Projecting next year's starters

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

Also, if it is a 3rd down I want the pass to go to the person who is past the first down marker. I don't care what position that person plays.

Yeah, thats exactly what I said.

 

So what you are saying is defenses keyed in on stopping the RB's for running plays and let them run wild on passing plays? Also, if it is a 3rd down I want the pass to go to the person who is past the first down marker. I don't care what position that person plays. As I have already stated I believe a TE runs deeper routes than RB's so the better option would most likely be to the TE. If the TE is further down the field we should get the 1st. The upside of hitting the TE is that teams will be forced to guard them. Again, that will open up the whole offense.

This is a bit of a silly argument, so I'm done with it. We've both stated our case and there's nothing left to say. The idea is to get the ball to everyone. Both quarterbacks did a fine job of that.

[UticaBill]

actually your both right depending on the personnel you have available....down and distance.... Play call...defense.... the RB/TE sort of work together anyway. I find it interesting that JP was that effective getting the ball to the RBs! I don't really remember that!?!

 

But good stuff, and more proof that we have not one, but TWO quality QBs with different playing styles. I am of the belief that either could step up now that we have a jelled o-line and some weapons downfield.

[bflobarry]

Excellent post, thank you. The x factor that many overlook is the emergence of a solid QB in Trent Edwards. He was a rookie last year, for goodness sakes, and many "fans" pillory him for not being able to throw in the blizzard at Cleveland, or 50 mph winds vs the Giants. The kids has all the tools, and I think he will be very good this year and beyond. Of course, like many of us, I am the eternal optimist when it comes to our beloved Bills. I say 10-6, playoffs maybe.....

[Adam]

I don't think our TE's will be studs, but I think they contribute a lot more this season.

[Mickey]

The draft is over, and for the first time we have a decent look at what next year's starting lineup might look like.

 

Offense

QB Trent Edwards (JP Losman)

RB Marshawn Lynch (Fred Jackson)

FB Mike Viti (Darian Barnes)

WR Lee Evans (Josh Reed)

WR James Hardy (Roscoe Parrish)

TE Robert Royal (Derek Fine)

LT Jason Peters (Kirk Chambers)

LG Derrick Dockery (Jason Whittle)

C Melvin Fowler (Duke Preston)

RG Brad Butler (Jason Whittle)

RT Langston Walker (Kirk Chambers)

 

Some thoughts about the offense:

1. If Hardy can catch some jump balls in the end zone, we have a pretty nasty 4-deep receiving corps.

2. From what I have read already about Viti, I think he is the favorite to win the starting FB job. He seems like he has the kind of leadership and toughguy mentality that the coaching staff will want from the FB position. Sounds like he can play, too.

3. Unless Fine is a revelation or Shouman comes out of nowhere, our tight ends are pretty dreadful.

4. I still like our starting five on the O-line, but our lack of depth there is frightening, particularly at tackle. That will need to be addressed soon.

5. A couple potential "surprise" cuts this season (not predicting any of these, but none would shock me): Preston, Royal (if Fine and Shouman prove more athletic), and Dwayne Wright (if Xavier Omon surprises in camp).

 

Defense

LE Chris Kelsay (Ryan Denney)

DT Marcus Stroud (Kyle Williams)

DT John McCargo (Spencer Johnson)

RE Aaron Schobel (Chris Ellis)

SLB Angelo Crowell (Kawika Mitchell)

MLB Paul Posluszny (John Digiorgio)

WLB Kawika Mitchell (Keith Ellison)

CB Terence McGee (Jabari Greer, Reggie Corner)

CB Leodis McKelvin (Will James, Ashton Youboty)

FS Ko Simpson (George Wilson)

SS Donte Whitner (Bryan Scott, John Wendling)

 

Some thoughts about the defense:

1. Top-10 potential for this D. There likely will be 4 new starters (Stroud, Posluszny, Mitchell, and McKelvin). We have added key depth at all levels of the defense. If the new additions pan out (Mitchell, Stroud, and McKelvin) and the young guys take the next step (McCargo, Posluszny, Whitner, Simpson), then this defense will be much improved and, by extension, it will improve the offense.

2. Now that he's in his second year at safety, it wouldn't shock me if Wilson beat out Simpson in the preseason. I could see Wendling being much improved this season and beating out Scott for the backup SS job.

3. I love our depth on the line and in the secondary, but surprisingly I think we're a little thin at LB still. Unless Alvin Bowen can contribute right away, we could probably stand to add a veteran before the season. I think I read that we are in talks with some LB whose name escapes me.

4. I see McKelvin winning the starting CB job just before the start of the regular season, much like Posluszny vs. DiGiorgio last year. Battle for the nickel CB job between Greer and James. Edge to Greer.

5. A couple potential "surprise" cuts this season (not predicting any of these, but none would shock me): Youboty, Scott, and maybe even Ellison if Bowen surprises people in camp.

 

Any thoughts?

I don't see anything surprising about those cuts. As for the offense, it is the same as last year's save for the addition of Hardy and some use of a fullback instead of an H-back. That offense was the worst in the history of the franchise so I definitely have some concerns about next year. There is a new OC, Edwards will start for the whole year barring injury or really crappy play, they added Hardy and young players like Trent, Marshawn and Butler will be a year wiser. So yes, there is reason to hope that they will be much improved. I am not sure though that these are enough positive changes for us to go from worst offense in the history of the team to playoff lock.

[BDW1968]

I'd like to see Barnes start. At first at least. FB is not an easy position to play as a rookie.

 

 

I think Viti can handle the position, he is in charge of a allot of cadets.

[Fixxxer]

Brad Butler is a Right Guard, not a Left Tackle. The positions he has played for the Bills are RG, where he played most of the time last year, and he played a bit of RIGHT Tackle, which is the other position he played in college. Right now Butler is projected to be the starter at Right Guard and the line looks like this from left to right:

 

 

 

 

Jason Peters Derrick Dockery Melvin Fowler Brad Butler Langston Walker

 

I'm pretty sure he was playing LT when he had that incident with Mathias Kiwanuka. But must have been he played LT for a couple of series or only for one game. IDK.

[obie_wan]

I'm pretty sure he was playing LT when he had that incident with Mathias Kiwanuka. But must have been he played LT for a couple of series or only for one game. IDK.

whatever his pedigree, he is still the 2nd best LT on the team -

 

which is the whole point of proactively grooming a real backup at LT

[SuperKillerRobots]

I appreciate you showing those numbers....it just seems to me from watching the games that the ball was shared a lot more when Edwards was in.....Evans got his catches but was not always the guy that had to have the ball....and Edwards seem to look for his Tight Ends a lot more.

 

I dont know....maybe its just me.

 

I tend to agree that the numbers appear more equal than I thought they would based on watching the games. I tend to think that the reason people think Trent distributes the ball mroe is because he seemed to do it more when the game was on the line. People think of JP winning ball games (the few that he did over his tenure) with a pass or two to Lee Evans. I remember him hitting Roscoe deep agains tthe Jets once, but I think that was before half time. Edwards on the other hand will go to different people in the clutch. Reed caught the one over the middle against the Skins and Gaines a few times in third down situations. Aside from the few times JP went to Roscoe and the end of that game when the A-Train caught five passes in the last four minutes, he really only looked to Lee in the clutch it seems.

[Lurker]

Butler is a LT -

IIRC, he played RT at Virginia...D'Brickashaw Ferguson was the LT

[BillsWest]

Royal - a blocking tight end....hmmmm.....is he good enough to make a switch like Peters did? Could we get an OL/TE combo out of him so we have depth at both positions?

[obie_wan]

Royal - a blocking tight end....hmmmm.....is he good enough to make a switch like Peters did? Could we get an OL/TE combo out of him so we have depth at both positions?

 

 

he sure could

 

if you like 240 lb OTs

 

too bad Schobel plays on the same team, there probably aren;t any lighter DEs in the league that he could block at OT

[HurlyBurly51]

The draft is over, and for the first time we have a decent look at what next year's starting lineup might look like.

 

Offense

QB Trent Edwards (JP Losman)

RB Marshawn Lynch (Fred Jackson)

FB Mike Viti (Darian Barnes)

 

2. From what I have read already about Viti, I think he is the favorite to win the starting FB job. He seems like he has the kind of leadership and toughguy mentality that the coaching staff will want from the FB position. Sounds like he can play, too.

 

 

I think our offense will improve greatly this year, probably finishing in the 21-24 range, but our D should be top ten. I think Viti was a huge steal, and is very likely to be the day one starter at FB. No way the team cuts Preston in the offseason. He is the only O-Lineman who can backup Fowler at Center and is valuable as a back up guard, b/c Whittle is also the second backup tackle behind Chambers. Likely Whittle would only play right tackle as a backup, but if Peters and Chambers get hurt, he'll have to play LT as he is the only person on the team that could handle the job. Don't forget, the Bills did add a Tackle in the seventh, though he is likely a practice squad guy, and another guard in UDFA. Again, likely camp fodder or practice squad, but they might be good to have around in case of emergency.

 

 

My 2008 Buffalo Bills Lineup:

*Bold is different from original poster's lineup.

 

Offense

QB Trent Edwards (JP Losman)

RB Marshawn Lynch (Fred Jackson, Dwayne Wright)

FB Mike Viti (Xavier Omon)

 

 

Article about him in the Buffalo News said he has decent hands, but he isn't much of a runner. He could be good on a flair route to gain two or three yards on third and short, or as a surprise on a screen, but mostly he is a blocker and short yardage ball carrier. Imaging Mike Alstott, but a bit slower.

 

 

I think Viti can handle the position, he is in charge of a allot of cadets.

 

Sorry, couldn't resist

[keepthefaith]

I think Viti can handle the position, he is in charge of a allot of cadets.

 

Time for him to resume leading the cadets.

[stewy23]

Time for him to resume leading the cadets.

BOO! It's too bad he didn't make it. Everyone on here thought he was awesome before they ever saw him play...