SPILLERmadeUmiss Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I suppose it could be, but Chandler should get back and I think this guy underestimates Chris Gragg as a talent. Besides, they can always use a extra tackle for extra protection in a pinch. There's plenty of receiving talent on hand. http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/62653/bills-depth-at-tight-end-a-potential-issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybee Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Surprisingly I havent heard a lot of banter about the TE situation. If Chandler and Smith can stay healthy I think we'll be OK. Chandler being a solid possession receiver and Lee being a good blocker. It'd be nice to have one that could do both VERY well to keep the defenses guessing but I guess you cant have everything !!! To answer your question, yea, I think TE end depth may be an issue for our team. Hope I'm wrong on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPILLERmadeUmiss Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 Surprisingly I havent heard a lot of banter about the TE situation. If Chandler and Smith can stay healthy I think we'll be OK. Chandler being a solid possession receiver and Lee being a good blocker. It'd be nice to have one that could do both VERY well to keep the defenses guessing but I guess you cant have everything !!! To answer your question, yea, I think TE end depth may be an issue for our team. Hope I'm wrong on that. Sure, I just think they have enough skill on offense to work around the issue if there are injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Sure, I just think they have enough skill on offense to work around the issue if there are injuries. i think they have enough coaching to work around these issues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Does this guy live in Miami too? I guess its a good thing when this is the only preseason criticism out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafter Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Do teams ever have much depth @ TE? I think if Chandler is healthy and gragg makes it as a prospect we are fine. Lee can do the dirty work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Does this guy live in Miami too? I guess its a good thing when this is the only preseason criticism out there. Glasses pretty rose colored currently? No shame in that, just not sure I agree on it being the only issue. Do teams ever have much depth @ TE? I think if Chandler is healthy and gragg makes it as a prospect we are fine. Lee can do the dirty work. I know its been awhile since we've been one, but yea, teams do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eme123 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Gragg looks like a nice developing TE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Gragg looks like a nice developing TE agreed.I like Smith and Chandler alot Gragg has upside. Dickerson may not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Glasses pretty rose colored currently? No shame in that, just not sure I agree on it being the only issue. No. Big dumby. Lavender glasses. I'm going to ride this thing until the wheels fall off. I was at the gym, I use the forum to piss my GF off because I'll multitask on the elitipcal. To give a longer and better detailed thought: I really like the development of Chris Gragg. He has a lot of athleticism for a big guy. I thought he would be a dark horse and be outmatched by Dickerson. Dickerson has become the odd man out because Gragg is just that much stronger and more physical. Lee Smith is getting better and better at some pace or another. Flashes of brilliance have shown in this dude for a year now but he has always been said to make bone headed mistakes. Overall, Chandler is developing in to the grandfather of this position and a guy who will be hard to beat out for a season or two. I like our developing depth because I can look a year or two down the line and see Chandler in his twilight, Smith or Gragg still coming in at spot duty with a young rookie getting good reps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big C Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Our TE depth isn't "sexy" per se, but to me it's a quiet strength. A healthy Chandler is a threat in the pass game, Smith is a great blocker and has proven useful in goal line passing, Gragg is a great prospect and I like Dickerson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in KC Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I don't want to jinx him, but Gragg reminds me of Shawn Nelson. I'm just so eager for the Bills to actually draft a TE with talent. I hope he makes it. I agree with everything Big C posted above. Chandler, Smith and Gragg all bring somthing different to the team and a nice TE core. I like Dickerson too, but think he may be the odd man out. Or, they keep 5 WRs, no FB and he just makes the cut. But, from the very little I've seen, it looks like Summers is bringing more to the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biglukes Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Outside of pre this season New England and maybe Philly and the Ravens, how many teams really have deep TE depth? If Jason Witten, Kyle Rudolph, or Tony Gonzalez go down, the next guy up is not going to be able to do anywhere near what the injured starter could do. There are only a handful of teams that have two TE's close to the same talent level. Any time we have a depth discussion, it sometimes feels like people think we should have 3 all pros at every position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmotionallyUnstable Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 You could argue we have weak depth at TE, and I might be poised to agree. But it doesn't worry me. With two solid RB's and a boat load of young talent of at WR, the coaching staff will be able to manufacture and produce formations/plays will alternative personnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsMagic1 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Maybe Provo will be a surprise? Has good size and hands.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 No. Big dumby. Lavender glasses. I'm going to ride this thing until the wheels fall off. I was at the gym, I use the forum to piss my GF off because I'll multitask on the elitipcal. To give a longer and better detailed thought: I really like the development of Chris Gragg. He has a lot of athleticism for a big guy. I thought he would be a dark horse and be outmatched by Dickerson. Dickerson has become the odd man out because Gragg is just that much stronger and more physical. I hope you are correct but what are you basing this on? Height/weight stats or actual play on the field? Is there a specific play or plays you saw that lead you to this conclusion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cincinnati Kid Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 When I read that article I got the impression that this dude has never seen the Bills play. "Continue to LEAN on Lee Smith..." We have never LEANED on Smith. He is a Chandler's back-up. Dickerson is not a converted WR he is an athlete with no real position. He is a WR/TE/H-Back, I guess. Losing Caussin is really not a surprise. I think it was very unlikely that he would have earned a roster spot this preseason. He would have had to take down Gragg and Dickerson. In my opinion this is another hack ESPN writer who read a local headline and then some stats from 2012's season and put it into words. His article makes it obvious that he is slacking on the job. As we always say around here..."Do these guys even watch the teams they cover?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in KC Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I'm surprised there hasn't been more talk about Smith. In past years we spent considerable time speculating that we'd need to keep a TE in to help block because of our concerns on the O-Line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 This really feels like Rodak writing something just because he's paid to write something. Even he calls it a "potential issue," not an actual issue. Running back is a "potential issue" too if, god forbid, CJ and Freddy get hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 (edited) Outside of pre this season New England and maybe Philly and the Ravens, how many teams really have deep TE depth? If Jason Witten, Kyle Rudolph, or Tony Gonzalez go down, the next guy up is not going to be able to do anywhere near what the injured starter could do. There are only a handful of teams that have two TE's close to the same talent level. Any time we have a depth discussion, it sometimes feels like people think we should have 3 all pros at every position. no, but i think its fair to say a 7th round rookie and a Lee smiths 8 catches arent exactly strong depth. you dont need a probowl backup, but theres some nice depth around the league. Rudolph has john carlson as a backup. Cook and Kendricks in St louis come to mind, ben watson might be a nice number 2 for jimmy graham in new orleans, last year davis and walker were a good pairing. Eiffert and Gresham in Cincinatti. backup tight ends arent really my specialty, and those all come to mind quickly. we have a middle of the pack starter coming off an ACL tear, lee smith, and a 7th round rookie in gragg. while it may pan out alright, i wouldnt call it strong around the league either. Edited August 16, 2013 by NoSaint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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