Should Dion look like this?

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Footballs back!

[Buffalo716]

5 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

That's pretty much where I'm at

 

 

Honest question, Why?  Very curious

Because peaking too early …it’s a real thing

 

It’s a long NFL season and being in peak shape in June does nothing for November or December 

 

mini camp and TC are there to get into football shape at a good pace …

 

No QB wants to have his arm feel the best all year in July …. A quarterback wants to be peak performance in real game time 

 

that’s why QBs are on throwing cycles … sometimes they don’t throw for weeks …. And that’s so they don’t peak too early and have their arm prime in the off season 

 

they want it prime when it matters 

 

it matters how dion looks in october … not May

 

ofc I would assume he’s carrying extra weight … it’s so he will be at his playing weight in September after Mini and training camp

 

if he looks like that after TC… different story 

 

but he should trim down 

 

 

 

 

[BigAl2526]

He has just about the same shape as Poona Ford.  He's just 5 inches taller.

[mrags]

31 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

People want to take the best left tackle we’ve had here Since Peter’s and people always want to kick him in lol 

 

And he certainly could play guard but I don’t see the top five… because he’s not a monster run blocker … The lazy take is thinking he’s an all pro caliber guard 

 

He’s an average run blocker moving 260 pounds ends… He’s not moving 320 pound defensive tackles with ease 

 

We could’ve replace him for five years with an average left tackle if they thought he was an all pro guard… 

 

 

 

“We” also overpaid for a guy at LT to be a top tier guy and it hasn’t really worked out. 
 

don’t get me wrong. I don’t think he’s terrible. I think he’s extremely over rated. Especially by fans. And I think if he’s your 3rd best OL you’re in alright shape. But if you are expecting him to be your best OL then you are in trouble. I just think he would do much better with someone decent next to him. Hopefully McGovern helps him this year. 

[Buffalo716]

Just now, mrags said:

“We” also overpaid for a guy at LT to be a top tier guy and it hasn’t really worked out. 
 

don’t get me wrong. I don’t think he’s terrible. I think he’s extremely over rated. Especially by fans. And I think if he’s your 3rd best OL you’re in alright shape. But if you are expecting him to be your best OL then you are in trouble. I just think he would do much better with someone decent next to him. Hopefully McGovern helps him this year. 

I can agree

[mrags]

22 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

People always want to take our tackles and swap sides or push them inside to G.  I don't understand the thought process there. 

 

I also don't understand who would be expected to play LT

 Nobody in this team most likely. Bud that doesn’t mean we should attempt to get a better LT. 

[Sierra Foothills]

1 hour ago, CincyBillsFan said:

Bad angle worsened by bad lighting...........................

 

1 hour ago, TOboy said:

Also not a good colour for him

 

1 hour ago, Dave_Bills said:

That’s an awful angle...

 

1 hour ago, JohnNord said:

Remember…the camera adds 10 pounds!

 

48 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

... but in his defense that jersey legit looks like a schmedium lol

 

Photographically, artificial turf adds girth to the midrift.

 

[GunnerBill]

Dion has an issue with his weight. That isn't a secret. The Bills are aware of it. Definitely fair to say most lineman come to camp carrying a few lbs they can afford to lose but Dion has had weight fluctations in season the past two years too. In 2021 that was easier to overlook given he had two bouts of covid but there has been concern internally about his weight yo-yoing. 

 

I think it has begun to affect his play in a way that when he was younger he could get away with it. At Dion's best he is a borderline top 10 left tackle, but we have only seen his best form in snatches the past couple of years. He had a really good ending to 2021 and a really good start to 2022 but he has struggled for consistency and I have to wonder if the body struggles are part of it. 

 

I have long thought that as he aged the natural move was to slide him in one to left guard where him carrying a few extra lbs won't matter so much. That does require you to at least have someone as good at left tackle before you make that move and the Bills don't - but it has been a position that the last two offseasons I'd have been looking at. In 2022 I liked that draft class and of one of the top guys had fallen to us I wanted to take them - they didn't. This past offseason I speculated about trading for a proven vet (Jake Matthews was my particular target - maybe using Ed Oliver as bait) before they made the moves at guard in FA. 

 

The decision on Dion is coming at some point soon in any event. As alluded to above he is a FA after 2024. I am not sure paying Dion again when he is going into his age 31 season and has these known weight issues is a particularly smart move. 

 

But I disagree with those who say he is currently or has been overpaid. Yes, he was top 5 left tackle when the Bills did the contact but he is currently 14th. And that is without the likes of Slater and Sewell (I know he has played more RT so far) being paid yet. It's just year on year market inflation. He was a top 5 paid left tackle for less than a year.

[PrimeTime101]

4 hours ago, Beck Water said:

 

Well, if you click on it, it would take you to the Buffalo Bills website

yea no. click open in new window. user is private from nfl. that has been skewed

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by PrimeTime101

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

6 hours ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

He’s a big dude and still a better athlete 99.9% of this MB lol

I can probably run a faster 40 😅 

[NI Bills Fan]

The camera adds 10 lbs... And Dion had just eaten 7 of them before practice.

[Freddie's Dead]

aka Manu the Slender......

[stinky finger]

6 hours ago, arcane said:

He's athletic enough that that's never been my problem with him

 

You cannot be remotely lean at 300+ lbs

You can if you’re 9’ 7”

[Pete]

Yes, Dion should be looking like this.  Should you be making posts like this?

 

Dion trains hard, is a solid LT, great teammate, awesome in Buffalo community.

 

Have you ever met some NFL offensive lineman?  They aren’t svelte.  And low center of gravity moves piles 
 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Pete

[teef]

And fat shaming continues.

[Sargent Hulka]

I noticed. that too, perusing through the OTA photos at buffalobills.com. Dude looking like a butterball turkey.

[Matt_In_NH]

He has put on a lot of fat since his rookie year.   This picture makes it look like ore has gone on but it’s one image from one angle.  I do wonder if it is a bit much.   

[Pete]

1 hour ago, Sargent Hulka said:

I noticed. that too, perusing through the OTA photos at buffalobills.com. Dude looking like a butterball turkey.

What are your insightful thoughts on Poona Ford’s body type?

 

You do understand that athletes come in all shapes and sizes?

Edited May 24, 2023 by Pete

[Back2Buff]

[GunnerBill]

17 minutes ago, Pete said:

What are your insightful thoughts on Poona Ford’s body type?

 

You do understand that athletes come in all shapes and sizes?

 

The point here isn't about Dion compared to a normal person. It is Dion compared to Dion. I am surprised so many here don't seem aware of the weight fluctation issues he has had. I thought it, and the team's concern about it, was pretty common knowledge.