John from Riverside Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 - When Chris Hairston was drafted I didn't expect much from him this past year......I thought we might have another developmental type that might not stick - But then I got a chance to watch him play.......NASTY mean streak...ability to hit fast moving targets....NATURALLY strong in the upper body. - Had better feet then I thought he was going to have - Legs need work - Weight needs to come down - Rookie But all in all....I saw what I needed to see to believe he could man the LT spot this next year and do it well.....I dont know exactly HOW good he is going to be until I see him at about 15 pounds lighter. But I saw enough to understand why he was playing in place of Bell AND why the bills didn't go out of their way to resign Bell. Please understand this....teams dont let start LT's go in free agency unless they know they have a viable plan B....and Hairston is it. This is not a great draft for tackles....the free agent market is weak....and the bills have made not attempts to look at any other OT's in free agency. Why do you think that is? Because they think they have something in Chris Hairston and I tend to agree with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I was pleased with Hairston from his first snap and am very optimistic about his future. However I love that the Bills want to stack talent on this roster and have said that they will draft 2 tackles. That's in contrast to not so long ago when the Bills football guys would have said, "Okay, that position is solid, let's not draft anyone there." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisonbrigade Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I really think Hairston has a chance to be a good player. That being said at the least the teams needs some depth and someone to challenge Hairston to push him. If a good OT is on the board that should be a priority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSBill Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 - When Chris Hairston was drafted I didn't expect much from him this past year......I thought we might have another developmental type that might not stick - But then I got a chance to watch him play.......NASTY mean streak...ability to hit fast moving targets....NATURALLY strong in the upper body. - Had better feet then I thought he was going to have - Legs need work - Weight needs to come down - Rookie But all in all....I saw what I needed to see to believe he could man the LT spot this next year and do it well.....I dont know exactly HOW good he is going to be until I see him at about 15 pounds lighter. But I saw enough to understand why he was playing in place of Bell AND why the bills didn't go out of their way to resign Bell. Please understand this....teams dont let start LT's go in free agency unless they know they have a viable plan B....and Hairston is it. This is not a great draft for tackles....the free agent market is weak....and the bills have made not attempts to look at any other OT's in free agency. Why do you think that is? Because they think they have something in Chris Hairston and I tend to agree with them. Totally agree, I really don't think they will draft an OT in the first round, I think they are very happy with Hairston and may see him as the LOT of the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 OK, but only for a minute. He's got good potential. GO BILLS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlbillsfan1975 Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 The only thing that worries me about him is his weight distribution. He seems very top heavy, and has smaller legs. I hope the ankle sprain was just a freak occurence, but think the Bills must add a tackle early(by round 3). Someone that could rotate in with Hairston. And in two years could play RT or move Hairston there. Round 6 or 7 find another project guy that needs a year on the PS, if the draft fals that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKBILLS Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 - When Chris Hairston was drafted I didn't expect much from him this past year......I thought we might have another developmental type that might not stick - But then I got a chance to watch him play.......NASTY mean streak...ability to hit fast moving targets....NATURALLY strong in the upper body. - Had better feet then I thought he was going to have - Legs need work - Weight needs to come down - Rookie But all in all....I saw what I needed to see to believe he could man the LT spot this next year and do it well.....I dont know exactly HOW good he is going to be until I see him at about 15 pounds lighter. But I saw enough to understand why he was playing in place of Bell AND why the bills didn't go out of their way to resign Bell. Please understand this....teams dont let start LT's go in free agency unless they know they have a viable plan B....and Hairston is it. This is not a great draft for tackles....the free agent market is weak....and the bills have made not attempts to look at any other OT's in free agency. Why do you think that is? Because they think they have something in Chris Hairston and I tend to agree with them. Totally agree John...And I think The Bills do as well... The Kid had no off season, no mini-camps, he gets dinged in training camp, and ends up starting 7 Games as a 4th Round Rookie! And he more than held his own... I hope Chris is watching every one of these mindless Mock Draft "experts" while they predict The Bills will take the guy who is supposedly going to beat him out this coming season...I really hope he gets just a little extra motivation from this...Not that he needs it...Because I don't think anyone the Bills can Draft at #10 has a chance to beat Hairston out in 2012... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Best Player Available Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Hairston has potential to be a dominate RIGHT tackle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 However I love that the Bills want to stack talent on this roster and have said that they will draft 2 tackles. I must have missed them say they "will draft 2 tackles". Who said it, when, got link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turftoe Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 (edited) This thread would have a totally different feel if Bell had been re-signed. We would all be saying what a good move it was and that Hairston wasn't ready to to be the guy. The Bills wanted Bell back, just not at the $$ he was demanding. If he gets hurt, (a likely possiblity)then the Bills will look good for not paying. If he stays healthy and holds down the fort until Peters returns, the Eagles will look like geniuses. I was hoping we wouldn't have to go OT with our first pick but that looks like a given now. Edited April 6, 2012 by turftoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggerdaddynj Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Recently realized that Buddy has confidence in Hairston and in Buddy I trust! With our resignings and free agent signings, I am excited about our upcoming BPA draft and, most importantly, the upcoming season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPS Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I can't find a link, but I remember Nix or Gailey saying Hairston was "okay" and saying he needs to be more consistent. The Bills either need a starter or need depth. I can't remember the last time we had just 2 OTs play in one year. The Bills have NO plan B at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FluffHead Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Ok, you guys have definitely been discussing Hairston for more than a minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sllib olaffub Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 This thread would have a totally different feel if Bell had been re-signed. We would all be saying what a good move it was and that Hairston wasn't ready to to be the guy. The Bills wanted Bell back, just not at the $$ he was demanding. If he gets hurt, (a likely possiblity)then the Bills will look good for not paying. If he stays healthy and holds down the fort until Peters returns, the Eagles will look like geniuses. I was hoping we wouldn't have to go OT with our first pick but that looks like a given now. Sure, the Bills wanted Bell back - because, when he was healthy he didn't suck; in fact, he was pretty good. But, he was never mean, or nasty, or anything but an athletic big man who could pass protect well. And, he got hurt A LOT. He wasn't dependable. You just need to be able to count on your O-linemen. Yes, they will get hurt, but you need them playing a lot more than not, otherwise chemistry is never fully developed, and that means a lot more on the O-line than any other place on the field. And, as for Hairston - as was said, the kid came in without much at all for practice and played pretty good. Not only did he show that he belonged on the left side, when he was in there the line had a different feel than it did with Bell. Hairston wasn't just finess. He was powerful, and you could tell with the right conditioning and practice he could be a force, especially with the line together. So, I think the Bills are anxious to see what he can do with a summer of practice, and they are hoping he'll be able to man the position and pick up where he left off. But, as he is young, and they are looking to find a back-up/competition for a very important position, I see them looking to draft someone in the 2-4 rounds to give him competition. All in all, though, if the Bills were worried about going it with him they would have been a lot more active in F.A.; unless they've had their sights on a 1st round LT all along - and, we'll see soon enough about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Best Player Available Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I can't find a link, but I remember Nix or Gailey saying Hairston was "okay" and saying he needs to be more consistent. The Bills either need a starter or need depth. I can't remember the last time we had just 2 OTs play in one year. The Bills have NO plan B at this point. I remember that quote as well. I believe the Bills are okay with this situation. They had very little interest in D. Bell if they wanted him back he would be here. So they probably know who they want already. I also believe their not delusional to think the #1 candidate will be there at 10. This is a huge draft and they know it. I'm hoping for three starters out of this draft. The more the merrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewEra Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I agree John. I think he could be our Lt of the future. A lot of it depends on Hairston himself. Does he have the dedication and mindset that he wants to become one of the best? If he does, the sky's the limit for him. He needs to add some weight in his legs, but he's pretty nimble and plays nasty at times. That being said, we still need to draft 2 tackles in the draft. Injuries always hit us, and the OL is usually one of the units hit the hardest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBD Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 (edited) I can't find a link, but I remember Nix or Gailey saying Hairston was "okay" and saying he needs to be more consistent. The Bills either need a starter or need depth. I can't remember the last time we had just 2 OTs play in one year. The Bills have NO plan B at this point. The only other left tackle with game experience on the roster right now is Chris Hairston, someone Nix believes can take the next step after showing some promise as a rookie last season. “Chris Hairston did a good job for us and we think he can handle it,” said Nix. ”We’re not concerned about it.” http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2012/03/26/nix-update-on-demetrius-bell/ Wonder how they feel about Sam Young as an RT prospect. Edited April 6, 2012 by Carey Bender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benderbender Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 They had very little interest in D. Bell if they wanted him back he would be here. I agree. Even though the news line says 5 years at $35 million but it has since come out that the Eagles are only on the hook for one year and can cut him without financial penalty if it doesn't work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilsner Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I agree John that Hairston could be our guy. He's shown more promise than most have expected. If he does become our starter at LT this season, we still need a backup LT in the draft now that Bell is gone. I would not want Levitre moving to LT in an emergency. He's just fine at his current position. We do need another LT in the draft to either back up Hairston or compete with him. Said LT does not need to be a 1st round pick either. People say this is a weak draft for LT but gems can always be found and Buddy, Whaley and Co have the instincts to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I think no matter what Buddy has to be shopping for a LT to compete with Hariston. Buddy picked Pears, Urbik, and Reinhart off of the waiver wire. While Hariston himself is a 4th rounder. I think Buddy has to make a play for a LT in the first 4 rounds even just as depth at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilsner Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Yes, agreed. At least for depth in the higher middle rounds. Now I'm thinking he'll go for a tackle as high as 2nd but could be lower. It's really impossible to predict because who really knows how the other teams will draft. Picks are taken almost on the fly after the first several I would say. The board helps ofcourse but.... this is a skill of adaptation. Who adapts to the changes the best in the limited time allowed. And of course who picks with the best skill but that goes without saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 This thread would have a totally different feel if Bell had been re-signed. Yeah...no kidding. That was John's point...not signing Bell was a vote of confidence for Hairston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstencel Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Well cant say I agree with the assessment that he did well at LT or that he is the LT of the future. Saw a scouting tape breakdown of him, and it was not pretty. He really needs a ton of work, and needs to improve footwork, first step, ability to change directions and technique to be able to play LT without help inside and outside like got most of the snaps last year. He does show tenacity and some good run blocking skills however and looks more like a future quality RT to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Hairston has potential to be a dominate RIGHT tackle. Pet peeve...sorry. You mean dominant right tackle. Anyway -- to the point of the original post, I'm not smart enough to assess LT talent, but I've got to agree with the premise Buddy & Co. feel Hairston is more than just a stopgap measure at LT this season. I'm really starting to lean towards wanting Floyd at that #10 spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainwampus Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I think Hairston is the guy. I saw him get beat a bunch of times, but I'm not concerned. He came off the bench after very little coaching and virtually no offseason training. I predict he'll look better than Bell this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPS Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 My guess is the Bills also sign someone on the downside cheap, like a McNeil, after June 1. I think they are super thin at OT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayboy54 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I heard Ed Wang is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainwampus Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Ahhh, I was waiting for the token Ed Wang joke. I almost posted that myself, but I knew someone else would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 This thread would have a totally different feel if Bell had been re-signed. We would all be saying what a good move it was and that Hairston wasn't ready to to be the guy. The Bills wanted Bell back, just not at the $$ he was demanding. If he gets hurt, (a likely possiblity)then the Bills will look good for not paying. If he stays healthy and holds down the fort until Peters returns, the Eagles will look like geniuses. I was hoping we wouldn't have to go OT with our first pick but that looks like a given now. What is interesting is how Media portray stuff. When Bell was the starting LT for the Bills, all the pundits said that the Bills have the worst LT in the league and ridiculed the Bills for not getting a LT in the draft. ONce he goes to the Eagles, there is all praise for the same player and how he will be a huge asset to the eagles OL. Ummm I think no matter what Buddy has to be shopping for a LT to compete with Hariston. Buddy picked Pears, Urbik, and Reinhart off of the waiver wire. While Hariston himself is a 4th rounder. I think Buddy has to make a play for a LT in the first 4 rounds even just as depth at this point. Agree. This team is still short on talent and depth on the OL. Also, Urbik and Wood are coming off season ending injuries. This line needs to gel and play like they played the first five games of last season when they gave ZERO sacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainwampus Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I liked Bell as a Bill, but I think he'll be a disaster as an Eagle. Seems like Vick is hard to protect. He has poor pocket awareness. The pathetic Bills pass rush looked phenomenal last year agaisnt him. The media is pushing the Eagles like they do EVERY year, dating back to the McNabb days, but they always seem to collapse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in Chicago Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Agree. This team is still short on talent and depth on the OL. Also, Urbik and Wood are coming off season ending injuries. This line needs to gel and play like they played the first five games of last season when they gave ZERO sacks. That is my concern as well. There has been a lot of attention paid to the D side of the ball over the past two drafts and this current FA. While that was fully justified, the offense at this point is more depleted than last year. As for Hairston, I liked the fact that he showed so quickly (in his rookie year) that he can man a tackle spot. Whether he is a long term LT or dominant RT remains to be seen. Another factor is that this FA hasn't thrown out good tackles in the market. Which means the draft remains the only way to stack the roster. One move I disliked last year was letting Hangartner go without adequate replacement for depth. We better not go into this season with a wish and prayers against injury. We need to walk out of this draft with at least one WR and two OL. I dont mind if we shore up the LB and CB corps besides these picks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 My guess is the Bills also sign someone on the downside cheap, like a McNeil, after June 1. I think they are super thin at OT. There is no more magic to the June 1 date. It used to be important when teams cut players on June 1 to manage the cap. It's not a big date anymore, since the players get cut in March because teams don't want to pay big March roster bonuses. McNeil is FA right now, and likely will get signed a week after the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billsrhody Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I liked Bell as a Bill, but I think he'll be a disaster as an Eagle. Seems like Vick is hard to protect. He has poor pocket awareness. The pathetic Bills pass rush looked phenomenal last year agaisnt him. The media is pushing the Eagles like they do EVERY year, dating back to the McNabb days, but they always seem to collapse. Michael Vick has poor pocket awareness? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmalibu Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Look for hairston to be much improved, last years lockout prevented him form getting the offseason work a rookie really needs. My GUESS/WANTS are they draft a high round(1st or 2nd)for depth and competition and a later round for practice squad development and emergency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickelCity Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I was very happy with Hairston's performance last year. Like many, I also want to see us take two OTs in the draft, one high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 - When Chris Hairston was drafted I didn't expect much from him this past year......I thought we might have another developmental type that might not stick - But then I got a chance to watch him play.......NASTY mean streak...ability to hit fast moving targets....NATURALLY strong in the upper body. - Had better feet then I thought he was going to have - Legs need work - Weight needs to come down - Rookie But all in all....I saw what I needed to see to believe he could man the LT spot this next year and do it well.....I dont know exactly HOW good he is going to be until I see him at about 15 pounds lighter. But I saw enough to understand why he was playing in place of Bell AND why the bills didn't go out of their way to resign Bell. Please understand this....teams dont let start LT's go in free agency unless they know they have a viable plan B....and Hairston is it. This is not a great draft for tackles....the free agent market is weak....and the bills have made not attempts to look at any other OT's in free agency. Why do you think that is? Because they think they have something in Chris Hairston and I tend to agree with them. I appreciate your insights on Hairston. I hate watching the Bills lose and so didn't watch a lot of games he played. However, I have to disagree with the part I bolded. Despite not having a viable Plan B, we let Peters go and he wasn't even a free agent. Sometimes teams do let good LTs go, for salary cap or other reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brainiac72 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Hairston should be a good RIGHT tackle, which is where everyone said he'd play when drafted. he wasn't too good on the left. the record with him over there bears that out too (2-7 without Bell, 4-3 with him). could he have been worse? yes... he did ok considering. but he'd always be the guy yer trying to upgrade. at best he should be plan B on the left side like he was last year, not plan A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Hairston should be a good RIGHT tackle, which is where everyone said he'd play when drafted. he wasn't too good on the left. the record with him over there bears that out too (2-7 without Bell, 4-3 with him). could he have been worse? yes... he did ok considering. but he'd always be the guy yer trying to upgrade. at best he should be plan B on the left side like he was last year, not plan A. I agree. While Hairston didn't embarass himself at OLT, he's more suited to the right side and as a swing guy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 I think the bills originally thought of Hairston as a right tackle when they brought him in...... I remember seeing a interview with chan last year though that admitted this....then when they got him into camp their impressions quickly changed as they realized that saw Hairston had "much better feet then we had given him credit for" This happens.....when we drafted Jonas Jennings we didn't know what we had their either. To me? It all depends on how seriously he took all this in the offseason.....a 4th round guy with the opportunity to start at left tackle had better not come into camp "pear shaped" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderstealer Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I can't find a link, but I remember Nix or Gailey saying Hairston was "okay" and saying he needs to be more consistent. The Bills either need a starter or need depth. I can't remember the last time we had just 2 OTs play in one year. The Bills have NO plan B at this point. Maybe Buddy's playing a game with his mind in having him think he still has a roster to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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