Doc Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I get what you're saying but it needs to be simple. You'd like it black & white when it comes to key positions like LT. The perennial state of flux and uncertainty implies the answer is a resounding "not good enough". That's what it seems like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuncha Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Signing Bell to a long term contract might be the smart Move. Why ? 1 he has cleary improved , when healty he has shown to be above average , with a high ceiling 2 injuries are part of football , Left tackles seem to miss several games a year. 3 They will never be in a better bargining postion to lock him up long term . Left tackles cost big bucks , to get a good one at a reduced rate is a sweet thinga 4 bell, pears , hariston at tackle puts that position in the solid catagory for the next few years thoughts? Bell is a backup at this point - may even be cut before next season starts. Too injury prone and too inconsistent to be a starter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcbillsfan Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 Bell is a backup at this point - may even be cut before next season starts. Too injury prone and too inconsistent to be a starter. He starts for plenty of teams. he played all 16 two seasons ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 It's interesting to me all the talk about the importance of the LOT position and the relative excellence of various individuals who play that position. In the last few years, the NFL has seen the retirement of players like Jonathan Ogden, Orlando Pace, and Walter Jones. All three of these players are likely to end up in the Hall of Fame. IMO, there are NO great offensive tackles in the NFL at this time. There are a few who have a chance to be great but none that are. Every week over the last several years I saw players like Jason Peters, Jake Long, Joe Thomas, Matt Light, Joe Staley and D Ferguson get beaten one on one by pass rushers. None of these guys is a great player, IMO. I still feel that if the Bills have a chance to draft a great offensive tackle that they have to consider it depending on who else is still on the board. That said IMO, there is not a single offensive tackle in the NFL right now who is that much better than what the Bills already have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Bell is a decent backup and nothing more. I don't like his strength at the point of attack at all. We have gotten so used to projects that he seems better than he is. Much like Johnson and Schobel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjmac Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Signing Bell to a long term contract might be the smart Move. Why ? 1 he has cleary improved , when healty he has shown to be above average , with a high ceiling 2 injuries are part of football , Left tackles seem to miss several games a year. 3 They will never be in a better bargining postion to lock him up long term . Left tackles cost big bucks , to get a good one at a reduced rate is a sweet thinga 4 bell, pears , hariston at tackle puts that position in the solid catagory for the next few years thoughts? I would do it if his demands are reasonable. Hairston did a decent job for a rookie 4th-rounder, and he could possibly beat out Bell for the starting job in camp. I wouldn't want my 3rd tackle sitting on the bench for too much money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saratoga Leo Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Bell is a decent backup and nothing more. I don't like his strength at the point of attack at all. We have gotten so used to projects that he seems better than he is. Much like Johnson and Schobel Would be great to have an all pro at every position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Would be great to have an all pro at ANY position. Corrected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saratoga Leo Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Corrected I do agree it would be awesome to have someone considered for all pro. The point is you don't get rid of solid players (Johnson and Schoebel) because you are searching for the all pro. Get the proven all pro first and then let the other player go. Schoebel and Johnson are both very good. Bell is decent. If the Bills could go back in time and draft Mike Williams again, should they let Bell go? Winning teams have all pros and role players. Think of Phil Hansen, Pete Metzelaars, Jim Richter, Don Beebe. Many of the posters on this board would trash them because "we need to upgrade the position". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I do agree it would be awesome to have someone considered for all pro. The point is you don't get rid of solid players (Johnson and Schoebel) because you are searching for the all pro. Get the proven all pro first and then let the other player go. Schoebel and Johnson are both very good. Bell is decent. If the Bills could go back in time and draft Mike Williams again, should they let Bell go? Winning teams have all pros and role players. Think of Phil Hansen, Pete Metzelaars, Jim Richter, Don Beebe. Many of the posters on this board would trash them because "we need to upgrade the position". I don't disagree, but I wouldn't shell out the money to keep Bell. The players you listed, aside for Beebe were potential pro bowlers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDD Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Bell can't stay healthy and be relied upon. Time to move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryPinC Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Good point, he did seem to be pretty uncertain about his chances of staying. If we lose him to a huge offer from another team, that's one thing. But if we don't make him a fair, incentive-based offer then the front office is worse off than I thought. There is a way to protect our interests without letting him leave. Did you see how much thicker he was, though? This kid was a bean stalk when he came out of college. Definitely looked a lot thicker. Who knows if they'll offer him anything. He had nothing positive to say about his meeting with Buddy, and given that we're talking about our starting LT, I think Buddy's lack of effort says it all. OTOH, we don't know his overall condition like the Bills' medical staff does. Maybe he's too big a risk. But if he leaves and goes on to have a good career somewhere else I'll be pretty angry at Buddy and Chan. Seems like a neverending theme with this organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Signing Bell to a long term contract might be the smart Move. Why ? 1 he has cleary improved , when healty he has shown to be above average , with a high ceiling 2 injuries are part of football , Left tackles seem to miss several games a year. 3 They will never be in a better bargining postion to lock him up long term . Left tackles cost big bucks , to get a good one at a reduced rate is a sweet thinga 4 bell, pears , hariston at tackle puts that position in the solid catagory for the next few years thoughts? on the cheap, he just can't stay healthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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