our DL is making me very optimistic.

[swnybillsfan]

i am an extreme optimist this time of year but the players we have in here right now are giving me much hope. seems like the majority of what we have on the dl are young and hungry and have some talent. and if our coaching staff is truly going to try to work out of a 3-4 base with other formations, variants and combinations of personel...there could be some interesting things happenin. and just to think of what could happen if some of our de/olb guys work out...

all i can say is GO BILLS!

[JohnC]

i am an extreme optimist this time of year but the players we have in here right now are giving me much hope. seems like the majority of what we have on the dl are young and hungry and have some talent. and if our coaching staff is truly going to try to work out of a 3-4 base with other formations, variants and combinations of personel...there could be some interesting things happenin. and just to think of what could happen if some of our de/olb guys work out...

all i can say is GO BILLS!

 

When Chan Gaily was asked how he was going to turn around a perennially losing franchise he referred to Bill Parcells's approach. When taking over a consistently losing franchise the quickest way to get a turnaround is to concentrate on upgrading the lines. It is obvious that the defensive line is getting bigger, bulkier and stronger with our free agent and draft acquisitions. Our O-line is still a work in progress, especially at LT. But there is plenty of time to add some contributing talent.

 

The Levy/Jauron light and quick mentality was doomed to fail. It did. The pendulum has swung to becoming a more physical and stronger team. Steadily, you will see a change in personnel which is better suited to Nix's more muscle philosophy.

[loyalbillsfan]

I totally agree with that philosophy of building your team from the lines out. I'm really liking the way the d-line is shaping up as well. Looks like there is going to be some solid competition in training camp and it will make these guys better, at all positions for that matter. I know our O-line on the edges is a question mark at this point but I think they've done a good job so far of bringing in some guys to compete; and with the "Gaither rumours", looks like they are still looking to add a piece to protect the blind side, which this team sorely needs.

 

I love what Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey have done with this team so far and IMO, have this organization back on the road to respectability. It may not translate to "W's" right away, but this team is going to be built the right way!

[Green Lightning]

The naysayers have yet to hit this post. They will be handwringing over the fact that we have but two players who have ever a played in a 3-4 and some who are moving from DL to LB, etc. They have a point. But defense is defense. Beat your man (or men in a 2 gap) and make a play. We will make mistakes at first, that's fine. But for the first time in a long, long time, we will not bet blown off the line of scrimmage and dominated physically. I like what is happening and really look forward to seeing this team become a tough bunch to play instead of pushovers.

[tennesseeboy]

When Chan Gaily was asked how he was going to turn around a perennially losing franchise he referred to Bill Parcells's approach. When taking over a consistently losing franchise the quickest way to get a turnaround is to concentrate on upgrading the lines. It is obvious that the defensive line is getting bigger, bulkier and stronger with our free agent and draft acquisitions. Our O-line is still a work in progress, especially at LT. But there is plenty of time to add some contributing talent.

 

The Levy/Jauron light and quick mentality was doomed to fail. It did. The pendulum has swung to becoming a more physical and stronger team. Steadily, you will see a change in personnel which is better suited to Nix's more muscle philosophy.

Our O'Line is a "work in progress"? What work...what progress?

 

Our D-line is based on rookies and people playing new positions who for the most part were unsuccessful in their old positions. It might or might not be good but the jury has to be very out on the assessment of this line.

 

I found Gailey's putting that as the key to turning it around, at least as far as the offensive line goes, very interesting. If you're gonna fix the o-line, stop talking about it and do something.

[TPS]

Our O'Line is a "work in progress"? What work...what progress?

 

Our D-line is based on rookies and people playing new positions who for the most part were unsuccessful in their old positions. It might or might not be good but the jury has to be very out on the assessment of this line.

 

I found Gailey's putting that as the key to turning it around, at least as far as the offensive line goes, very interesting. If you're gonna fix the o-line, stop talking about it and do something.

I do have faith in Gailey being able to improve the offense from the bottom of the pack to the middle, despite questions about the O-line. I am also optimistic about the change in the front 7 of the D, not necessarily the D-line. A bigger, stronger group overall to help stop the run.

 

Lots of issues that will unfold over the next 4 months, but (IMO) this team is already better than last year's.

[sllib olaffub]

There are a lot of things to consider when evaluating what Nix has done. I don't know if he would have taken the job if Wilson told him he had to put together a championship team, a dominant, SB capable team right off the bat. When you hear Nix talk about building a team the old fashion way, what he means is starting with philosophy, adding that true to philosophy type through the draft, and only bringing in F.A. if they're exceptional fits...and if it means a few years of mediocrity and good draft picks before the team is built, then so be it. There is no apparant rush on their part to make it a winner now. That being said, they must've looked at where they wanted to go and what was available this year and next, and decided the switch to the 3-4 would be able to be done this year with the talent available, and that the talent next year would be better suited for QB and whatever else is needed on the O-line. I agree with that analysis. I also am very excited about our D - the front seven, and especially the LB's and NT - where everyone else is wondering about, I'm liking who they brought in. The guys are fast, big, and play hard the whole game. I also really like the attitude of the coaches and the players - the team looks like it wants to be there learning, working, and that it will have that us v.s. them attitude. I think we'll take a lot of people by surprise this season - maybe not by winning a ton of games, but by being a tough team to beat.

[drewfla]

There are a lot of things to consider when evaluating what Nix has done. I don't know if he would have taken the job if Wilson told him he had to put together a championship team, a dominant, SB capable team right off the bat. When you hear Nix talk about building a team the old fashion way, what he means is starting with philosophy, adding that true to philosophy type through the draft, and only bringing in F.A. if they're exceptional fits...and if it means a few years of mediocrity and good draft picks before the team is built, then so be it. There is no apparant rush on their part to make it a winner now. That being said, they must've looked at where they wanted to go and what was available this year and next, and decided the switch to the 3-4 would be able to be done this year with the talent available, and that the talent next year would be better suited for QB and whatever else is needed on the O-line. I agree with that analysis. I also am very excited about our D - the front seven, and especially the LB's and NT - where everyone else is wondering about, I'm liking who they brought in. The guys are fast, big, and play hard the whole game. I also really like the attitude of the coaches and the players - the team looks like it wants to be there learning, working, and that it will have that us v.s. them attitude. I think we'll take a lot of people by surprise this season - maybe not by winning a ton of games, but by being a tough team to beat.

 

 

As Bills fans everyone just needs to come to grips with the fact that the team will be VERY bad this year and better the following year and probably challenge for a playoff spot the third year. Sounds awful and what we've just done but in reality it is probably a lot closer to the truth than Nix and Gailey would admit publicly.

[Jerry Jabber]

As Bills fans everyone just needs to come to grips with the fact that the team will be VERY bad this year and better the following year and probably challenge for a playoff spot the third year. Sounds awful and what we've just done but in reality it is probably a lot closer to the truth than Nix and Gailey would admit publicly.

 

The Bills finished 6-10 with the Offensive Coordinator and Left Tackle being fired 10 days before the start of the season, a new offensive coordinator 10 days before the start of the season, the Head coach being fired midway through the season and 20 players on IR. With bigger players on defense and a playmaker in C.J. Spiller, how are the Bills going to be very bad this year? I can see the Bills improve to 8-8 or 9-7 in 2010. The Bills are not that far off from being a playoff contender.

[DrFishfinder]

The Bills finished 6-10 with the Offensive Coordinator and Left Tackle being fired 10 days before the start of the season, a new offensive coordinator 10 days before the start of the season, the Head coach being fired midway through the season and 20 players on IR. With bigger players on defense and a playmaker in C.J. Spiller, how are the Bills going to be very bad this year? I can see the Bills improve to 8-8 or 9-7 in 2010. The Bills are not that far off from being a playoff contender.

I agree with you. But the Jets and Dolphins can be expected to improve from last year, too. The Pats might be treading water or even drop a notch. So even though the Bills should be improved, the division games are going to be tough. That's over a third of their schedule.

 

I think the Bills are going to surprise a number of teams this season. I don't think any team will take them lightly by the end of the year.

[coseybedaman]

I too LOVE what the defense is shaping up to be. If the secondary can stay healthy I would be hard pressed to find a better 4 man set of DBs than MCGEE, WHITNER, JBYRD, and MCKELVIN. Also, I think Maybin is going to be UNREAL this year as a pass rushing linebacker from the outside. Then the defensive line with Kyle Williams, Marcus Stroud, and Torrell Troup! Thats a lot of beef up front. Im excited about this season IF AND ONLY IF we get the left tackle position taken care of. WE MUST GET GAITHER or BROWN! I do like the pickup of Wang on the offensive line and watched him quite a bit in college. He definitely is talented, but I would rather watch him be a stud at right tackle then a project at left tackle. Add a franchise left tackle to the young, high picks like Wood, Levitre, Wang, and the mix of DECENT veterans and I think we have one of the best offensive lines in the league that no one has heard of in 2 years. Just my opinion GO BILLS

[Jerry Jabber]

I agree with you. But the Jets and Dolphins can be expected to improve from last year, too. The Pats might be treading water or even drop a notch. So even though the Bills should be improved, the division games are going to be tough. That's over a third of their schedule.

 

I think the Bills are going to surprise a number of teams this season. I don't think any team will take them lightly by the end of the year.

 

The Jets and Dolphins are expected to be better, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they will. Sanchez is a warm weather QB, that struggled in the NJ weather when the Jets lost to the Bills in the Meadowlands. The Bills also beat the Phins 31-14 in their last meeting. Considering the big, dysfunctional mess the Bills were in last year, I'd say we have a better chance this year to compete in the AFC East. Gone is the Tampa 2 defense with no pass rush and no rush defense. With bigger linemen up front, our run D will be much improved. The pass rush is unknown right now, but with bigger linemen up front, it should give our OLB's a good shot at the QB. The dulled-down, pop-warner type offense is gone as well. I liked Van Pelt, but he was in over his head last season. IMO, Gailey is an upgrade over Van Pelt (mainly due to experience).

[Gabe Northern]

i am an extreme optimist this time of year but the players we have in here right now are giving me much hope. seems like the majority of what we have on the dl are young and hungry and have some talent. and if our coaching staff is truly going to try to work out of a 3-4 base with other formations, variants and combinations of personel...there could be some interesting things happenin. and just to think of what could happen if some of our de/olb guys work out...

all i can say is GO BILLS!

 

You're crazy, yo.

 

Stroud is 32. Dwan Edwards is 28 with a history of neck injuries that makes him 35. Spencer Johnson and Kyle Williams are 27 and 28, but they've reached their ceiling. What you see is what you get.

 

Maybe Troup can play but maybe he's another John McCargo. Maybe Carrington will be good, but he's rarely faced elite competition.

 

We need "some of our de/olb guys work out" just to field a roster, as we have no OLBs, just a bunch of guys we hope can play there.

[Adam]

I think we have guys who have some upside, but are looking to hold down the fort for now. I don't see playmakers- at least for now. Nothing good comes easy or quickly. I do think Troup can turn into something, as can Carrington. We won't be even close to dominating defensively, but the groundwork has been layed- meaning that these players can do there job, allowing a playmaker to be freed up to make the big plays (When we find one).

 

I expect some tough times and boring football for much of the upcoming season. That doesn't bother me, as I feel we have stopped with the smoke and mirrors and are actually rebuilding. Something we should have done years ago.

 

That, more than anything makes me optimistic about the team's future

[MikeSpeed]

You're crazy, yo.

 

Stroud is 32. Dwan Edwards is 28 with a history of neck injuries that makes him 35. Spencer Johnson and Kyle Williams are 27 and 28, but they've reached their ceiling. What you see is what you get.

 

Maybe Troup can play but maybe he's another John McCargo. Maybe Carrington will be good, but he's rarely faced elite competition.

 

We need "some of our de/olb guys work out" just to field a roster, as we have no OLBs, just a bunch of guys we hope can play there.

I agree. The D is a total question mark. As is the whole team. Too many changes to know what we have before seeing a single play. I hope they're great, but I wouldn't put money on it at this point.

[SouthGeorgiaBillsFan]

When Chan Gaily was asked how he was going to turn around a perennially losing franchise he referred to Bill Parcells's approach. When taking over a consistently losing franchise the quickest way to get a turnaround is to concentrate on upgrading the lines. It is obvious that the defensive line is getting bigger, bulkier and stronger with our free agent and draft acquisitions. Our O-line is still a work in progress, especially at LT. But there is plenty of time to add some contributing talent.

 

The Levy/Jauron light and quick mentality was doomed to fail. It did. The pendulum has swung to becoming a more physical and stronger team. Steadily, you will see a change in personnel which is better suited to Nix's more muscle philosophy.

 

Does that explain why we used our top pick in the draft on a position that is one of the deepest and most talented we have on the team? Other than in the defensive secondary, RB is the one place we didn't need help. Doesn't really bode well for the new regime and the Bills future imo. I'm still just utterly shellshocked by that pick.

[Wagon Circler]

Coming into this offseason, my number one priority to fix was the run defense.

I am just so sick and tired of being run over by teams, including the Jets and Fish.

They have taken serious steps to try to fix the run D:

1. They have switched to a 3-4, tougher to run against than the 4-3.

2. They have brought in Davis and Edwards, two professional run stuffers.

3. They drafted Troup and Carrington early, big guys who are run stuffers.

4. Later on, they took Moats and Batten who make our linebacking corps much bigger.

We don't know how any of these moves are going to work out, but they have attempted to address the problem and with this team, that's definite progress.

[Bflojohn]

The questions are numerous so here goes.... The pass rush is a huge question mark at this stage because the people that identify OLB as a problem might, ultimately, be right. The underpinning of the thought process is adding Carrington and Troup to bolster the size and toughness of the unit. Rookies, people, rookies who will see more in their first NFL season in a negitive vein than having any rousing successes in 2010. The growth pains will very likely mean that this unit will have a bumpy ride most Sundays, but I'm OPTIMISTIC that improvement will be evident in the second half of the year. My wish is for a healthy team, so that we can see the fruits of better strength and conditioning in action. I'm thinking that Bills fans will be much more positive after the season is over than during the playing of the schedule.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Our O'Line is a "work in progress"? What work...what progress?

 

Our D-line is based on rookies and people playing new positions who for the most part were unsuccessful in their old positions. It might or might not be good but the jury has to be very out on the assessment of this line.

 

I found Gailey's putting that as the key to turning it around, at least as far as the offensive line goes, very interesting. If you're gonna fix the o-line, stop talking about it and do something.

You forgot to mention that "9 wins" thing.

[John from Riverside]

When Chan Gaily was asked how he was going to turn around a perennially losing franchise he referred to Bill Parcells's approach. When taking over a consistently losing franchise the quickest way to get a turnaround is to concentrate on upgrading the lines. It is obvious that the defensive line is getting bigger, bulkier and stronger with our free agent and draft acquisitions. Our O-line is still a work in progress, especially at LT. But there is plenty of time to add some contributing talent.

 

The Levy/Jauron light and quick mentality was doomed to fail. It did. The pendulum has swung to becoming a more physical and stronger team. Steadily, you will see a change in personnel which is better suited to Nix's more muscle philosophy.

 

I just like Nix simple no nonsense approach to it all......he just does not make it complicated.....

 

 

I really wish we would finish off this Gaither trade though....it just makes sense