT. Apparently the Bills don't think he's better than OUR projected starting LT. And I'd take McNally's word over Capers'.

[Nanker]

I'm sure several teams ARE expressing interest.  But read that last line again about "signability" since he thinks he still should be making $3 a year.

341766[/snapback]

 

Frankly, I wouldn't sign a contract for $3 per year. I have my standards. LS is afterall, a professional athlete. You do know that the vet minimum is over $300,000 per year. He was making $3 million a year. Ye Gods, man. Have a heart. TD can't be that tight that he only offered him three dollars! For a year?

Oh, TD, you must truly be the SoS.

 

I will give JM a mulligan on Pucillo - 'cause he was only in town for a couple of weeks. But he did install Pucillo as a starter at the beginning of training camp - mostly on the strength of the fact that he ended the previous year as the starter - or so he said and so it seemed. At least he made a big change in a big hurry when he saw with his own eyes in real-time what a turnstile Pucillo was.

 

McNally's knows what he's got now, and I've got to think he had a hand in bringing in every new guy that will show up here this year. Somehow I don't get the impression that there's a real "find" out there that JM's drooling over. Shelton certainly isn't that. I'm feeling better about the OL going into training camp this year than I did last year.

 

To me, LT is an over-rated position. What's nearly of equal importance is to have consistent blocking from your running back(s). It also helps to have a QB that doesn't play like his shoelaces are tied together and his wrist is tied to his stomach. JP III certainly isn't that either.

[Fan in San Diego]

Frankly, I wouldn't sign a contract for $3 per year. I have my standards. LS is afterall, a professional athlete. You do know that the vet minimum is over $300,000 per year. He was making $3 million a year. Ye Gods, man. Have a heart. TD can't be that tight that he only offered him three dollars! For a year?

Oh, TD, you must truly be the SoS. 

 

I will give JM a mulligan on Pucillo - 'cause he was only in town for a couple of weeks. But he did install Pucillo as a starter at the beginning of training camp - mostly on the strength of the fact that he ended the previous year as the starter - or so he said and so it seemed. At least he made a big change in a big hurry when he saw with his own eyes in real-time what a turnstile Pucillo was.

 

McNally's knows what he's got now, and I've got to think he had a hand in bringing in every new guy that will show up here this year. Somehow I don't get the impression that there's a real "find" out there that JM's drooling over. Shelton certainly isn't that. I'm feeling better about the OL going into training camp this year than I did last year.

 

To me, LT is an over-rated position. What's nearly of equal importance is to have consistent blocking from your running back(s). It also helps to have a QB that doesn't play like his shoelaces are tied together and his wrist is tied to his stomach. JP III certainly isn't that either.

341963[/snapback]

 

Good logic. Let's hope you are correct.

[kasper13]

I'm also drawing interest from several teams. It's ridiculous to me that every single player that becomes a free agent is reported on as "Several teams are interested". No kidding? If not, career over. Not exactly breaking news here.

[BuffaloBob]

I'm also drawing interest from several teams. It's ridiculous to me that every single player that becomes a free agent is reported on as "Several teams are interested". No kidding? If not, career over. Not exactly breaking news here.

341994[/snapback]

You are so right Kasp! Geesh, so a number of teams have expressed enough interest that they will take a look at him. That doesn't mean all or even ANY of those teams are or will be willing to sign him.

 

THe Bills took a look and the coaching staff decided he was a turd and passed. Surprise surprise, he ends up on the street anyway. All of those several teams expressing interest may come to the same conclusion. I give the Bills the win on this one.

 

Shelton may end up on a team, but it just may not be for that $3 Mil per he was getting.

[Pac_Man]

My own personal feeling--and this is just a hunch--is that the long-term answer at LT isn't on the roster this year. It isn't Shelton either. Don't be surprised if next year, we use a high draft pick or big free agency money on a LT.

[VABills]

Any one ever read the fable about the fox and the grape. This board reminds me so much of that little story.

[Bill from NYC]

Frankly, I wouldn't sign a contract for $3 per year. I have my standards. LS is afterall, a professional athlete. You do know that the vet minimum is over $300,000 per year. He was making $3 million a year. Ye Gods, man. Have a heart. TD can't be that tight that he only offered him three dollars! For a year?

Oh, TD, you must truly be the SoS. 

 

I will give JM a mulligan on Pucillo - 'cause he was only in town for a couple of weeks. But he did install Pucillo as a starter at the beginning of training camp - mostly on the strength of the fact that he ended the previous year as the starter - or so he said and so it seemed. At least he made a big change in a big hurry when he saw with his own eyes in real-time what a turnstile Pucillo was.

 

McNally's knows what he's got now, and I've got to think he had a hand in bringing in every new guy that will show up here this year. Somehow I don't get the impression that there's a real "find" out there that JM's drooling over. Shelton certainly isn't that. I'm feeling better about the OL going into training camp this year than I did last year.

 

To me, LT is an over-rated position. What's nearly of equal importance is to have consistent blocking from your running back(s). It also helps to have a QB that doesn't play like his shoelaces are tied together and his wrist is tied to his stomach. JP III certainly isn't that either.

341963[/snapback]

 

LT an over-rated position? Over-rated by who? NFL GMs? Must be, because it is the 2nd highest paid position in football the last time I looked.

Orlando Pace played LT in front of an Arena League QB and eliminated any and all blind side rush. Then he plowed open garage sized holes for his running back who unlike Travis Henry, was acquired in a trade for a second round pick because a GM believed him to be worthy of one. The result was a superbowl victory.

Btw, I agree that having a RB who is able to block IS important. The Bills proved this by winning football games when Travis Gump was extracted from our lineup.

That said, how you can place this as being equally important as a Left Tackle is beyond my comprehension, unless you would advocate sending the RB out to block for the Left Tackle as often as the LT blocks for the RB.

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

You are so right Kasp!  Geesh, so a number of teams have expressed enough interest that they will take a look at him.  That doesn't mean all or even ANY of those teams are or will be willing to sign him.

 

THe Bills took a look and the coaching staff decided he was a turd and passed.  Surprise surprise, he ends up on the street anyway.  All of those several teams expressing interest may come to the same conclusion.  I give the Bills the win on this one.

 

Shelton may end up on a team, but it just may not be for that $3 Mil per he was getting.

342032[/snapback]

 

I do not disagree with your assessment of Shelton being a turd as a player because I have not seen enough of his play to explain why someone who is paid to spend too much time on this stuff decided to spend a bunch on real dollars on him even though it is counter to your fan assessment. I have not seen enough of his play to make a judgement who is correct.

 

In addition, even if he did play well enough before to merit the contract he got, he clearly is coming off of an ankle injury which diminished his play and I have not seen the X-rays or been privy to medical information which makes it reasonable for me to draw a conclusion or to support or oppose the conclusion you have drawn based on seeing his play or being privy to his medical condition that it makes you comfortable with drawing a conclusion.

 

However I think there is enough available info to raise a couple of concerns about your conclusion that Shelton will not be a Bill.

 

First, there has been a lot ofrumorand chatter about the Bill assessment of Shelton. However, a summary of those rumors pretty much amounts to not the Bills clearly assessing him to be a turd, but having mixed views about him (specifically the unsubstantiated rumor is that TD and the front office like him and that JMac and the line staff do not.

 

They may be shining the world on in terms of either view, or it could be a reversal of these vies with JMac liking him and TD not. I do not know. If you have any specific links or sites to quotes I am sure I am not the only one who would love to see them.

 

Second, the sad fact is that even if Shelton is a turd it does not necessarily mean he will not be a Bill and further that making this turd a Bill would not be the right thing to do.

 

Folks seem to pretend or operate as as though the decision to take on a player or not is a simple decision of whether he is a good player or not. This is a big factor but simply wrong as a real description of intelligent decision making.

 

The real question how does a player compare in quality of play and cap expenditure to the other options we have available at that spot.

 

It matters far less how someone judges Shelton that how someone judges Gandy who is is the current holder of the starting LT job.

 

Why are you such a big believe in Gandy?

 

Mt sense is that Shekton may well be done due to injury and if the Bills docs so judge then by all means pass him by.

 

However, from what I know of these two as players. I have doubts about Shelton I think we all have but I have even greater doubts about Gandy. Again why do you endorse Gandy as LT and if not then what is your answer.

 

I am also high on Peters and aggree he is a phenomenal athlete, but I do not see us trusting JPs's blindside to him until he has a full year of tackle play in practice and growing bit parts in games to his credit.

 

I think Teague is actually a far more likely candidate to handle the job than Gandy, Peters or Shelton, but I think tyhe disruptions this causes on the Ol as we then would have to depend on Tucker as our starting C or rev up rookie Prestong seems unlikely to me.

 

I do not disagree that Shelton may well be a turd as a player, but i do think a turd may be the best we can do at LT right now.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

Any one ever read the fable about the fox and the grape.  This board reminds me so much of that little story.

The epilogue to that story is that the grapes later fall to the ground, the fox stumbles upon a group of other animals eating them and starts eating them himself, and then says "Yep, I was right."

[BuffaloBob]

I do not disagree with your assessment of Shelton being a turd as a player because I have not seen enough of his play to explain why someone who is paid to spend too much time on this stuff decided to spend a bunch on real dollars on him even though it is counter to your fan assessment. I have not seen enough of his play to make a judgement who is correct.

 

In addition, even if he did play well enough before to merit the contract he got, he clearly is coming off of an ankle injury which diminished his play and I have not seen the X-rays or been privy to medical information which makes it reasonable for me to draw a conclusion or to support or oppose the conclusion you have drawn based on seeing his play or being privy to his medical condition that it makes you comfortable with drawing a conclusion.

 

However I think there is enough available info to raise a couple of concerns about your conclusion that Shelton will not be a Bill.

 

First, there has been a lot ofrumorand chatter about the Bill assessment of Shelton. However, a summary of those rumors pretty much amounts to not the Bills clearly assessing him to be a turd, but having mixed views about him (specifically the unsubstantiated rumor is that TD and the front office like him and that JMac and the line staff do not.

 

They may be shining the world on in terms of either view, or it could be a reversal of these vies with JMac liking him and TD not. I do not know. If you have any specific links or sites to quotes I am sure I am not the only one who would love to see them.

 

Second, the sad fact is that even if Shelton is a turd it does not necessarily mean he will not be a Bill and further that making this turd a Bill would not be the right thing to do.

 

Folks seem to pretend or operate as as though the decision to take on a player or not is a simple decision of whether he is a good player or not. This is a big factor but simply wrong as a real description of intelligent decision making.

 

The real question how does a player compare in quality of play and cap expenditure to the other options we have available at that spot.

 

It matters far less how someone judges Shelton that how someone judges Gandy who is is the current holder of the starting LT job.

 

Why are you such a big believe in Gandy?

 

Mt sense is that Shekton may well be done due to injury and if the Bills docs so judge then by all means pass him by.

 

However, from what I know of these two as players. I have doubts about Shelton I think we all have but I have even greater doubts about Gandy. Again why do you endorse Gandy as LT and if not then what is your answer.

 

I am also high on Peters and aggree he is a phenomenal athlete, but I do not see us trusting JPs's blindside to him until he has a full year of tackle play in practice and growing bit parts in games to his credit.

 

I think Teague is actually a far more likely candidate to handle the job than Gandy, Peters or Shelton, but I think tyhe disruptions this causes on the Ol as we then would have to depend on Tucker as our starting C or rev up rookie Prestong seems unlikely to me.

 

I do not disagree that Shelton may well be a turd as a player, but i do think a turd may be the best we can do at LT right now.

342063[/snapback]

 

Hey dude! That was not MY assessment! It was the assessment of the Bills' coaching staff as was publicly disclosed. Based on the move Wednesday, apparently, it was DG's as well.

 

He could sign with another team and play great, but I tend to give deference to those guys.

 

As for what the Bills will do at LT, I think the simplest way to express it will be that they will continue to try and upgrade that position if they can. Will that best grade involve Gandy, Peters, Teague or a player not yet on the roster that they can afford? It will depend pn how thjose guys already on the team play, and on what others moves could be made and their economic feasibility.

 

I think TD says basically this all of the time. They will upgrade any position if the move is truly an upgrade, if it truly increases the team's chance to win commensurately with or exceeding the value given up, and that the price can in fact be paid.