O’Cyrus Torrence praise

[Green Lightning]

3 hours ago, Logic said:

Torrence had a very good rookie season. I think he'll be a good guard for a lot of years here.

The weirdest thing to me is that after a few seasons of searching for the right o-line combination and of the guards being a liability, the Bills finally stumbled on a great lineup last year. Their guards were finally, at the very least, NOT a liability.

They followed up this season of above average line play by....releasing their veteran center, shifting their left guard to center, and moving a backup to the starting lineup. (Yes, I realize training camp battles may change this, but that's what it's penciled in as at the moment).

So...it's just weird to me. Morse's contract was not THAT cost prohibitive. The deal he signed with the Jags was certainly doable for the Bills. And fixing what ain't broke by moving McGovern to center, which he hasn't played since college...it's just weird.

My biggest hope of the offseason is that Sedrick Van Pran takes the reigns at center and never looks back. That would allow the least upheaval/turnover on our line, with only one position seeing a new starter.

I was fine with moving on from Morse. He was okay for the most part during the regular season but struggled against quality DT's, particularly in a bull rush.  He's a finesse guy in what is shaping up to be a more physical OL.  $8 million was a lot of coin for him.  I'm anxious to see if Van Pran can take over and give us a Torrence like rookie year. 

[BuffaloBill]

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[Buffalo716]

4 hours ago, Billz4ever said:

 

I was shocked he fell all the way to us at #59 in the 2nd round.  Many mocks had him going to us the 1st.  One of the biggest strokes of luck and one of the biggest steals the Bills have had.

Yea he was certainly the top guard prospect imo 

 

Steal that he fell

7 hours ago, T master said:

 

I'm also interested in his team mate Richard Gouraige (if he is still on the team If not my bad)  Beane has a way with finding good linemen, in the past if they are put on the PS they don't last long other teams come and get them like they have in past years . 

Still on the roster in believe 

[chris heff]

19 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

So you’re saying he is an upgrade over Saffold and Vlad Ducasse?

I don’t miss Vlad the Impaler.

[RyanC883]

19 hours ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Torrence was great most of the year. I thought he started to struggle in pass blocking as the season wore on.  Don't know if that was the rookie wall or if teams started to scheme against him better.

I would not be shocked if he is second team All-Pro 

 

first team!   I think prob rookie wall and if technique hopefully can be corrected with Kromer. 

3 hours ago, Green Lightning said:

I was fine with moving on from Morse. He was okay for the most part during the regular season but struggled against quality DT's, particularly in a bull rush.  He's a finesse guy in what is shaping up to be a more physical OL.  $8 million was a lot of coin for him.  I'm anxious to see if Van Pran can take over and give us a Torrence like rookie year. 

 

I’m really high on Van Pran.  0 sacks and 1 hit total last 2 years in SEC. 

[Beck Water]

10 hours ago, T master said:

 

I'm also interested in his team mate Richard Gouraige (if he is still on the team If not my bad)  Beane has a way with finding good linemen, in the past if they are put on the PS they don't last long other teams come and get them like they have in past years . 

 

He is still on the team at this point.  

[EmotionallyUnstable]

On 5/21/2024 at 8:27 PM, Buffalo716 said:

They get paid more than centers now.. it's tougher to play guard in the modern NFL than center 

 

They physically take on more one-on-one blocks... Center gets more combination blocks and there are very few physically imposing zero techs who play that technique every snap 

 

Guards take on dominant three techniques one-on-one

You’ve previously expressed the opinion that Sedrick VPG needs to put on weight before being ready for action but I see your bolded comments as reasons why it might not matter and in fact, who be more beneficial to have McG at Guard. 

[Buffalo716]

7 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

You’ve previously expressed the opinion that Sedrick VPG needs to put on weight before being ready for action but I see your bolded comments as reasons why it might not matter and in fact, who be more beneficial to have McG at Guard. 

That is a fair take... I think VPG needs to improve his core strength because he tends to play with bad technique occasionally which hurts his play strength 

 

He adds a nice 10 lb of muscle... And improves his core strength and I can see him being the lynchpin in a year or 2 as I said 

 

But he needs to get the technique corrected... To maximize his play strength... Or he will always be an overextender who NFL DLineman can get out of position 

 

He certainly has the talent to be an NFL starting center... But grooming players for the next level is never a bad idea.. taking time with him will only take him from good to great

 

 

 

 

[Doc]

Rookie year behind him, a full year in the S&C program and a chance to review things he did wrong as a rookie.  Looking forward to year 2.

[CSBill]

The Spencer Brown surgery explains the Colling pickup. It's an insurance policy, for sure.

[Kwai San]

On 5/21/2024 at 11:22 PM, Captain Hindsight said:

I told my brother before the draft, I wanted them to take the guard with the biggest ass and mean streak and plug him in week one

 

Torrance has that ass 

 

THAT sir is TMI!

[Utah John]

The Bills look like they're going to continue to have good O line play.  Brown has turned the corner at RT, Torrence looks really good at RG, the new center with too many names could turn out good, McGovern should go back to LG where he played well (his experience at center with Dallas was a disaster), and LT Dawkins remains really good.  

 

This year could be a down year, if the new center doesn't take the job right away and we have to keep McGovern at center with a backup at LG.  The down year would impact not only the O line but the entire offense.  Cook doesn't make holes on his own.  Here's hoping the new center turns out to be they guy they needed.

 

The next need will be to draft a strong LT to replace Dawkins as he ages out.  

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

On 5/21/2024 at 8:27 PM, SCBills said:

Seems like they learned by taking VPG this year.

 

Center only, but a darn good one who slid due to lack of position flex.

 

Can’t have all guys like that on the OL, but if they’re starter caliber, you have a potential need & your depth has flex, there’s some steals to be had on the OL. 

 

One of the things that Beane appeared to address differently this year and maybe even already last year was picking players who performed high in college as opposed to in the early years of Beane as GM was picking players more based on potential and ceiling.  A couple that come to mind were Knox, Edmunds, even Allen.

 

I suppose it made more sense back than as the team was in a more longer term building mode whereas now they are looking to replace players with a new younger version right away.

[Mark Vader]

1 hour ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

One of the things that Beane appeared to address differently this year and maybe even already last year was picking players who performed high in college as opposed to in the early years of Beane as GM was picking players more based on potential and ceiling.  A couple that come to mind were Knox, Edmunds, even Allen.

 

I suppose it made more sense back than as the team was in a more longer term building mode whereas now they are looking to replace players with a new younger version right away.

I understand what you mean about Allen & Knox, but Edmunds was a talented player in college.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

3 hours ago, Mark Vader said:

I understand what you mean about Allen & Knox, but Edmunds was a talented player in college.

 

True, but he was still very young when drafted and was expected to improve significantly which happened somewhat, but not likely to the level they expected.

[Mark Vader]

1 hour ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

True, but he was still very young when drafted and was expected to improve significantly which happened somewhat, but not likely to the level they expected.

How Edmunds turned out in the pros wasn't my point. No one could honestly predict that.

 

He was regarded by many as one of the top linebackers coming out of college.

[Fan in Chicago]

13 hours ago, Kwai San said:

 

THAT sir is TMI!

I certainly see @Captain Hindsight's name in a whole new light now

[Thrivefourfive]

Love it!! Hope the young man continues his upward traj.

 

Question though, so OP is saying move O’CT64 to LT, and trade DD73 for TH5..?

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

10 hours ago, Mark Vader said:

How Edmunds turned out in the pros wasn't my point. No one could honestly predict that.

 

He was regarded by many as one of the top linebackers coming out of college.

 

Agree, the point I was trying to make though was when any team drafts a player that young, regardless of how well he was ranked, IMO the uncertainty increases as to how good he'll eventually become also increases.  Beane seems to be going more for players with less risk lately, drafting the lower hanging fruit.