How our D goes from middle of the pack to "top 5"

[EndZoneCrew]

Draft: R. McClain from Bama @ the 9th pick

Sign: S.Merriman from S.D.

Hire: L. Frazier from Minny

 

With our secondary and above average line, hopefully some improvement from Maybin, we will have the potential to be a scary D....and it is not that far fetched that we get all of these pieces. It is amazing what a pass rush can do to the efficiency of a D

 

DEFENSE...DEFENSE...DEFENSE!!!

[KD in CA]

With our secondary and above average line

 

 

 

What you outlined is a start, but the Bills need a significant upgrade on the DL. No more 240 lb DEs please.

[Maddog69]

Draft: R. McClain from Bama @ the 9th pick

Sign: S.Merriman from S.D.

Hire: L. Frazier from Minny

 

With our secondary and above average line, hopefully some improvement from Maybin, we will have the potential to be a scary D....and it is not that far fetched that we get all of these pieces. It is amazing what a pass rush can do to the efficiency of a D

 

DEFENSE...DEFENSE...DEFENSE!!!

 

You forgot to address the biggest problem with out defense last year..... The complete lack of offense. If we had any offense at all, the defense would have had much better stats. I like all of your ideas. But we also need a QB, LT and OC.

[EndZoneCrew]

 

 

What you outlined is a start, but the Bills need a significant upgrade on the DL. No more 240 lb DEs please.

 

Agreed...Stroud and Kyle Williams are definitely above average and if we have linebackers who can play the run, it makes it easier to expect better results from Schobel, Maybin, and Kelsay

[The Rev.Mattb74 ESQ.]

I was thinking plane crash.....plane crash.

[Tasmo]

Agreed...Stroud and Kyle Williams are definitely above average and if we have linebackers who can play the run, it makes it easier to expect better results from Schobel, Maybin, and Kelsay

 

 

With these moves and with Frazier Schobel just might come back. Especially with an upgrade at LT somewhere in FA.

[FluffHead]

Merriman is overrated. He was invisible yesterday. After the injury, and now that he's off the juice, I haven't seen him do a damn thing but run his mouth.

[Conch]

Truly our D line is below average, not above average. These guys gave up 170 yards per game on the ground. The Dback-field is average, maybe slightly above average; its numbers are skewed by the fact that teams steamrolled us on the ground. Its ability for INTs is above average. Even with Mitchell back all the LBs are weak. To be a top 5 Def you need two big, relatively fast DTs in the middle. That is where you stop the run and get the push up the middle on pass rush. We have none of those. We are at least 2 DTs and 2 LBs away from a top 5 Def and of course a good head coach and a good DC.

[Dr. Trooth]

No player additons alone will do much for the Bills.

 

Aside from getting rid of Ralph and the entire FO... my plan to slavage what we have in a hurry... at least 20 players are gonna get sliced.

 

1) Hire Cowher

2) DEFENSE: Go 3-4. Move Mitchell inside, Kick Poz & Ellison to the Curb. If Schobel wants to play... stick him at OLB... ditto Denney. Let Johnson, Stroud, & Kelsay fight it out at DE. Maybin to OLB. Bring in an experienced 3-4 ILB and OLB, and A bonafide NT (Williams can back up). Resign Scott and Wilson. Kick Whitner and Youboty to the curb.

3) OFFENSE: Bring in highly talented OTs, either through FA or draft that are instantly considerable upgrades over what we have... including Butler. Keep Simmons and Incognito for depth until Wood's injury is resolved. Give up a player or mid round draft pick for Marc Bulger and draft the QB of the future. Bring in a possesion receiver. Get rid of Schouman at TE (unless he can be a poss. receiver... 225 lbs. TEs don't make it in the NFL), get rid of the other brittle TE (Fine) and bring in a man. Dump Marshawn and bring in a back that has more quickness, speed, and durability.

4) SPECIAL TEAMS: If the Bills must go with exclusive spec team players that can't play a lick anywhere else, limit it to 5 players period... Lindell, Moorman, Sanborn, and either two gunners, or a gunner and returner. No more exclusive ST players like Roscoe, Wendling, Jenkins, Corto, Stamer.

5) After 2 years on the PS, if ya ain't cabable of moving up... see ya

 

Yep... I'm tossing out the baby and the bathwater... It is one ugly ass baby to begin with.

[eSJayDee]

I think the 1st step & most important is just to get our offense from epically inept to mediocre. That alone should put us in the top 10 defensively. Lowering the frequency of long runs then should just about accomplish the desired result. Maybe cause recover a few more fumbles (IIRC, we recovered a historic low of only 5 this yr).

[bills in va]

OFFENSE-OFFENSE-OFFENSE

Great, under your theory we lose 3-0 every week. Dude, we can't score. We need offense with our 9th pick. We need either LT or QB in round 1.

[DUTE]

No player additons alone will do much for the Bills.

 

Aside from getting rid of Ralph and the entire FO... my plan to slavage what we have in a hurry... at least 20 players are gonna get sliced.

 

1) Hire Cowher

2) DEFENSE: Go 3-4. Move Mitchell inside, Kick Poz & Ellison to the Curb. If Schobel wants to play... stick him at OLB... ditto Denney. Let Johnson, Stroud, & Kelsay fight it out at DE. Maybin to OLB. Bring in an experienced 3-4 ILB and OLB, and A bonafide NT (Williams can back up). Resign Scott and Wilson. Kick Whitner and Youboty to the curb.

3) OFFENSE: Bring in highly talented OTs, either through FA or draft that are instantly considerable upgrades over what we have... including Butler. Keep Simmons and Incognito for depth until Wood's injury is resolved. Give up a player or mid round draft pick for Marc Bulger and draft the QB of the future. Bring in a possesion receiver. Get rid of Schouman at TE (unless he can be a poss. receiver... 225 lbs. TEs don't make it in the NFL), get rid of the other brittle TE (Fine) and bring in a man. Dump Marshawn and bring in a back that has more quickness, speed, and durability.

4) SPECIAL TEAMS: If the Bills must go with exclusive spec team players that can't play a lick anywhere else, limit it to 5 players period... Lindell, Moorman, Sanborn, and either two gunners, or a gunner and returner. No more exclusive ST players like Roscoe, Wendling, Jenkins, Corto, Stamer.

5) After 2 years on the PS, if ya ain't cabable of moving up... see ya

 

Yep... I'm tossing out the baby and the bathwater... It is one ugly ass baby to begin with.

 

Why does everyone still not give kyle williams his due? This guy is a PRO BOWL alternate and people want him to be a back up? DT is NOT the biggest concern on this defense. We have to many holes for that to be a top priority. Its the linebackers who suck!

[VADC Bills]

First I feel that the secondary has the talent and depth that can get us through the next season. They will become better as our pass rush increases.

Our DL...draft a DT with size and power to be in the mix with Stroud and Williams. Stroud is getting older and Williams has the heart but lacks the size and power to dominate. Attain a free agent DE that won't break the bank ie. Ray Edwards of Minnesota.

If we hire Frazier acquiring Edwards should not be difficult. Talk Schobel out of retiring. This will allow us to get more push in the middle.

LB's McClain at the #9 pick should be here. He possess size and power that Poz will never provide. Draft a later round OLB with size and power for the outside. Let Mitchell and Poz fight it out for the remaining spot.

Did you notice the Jets LB's hitting in yesterdays game...that what we need.

Three quality defensive draft picks should be attained for 2 LB, 1 DT. Trading down in the 1st round should not be out of the question. This will allow us to get an additional #2. We will also need an OT and G out of this draft as well.

The asssumption is that free agency will not prevent a huge deterent for us due to the CBA or lack of one. We will need to get a QB through FA or the draft.

Basically 4 new starters should give us more of an attacking defense.

[Adam]

 

Why does everyone still not give kyle williams his due? This guy is a PRO BOWL alternate and people want him to be a back up? DT is NOT the biggest concern on this defense. We have to many holes for that to be a top priority. Its the linebackers who suck!

And where did that get us?He is a good player, but we need two guys that are better and him in the rotation- or a decent draft pick. We are not a couple players away- we are rebuilding

[Dr. Trooth]

Why does everyone still not give kyle williams his due? This guy is a PRO BOWL alternate and people want him to be a back up?

 

That's a fair question. However, in a 3-4 D, no way can Williams, a 305 lb. DT be an everydown, or even 2 down NT. We go to the 3-4, you need a 325-365 lb. slob to hold up for a full season.

[CardinalScotts]

Schobel is the best player we have on defense and it's by a wide margin. How anyone can lump him in with Denney and Kelsay is ignorant to say the least

[RyanC882]

OFFENSE-OFFENSE-OFFENSE

Great, under your theory we lose 3-0 every week. Dude, we can't score. We need offense with our 9th pick. We need either LT or QB in round 1.

 

 

Too early for a QB in a class without any apperantly great ones. Use FA for LT & placeholder QB, and draft LT in round 2 (possibly the one from Miami whose name I cannot recall right now), QB in round 3 (Central Michigan QB or Pike) get McClain in round one. He is a standout among the other lb's available and one of the best in many years.

[bills in va]

Too early for a QB in a class without any apperantly great ones. Use FA for LT & placeholder QB, and draft LT in round 2 (possibly the one from Miami whose name I cannot recall right now), QB in round 3 (Central Michigan QB or Pike) get McClain in round one. He is a standout among the other lb's available and one of the best in many years.

Number 9 should go to the best LT on the board. This is the biggest need on offense along with QB where I'd like to get Lefevour in later round. There will be very good LB's in round 2-3 and DT's also. But, unless we get a quality LT we are done next year. I have not seen any FA LT's who we could get here w/o breaking the bank.

[thebandit27]

That's a fair question. However, in a 3-4 D, no way can Williams, a 305 lb. DT be an everydown, or even 2 down NT. We go to the 3-4, you need a 325-365 lb. slob to hold up for a full season.

 

I call bogus on that statement.

 

Dallas' 3-4 alignment features a 293-pound NT that was just elected to his 2nd straight pro bowl. Perhaps you've heard of him:

 

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RatlJa20.htm

 

They finished 4th in the NFL in rushing defense and 9th in overall defense.

 

You need a good football player at NT, not necessarily a "slob".

[thebandit27]

Too early for a QB in a class without any apperantly great ones. Use FA for LT & placeholder QB, and draft LT in round 2 (possibly the one from Miami whose name I cannot recall right now), QB in round 3 (Central Michigan QB or Pike) get McClain in round one. He is a standout among the other lb's available and one of the best in many years.

 

A few things:

 

- It's never too early to pick the right QB. If the team feels that one of the QBs on the board is a top-notch talent, then there shouldn't be any questions, pick him.

 

- As far as getting a QB and LT in free agency, I sincerely doubt that can happen. Teams don't just let starting LTs walk out the door with no compensation. Buffalo didn't even do that with Peters. To expect another organization to do so is asking too much, I think.

 

- The LT from Miami, James Fox, is more like a 5th or 6th round pick. A more practical 2nd round option at tackle would be a guy like Selvish Capers (WVU), Ciron Black (LSU), or Charles Brown (USC).

 

- I'd be surprised, given the impact from the LBs taken in the top 10 in recent years, if McClain were still available at the #9 pick. More likely he'd be selected by one of the teams that play a 3-4 defense and draft in front of Buffalo (KC or Cleveland).

 

Just my 1 cent.