BillsVet

The common denominator, at least since 2006, is DJ. The OC deserves a good share of the blame, but DJ's last three coordinators can all be described as running a vanilla offense. I think much of this stems from DJ's first OC in Chicago-Gary Crowton who put together a pass-happy offense that didn't make Chicago a playoff team. After Crowton left in 2000, DJ has hired John Shoop, Fairchild, and now TS. None of them can be considered up and coming offensive innovators. I don't believe DJ wanted, at least until last season, a high powered offense. We'll see how much latitude he gives TS this season to run an up-tempo offense.

I agree there are plenty of considerations anytime a team dips into UFA and that the front office must simultaneously plan both for the short term and beyond 09. However, in this division, the situation at LT could be a lot worse considering the defenses Buffalo is up against. Walker is nowhere near a sure thing to handle a new position and neither is Butler. It stands to reason that if the team is going to invest millions into two top WR's, feature a 3rd year QB under pressure to perform and feature a good RB group that they'd pursue veteran options on the OL, particularly OT. I suspect Walker was the option all along, and that they're comfortable with him at LT. We shall see how that decision impedes their ability to run the offense and only time will tell.

I actually don't mind that they didn't go OT in round 1 or 2. Taking Maybin shows they weren't drafting totally for need, which is correct IMO. With the 28th pick, I liked the Wood selection and would have hated to see them take the Eben Britton purely out of need. Besides, I liked Levitre at G more than Britton at OT. The argument isn't so much that they didn't draft an untested OT, but rather that a veteran wasn't acquired after Peters was traded. The depth at OT is marginal, especially in light of Butler's being banged up both in 07 and 08. They obviously feel fine with Chambers at swing OT, but I'm not keen on that option for a long term should Butler get hurt or Walker can't hold up over the long haul. He's never played the position long term in 7 seasons.

First, I didn't have a draft board, nor did I advocate for an individual tackle. In all probability, there wasn't an OT aside from the top two (Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe) I'd feel decent about starting from Day 1. Secondly, big time trades are generally not made in April. At least not that close to draft day and not involving a player in return (as with Cutler) to replace the traded guy. It would be one thing for me to rip the front office for everything if they had a track record of success. That's hardly the case, and when you aren't proven (and Levy, Brandon, Guy, and Modrak of late were/are not) there should be plenty of criticism levied against them. I'm not willing to rubber-stamp failure as often as you are, especially when I see other small markets winning regularly while this one struggles to remain relevant. We'll see how this experiment in moving a career RT/G to LT works out. Doubtless he'll need plenty of help, but that in and of itself will affect how the offense is run.

Jauron: "We've addressed our needs, no doubt about that, and we did it by staying true to our (draft) board," coach Dick Jauron said." In all probability, their draft board was complete by the day Peters was dealt (4/17). And I'm quite sure DJ knew about the front office's breakdown in negotiations with Peters and subsequent interest in dealing him. As a contingency, I'd expect them to have tackles ranked given Peters' situation. Apparently they'd rather go into the season with a converted RT, converted G, an untested guy in Bell, and depth like Chambers. It's their prerogative to remain true to their draft board. But I find it strange they'd trade their best OL and not sign another veteran OT heading into camp. Their depth at OT is extremely shaky.

Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe Belichick learned a great deal from his Cleveland HC time? He finished there in 95 and it wasn't until 00 that he was hired in NE. BB is a jerk, but he wins. 102-39 in the regular season with NE and a career 15-4 in the playoffs. The notion that he's needed a QB is garbage as well. Brady was an untested 2nd year player in 01. He went 11-5 with Cassel. He got to the playoffs in 94 with Testaverde and Rypien. I can't stand him anymore than most on this board, but he wins. He's a time tested proven winner.

Of course, the fall back option was use Walker at LT. I wouldn't disagree with that. But you're talking about a franchise that drafted Hardy in the 2nd and expected him to take pressure off Evans. The same one that lets guys like Clements, Fletcher, and Milloy walk out the door without having a replacement on the roster. All of those guys were replaced by draft picks who weren't selected for more than a month after they were let go. There's a continued drive to marginalize the LT position and act as though an average guy can get the job done. I've always believed the easiest way to make the playoffs is to win your division. And in the AFCE, with three teams running the 3-4 and rushing faster LB's, it's best to have an athletic LT who can be left alone. It's not an easy proposition to find someone that has the strength and foot speed to keep 250#+ OLB's off your QB's back. NE, NYJ, and MIA have spent high picks on LTs either in the first or second. Pass blocking at RT is different than LT, given that a TE normally lines up on the right side. I think you're going to see more TE's line up on the left.

There you go again drawing my conclusions for me. I like the Maybin pick, and how can anyone not like Eric Wood? But the front office made the Peters trade so late in the draft process that it prevented them from keeping their options open. Of course, there were/are some alternatives on the market at the time. We'll see if Pace and Levi Brown are capable of playing like they did, but I'm not comfortable with a guy who's never played the position long term having to do so in his 8th season. If the Bills like Walker so much at LT, it stands to reason they'd have dealt Peters last off-season when it became clear he was an issue. I like the Demetrius Bell story, but it's nothing more than hope-at this point. He hasn't played one NFL snap after two seasons at a low end D1 program and a year of not dressing in the pros. It'll be interesting to see him get some playing time in the pre-season, and I won't rule out his ability long term, but I need to see something first from a former 7th rounder. Potential means ain't done anything yet.

Most college teams play the 4-3 defense where the RT is going to match up with the LDE. While Virginia is a 3-4 defense, I'm not convinced that playing at the college level means a seamless transition to the NFL for Butler. It's been three years, and those DE's in the college game aren't the same caliber. Furthermore, he'll find himself handling those rush OLB's from NYJ, NE, and MIA six times next season. That in an of itself could pose matchup problems. I've just never heard a college OT move to OG in the pros and then become an OT again. Butler's also been banged up a little each season. I'm not saying he can't play guard, but it's the foot speed I'm most concerned about.

Bills Draft board BTW, your praise for this highly successful front office is lovely. I can't understand it, but it is admirable. The plan to make Walker a LT after 8 seasons in the league never having played the position is nice. I don't think it'll work, but hey, they remained true to their draft board. When this team makes the playoffs in a division with Parcells, Belichick, and the Jets' money, I'll stop "crusading."

They also didn't adjust their draft board when it became clear that signing Peters was not something they'd do. It really shouldn't be surprising they assumed Walker and Butler would change positions. Walker has never played LT long term in his career. He was acquired to play RT, and played some G in Oakland, but did not move over when Robert Gallery didn't cut it at LT. That should tell you something that he wasn't thought of to play LT in Oakland. As for Butler, playing RT in the ACC is a far cry from lining up in the NFL. This does not qualify him for the position in the pros, nor is it certain he'll even be the starter. I wouldn't be surprised if Chambers gets serious PT this season.

On one hand, I really don't understand the logic of moving a guy coming off his redshirt sophomore year where he played DE. It also doesn't make sense given the type of defense Buffalo runs, which rarely blitzes, and more frequently lines up 2 LB's and more DB's. Besides, they need the pass rush help on passing downs, when Kelsay should be parked on the bench. But...the Bills need to get this guy on the field to take advantage of his speed. Still, he'd be another in a long line (Wood, Levitre, and Byrd) who would be forced to play another position. As smart as these guys are, it's a bad idea to change their positions in a rookie season. It could stunt their progression as NFL players. JMO.

RW does not like paying coaches not to work. This was clearly demonstrated when Phillips got the boot in 2000, and I highly doubt the owner will change his stripes now. While we don't know the full nature of DJ's contract, I can't imagine it was for anything less than two seasons. That being the case, barring a disaster of a season (5-11 or worse) I can't see DJ leaving after 2009. By the end of last year, I'd say fan support for DJ was extremely negative. Just two days after the final game of the 08 season, DJ was retained. If he can go 2-8 down the stretch and lose the way he did, it makes one wonder what it would take.

I think it'll be evident by halftime of the opener whether Walker can be counted on to be average at LT. He's not a guy who can be left alone to handle opponents' best pass rushers and will require plenty of support from a TE. That alone will influence much of what Buffalo does on offense and limits their options in the passing game. The idea of a guy moving from RT to LT in his 8th NFL season is not a comforting one. I hope he shows up for camp at about 30 pounds less than where he played last season.

I'm negative on the coaching staff because none of them have proven they're capable of beating playoff caliber teams. Check our DJ's record versus teams that end up winning 10+ games per season. It's not good at all, but those are precisely the sort of teams the 09 Bills will have to beat in order to advance. I won't soon forget the epic collapse of going 2-8 when the team was in the driver's seat after Week 7. Forgive me for being negative, but there are few HC's with 2+ seasons in the league worse than DJ on game day. Aside from Norv Turner (who has a LOT of talent) no one is worse. I'm happy they picked up Owens, who I think will prosper if Edwards gets time to throw. It's that OL which concerns me. Starting two highly regarded rookies is not a certainty of OL success. I like Eric Wood's demeanor, and Levitre seems to be very similar. But they're still rookies and will require some time to acclimate to the pro game, especially considering they're changing positions from where they played in college. You also won't see as many three receiver sets, simply because both OT's will need help from a TE quite frequently.

The Bills aren't better because DJ and the coaching staff are still around. When a HC goes 2-8 down the stretch and is rewarded with keeping his job, something's wrong. While I fully expect Edwards to be better, it remains to be seen how a retread former QB coach will game plan to maximize his strengths. That, and an offensive line which is a mix and match of guys playing out of position. That's not a recipe for a playoff appearance. If anything, Buffalo is stronger at the skill positions but still severely lacking on the DL and OL. It's almost as if they've followed the TD doctrine of getting good skill players and not pursuing good OL in the draft. That is, until this season. I think Bills fans who followed the team during TD know that having great skill players does not make up for being weak on the OL and DL.

You're right on re: comments about Butler. College OT's can and do transition inside. We're hoping Levitre does it, and I'm confident he can make that move. But going from NFL G to OT is something I've never seen occur. As for Hangartner, after two seasons in the NFL, the Panthers liked him so much they took Ryan Kalil in the second round. GH left via UFA to Buffalo and is being counted on to start. The contract isn't huge, but I will remain wary of a guy who wasn't good enough on another team and had a high pick brought in to replace him. I think Wood makes the move to G from C, he had been working there far before the draft. OTOH, Walker has never played long term at OL and will require plenty of help. He can't be left on an island, and won't be someone who can get out in space like Peters could. All in all, the backups are OK I suppose. Chambers and McKinney aren't starting caliber, and Bell has another year of development before he should be getting on the field regularly. They're thin again, and it's only Edwards health that depends on it.

I'm still unsure why fans focus on Peters' intelligence or supposed lack thereof. It seems as though some fans love ripping a guy who ultimately got his way with a bigger deal from a more relevant NFL franchise. NFL players focus on playing the game, not negotiating contracts. They hire an agent to do that for them, so overall intelligence has no bearing on this situation. Eugene Parker has a history of winning for his clients, which is exactly what he got from Buffalo with the trade. He therefore benefits, as does Peters. I would stop marginalizing a player who got paid and is now playing for a team that has a real shot at going deep into the playoffs. As for Andy Reid, he's got some issues off the field, but 5 NFC Championship games in 7 seasons tells me a lot about how darn good he is. The Bills meanwhile cannot approach that level of achievement. Therefore, ragging on the Eagles should be the last thing anyone should do, unless of course they visit RWS.

It remains to be seen how the defensive, particularly the defensive line can pressure the QB. We shall see. Perhaps they improve, perhaps not. In the meantime, I wouldn't mind seeing Brady, Pennington, and Sanchez hit the turf a lot more often. Sanders was fired because the GB defense slumped from being good enough to get to the NFC Title Game to being just plain poor in 2008. It was a precipitous drop off for a talented squad featuring a lot of talent including Kampman, Barnett, Woodson, Collins, et al.

He also was the DC on two SB winning teams before taking over Cleveland in 91. Don't stop now.

That's precisely my point. It's a matter of matching up against some of the opponents which may, and I'm speculating here, determine who is on the field. I think we'll be seeing Scott, Whitner, and Byrd.

For the record, GB fired Sanders as their DC. Granted they moved to the 3-4, but only after hiring Dom Capers as the new DC. Coaches fired at one level and hired at a lower one are effectively demoted. That's not a track record I'm going to bank on until results start coming. Sanders, like many on Buffalo's staff, hasn't demonstrated consistent success.

It's troubling that the coaching staff expresses so little confidence in their players. However, I believe this is a product of the youth movement the team pursued from 06-08. The team has so many starters in their rookie, second, or third years in the league during those seasons. And it's also the result of DJ's coaching style, which relies on taking few chances, particularly on offense. Unless of course it's a FB option pass in the waning moments of a game. The C2 remains a defense which relies heavily on the front four to generate a pass rush. And with 48 sacks in two seasons, it's been mediocre. They needed an infusion of talent, but I'm not sure guys like Kelsay and Williams will all of a sudden become players who can pressure the QB. I hope Maybin can provide something on passing downs, but that's not concrete. On offense and defense, it seemed like the coaches were reacting and not a step ahead of their opponents, especially as the season wore on. Fewell had to depart from the C2 when it became clear their front four wasn't getting it done in the wake of Schobel's injury. Agree wholeheartedly with your post here.

Scott got plenty of playing time last season, appearing in all 16 games with 7 starts. Bryan Scott It's far too early to know who'll impress in training camp. But after watching the games last season, the Bills like Scott's size closer to the LOS. He's more adept at taking on blockers in the box and has had to cover some TE's. The SS position seems to be going the route of the FB. Teams need two safeties that can cover with the pass-happy offenses springing up all over the league. I would not be surprised to see both Whitner and Byrd on the field more frequently than some would imagine. A lot of the safety pairings has to do with opponents. Against the Jets, I could see Scott getting plenty of PT. Conversely, teams like NO, NE, and IND might mean more of Whitner/Byrd.

TD may be gone, but his hand-picked personnel men, Modrak and Guy, still remain. Not to mention Overdorf is still entrusted with negotiating contracts. So the front office makeup hasn't really change much. I would venture to say those first two have more say in personnel because the previous and current GM are not experienced talent evaluators. The Bills are a small market team that must draft well each season, because they won't be major players in free agency. The difference between Buffalo and other small market teams lies in management. Whereas the Bills name marketing people and retired HC's as their GM, San Diego, Green Bay, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh are all having success without spending huge sums on free agents. AJ Smith, Ted Thompson, Bill Polian, and Kevin Colbert are some of the best in the league. In a conference where 6 teams out of 16 make the playoffs, being average isn't good enough and drafting at a C+ level won't get this team beyond Week 17.