In defense of Maybin

[Wiz]

Scouts said Maybin was a 3-4 year project (which in itself makes it a horrible first round pick for which my remote control paid the ultimate price). So, why should we expect more than what we've seen? He's one year and six games into his career and people want to cut him. He's struggling, but why is this a surprise? He still has another two to three years to be "NFL ready." Just saying...

[MarkyMannn]

Scouts said Maybin was a 3-4 year project

 

Sweet! Just when he finally makes it (BIG IF) he is at the end of his contract and leaves as a free agent. So defend that

[NewEra]

I'm with ya. He was a terrible choice. Orakpo, Matthews, Cushing, Oher obviously would have been better choices. But we didn't them, we took maybin based in his potential an his speed. He's still extremely young and has room to mature physically. For those who think we should cut him...pass the pipe. The kid still has a chance. When you're lb corps are the worst in football, there's no reason to get rid of a kid with his speed and "potential". It just doesn't mAke sense. There's 5 other guys we could cut

[jr1]

Aaron Maybin's a Ponzi scheme. The Bills lost tens of millions

[Sisyphean Bills]

Should've spent 3 or 4 years in the Arena League...

[Logical Reasoning]

I don't think he will be that good then.

[Buffalonian-at-Heart]

I'll start by saying I've been a Maybin defender up until a couple of weeks ago. I actually thought he was looking better. But I'm now almost convinced he's never going to put together an NFL career. The notion of "draft a project", doesn't even exist anymore, so I don't quite understand that argument. Maybin was a miss on a long list.

[jahnyc]

The troubling part of this is that he seems so far away from being a productive member of the defense. A project is one thing, but not being able to contribute at all in his second season (even to special teams) suggests that his long term prospects are poor.

[jahbonas]

In another smaller defense of Maybin - the defensive coordinator only has him lineup opposite the OT and rush straight on - we never see him loop around on a line stunt where his speed and agility could be better used. Its still TBD how effective this defensive coordinator is.

Maybin may not be ready for run defense- but in passing situations they need to look to get him in space more

 

We all saw how Walt Corey did such an effective job of limiting Cornelius Bennet's sack production by only lining him up opposite an OT in 3pt stance on passing downs (something LT was never ever asked to do)

[first_and_ten]

Sweet! Just when he finally makes it (BIG IF) he is at the end of his contract and leaves as a free agent. So defend that

There is no defense for it. Horrible organization is a reason though.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

I'll start by saying I've been a Maybin defender up until a couple of weeks ago. I actually thought he was looking better. But I'm now almost convinced he's never going to put together an NFL career. The notion of "draft a project", doesn't even exist anymore, so I don't quite understand that argument. Maybin was a miss on a long list.

 

I got to go with this.

 

It's not just that Maybin is struggling, it's that when I do see him, I don't see the motor - the fire in his belly to make him want to jump to the next level and ultimately succeed. He seems too proud of himself when he accomplishes something mediocre, like being the 2nd or 3rd guy to the play.

 

If, as the OP says he was a 3-4 year project, he should never have been taken in the first round. That's not Maybin's fault, he is making first-round money though.

Why throw good money (and a roster spot) after bad?

[KD in CA]

The average NFL career is only 3-4 years so it's absurd to think a guy needs that long to become ready to contribute.

 

Too bad football doesn't have minor league (well they do, but you can only play four years and Maybin spent most of that time on the bench too), because that's where Maybin needs to be playing. Can they rent him to the UFL?

[shoretalk]

Scouts said Maybin was a 3-4 year project (which in itself makes it a horrible first round pick for which my remote control paid the ultimate price). So, why should we expect more than what we've seen? He's one year and six games into his career and people want to cut him. He's struggling, but why is this a surprise? He still has another two to three years to be "NFL ready." Just saying...

That's right ... 3-4 years of paying him before everyone realizes that this was a wasted project and Mr. Maybe goes on to find something else that he can do with his weak muscual physique.

 

Sadly, this Dick Jauron 'must have' doesn't have any fire in the belly (how reflective this team is of the coach they had leading them ...) and obviously doesn't have have the skills to be an OLB and is way to small/weak to play DE. Someone needs to at least grab his should pads and straighten him up so he's not starting in that 4 point stance of his ... I almost laugh every time I see his small body get into that easy to push back position.

[vincec]

The troubling part of this is that he seems so far away from being a productive member of the defense. A project is one thing, but not being able to contribute at all in his second season (even to special teams) suggests that his long term prospects are poor.

This.

[starrymessenger]

Aaron Maybin played only two years of college football, and only saw spot duty his first year. Had he stayed in school he would now be a senior. In terms of gameday activity you could say the Bills drafted a player with one year of college ball under his belt. Except in the rarest of cases (I can't think of one example off hand) in this ultra-competetive day and age that is virtually a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Bills rolled the dice with the odds heavily staked against them, with predictable results.

I always think of Maybin together with another player in his draft class: Michael Johnson of the Bengals. They have similar body types, with the exception that 260 was Johnson's real playing weight when he entered the pro ranks, and he's a bit taller. Both had off the charts physical skills. Both had question marks associated with them In Johnson's case occasional motivational issues. In Maybin's, youth, size issues and inexperience. I was puzzled why Mayock had a first round rating on Maybin while he warned NFL teams from taking a flyer on Johnson before the third round (and he was in fact ultimately drafted in the third).

Johnson is this year beginning to realize his great potential in Cinci, but he graduated as a senior and is therefore two years ahead of Maybin. So if Maybin is able to follow Johnson's example it will be only after a couple more years that we will start to see it, if ever we do. This timing is good for Maybin. If he has a good year in the last year of his rookie contract he will still be only 25 and just coming into his own. If he turns out to be Cam Wake II (another Nittany Lion), imagine the contract he will receive.

[Sisyphean Bills]

In another smaller defense of Maybin - the defensive coordinator only has him lineup opposite the OT and rush straight on - we never see him loop around on a line stunt where his speed and agility could be better used. Its still TBD how effective this defensive coordinator is.

Maybin may not be ready for run defense- but in passing situations they need to look to get him in space more

 

We all saw how Walt Corey did such an effective job of limiting Cornelius Bennet's sack production by only lining him up opposite an OT in 3pt stance on passing downs (something LT was never ever asked to do)

Not sure this is much of a defense as it isn't accurate. I've seen Maybin lined up (OK, yes, hand on the ground, which actually helps him with his quick first step, that's why sprinters get in a stance, btw) more than a yard outside the LT. He's quick off the ball, but then it's basically over. This is the NFL, not Coastal Carolina. NFL lineman know how to move their feet and how to work angles. As soon as they get a hand on him, he's done. He'll start wiggling around like a fish on a hook, turn his back to the play, or just get tossed on the ground. The guy is so "athletic" he's not even being asked to play special teams anymore.

 

There is still a chance; but, Maybin fans need to brace themselves because the overwhelming evidence is that this kid is a bust and his NFL career is all but over.

[Another Point of View]

Scouts said Maybin was a 3-4 year project (which in itself makes it a horrible first round pick for which my remote control paid the ultimate price). So, why should we expect more than what we've seen? He's one year and six games into his career and people want to cut him. He's struggling, but why is this a surprise? He still has another two to three years to be "NFL ready." Just saying...

 

Even a project must show something.

 

This may be the worst pick in Buffalo history.

[gobillsinytown]

Not sure this is much of a defense as it isn't accurate. I've seen Maybin lined up (OK, yes, hand on the ground, which actually helps him with his quick first step, that's why sprinters get in a stance, btw) more than a yard outside the LT. He's quick off the ball, but then it's basically over. This is the NFL, not Coastal Carolina. NFL lineman know how to move their feet and how to work angles. As soon as they get a hand on him, he's done. He'll start wiggling around like a fish on a hook, turn his back to the play, or just get tossed on the ground. The guy is so "athletic" he's not even being asked to play special teams anymore.

 

There is still a chance; but, Maybin fans need to brace themselves because the overwhelming evidence is that this kid is a bust and his NFL career is all but over.

 

If this were five or six years ago, the team could take the time to see if he would develop. But the idea of the "project" player is all but dead. There's just too much pressure on teams to have their draft picks contribute immediately, at least on some level. Aaron hasn't shown that he can consistently contribute to any area of the team. I think you're right. No matter how much of a good kid he is or how hard he works, the evidence seems to show that he can't make the transition to this level. I think the only reason he's still with the team is because of his contract.

[jahbonas]

Not sure this is much of a defense as it isn't accurate. I've seen Maybin lined up (OK, yes, hand on the ground, which actually helps him with his quick first step, that's why sprinters get in a stance, btw) more than a yard outside the LT. He's quick off the ball, but then it's basically over. This is the NFL, not Coastal Carolina. NFL lineman know how to move their feet and how to work angles. As soon as they get a hand on him, he's done. He'll start wiggling around like a fish on a hook, turn his back to the play, or just get tossed on the ground. The guy is so "athletic" he's not even being asked to play special teams anymore.

 

There is still a chance; but, Maybin fans need to brace themselves because the overwhelming evidence is that this kid is a bust and his NFL career is all but over.

Did you read the post? my mini-defense of maybin is I never see him used with other lineman looping on stunts where he can run...

or do you think lining Maybin up 1 yard outside the OT is doing that?? I mean a loop where he loops under and finds a hole and runs up under the Center/guard where a gap may have been created

[gobillsinytown]

Did you read the post? my mini-defense of maybin is I never see him used with other lineman looping on stunts where he can run...

or do you think lining Maybin up 1 yard outside the OT is doing that?? I mean a loop where he loops under and finds a hole and runs up under the Center/guard where a gap may have been created

 

Maybin might be good at that, but the problem here is that he's on a team where no one seems to be able to rush the passer. Loops and stunts require a lot of timing and coordination. Right now it doesn't seem like any of the Bills' linemen are capable of doing that, so Aaron's speed is negated. So the question is....how long do you keep a guy around who is a specialist, when they have so many other needs? I think that in the right defense, he could give offenses fits. But at least with this team he can't do that.