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Under the radar big need for Bills: Interior OL

Estro

By Estro
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Estro Veteran

Estro

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I haven't seen or read too much concern over the Buffalo Bills interior OL. I'm not sure if it's being overlooked amongst fans or what, but I view it as a huge need for the Bills. They are in desperate need for a young quality C or G prospect. Seems like this may be a great year to pluck one in the 2nd to 4th round range.

 

I personally am very interested to see where, Evan Boehm, center, Missouri is drafted. He is an intriguing prospect, who could be a starter at center. Eric Wood's arrow is flat if not pointed down at this point in his career.

 

John Miller was a disaster last year. Incognito, while solid isn't exactly young either. We really need some competition on this roster at G/C. Anybody else like any other prospects that might fit what the Bills are looking for in OL?

 

 

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Dragonborn10 Veteran

Dragonborn10

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Well I wouldn't call Miller a disaster. And Wood made the Pro Bowl as an alternate making his arrow pointing up from 2014.

I think they are all in with Miller and Velasco as a C/G back-up.

I would have no issue drafting an interior lineman late to develop. I don't think Koundjio will make the team this year. They will have the roster space to add an OT/OG.

Fix the LB's and DL, grab a WR, and maybe a PK is the goal of this draft.

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boyst Hall of Famer

boyst

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Velasquez isn't awful. He's not good. He's average. He can play og or oc

 

But yes you're right. We are one year removed from a two and a half year shitfest from Eric wood. And miller is questionable on his ability to get better.

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GunnerBill Hall of Famer

GunnerBill

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Miller was a disaster.....but played hurt.

 

hopefully he will play well this season.

 

He wasn't. Calling his pass protection a disaster..... that might just about be on point. But he was far from a disaster in the run game, especially the first half of the year. He struggled in his last few appearances when he was clearly playing hurt but this narrative that he was a total disaster is flawed and is based on a flawed PFF grade so far as I can see.

 

I have been back and watched every snap of the season - in the run game Miller was above average and a big upgrade on what had gone before (gets more push in the run that either Pears or Urbik have in seasons past). Is fair to say Urbik performed better in pass protection than Miller in 2015 though.

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JM57 Veteran

JM57

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Well I wouldn't call Miller a disaster. And Wood made the Pro Bowl as an alternate making his arrow pointing up from 2014.

I think they are all in with Miller and Velasco as a C/G back-up.

I would have no issue drafting an interior lineman late to develop. I don't think Koundjio will make the team this year. They will have the roster space to add an OT/OG.

Fix the LB's and DL, grab a WR, and maybe a PK is the goal of this draft.

Regardless of his level of play last year, thinking that a 30 year old, 6 year vet is "arrow up" is funny. He won't get any better at this point in his career. He'll stay the same or get worse, we're past the development phase now

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BarleyNY All Pro

BarleyNY

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I think it's certainly a depth need. And looking ahead, cutting Wood gives us the second most amount of cap space possible (after Kyle)

 

I am certainly ok with taking developmental players, but I would be shocked if we use a high draft pick.

Agreed. The Bills either have two or three starting quality interior OL. Incognito was way better than "solid". He was exceptional, but he's not got many more years left. Wood was very good as well. He sucked in 2014 when the two OGs next to him sucked and he was very, very good in 2015 with Incognito (who was great) and Miller (who sucked) next to him. Oh, and Miller did suck. If year two is his year for improvement and health, then we might be okay at RG. I think that's charitable and optimistic, but even if he's solid I see big trouble should Incognito or Wood go down with injury. A decent OG or OG/C prospect needs to be added for depth, competition for Miller and/or to be groomed as a future starter. Edited by BarleyNY
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Hapless Bills Fan Hall of Famer

Hapless Bills Fan

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I haven't seen or read too much concern over the Buffalo Bills interior OL. I'm not sure if it's being overlooked amongst fans or what, but I view it as a huge need for the Bills. They are in desperate need for a young quality C or G prospect. Seems like this may be a great year to pluck one in the 2nd to 4th round range.

 

I personally am very interested to see where, Evan Boehm, center, Missouri is drafted. He is an intriguing prospect, who could be a starter at center. Eric Wood's arrow is flat if not pointed down at this point in his career.

 

John Miller was a disaster last year. Incognito, while solid isn't exactly young either. We really need some competition on this roster at G/C. Anybody else like any other prospects that might fit what the Bills are looking for in OL?

 

 

 

John Miller was exactly as advertised: sound in the running game, needs work in pass protection. Most players take a jump their 2nd year. I don't think the Bills agree with you that interior OL is a desperate need.

 

Given the true desperate needs at LB and DL and the apparent strength of D in this draft, I don't see the Bills using a high draft pick on interior OL. I think they'll be looking for quality sleepers in the late rounds/UDFA/veteran cuts.

 

 

Agreed. The Bills either have two or three starting quality interior OL. Incognito was way better than "solid". He was exceptional, but he's not got many more years left. Wood was very good as well. He sucked in 2014 when the two OGs next to him sucked and he was very, very good in 2015 with Incognito (who was great) and Miller (who sucked) next to him. Oh, and Miller did suck. If year two is his year for improvement and health, then we might be okay at RG. I think that's charitable and optimistic, but even if he's solid I see big trouble should Incognito or Wood go down with injury. A decent OG or OG/C prospect needs to be added for depth, competition for Miller and/or to be groomed as a future starter.

 

 

I think the Bills believe they've found the Urbik replacement/depth in signing Fernando Velasco. He played 13 games at guard for the Panthers (both sides) in 2014. He played one game at C for the Panthers last year, and I have no idea how that went.

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BarleyNY All Pro

BarleyNY

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I think the Bills believe they've found the Urbik replacement/depth in signing Fernando Velasco. He played 13 games at guard for the Panthers (both sides) in 2014. He played one game at C for the Panthers last year, and I have no idea how that went.

He's 31 and had bounced around the NFL a lot. The Bills are his 6th team:

 

Career history

Tennessee Titans (2008–2012)

Pittsburgh Steelers (2013)

Carolina Panthers (2014)

Tennessee Titans (2015)*

Carolina Panthers (2015)

Buffalo Bills (2016–present)

* Offseason and/or practice squad member only

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Velasco_(American_football)

 

He's depth and can start if needed, but there's a reason he hasn't stuck anywhere. He's a veteran stopgap player for the short term and I'm not complaining about the Bills signing him, but I don't think his presence eliminates the need for interior OL help.

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Augie Hall of Famer

Augie

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Miller had a high ankle sprain, right? We can blame him for poor play, or praise him for being tough and trying to play through it. That's a nasty thing to compete with. Since it's on the offensive side of the ball, I'll trust the staff to evaluate him. (Defense and ST I'm far less trusting.)

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CountryCletus Veteran

CountryCletus

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If you want to plant the seed of the future of our interior line, sure, we could use a guard and center in the pipeline, but those positions have

proven to be almost draft and play.... They don't require "time in a system" to develop into serviceable players.... I think RT is a bigger need for us on the OL.

 

Aside from OL, I would like to see us acquire some LBs.... I have pretty high hopes for this coming year... Typically around this time I feel there is 4-6 positions that require immediate help- not so much this year....

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3rdand12 Hall of Famer

3rdand12

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I haven't seen or read too much concern over the Buffalo Bills interior OL. I'm not sure if it's being overlooked amongst fans or what, but I view it as a huge need for the Bills. They are in desperate need for a young quality C or G prospect. Seems like this may be a great year to pluck one in the 2nd to 4th round range.

 

I personally am very interested to see where, Evan Boehm, center, Missouri is drafted. He is an intriguing prospect, who could be a starter at center. Eric Wood's arrow is flat if not pointed down at this point in his career.

 

John Miller was a disaster last year. Incognito, while solid isn't exactly young either. We really need some competition on this roster at G/C. Anybody else like any other prospects that might fit what the Bills are looking for in OL?

 

 

gotta consider it. if he is around in the fourth i pull the trigger. bout time to replace Eric and let someone get a year behind him. Evan can play a couple positions i have read?

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