Who will Shock us this year?

[marauderswr80]

Bills trade down, select Rufus Alexander.....

[Bill from NYC]

we dont need a rookie RG to start. Butler and Walker will be manning the right side this year.

 

Even if we know that to be true, it is usually a great idea to take a blocker early.

I once heard Bill Parcells say that (paraphrasing of course) that it is twice as easy for find a receiver than a guard. He wasn't even talking about OTs mind you, just Guards.

 

With Peters and Dockery on the left, we are off to a great start at forming a top OL for the first time in more than a decade. That is literally great news, but the right guard spot could use some talent and depth.

 

Jmo.

[Sisyphean Bills]

No team in the league can have all top 10 players. It's not possible with the cap.

 

If you'll read what I wrote, you'll see I never wrote anything of the sort.

 

But it's apparent you're just looking to be a grumpy gus, so whatever floats your boat.

 

No. Actually, I was looking for signs that Marv Levy was improving the Buffalo Bills. A lot of talent and leadership is being shown the door in western New York with very little coming in the door. The Bills signed a top shelf LG to a huge contract and otherwise there has been very little.

 

Oh, they have made noises about not spending money and managing their financial resources very tightly. (Insert flashbacks of Tom Donahoe gutting the Bills and shouting "salary cap" -- that really worked out well, didn't it?) And, now I'm reading our unflappable head coach saying things like "it's going to be tough" and "we hope some of the younger guys can develop quickly." Damn, Jauron! You grumpy gus! Get with the program: "Super Bowl!"

[jangalang]

If its a shock I say Poz, Ginn or Branch

 

I wonder if you like the Big 10???

[Sisyphean Bills]

Even if we know that to be true, it is usually a great idea to take a blocker early.

I once heard Bill Parcells say that (paraphrasing of course) that it is twice as easy for find a receiver than a guard. He wasn't even talking about OTs mind you, just Guards.

 

With Peters and Dockery on the left, we are off to a great start at forming a top OL for the first time in more than a decade. That is literally great news, but the right guard spot could use some talent and depth.

 

Jmo.

 

Yep. You really need consistent play across the entire line to be effective. How many years was Ruben Brown in Buffalo? And virtually the entire time that he was here, the right side of the line was a shambles and the Bills offense stumbled, bumbled, and fumbled. Brown was a warrior and a huge road grader up front, but even he couldn't block 4 or 5 defenders on every play.

 

DockeryIsAGod

[Sisyphean Bills]

I wonder if you like the Big 10???

 

If Donahoe were still here, my money would be on Ginn, too.

[Ramius]

Even if we know that to be true, it is usually a great idea to take a blocker early.

I once heard Bill Parcells say that (paraphrasing of course) that it is twice as easy for find a receiver than a guard. He wasn't even talking about OTs mind you, just Guards.

 

With Peters and Dockery on the left, we are off to a great start at forming a top OL for the first time in more than a decade. That is literally great news, but the right guard spot could use some talent and depth.

 

Jmo.

 

But you have to look at the entire depth chart. Peters-Dockery, and walker(in some capacity) are set. Fowler, while not all-pro, is solid enough where you cant justify spending a 1st day pick on an OC. Not when there are bigger needs. So thats 4 starters pretty much set. then we have whittle, butler, pennington, merz, and preston. A rookie isnt going to start at guard. It'll be butler or preston (or perhaps pennington at RT and walker to RG, but i doubt that). The staff knows what they have in preston, merz, butler, and pennington, for the most part. They dont know what they are getting in a rookie for the most part. So they need to decide if its worth booting a player they know a lot about for a rookie of which they know nothing. If they see enough in last years crop, given our needs in other areas on the team, theres no reason to waste an early round pick on the OL this year. Sure, snag an OL or 2 in the later rounds, but not early on this year.

[BuffaloBilliever]

Donte Whitner.

 

Oh... you mean in THIS draft...

 

I'm gonna go with Troy Smith. Marv probably is worried after listening to ESPN and Mel Kiper not praising the ground that J.P. Losman walks on, so he'll probably panic. If not, they'll trade with Oakland for our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks to get Randy Moss and Andrew Walter.

[obie_wan]

Even if we know that to be true, it is usually a great idea to take a blocker early.

I once heard Bill Parcells say that (paraphrasing of course) that it is twice as easy for find a receiver than a guard. He wasn't even talking about OTs mind you, just Guards.

 

With Peters and Dockery on the left, we are off to a great start at forming a top OL for the first time in more than a decade. That is literally great news, but the right guard spot could use some talent and depth.

 

Jmo.

 

What they really need to do is draft a bona fide center to be the eventual replacement for Fowler. In the meantime, he can play RG.

 

They have been trying Merz at C, but not sure how good he can be.

[Bill from NYC]

What they really need to do is draft a bona fide center to be the eventual replacement for Fowler. In the meantime, he can play RG.

 

They have been trying Merz at C, but not sure how good he can be.

 

Very true, and although he has never played next to anybody who is good, my hopes for Preston are limited at best. Pennington WOULD seem to offer us depth, but I think that Marv indicated at his big press conference that he was not at all happy with him.

 

The spots for a rookie lineman or 2 could in fact exist, and probably do.

[I 90]

But you have to look at the entire depth chart. Peters-Dockery, and walker(in some capacity) are set. Fowler, while not all-pro, is solid enough where you cant justify spending a 1st day pick on an OC. Not when there are bigger needs. So thats 4 starters pretty much set. then we have whittle, butler, pennington, merz, and preston.

 

Honestly, with that sort of depth chart...

 

It's like saying "why'n hell did we draft Whitner, we just signed Matt Bowen !!!"

 

I'm not on side with a drafted rookie guard however. I'm from the "guards are just failed tackles" school of thought -- the best college OL athletes have been recruited as tackles and can be moved. And how can one mention failed tackles without mentioning Langston Walker... your best case RG.

[sarmanuscg07]

here is a shocker

 

1- ilb willis

2- olb buster davis

3- olb rufus alexander

3- olb quincy black

[R. Rich]

here is a shocker

 

1- ilb willis

2- olb buster davis

3- olb rufus alexander

3- olb quincy black

 

 

Moving Buster outside, are we? Not a good move, in my opinion, as he's a true MLB. In fact, he's a lot like the guy we just let go in free agency, London Fletcher.

[sarmanuscg07]

Moving Buster outside, are we? Not a good move, in my opinion, as he's a true MLB. In fact, he's a lot like the guy we just let go in free agency, London Fletcher.

 

thank you for the clarification

[Ramius]

Honestly, with that sort of depth chart...

 

It's like saying "why'n hell did we draft Whitner, we just signed Matt Bowen !!!"

 

I'm not on side with a drafted rookie guard however. I'm from the "guards are just failed tackles" school of thought -- the best college OL athletes have been recruited as tackles and can be moved. And how can one mention failed tackles without mentioning Langston Walker... your best case RG.

 

Not necessarily. You take a look at who you have and whos available. We had matt boewn and coy wire at safety last year. You look at whitner and ask, is whitner going to be better than either of those 2 this year and in the future? The answer is a resounding yes.

 

Now you look at butler, preston, etc, and ask, Is this 2nd round or 3rd round OG going to be THAT much better than either of the guys who we have and we know a lot about? And is he worth selecting over another more important need area such as LB or RB? The answer that is most likely no.

[John from Riverside]

The biggest shock on draft day will be that Marv panics when Patrick Willis is selected right in front of us and knowing he needs a linebacker badly takes OLB Polz.....who is projected to go later.

 

Then he will talk about how if you hae a player targeted you might as well take him instead of taking a chance of losing him.

 

Then Polz turns into Shane Conlan

[I 90]

Now you look at butler, preston, etc, and ask, Is this 2nd round or 3rd round OG going to be THAT much better than either of the guys who we have and we know a lot about? And is he worth selecting over another more important need area such as LB or RB? The answer that is most likely no.

 

That is not my argument. The shock is a first round tackle and letting the chips fall where they may... the five best play.

 

Running backs and linebackers are not easy top of the draft picks. Special ones are rare. They are the exact two positions that most (good) teams wait on. They are the positions that are high turnover and if I may be indelicate, have been referred to as "meat". It is probably no coincidence that they are the last positions to be addressed by Marv.

 

Wow, remember Eddie Robinson ? Some odd guys do get on the field.