Enough already about the TIGHT END!

[MartyBall4Buffalo]

all i have to say is why doesnt anyone think Courtney Anderson can become a legit player with us he is huge and never got the chance to play....i think he could have a big year and 1 ? how long did we sign him for?

 

Well there's the fact he was on 3 teams during the 07 season. Detroit/Miami/Atlanta. Hard to imagine he'll suddenly become some really good player.

[John from Riverside]

Yeah while I do root for CA i just dont think we should throw our eggs into that basket without proof of production.....

[dave mcbride]

Some might say that when the weather turns bad, short passes become vital, and a pass catching tight end could be a real boon to the offense in those times.

 

Some people might also say that a pass catching TE can be a great asset to a young developing QB.

 

But, considering how well our offense has functioned over the past 8-10 years (1st 8 games of 2002 not withstanding), and how well our TEs have played, and how well our QBs have played, i can see why theres no need to upgrade the position.

Thank you.

[dave mcbride]

In the context of the late 80s and early 90s, you didn't have to have a great pass catching TE on the field. Things have changed considerably since then. It doesn't mean drafting a first rounder, but teams need to adapt to defenses which would literally and figuratively run circles around their predecessors of 20 years ago.

 

IMO, teams need to field at least 2-3 capable receivers, be they TE or WR. It matters not which type of scheme Jauron runs on offense. (and it will be his) Until the Bills have someone who poses matchup problems with opposing DB's, the offense will plod along to more 17 point games. I don't care who your DB's are, when there's a sizable receiving threat (Robert Royal does not come close) lining up at TE, opposing defenses take notice. Anyone remember how Antonio Gates gave Donte Whitner problems back in December 2006?

 

If Jauron's going to continue with his style of trying to win with defense and a bare minimum of offense, it'll be another long season. To make matters worse, the Bills have done nothing to help out a 2nd year QB they see as their long term starter. Think a reliable receiving TE who's about 6'5 and 250 would help Edwards? To me, it's all about giving Edwards more options and giving him a better chance to succeed. When's the last time the Bills went out of their way to help the QB with more receiving threats?

I don't care about the stats, but when healthy, Keith McKellar was a freakin' elite tight end. He was fast, had good hands, ran good routes, and could beat pretty much any LB in the league. The K-Gun offense was named after Mc"K"ellar.

[RayFinkle]

Some might say that when the weather turns bad, short passes become vital, and a pass catching tight end could be a real boon to the offense in those times.

 

Some people might also say that a pass catching TE can be a great asset to a young developing QB.

 

But, considering how well our offense has functioned over the past 8-10 years (1st 8 games of 2002 not withstanding), and how well our TEs have played, and how well our QBs have played, i can see why theres no need to upgrade the position.

Stop making sense.

[Bob in STL]

OK... all this yadyada about the Bills needing a TE to take the offense to another level is a lot of Whooey.

 

And.. one poster went so far as to say the last 6 SB winners drafted a TE in Rd. 1... I say, so what? Shockey was a DNP in the last one, and TB has never drafted a TE #1... so, that post doesn't stand the litmus test, period. The one thing common to that the winners of the last 6 SBs had was a competent QB in combination with very good defenses. That's it.

 

Now... getting back to the TE (sort of). If I've learned one thing it is that the Bills play in probably the harshest weather environments in the league... when you take into condsideration all of the elements. It is necessary to have a passing game to get to the next level. I understand. But, as you've seen many times before, the deeper you get into the season, the less functional the passing game becomes in poor weather. No tight end is going to change that in any way, shape or form. Also, you have a head coach that will never have an aggressive offensive philosophy. There is a direct correllation to the agressiveness of Jauron's offense and the performance of his defense. The better the defense performs, the more aggressive the offense will be... to a point. Jauron's MO is, and has always been to shorten the game using an aggressive defense, special teams, and T.O.P offense, grinding it out a yard at a time and not a lot of verticality... control the clock... and keep the defense fresh. Jauron is who he is, and that is what he is... it won't change. So even if the Bills had Tony Gonzales and/or Antonio Gates at tight end... they wouldn't produce to the degree they produce now in the Bills offense... dink and dunk, gash with Marshawn.

 

The Bills TEs, historically have been blockers first and receivers 2nd. The Bills learned their lesson when they drafted "down field" tight ends Rueben Gant and Tony Hunter in the first round. Both were totally worthless. Lonnie Johnson was a 2nd rounder that was supposed to give the Bills a down field presence. That didn't happen... we all lived through that and Lonnie was our friggin whipping boy. Well deserved.

Even McKellar of the KGun fame never caught much more than 40 balls in a season... not many TDs if I recall... and that was in the pinnacle of Kelly and company... serious offensive production. Metzelaars, the 6'7" plodding TE caught 68 balls in 93... more than any other TE in Bills history. NO Bills TE has come close since then or before. Even then, it was the Bills 3rd TE... in short yardage that stole the show, catching quite a few TDs in goal line situations... the beloved Butch "Shake,Rattle, &" Rolle!

 

So this fantasy of some sexy Kellen Winslow, Tony Gonzales TE being the Bills missing link is nonsnense. What they need is just the lunch pail type that can block like hell, find the seams, and catch the damn ball when called upon to do so. The three best for the Bills at that, IMO were Paul Costa, Mark Brammer, and Pete Metzelaars. They all brought a physical presence, could get open, and catch when thrown to.

 

Two things that will make the difference in whether or not this offense goes from dreadful to the middle of the pack this year, is this... and neither one is the TE. It is how well the defense performs and how much better Trent Edwards gets. The defense has added some moxie in free agency plus the return of several injured players, so it looks like they may hold up their end. That means Edwards is the key. The honeymoon is over. Trent has Parrish, Evans, and Lynch as weapons, and a pretty good Oline. He needs to make a quantum leap for the Bills to even think playoffs.

 

Ernie Warlick was a good TE for the Bills back in the mid-60's.

[Alaska Darin]

It's not a coincidence that the BILLS most successful era occurred at a time when they were blessed with very good tight end play. It's also not a coincidence that the offense has struggled in the redzone for the better part of a decade because of extremely mediocre tight end play.

 

No one is looking for Tony Gonzalez. We just don't want Robert Royal or any of the other pretenders. Thanks very much.

[Steely Dan]

A good TE is a great way to win the matchup game. Even if he isn't a great blocker, a TE has to be countered defensively with a LB to prevent run game mismatches. That's a matchup win in the passing game. The better the TE, the bigger the mismatch. Then when defenses have to counter a good TE with a safety or corner, the run game gets the mismatch. Good TE's are much harder to find than wr's, so it's easy to just say screw it and focus on the more plentiful wr position, but the overall returns for an offense are much greater if you can fill that TE position with quality.

 

I guess I don't understand the difference between a third big receiver and a receiving TE. Tony Gonzalez is one of the best receiving TE's and how has that helped KC to get to or do damage in the playoffs. The Bills need to get two huge receivers, IMO, before worrying about a great pass catching TE. Right now I'd say the Bills have bigger fish to fry at positions of need.

 

 

The first and inarguable fact is the Bills have a crappy passing game, even with decent pass blocking now.

The second inarguable fact is that Lee Evans is the only solid Bills receiver and because of it he can be taken out of a lot of games because he is on the outside and there is no threat to the middle of the field.

The third inarguable fact is that a solid #2 WR or a solid TE can both open up the middle of the field and take a huge burden off of Lee Evans. And unless the rookie is a stud immediately, we will still have that problem.

 

A good #2 WR with a good receiving TE makes everyone on the Bills, especially Evans and Lynch and Parrish, immediately much more dangerous.

 

What's the difference between a huge third receiver and a receiving TE? For the Bills right now I believe a blocking TE is more important and they have that with Royal who is not a great receiver but for the time being is good enough. One of the two signed guys that haven't shown much for other teams should be decent end zone targets. I just don't see any TE's this year worth anything even at the top of the TE field. I say Buffalo should pass on a TE this year and maybe take one in the first round next year assuming the receiver and cornerback positions can be taken care of in this years draft.

[Bill from NYC]

It's not a coincidence that the BILLS most successful era occurred at a time when they were blessed with very good tight end play. It's also not a coincidence that the offense has struggled in the redzone for the better part of a decade because of extremely mediocre tight end play.

 

No one is looking for Tony Gonzalez. We just don't want Robert Royal or any of the other pretenders. Thanks very much.

 

Slam dunk AD.

 

When you have a guys who is 6'7" or so and can block, as well as get open in the endzone, it helps the team in terms of physical matchups and spreading the defense.

In the red zone, Pete Metz was so wide that he would go to the endzone, and Kelly would aim for the middle of his chest and throw a bullet. Metz would catch it with his hands....touchdown. Tough play to stop, no?

 

I am still pissed at Boss lasting until round 5. The s.o.b. even looks like Metz, and they call him "Six Seven Kevin."