OCinBuffalo Posted March 3, 2007 Posted March 3, 2007 Let me say first that I am asking for the opinions of those who have consistently posted since last year at the minimum that we need to DRAFT/SIGN offensive line players rather than "skill"(put this in quotes for Bill ) players. I don't care if others post, but the point of this thread is to determine the following: 1. Are the All-"Offensive Line First" team members happy with these new signings? 2. What, if anything, do we need to do NOW to improve the offensive line? 3. Most important: Does this allow us, in your view, to change priorities in the draft? If so, what can we change? 4. "IF" you are relatively satisfied with the moves, is the next priority Defensive line? 5. Are we now allowed to draft a corner #1?(Or, is Marv still a dunce if he does that?)
Ozymandius Posted March 3, 2007 Posted March 3, 2007 1. I'm thrilled with the Bills' emphasis on improving the offensive line. I'm OKAY with the players we've signed (so far), as in, I'm not walking around with an erection or anything. I think overall we'll be happy with Dockery but there will also be some games where we'll be scratching our heads at his effort or penalties, but then again, there will be some games where he's killing people and we love him. Maybe he will continue to develop and become a consistently great player because we are surely paying him great player money. I think we'll be surprised by how well Whittle plays for his low-level contract. On the other hand, I think we'll be very disappointed in Walker unless McNally can tap into his potential. Thus, my prediction is that a year from now, we'll view our offensive like this on a love/hate spectrum: Peters (we heart you, Jason) >>> Dockery >>> Whittle/Fowler >>>>> Walker (bust). 2. I would draft another OG on the first day. I would prefer Whittle to serve as great depth instead of being a starter. I mean, injuries still happen. If Dockery goes down, for example, we're right back to Duke Preston at guard. Ugh. 3. We should still prioritize the lines. Again, I would take another guard on the first day, but I would also shift the #1 priority position to DT. Maybe Okoye. 4. Yes. 5. It'd be silly to draft corner. If CB is not important enough for us to franchise Nate, then it's also not important enough for us to spend the #12 overall pick on. I just want our front office to have a plan, to be consistent with it, and to follow it through, even if I don't agree with it. To draft a corner at 12 would be undermining your own plan, as in, why the frak didn't you just franchise Nate instead??? The #12 overall pick should go to improving the front 7 on defense, which should make the back 4 better players. That's the path we've started to march down so let's follow through.
Nanker Posted March 3, 2007 Posted March 3, 2007 Let me say first that I am asking for the opinions of those who have consistently posted since last year at the minimum that we need to DRAFT/SIGN offensive line players rather than "skill"(put this in quotes for Bill ) players. I don't care if others post, but the point of this thread is to determine the following: 1. Are the All-"Offensive Line First" team members happy with these new signings? 2. What, if anything, do we need to do NOW to improve the offensive line? 3. Most important: Does this allow us, in your view, to change priorities in the draft? If so, what can we change? 4. "IF" you are relatively satisfied with the moves, is the next priority Defensive line? 5. Are we now allowed to draft a corner #1?(Or, is Marv still a dunce if he does that?) As Third String Waterboy on that team, I feel semi-qualified to make a reply. 1. Yes. Unhesitatingly, yes. 2. Now we need to get Mouse moving on jellin like a felon to improve the teamwork of this new offensive line. (Don't look now, but we still need a Right Guard - unless you're not concerned that we might "offend". 3. Most important: Marv's priorities in "The" Draft remain the same. We just witnessed the Offensive Line "07 Draft" - and it was a good one. 4. My priority for this Draft is primarily Defense and the bigger the better. I'd much rather have Okoye than Willis. I'd rather Carriker than Willis. 5. Marv absolutely a dunce if he drafts Daymeion Hughes, Aaron Ross, Darrelle Revis, or Anthony Spencer OLB Purdue at 12. I think Marv's got big eyes for Willis. If he's not there he might take Charles Johnson DE/LB tweener Georgia, Jarvis Moss DE Florida, but one would hope (I know, "hope springs eternal") he'd actually pick up the phone and trade down. That said, I'd still like to see them get one of these guys in round 2: Ryan Kalil C USC, Ben Grubbs G Auburn, Justin Blaylock G Texas, Aaron Sears G Tennessee. If not, and we do go light (yeah, like THAT would ever happen) in the first round, Tank Tyler T NC State could be of interest in round 2 if he's there and the O Linemen aren't. Still, I'm not convinced we're done in FA wheeling and dealing. I think there's a good chance Marv might pick up a replacement for TKO (sorry folks, he's history) and/or LFB before the draft. The same for CB. Then it will come down to Hall or Oats Okoye (perhaps) in the Draft and that's where push comes to shove. If Okoye's there and Marv goes small with Hall it will be full metal jacket on the board for months to come.
JStranger76 Posted March 3, 2007 Posted March 3, 2007 I second What Nanker said. I'd still like a day one guard and STILL say no to a first round corner. None of em' are #12 material. NONE.
JAMIEBUF12 Posted March 3, 2007 Posted March 3, 2007 i am extremely happy with the signings.marv did in his second year what td totally failed to do in his whole tenure as gm.football is won and lost in the trenches.this is going to be a great line you can bank on it. the only thing we really need to improve the line now is to let the guys go out and practice together.you may find that even though langston was a right tackle he may end up being our right guard and we still keep pennington at right tackle..or penington becomes the right guard. it totally allows the bills to focus on defense in this defensive rich draft this year.the only way i can see us drafting a offensive player in the 1st ro und is if we trade willis and we trade up to get adrian peterson.if we dont we will keep a-train and draft a runningback in the later rounds. i am not sure about the defensive line.we could not stop the run last year,but mccargo also got hurt early last season,but yes the defensive line is now a big priority. we could very well draft a corner.i think we should just draft the best player available at #12 if we stay there.its been said if you draft for need you become medicore,unless the need is there and the talent justifes it. i'd like to add that improving the offensive line really helps our defense.we will be able to control the clock and with our great special teams even if we go on a 8 minute drive that ends in a field goal i bet we win the game.our defense will be very fresh.this is only going to make jp better as well.he will have brady like time to throw the ball. we will finially be a ball control type offense that has been promised to us the past 5 or 6 seasons......go bills in"07
Bill from NYC Posted March 3, 2007 Posted March 3, 2007 1) Although I don't claim to know much about these guys, our management seems to, and these signings leave me ecstatic. If these guys are good, the entire character of the football team will change, and rapidly. 2) Very hard to tell to be honest. I STILL don't know what to think of Pennington, but I suspect that our coaches weren't impressed. At his press conference, Marv clearly stated that he didn't want the TE to have to help on protection as much. 3) Certainly. RB, WR, LB, and CB are positions that I expect to be addressed. 4) I don't think so. Last year we spent a lot on DTs. McCargo is an unknown, and imo we are fine at DE. 5) Everybody claims that CBs are less important in a Cover-2. If the 1st round pick is a defender, I would like a stud LB given a choice. That said, I promise not to complain THAT much if Marv takes a corner, although I do hope that he doesn't draft 3 dbs with our first 4 picks, and I don't think this is asking a lot.
LynchMob23 Posted March 3, 2007 Posted March 3, 2007 What if he drafts two DBS - a corner to fit the Cover 2 and a S that can convert to OLB? In particular, I'm thinking Piscitelli (Ellison's team mate at Oregon) or Rouse out of Va Tech (who was a OLB and S at V-Tech)?
obie_wan Posted March 3, 2007 Posted March 3, 2007 1) Although I don't claim to know much about these guys, our management seems to, and these signings leave me ecstatic. If these guys are good, the entire character of the football team will change, and rapidly. 2) Very hard to tell to be honest. I STILL don't know what to think of Pennington, but I suspect that our coaches weren't impressed. At his press conference, Marv clearly stated that he didn't want the TE to have to help on protection as much. 3) Certainly. RB, WR, LB, and CB are positions that I expect to be addressed. 4) I don't think so. Last year we spent a lot on DTs. McCargo is an unknown, and imo we are fine at DE. 5) Everybody claims that CBs are less important in a Cover-2. If the 1st round pick is a defender, I would like a stud LB given a choice. That said, I promise not to complain THAT much if Marv takes a corner, although I do hope that he doesn't draft 3 dbs with our first 4 picks, and I don't think this is asking a lot. IF Okoye is gone, I expect Willis to be the pick in the first. could be multiple CBs taken since only 3 on the roster- but I expect them to add a FA RB could be a day 1 priority.
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