Ranking Bills Weakest Positions

[BB-Gun]

Please explain your choice and how you would draft to fix those positions

[BB-Gun]

My #1 was LB - We don't have 3-4 linebackers! most are carry-overs from when we played the 4-3. We have Moats and Posluszny. Poz is better suited to be the weak inside linebacker spot. Moats can rush the passer but haven't shown he can cover or stop the run. Batten and Merriman are question marks because they are coming off injuries.

 

#2 was DL - Need another DE to play opposite Dwan Edwards, and for rotation. Also need a true NT for rotation.

 

round 1 - Daquan Bowers DE

round 2 - Martez Wilson ILB

round 3 - Jerrel Powe NT

[DCBongo]

#1DL, #2LB - The bills had the worst run stop Defense in the league.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

My #1 was LB - We don't have 3-4 linebackers! most are carry-overs from when we played the 4-3. We have Moats and Posluszny. Poz is better suited to be the weak inside linebacker spot. Moats can rush the passer but haven't shown he can cover or stop the run. Batten and Merriman are question marks because they are coming off injuries.

 

#2 was DL - Need another DE to play opposite Dwan Edwards, and for rotation. Also need a true NT for rotation.

 

round 1 - Daquan Bowers DE

round 2 - Martez Wilson ILB

round 3 - Jerrel Powe NT

 

I agree with the two top choices, reverse the order though.

 

Major diff. I think is Dwan Edwards: good player in the past, but are the days when he can get and stay healthy also in the past?

Add a season-ending hamstring tear to previous injuries and the season-ending injury in 2008 resulting in spinal fusion surgery, failed physicals from Broncos and Seahawks.

I think it's reasonable to question his longevity with the Bills.

 

For that reason I think we need help on DL more than LB. Even though Kelsay as a linebacker -- whose idea was that?

[Billsguy]

Worst position - owner

[Frostbelt City]

LB then DL

[CSBill]

Need bigger, stronger, faster, linebackers ... and a true Nose Guard and let Williams, Troupe, Carrington, Edwards, etc., play DT if they stick with the 3-4, or, more interior help and a serious edge rusher if they go back to 4-3. Either way, the biggest need is play-makers on the front 7 of defense

[DrFishfinder]

#1DL, #2LB - The bills had the worst run stop Defense in the league.

 

Not a whole lot to add to this. Can't stop the run, can't put pressure on opposing QB's, D can't get off the field, O can't (typically) win from behind.

Stop the run, get pressure on the opposing QB so the D can get off the field, the O can find some rhythm and we're > .500

[Ghost of Rob Johnson]

LB and then DB.

 

LB

I don't mind Poz, but he's a free agent. This leaving the only spot that can be considered as filled is one of the OLB spots, by Merriman, who is injury prone and an unknown due to his lack of output the past few seasons. To fill the LB spots I would resign Poz and draft ILB & OLB with 2 of their top 3 picks giving Davis and Kelsay someone to compete with/beat them out going into camp. Moats can act as insurance for Merriman.

 

DB

With Florence, Whitner, Wilson, and Youboty all free agents this leaves the unit needing to replace two starters and a key reserve (Wilson) along with depth at CB. Not to mention an old and brittle Terrance McGee is filling one of the starting CB spots currently. To fill this position I would draft Patrick Peterson #3 overall.

 

I didn't include DL as the long term plan is to move to a 3 man line which will include the Bills best player in Kyle Williams, their one legitimate free agent signing from last year in Dwan Edwards, and developing two of their top 3 picks in Troupe and Carrington. The development is what we are waiting on. Wouldn't be surprised to see Stroud cut and a free agent NT signed moving Williams to DE.

Edited January 30, 2011 by Ghost of Rob Johnson

[Ozymandius]

I voted QB and QB.

 

I like Fitz... but we've got to do better. In this league, you can't be a year-in year-out contender without a better QB.

[Direhard Fan]

As I said before. Stop the run and our offense will improve immediately. 1st three picks have to be "D".

[ajzepp]

#1DL, #2LB - The bills had the worst run stop Defense in the league.

 

Bingo, Bongo

[bobbobbob]

Worst position - owner

 

 

+1 I would have voted for this if it had been an option.

[Thoner7]

#1 RT - Name one on our roster worth being in the NFL. You cant say that about any other position on the team.

 

#2 ILB - Poz and ??? Poz may not be ack next year. If he isnt, then you could say we dont have any ILBs on the roster worth being in the NFL.

 

#3 TE - I dont think we have any at all.

 

**It cant be DL when we had 2 rookies, a former PBer, and a guy who some had as the D MVP on teh DL.

[sllib olaffub]

There was a good point on here made about D. Edwards. He hasn't been healthy the last three years, really. So, if we can't count on him, and if Stroud continues to be mediocre, then what do we have if you take away those two? Currently, I'd say our D-line would look like: K.Williams, T. Troupe, Carrington. Now, if Troupe adds some muscle and can become more of a true NT, and Carrington turns into a B. Smith prototype, then we'd be fine with that. But... maybe, in that light, our D-line is just as leaky as our linebacking corps.

 

Given that D-linemen typically go fast, we probably should secure a Dareus or Fairley type in the 1st, get our linebackers in the next few, and hope to add a truer NT in F.A., if we can't get that Taylor kid in the 2nd.

 

I also don't believe our O-line is quite near the comfort zone yet. I think if all our O-linemen go into 2011 healthy then we have a pretty good group in the middle, with two capable C's and 3 capable G's, with our backup C also G capable. So, I think one very good Tackle would make our line better able to handle the certain injuries we'll see throughout a season.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

+1 I would have voted for this if it had been an option.

 

+2 I got to say, it struck me.

 

[AllDayADay]

LB- It was embarrassing every Sunday to watch everybody and anybody run up and down the field. Buddy seems he wants to go 3-4, so i see us adding at least 4 Lbs this offseason. Whether draft or fa, we need some big linebackers. I think and hope free agency will take place this spring but who knows now with the CBA.

 

OT- I put this second because i could not imagine if something happened to D Bell which almost did since he was 3/4 healthy this season. We would be in a disastrous looking o-line. We not only need a starting RT but we need DEPTH!

[jjmac]

LB was my #1 choice, followed by OT. We are supposed to be rebuilding through the draft, so I'm hoping for some solid draft picks in these areas.

[Dorkington]

Where's the "every position" option?

 

I'm not sure if we are "strong" at any position. We have a couple good players, but a couple good players does not make strength at a position, imo.

[bowery4]

No poll like this is complete with out TE but you much like our favorite team didn't include it.

I would rank it

LBs in and outside

ROT and swing for back up and Dline in a toss up

TE

and back ups upgrades all around as we saw later in the season we have no depth at a lot of positions. I hope both draft and FA brings in some genuine talent is some of these places but honestly still see us us as being 2 years away from filling many of those holes.

BTW, I think if we did add these players Fitz would look better but we could certainly use a very good back up for him at least. Personally, I think he is good enough but again no depth. No protection and "he makes the line look better", "You can't throw the ball when you are on your butt".

[jumbalaya]

Bingo, Bongo

No one knows how good or bad our DBs are because the front seven stinks.

And no one can really say how bad our LBs really are because the DL stinks.

London Fletcher made all his tackles five yards downfield until he had Pat Williams and Sam Adams in front of him and then he became very good.

Once we get a line we can figure out what position is next to fix but until then fuggetaboudit.

[NoSaint]

First I put OT - bell is still unproven, who is our RT and what in the world do we do should bell get dinged. I can't imagine bell starting on more then a small handful of teams and he is our best bet. Beyond him it's a ton of question marks.

 

Next I debated LB, DL and qb.

 

I think fitz is the most solid of the 3, but no depth and I don't believe we can win it with fitz so truly no real starter either.

 

DL I say KW is an all pro, dwan is better then average - could start on more teams then bell would at LT. Stroud worries me but if troup or carrington hit, it looks like we have 3 starters for 3 positions, depth is hazy at best.

 

LB - I hope poz is back, he's a quality starter. Merriman even diminished is a good roster spot as long as he is healthy. Even at 80% I think he is a serviceable starter and he may be great. We will see. That leaves ayodele and Davis competing next to poz. With them both healthy, I think we have a starter and a back up. Could improve but not deadspace ala our tackles. That leaves Kelsey, moats and batten for one spot, and more depth. I don't buy Kelsey, moats I hope for, batten could be depth and special teams. Add one good starter and we have a solid play, with depth.

 

I went fitz because I don't think we have our guy. It's the number 1 position, and we have a good backup but nothing else. No longterm prospect, no depth. It's not good.

[Billsfan369]

Please explain your choice and how you would draft to fix those positions

 

I base my vote on this while watching the games on TV it seemed like everytime someone ran a chuck of yards on us The TV people would comment on how the bills linebackers were out of place an a few time heard them say wow the safty had to come up an make the play or the DB Just seems like LB'S were not there!!!

[Drifter]

I had to go DL #1. No pass rush unless we blitz and the rush defense ranking speaks for itself. Number 2 was harder. I went with LB over OT again due to the rushing stats and the inability to cover consistently. The LB's had some success blitzing but that doesn't make up for the other deficiencies.

[HARCO186]

It's a proven fact that in a 3-4 if you can move the NT, then you can move the 3-4. Buffalo did both with multiple fronts. I feel that Buffalo did the right thing by hiring Dave to come in and assist the defense. Not that Edwards is bad, but he needs help and most likely told the staff he needed help and even reportedly asked Wayne for advice. This is how they become good coaches is knowing when to ask for help to build off this. Wanny will make the right adjustments and help out tremedously I feel. I easliy see us taking a DL or LB in the first round and second. What defense we go to is not the question, but who we get will dictate what we run. Any one can say we are this or we are that, but if the talent says we are better off in a 4-3, then we will be a 4-3 and vice versa.

[Bob in STL]

I picked LB for our least talented position. The numbers our defense put up explain why. I really think that last years LBs were the worst collection of LBs ever in the history of the Buffalo Bills. Not one keeper in the bunch, maybe Moats will pan out, maybe.

 

Second choice was close between DL and OT but I picked OT as second worst. The DL at least had one Pro Bowler (Williams) and two good prospects (Troup and Carrington). At OT we have Bell who I consider average at best. I really do not like him as a run blocker, he did ok most of the time as a pass blocker. He is not a top tier LT. At RT we have nothing. Howard is a guard. Wrotto is a backup at best. Pears? who knows? Wang is a developmental player.

 

Who to draft? I will leave that to the experts. They need to draft these three positions (LB, OT, DL) as a priority. Nix also needs to bring in a few good veterans via free agency or this rebuild will take a loooong time.

 

Final note: Our TE talent is crap too. TE is in need of an upgrade.

[CosmicBills]

I chose LB for both options. The LB corps here is the worst in the league and has been for a few seasons. It simply needs to get better.

[mattsox]

Worst position - owner

 

Ding, ding, ding. Johnny We Have a Winner!!

[renfruzetz]

I voted LB then OT, specifically RT.

 

I would draft Dareus, best avail ORT and then BPA LB.

 

FA- good year for a solid vet combo TE.(Bo Scaife?) Nelson is a TE/WR and Chandler is a TE/OL. Also, a LB to complement our 3rd rounder ie if we go ILB, sign a OLB or vice versa.

 

Poz is ok, Moats looks promising. Best of Batten, 3rd rounder, Merriman, FA LB and possibly Maybin or A. Davis for the other 2 spots.

[ajzepp]

No one knows how good or bad our DBs are because the front seven stinks.

And no one can really say how bad our LBs really are because the DL stinks.

London Fletcher made all his tackles five yards downfield until he had Pat Williams and Sam Adams in front of him and then he became very good.

Once we get a line we can figure out what position is next to fix but until then fuggetaboudit.

 

 

That's exactly how I feel. Great defenses are built from the lines outward. I don't know why the Bills don't understand this. EVERYONE on D is better when you have a solid Dline.

[tennesseeboy]

The question was specifically to the weakest position. We have a number of weak positions but looking at the entire season the weakest position is offensive tackle.

 

Now we have a number of weak positions in the front seven of a 3-4 defense...partly because of a change in strategy, partly because of the retirement of Schobel, but the problem there is not a "weak positions" but the weakness in a number of positions (OLB, DE and DT) I would recruit to fix this "weakness of POSITIONS" first but that doesn't change our weakest position...offensive tackle.

[Dr. Fong]

The answer is the line. Both of them. Guys, you can bring in an all-star linebacking corps and with this weak defensive line they'll get blown off the ball. Conversely you get an NFL level front line and your also rans at LB will start to look serviceable. It's quite simple. It's much easier to find a guy about 6'1" 240 lbs to play LB than it is to find the physical requirements of 3-4 linemen.

[boyst]

This poll is incomplete. Nonetheless;

Our DL's are least talented.

I could not choose TE, but that could have been first or second.

Then LB's were my second choice.

 

Our DL is not at all what it needs to be in a 3-4 and did not allow us to see what we had with the LB's. With Edwards, Stroud, and Williams being situational front men we have a lot of options in the 4-3. Troup and Heard could turn out to be an options to turn to when running a 3-4 on the passing downs. A rotation with Williams and Stroud mixing with Edwards is not that bad. In a 3-4 we have no real clear cut middle man.

 

At DE we are very thin without moving Kelsay and Maybin back, which we would likely do with at least Kelsay and possibly Maybin if he ever does really break the scales at the listed 250. Spencer Johnson and Alex Carrington would not be able to pressure the QB or move the line, and I am hoping we can add at least depth to the two, but I am not against either player. I would not mind seeing Moats move in to a pass rushing DE position, or using him on LB blitz, as well.

 

I give our LB's credit, they are talented but they are not the type you need for the 3-4. I am not ready to stick a fork in them but clearly, we have some work to do. If we can go back to the 4-3 I am less worried. Ayodele in the middle with Poz switching in, Merriman on the outside with Andra Davis playing strongside would be nice. Having Moats, Torbor, Ellison, Batten, Coleman would be more then enough depth. At that point we may not even need Poz! I hate saying that, because I like him, but he carries a heavier contract then any other depth players and I have faith in Ayodele being good enough to head the middle with two big men in front of him.

 

In a 4-3 line up I think we present the best collection of talent.

 

Strongside DE: Kelsay / Johnson / FA or draftee

Strongside DT: Stroud / Troup / Heard

Weakside DT: Williams / Edwards / FA or draftee

Weakside DE: Johnson / Maybin / FA or draftee

WLB: Merriman / Moats / Batten

MLB: Ayodele / Poz? / Ellison

SLB: Davis / Coleman / Torbor

1CB: MeGee / Corner / FA

2CB: Florence / McKelvin / Youboty

SS: Whitner / FA or draftee

FS: Byrd / Wilson / FA or draftee

 

As far as TE to forget we have one is comical, like someone else said, it fits our team perfectly. The last time we had anything near a TE was Jay Riemersma.

 

That's exactly how I feel. Great defenses are built from the lines outward. I don't know why the Bills don't understand this. EVERYONE on D is better when you have a solid Dline.

Funny you say that, btw. Dan Fouts said that Fletcher was in Buffalo and was forgotten about in Hawaii for all his years here. I look at it the other way, the guy made his money by playing for us and showing just how great he was. Put him on a contender for his career and the guy would be a 1st ballot HOF'er.

[billsfan89]

Aside from an often injured Poz we don't have any good/solid LB's and even Poz is better suited for the 4-3. Merriman is a resurrection project who is likely to get hurt. Kelsay is a mediocre 4-3 DE masquerading as a OLB. Andra Davis is a decent vet but he can't last the season as he is just too old. And Moats while promising is still a bit of an unknown.

 

So aside from an often injured Poz and a promising Moats we are short a lot of depth and quality starters at LB. We need a starter at OLB (Merriman shouldn't be counted on to start) and at MLB (Davis should be a backup). There is also a lack of depth at Linebacker.

 

On the D-line we at least have Kyle Williams who is a stud either at DE or DT, We also have young guys who can at least fill backup roles in Troup and Carrington, and Edwards when healthy is a solid DE. There is a need for a starting DE and maybe a backup at DE as well but the DL is not completely devoid of talent especially if Troup and Carrington develop.

Edited February 1, 2011 by billsfan89

[bills1960]

D Line is number #1, seems like everyone agrees with that. Worst run defense and an awful pass rush is because of that but I also contribute that to the LBs thats why their my number two. RT is a need but not as much as a defensive front seven player. TE is at this point a luxury need but would definitely improve both the pass and run game. Back up QB (or starting QB depending on how they approach it) is a must but to be honest Fitz deserves the starting spot and we shouldn't be out looking for a replacement. CB would be nice but another luxury pick if we don't address other needs first.

[Green Lightning]

#1 is LBs without a doubt. #2, tough choice but I went with RT/OT. The DL should have our second year guys step up. Troup at NT, KW at DE and Edwards/Carrington at DE. That said, I'd draft Dareus, the best available ILB and an OLB. I'd get a RT via FA. Frankly, I wouldn't resign Poz. He's just too slow to cover.