Dkollidas Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 (edited) Position-wise where do they find new starters? based off the end of this year those players would be LT- Dawkins LG- Miller C-Bodine RG- Teller RT- Mills Dont know why, but I think they’ll try to get Mills to re-sign. Looking around the league, he is an average RT, although he’s much better in the run than he is against the pass. But overall all I expect the emphasis to be much more on the inside of the offensive line. I see Miller and Bodine for sure being replaced, and the possibility of competition for Teller is strong as well. im not saying they won’t try to improve the RT situation as well, I just think it will be someone who competes with Mills and doesn’t outright replace him. Edited January 3, 2019 by Dkollidas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimebillsfan Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 I would say center and left guard our positions that need to be addressed in free agency with veteran upgrades. The draft could help round out our depth along with no drafted free agents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dkollidas Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 Agreed. I think they go hard after a guy like Paradis at center, or even Morse from KC if he becomes available. Guard will see guys like Saffold or Foster. Veterans who can provide stability I would think. I think Teller gets some solid competition but gets a chance to win one of the guard spots. I have a feeling Mills gets a bigger pay-day somewhere else. He’s been decently rated analytically over the last couple of seasons, but I don’t think he moves the needle st all in pass protection. He’s a run blocker all day. Very limited and I think the GM & Coach both prefer Versatility and Flexibility among a position like that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Dawkins stays (maybe stays at LT or maybe moves inside to LG) Bodine stays (as depth) Teller stays (gets to compete for a starting guard job) Ducasse is cut (saves $2m, $83k in dead money and his buddy Castillo has gone) Miller, Groy and Mills are FAs. The only one I expect the Bills to make any kind of run at is Jordan Mills. I know, I know, I know...... he is a bottom end starting RT. Of the 32 starters this year I'd rank him in the bottom 4 or 5 but that is still better than a lot of the guys who are not starters around the league. There is no depth anywhere when it comes to OL. Unless the price gets high I would expect they try to bring Mills back at a similar price to now on a 2 year deal with an easy out after 1 year and then you try and draft his replacement in the middle of the draft. I also think Ike Boettger showed enough in limited snaps at the end of the year to suggest he will get to compete for a job again in 2019 too. 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Cubed Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 (edited) I hope they don't assume any unproven talent, Teller/Boettger, can be the day 1 starter and therefore don't pursue starters for those positions. The only day 1 starter for next season that I see, is Dawkins. Scary, I know. They need to find competition/starters at LG, C, RG and RT. The Bills in the past have just assumed that unproven talent will just improve that next season and haven't brought in anyone of value. A good example of that is Groy. While he looked down the stretch for Wood, he was largely unproven. They just assumed he would start day 1 and only went after Bodine in FA as a backup. That backfired. And too an extent I'd say Dawkins is another example of that. Dawkins played well filling in for Glenn but the line would have been much, much better as a Glenn, Dawkins, Groy/Bodine, Teller/Miller, Mills. Edited January 3, 2019 by Wayne Cubed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbRiddick Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Someone like Mills I would keep for depth but no way would I keep him as a starter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simpleman Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Bodine as depth will cost $2,289,063 next year. He adds little to the team. If you can add a depth player who is barely acceptable like Bodine is for depth at less than 2 million, I say do so. Otherwise keep him at depth Miller never got better. I had hopes for him. Buffalo has wasted enough on him already. Let him walk. Ducasse is not an answer at 2 million. Get another depth vet at near vet minimum unless he is willing to play for vet minimum, which is all he is worth. Groy is another disappointment who is not worth more than vet minimum. Teller should be given a chance to compete for a position, or at least be backup, and hopefully improve more next year. Ike Boettger showed enough to keep around as a backup, and if he shows enough progress, a chance to compete sometime next year. Mills is a borderline starter and is often a liability. More a backup and I would keep him around at backup dollars. If someone else offers him more, so be it. Dawkins is passable, but may be better suited at another position than LT. If we can upgrade LT, then do so. Hoping we get someone like Paradis in FA. Hoping we spend FA dollars on improving the OL, and also use multiple draft picks to improve the line. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Maybe this will help while you’re all deciding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnCoke11 Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Center, guard and right tackle in free agency. Unless they plan on moving Dawkins then that would shake up what positions need filled then. Bodine might be kept for depth. Mills Miller Groy see ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring it Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 IMO center and both guards need to be improved. Right tackle would be nice too but that’s a lot in one offseason. Also that is Allen’s strong side and it’s easier for him to adjust in the pocket to. We badly need a top center and leader to that line!!! At least one road grader of a guard so our run game has at least one strong side to run behind. Probably left guard first. Not sure if Teller will develop here or not. I’m not concerned with Dawkins as some are . I feel he can do the job at LT! LG and center ASAP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatonka68 Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Dawkins as a starter, Teller and possibly Mills as a swing back up players. The Bills need four new starters on the line. They should sign a center and guard to start and draft Jonah Williams as OT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in STL Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Bodine is not a depth player because he is not a backup OG. If he cannot make the team as a starter then he goes. Bring in a vet C to anchor the line if possible. Dawkins stays, looks like a RT if we draft a legit LT Miller seems to have missed his chance. Bring in another vet and draft a OG/C Mills could stay as a swing tackle, but I doubt he will, someone will pay him. Groy missed his big shot and was terrible, gone. Teller stays but we need to bring in someone to challenge him. Boetger can stay and challenge Draft: One OL in first three rounds and maybe 2 more with remaining 7 picks. Free agents: Sign a Center and a Guard that can step in on day one and upgrade. Sign a few more developmental players - we seem to be good at finding diamonds in the rough. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Gun Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 It's hard to say because of Castillo. If Castillo was really that bad then it's hard to really evaluate how good/bad the players are. I almost think you have to wait until a new oline coach is here to re-evaluate everyone. So that means McDermott needs to fill that position asap. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollars 2 donuts Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Nothing to worry about here. Only everything with our offense depends on fixing this woeful line, which I will reiterate from previous posts that even though they were considered bad I still found them to be overrated. ...and again, Allen didn't have happy feet in Miami and leave the pocket early, he astutely left the pocket just as it was collapsing and gave the Bills at least an opportunity to win the game, even if you think it was a poorly thrown ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyWhiteShows Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Dawkins is a starter as one of the OT positions. Many are assuming he’ll be moved to RT. I don’t think it’s a sure thing. A lot will depend on what players are available in FA. Teller is probably on yhe team team next year. I am sure they are optimistic he’ll compete for a starting job. Ike Botteger will likely be on the team too, possibly to compete with Teller. I also see Russell Bodine stocking around. He has 1 more deal on his contract and the Bills have the cap space. I don’t see them cutting a veteran to save $1 million dollar. If anything he’ll playa Groy type of roll on the team. Gone Vlad Ducasse is gone. Anytime a former starter that is names a healthy scratch, there’s a good chance he doesn’t have long on the team. I think they do like Mills, but lineplay in the NFL overall is not good. Teams would pay Mills to be a starter. I don’t see the Bills paying him a competing salary to be a backup because I think they want to upgrade at tackle. Jon Miller He’s done. Didn’t quite have them bounce back Year he needed. Ryan Groy: I don’t think the Bills have ever really loved Groy. He’s stuck around based on his reputation from the 2016 teams and his cheap contract. He’s gone though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC in St. Louis Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Draft your LT in the first round, move Dawkins to RT. Teller will become a very good guard. That means we need a center and a guard. I don't know who's available, but let's not go Marv-crazy and do what he did back then, when he dropped nearly 100 million on 2 mediocre guards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bills Blog Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 People only want Mills back because he got ejected and pumped up the crowd on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Byrd Man Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 39 minutes ago, pop gun said: It's hard to say because of Castillo. If Castillo was really that bad then it's hard to really evaluate how good/bad the players are. I almost think you have to wait until a new oline coach is here to re-evaluate everyone. So that means McDermott needs to fill that position asap. I agree. As I look back, Miller was one of the best O lineman as a rookie. Maybe he was not a fit for the revised blocking scheme. Would that change with another scheme??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyWhiteShows Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 15 minutes ago, TC in St. Louis said: Draft your LT in the first round, move Dawkins to RT. Teller will become a very good guard. That means we need a center and a guard. I don't know who's available, but let's not go Marv-crazy and do what he did back then, when he dropped nearly 100 million on 2 mediocre guards. That contract made Langston Walker and Derrick Dockery financially set for life! Unfortunately the Bills OL was not set....even for a one season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerome007 Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 As this is real life, who stays and who goes depends on the new guys that come in through FA and the draft. ALL teams want better OLinemen so it's not like they are on a shelf just ready to be picked up. Beane's offseason moves will have way more impact than the next OL coach hiring. I still say "just" two good additions to the line will make the rest of the guys better and make quite an impact. Losing Richie was huge (ask Shady...), and losing Woods also hurt though not as bad. Of course 3-4-5 better players would be best but again, real life. At least McD is saying straight up this the #1 area to address during this offseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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