Reggie Nelson

[Oneonta Buffalo Fan]

When is he projected to go? He was a beast at the University of Florida.... if we need a DB, why not look to this guy as a 2nd or one of our third round picks? I think for someone who was ABSOLUTELY dominant at his position on the national champion team, he has flown under the radar... AND speaking of UF..I know a guy who has a slight character issue that used to play for them Marcus Thomas who would shore up our DT position in a heart beat...

Very late first round.

[L.EvansHands]

Yeah I heard that, but he juuuusssst might slip to us at 2nd round...according to some of the draft gurus (who are just guessing like us)

[Acantha]

Like Hollywood said, Nelson's stock dropped a bit at the combine due to poor 40 times, but he kicked butt at his pro day (had the second highest 40 times of DB's at the combine....and did it on grass) and will make that jump back up. He won't slip past 20 and my guess is he'll go top 15.

 

Siler would be a good addition if we don't go for Willis in the first. Though I would much prefer to see him picked up with an extra 2nd later in the round if we ended up trading down.

 

Thomas...well, I doubt Marv goes for him. While the only knock on him is that he got caught smoking pot twice, getting booted from your team in your senior year is a pretty big deal. It was a really stupid move. If he had played the whole season he would have been a first round pick easy! I guarantee he would have been put in the same category as Okoye and Branch. Since I think his punishment most likely knocked him straight, I would love to see him brought in, but I don't see it happening. I'll bet he has an impact on whatever team takes him though.

[JinWPB]

This draft is loaded with 1st rnd. talent that will fall to later rnds. Reggie will very likely be there in the second rnd. He is a smart FS/CB with 4.3 speed who hits like a tank. Lets hope we get him.

[Sketch Soland]

Paragraph by paragraph

1. All I said about McCargo is that he is an unknown. He was a first round pick in name only. Although it was rumored that the Giants were interested in him, teams like the Chargers, had him rated a fourth round prospect. I hope he turns in to something

 

Yes, i hope he does too. We are relying heavily on him.

 

I or you have no idea what teams would have drafted him where last year or what teams had him rated at what level. The fact is: our coaching staff and management had him highly rated, specifically to play a certain role in our kind of defense. Not every team plays the same kind of defense and/or looks for the same kind of player to play a certain kind of role. This affects how they grade a player and how highly they covet him.

 

2. All Williams showed is that he , if given time, could be a poor man's Jeff Wright/Mike Lodish. I have all the games taped (will be glad to send them to you) and see a lot of plays that he is near and around and NOT making. Sure he is a rookie, I'll give you that, but he doesn't give me as much confidence as you that he'll be anything more than a scrub.

 

I do see your point and you may be right. All I'm saying is that it's too early to render his sentence. We would have practically Zero players on this team that we drafted if we gave up on them after their rookie year because they weren't pro bowlers their rookie year.

 

3.Anderson. Enough said

 

They must be tendering him for some reason. Maybe just to have a warm body at camp, but they didn't have to tender him. And it's not like a professional football teams is in the 850,000 charity business.... We can all post here about how he is the shite-ist thing since shite but they still tendered him. So we'll see. I, for one, doubt he makes the team, but that's just a hunch.

 

4. The money the Bills spent on a journeyman DT like Tripplett does not justify not trying to take a stud early, unless they are more concerned about not looking like they made a mistake rather than improving a pathetically weak area.

 

I think they think Tripplett will be even better this year with a year under his belt in the system and with the improvement of his fellow players on the line and the addition of McCargo back into the rotation. I think they saw improvement in his play over the second half of the season and I think they are not willing to give up on him. It is very easy just to say all our DT's are "pathetically weak". But a blanket generalization such as this does not take into account the salary cap, which obviously I don't have to inform you about, and the general cohesion of the overall scheme, each player fulfilling their specific task in the scheme so that others can be successful in their spot. Our whole defense had to learn a new defense last year. Marv is now beginining to get all the right players he wants to play this defense, so I expect to see a drastic improvement in filling gaps, holding down lanes, etc. this year with a year under the belt and the continued improvement of young players.

 

5. Undersized. You are right. They didn't execute either. They also got their a$$es blown off the ball because they were small and with minimal talent, technique.... whatever. They are horrible.

 

A superificial judgment, imo. "They are horrible" does not really cut it, imo, as a proper and thorough critique of the situation. Our DT's are not "undersized". Undersized relative to what? The average fan's concept of what a DT should be? Ask the Bears and the Colts what size their DT's are. Somehow they both made it to the super bowl. Now I'm not saying that Larry Tripplett is Tommy Harris, but then again, who is? The point is, the name of the game is team defense, execution, and proper discipline in filling your gaps etc. McCargo needs to emerge as a force. Everything is relying on that. He is supposed to be our Tommy Harris or the next best thing. You may scoff at that, but that's why we drafted him in the 1st round. Any full critique of our DT rotation is immature until we can see him play significantly.

 

6. I never claim to know more than the coaches and neither do you. But some on this board want to blindly say the Bills know what they are doing and blame everything on the previous regime. The other side continually criticizes every move. They are both very tiresome.

 

No, I certainly will never claim to know more than the coaches. Here's the point though: as a fan, YOU HAVE TO have faith in whatever current Bills coaching staff and management is in place. What else can you do? There is nothing else to do! So yes, I do have faith in them, because I can't go draft a petition and have a bunch of fans sign it, hand it to Ralph and force him to Bring Parcells or Cowher in to coach.... The fact is this is Levy's second offseason; we are now beginning to see how he is remaking this roster in his and jauron's image (i believe they are very similar in football philosophical bent). Rome wasn't built in a day. We saw considerable improvement last year as a team. That is undeniable. What reason is there to suspect that this improvement will not continue? I will continue to believe that there is no reason that we can't improve because I see what one year has done for us and see no reason to believe that his philosophy and paradigm shift in attitude and play will cease to continue this year.

 

I have been a fan since 1965 and will be the happiest guy on the face of the earth if the Bills WON a Superbowl before I die.

 

Amen!

 

But the continual attacks with the "Trust Marv', "You think you know more than the management", arguments are weak, at best.

 

Again, what else is there to do? Unless you have a significant share in the Bills' ownership, Marv is the man making the decisions for the at least near future. And many people do think they are professional football talent evalutors. I don't, that's why I steer cleer from blanket judgments on issues of talent and prefer to try to see the "invisible hand" so to speak behind the way Marv is trying to build this team so as to come to a better understanding of why he and Juaron make the decisions that they do. I prefer a more positive, hopeful attitude that, I think, allows me to take the most enjoyment possible from following the Bills.

 

The I trust Marv contingent must remember that Polian made the picks in the 80's/90's and Polian has something that Levy does not...A RING

 

Polian also has stated repeatedly that he credits Marv Levy more than anyone for teaching him what he knows about football today. I'm not going to bicker about who had what influence back then, but unless you can personally find a way to dethrone Levy and install Polian as our GM, then this whole argument is completely moot and pointless. He is our GM and people should stand behind him with faith. I think Levy, of all people, has earned that in the hearts and minds of Buffalo sports fans.

 

I just don't see a sniff at the playoffs without an upgrade to a horrible defensive line. If that is being an armchair QB, so be it.

Go Bills !

 

No one will argue that the DT's need to improve for us to take the next step, whatever that is. I think we all need to remember that McCargo being injured really was a big blow to our DT rotation last year and put us behind on the development of all our DT's within the system. Hopefully, his emergence this year will show us where we truly stand on that front and where the others DT's stand, as one standout DT will certainly improve the effectiveness of our other DT's within the rotation by drawing double teams, etc. We will see if Marv addresses the DT position further in the draft. I very much doubt it as a high pick because he spent a 1st rounder on McCargo last year and he hasn't had a chance to really play yet; I see a possibility for a mid round pick.

[BillsCelticsAngelsBama]

Yes, i hope he does too. We are relying heavily on him.

 

I or you have no idea what teams would have drafted him where last year or what teams had him rated at what level. The fact is: our coaching staff and management had him highly rated, specifically to play a certain role in our kind of defense. Not every team plays the same kind of defense and/or looks for the same kind of player to play a certain kind of role. This affects how they grade a player and how highly they covet him.

I do see your point and you may be right. All I'm saying is that it's too early to render his sentence. We would have practically Zero players on this team that we drafted if we gave up on them after their rookie year because they weren't pro bowlers their rookie year.

They must be tendering him for some reason. Maybe just to have a warm body at camp, but they didn't have to tender him. And it's not like a professional football teams is in the 850,000 charity business.... We can all post here about how he is the shite-ist thing since shite but they still tendered him. So we'll see. I, for one, doubt he makes the team, but that's just a hunch.

I think they think Tripplett will be even better this year with a year under his belt in the system and with the improvement of his fellow players on the line and the addition of McCargo back into the rotation. I think they saw improvement in his play over the second half of the season and I think they are not willing to give up on him. It is very easy just to say all our DT's are "pathetically weak". But a blanket generalization such as this does not take into account the salary cap, which obviously I don't have to inform you about, and the general cohesion of the overall scheme, each player fulfilling their specific task in the scheme so that others can be successful in their spot. Our whole defense had to learn a new defense last year. Marv is now beginining to get all the right players he wants to play this defense, so I expect to see a drastic improvement in filling gaps, holding down lanes, etc. this year with a year under the belt and the continued improvement of young players.

A superificial judgment, imo. "They are horrible" does not really cut it, imo, as a proper and thorough critique of the situation. Our DT's are not "undersized". Undersized relative to what? The average fan's concept of what a DT should be? Ask the Bears and the Colts what size their DT's are. Somehow they both made it to the super bowl. Now I'm not saying that Larry Tripplett is Tommy Harris, but then again, who is? The point is, the name of the game is team defense, execution, and proper discipline in filling your gaps etc. McCargo needs to emerge as a force. Everything is relying on that. He is supposed to be our Tommy Harris or the next best thing. You may scoff at that, but that's why we drafted him in the 1st round. Any full critique of our DT rotation is immature until we can see him play significantly.

No, I certainly will never claim to know more than the coaches. Here's the point though: as a fan, YOU HAVE TO have faith in whatever current Bills coaching staff and management is in place. What else can you do? There is nothing else to do! So yes, I do have faith in them, because I can't go draft a petition and have a bunch of fans sign it, hand it to Ralph and force him to Bring Parcells or Cowher in to coach.... The fact is this is Levy's second offseason; we are now beginning to see how he is remaking this roster in his and jauron's image (i believe they are very similar in football philosophical bent). Rome wasn't built in a day. We saw considerable improvement last year as a team. That is undeniable. What reason is there to suspect that this improvement will not continue? I will continue to believe that there is no reason that we can't improve because I see what one year has done for us and see no reason to believe that his philosophy and paradigm shift in attitude and play will cease to continue this year.

Amen!

Again, what else is there to do? Unless you have a significant share in the Bills' ownership, Marv is the man making the decisions for the at least near future. And many people do think they are professional football talent evalutors. I don't, that's why I steer cleer from blanket judgments on issues of talent and prefer to try to see the "invisible hand" so to speak behind the way Marv is trying to build this team so as to come to a better understanding of why he and Juaron make the decisions that they do. I prefer a more positive, hopeful attitude that, I think, allows me to take the most enjoyment possible from following the Bills.

Polian also has stated repeatedly that he credits Marv Levy more than anyone for teaching him what he knows about football today. I'm not going to bicker about who had what influence back then, but unless you can personally find a way to dethrone Levy and install Polian as our GM, then this whole argument is completely moot and pointless. He is our GM and people should stand behind him with faith. I think Levy, of all people, has earned that in the hearts and minds of Buffalo sports fans.

No one will argue that the DT's need to improve for us to take the next step, whatever that is. I think we all need to remember that McCargo being injured really was a big blow to our DT rotation last year and put us behind on the development of all our DT's within the system. Hopefully, his emergence this year will show us where we truly stand on that front and where the others DT's stand, as one standout DT will certainly improve the effectiveness of our other DT's within the rotation by drawing double teams, etc. We will see if Marv addresses the DT position further in the draft. I very much doubt it as a high pick because he spent a 1st rounder on McCargo last year and he hasn't had a chance to really play yet; I see a possibility for a mid round pick.

I really don't think we disagree all that much except in" faith". I hope that you are right but I don't see this DT situation being anything but less than average unless McCargo is something special because there is nothing else there but hopes and prayers.

I guess my point is faith without reason is foolishness and though I am not saying those who "Trust in Marv" are foolish", those who are skeptical are not fools for being skeptical.

To see gold in Langston Walker, Kyle Williams, and Anthony Thomas etc. takes a lot of faith and hope. I do hope you are right and this G.M./Coach bring a championship to the most loyal fans in the country but I remain very, very, skeptical for this year if DL is not addressed. Just a matter of perspective. Go Bills

[Sketch Soland]

I really don't think we disagree all that much except in" faith". I hope that you are right but I don't see this DT situation being anything but less than average unless McCargo is something special because there is nothing else there but hopes and prayers.

 

McCargo has to step up and play like a 1st rounder. That is without question. The whole DT situation is completely reliant on him doing that. I certainly agree with you there.

 

Do not mistake "faith" for just kneeling and praying that the Bills will be good. The way I use the term "Faith" is firmly based in a rationale that emphasizes patience and realistic expectations for players, especially young, developing players. For example, I am not ready to give up on Kyle Williams because he wasn't a pro bowler his 1st year. This would be foolish. This doesn't mean i'm anointing him the starter until he retires; it just means that the jury is still out, that's all.

 

I guess my point is faith without reason is foolishness and though I am not saying those who "Trust in Marv" are foolish", those who are skeptical are not fools for being skeptical.

 

I don't have a problem with skepticism. I, in general, have a problem with skepticism that is not based in a rational and reasoned perspective, is not well thought out, and doesn't take into accoun the myriad factors and permutations that are involved in building a successful NFL football team. Of course, it is impossible to take every such factor into account, but it is possible to address the complexity of the situation in a more appropriate light. It's not a matter of being on one side or the other; it's a matter of articulating a perspective in an intelligent and thoughtful manner.

 

BTW, this is a general comment and is not singling you out in any way, so please don't misconstrue this as a "personal attack".

 

To see gold in Langston Walker, Kyle Williams, and Anthony Thomas etc. takes a lot of faith and hope.

 

A professional football team doesn't drop 25 million on a player if they don't see potential gold there. How much do you know about Walker? Have you studied more film than the Bills staff? Did you talk to people who coach him? Have you met him and judged his intelligence and potential for playing the game? His character? I haven't. So I don't know these things. But I certainly don't also suscribe to the opposite reaction that says he's crap before having seen how he plays in our system, with out coaches, and with new teammates. That is just common sense rationale, imo.

 

And A-Train? He proved last year that he is a good spot starter and backup, someone who can share some carries and be productive in that non-fulltime starter roll. He will probably get more carries this year, but he will not be the starter. So yes, i do see gold in him to play the limited roll that he will play, albeit a slightly larger roll than last year. This doesn't take a lot of faith and hope. We saw him do it last year.

 

I do hope you are right and this G.M./Coach bring a championship to the most loyal fans in the country but I remain very, very, skeptical for this year if DL is not addressed. Just a matter of perspective. Go Bills

 

I didn't say that Levy and Juaron will bring us a championship, did I? All I've said is that they must be allowed to implement their vision and plan for this team in order to give us the best shot of reaching a championship. This plan includes drafting young and developing players, including two DT's that we drafted last year. This is a necessity in today's salary capped world. You confuse my attempts to pragmatically address the complexities of the situation with a complete "RAH RAH CAN'T DO NO WRONG" mantra. I am skeptical as well about the DT situation, but I see the necessity of developing young players and giving them a chance to develop. It is impossible to sign proven pro bowl players at every position. You have to draft players and give them time to develop, which means taking the risk that they don't develop into pro bowlers. That is the name of the game, however, and that's part of what makes the game so exciting, imo.

 

Yes, everything always is a matter of perspective. I could not agree more. Go Bills!