Expectations for Shelton......

[Bill from NYC]

This posting is of course based on the premise that a deal will be completed.

 

Badolbilz called Shelton " a below average LT with a chronic ankle injury."

AKC questioned whether or not Shelton could even survive our final cuts.

R.Rich was a bit more kind, and said that he is very strong and very slow (I am paraphrasing).

 

I can remember VERY few trades involving LTs. Teams, in general, just wont give them up. Leon Gray was part of the Eric Dickerson trade. Roaf was traded to KC, but there were some serious problems as I vaguely recall. I know there were probably other trades, but none that I remember.

The above, and the opinions of our resident "experts" lead me to expect little from LS. I cannot see why it would take a quality LT AND A PICK for a team to acquire Travis Henry given the scarcity and value of even a somewhat above average LT (Jennings and his contract for example).

 

In summary, if this trade happens, my hopes are sky high, but my expectations for Shelton are not.

[HurlyBurly51]

This posting is of course based on the premise that a deal will be completed.

 

Badolbilz called Shelton " a below average LT with a chronic ankle injury."

AKC questioned whether or not Shelton could even survive our final cuts.

R.Rich was a bit more kind, and said that he is very strong and very slow (I am paraphrasing).

 

I can remember VERY few trades involving LTs. Teams, in general, just wont give them up. Leon Gray was part of the Eric Dickerson trade. Roaf was traded to KC, but there were some serious problems as I vaguely recall. I know there were probably other trades, but none that I remember.

The above, and the opinions of our resident "experts" lead me to expect little from LS. I cannot see why it would take a quality LT AND A PICK for a team to acquire Travis Henry given the scarcity and value of even a somewhat above average LT (Jennings and his contract for example).

 

In summary, if this trade happens, my hopes are sky high, but my expectations for Shelton are not.

295103[/snapback]

 

 

I expect about the same level of play we got from JJ. A little better in the run game, and he may need some help with chipping against some of the speedier DE's. I fully expect JMac will upgrade his level of play and we'll be pleasantly surprised. I certainly prefer this option over Plan B, which would be to move Teague out there.

[R. Rich]

This posting is of course based on the premise that a deal will be completed.

 

Badolbilz called Shelton " a below average LT with a chronic ankle injury."

AKC questioned whether or not Shelton could even survive our final cuts.

R.Rich was a bit more kind, and said that he is very strong and very slow (I am paraphrasing).

 

I can remember VERY few trades involving LTs. Teams, in general, just wont give them up. Leon Gray was part of the Eric Dickerson trade. Roaf was traded to KC, but there were some serious problems as I vaguely recall. I know there were probably other trades, but none that I remember.

The above, and the opinions of our resident "experts" lead me to expect little from LS. I cannot see why it would take a quality LT AND A PICK for a team to acquire Travis Henry given the scarcity and value of even a somewhat above average LT (Jennings and his contract for example).

 

In summary, if this trade happens, my hopes are sky high, but my expectations for Shelton are not.

295103[/snapback]

 

 

I am NO expert by any means! Not even close.

 

Here's what I said about Shelton:

 

Shelton is a pretty solid LT in some aspects, and weak in others.

 

He flat out sucks in terms of athleticism. Meaning, guys like Dwight Freeney (DEs with a fast first step and/or great double moves) will blow past him most of the time. But, hey, Freeney made the best LT in the game, Jonathan Ogden, look absolutely stupid in a prime time game last year, so big deal. IF Shelton can get those long arms on a guy, that guy is done. Period. He'll maul anyone he gets a hold of. He does a good job in run blocking, relentless of the snap and has the ability to just crush DEs. The big question mark is how to get this guy to play to his potential 24/7/365. Arizona couldn't do it, and he eventually lost his starting job because of it. I do think maybe McNally can get him playing at a more consistent level especially since Shelton has the rep as being quite coachable and with a good work ethic. Do I look at him as the "savior of the offensive line", as so many on TBD seem to? No way. But, he's a decent player who should do well. There are injury concerns, though. That's what Badol is referring to: the ankle. I don't know if it's a thing of the past or not. If it is, he could come here and really make an impact, I think. If not, he could be a huge bust.

 

I don't think he would be a horrible acquisition, but I also don't look to him as some stud LT who is going to elevate the OL by himself.

[JAMIEBUF12]

i think the trade td is trying for is fair swap 2nd round picks and trde travis for lj. go bills in'05

[Mickey]

This posting is of course based on the premise that a deal will be completed.

 

Badolbilz called Shelton " a below average LT with a chronic ankle injury."

AKC questioned whether or not Shelton could even survive our final cuts.

R.Rich was a bit more kind, and said that he is very strong and very slow (I am paraphrasing).

 

I can remember VERY few trades involving LTs. Teams, in general, just wont give them up. Leon Gray was part of the Eric Dickerson trade. Roaf was traded to KC, but there were some serious problems as I vaguely recall. I know there were probably other trades, but none that I remember.

The above, and the opinions of our resident "experts" lead me to expect little from LS. I cannot see why it would take a quality LT AND A PICK for a team to acquire Travis Henry given the scarcity and value of even a somewhat above average LT (Jennings and his contract for example).

 

In summary, if this trade happens, my hopes are sky high, but my expectations for Shelton are not.

295103[/snapback]

We should have no illusions about Shelton. We need him because, with the loss of JJ and the lack of a quality backup, we are pretty much desperate to come up with an answer at LT. It is the most critical position on the entire offensive line. Even without losing JJ our line was, at best, mediocre. If we get Shelton, I'd say that we might not be any worse than we were last year, I won't feel that we actually improved much. That will depend on the guards they signed and what McNally can do with them.

[OGTEleven]

We should have no illusions about Shelton.  We need him because, with the loss of JJ and the lack of a quality backup, we are pretty much desperate to come up with an answer at LT.  It is the most critical position on the entire offensive line.  Even without losing JJ our line was, at best, mediocre.  If we get Shelton, I'd say that we might not be any worse than we were last year, I won't feel that we actually improved much.  That will depend on the guards they signed and what McNally can do with them.

295297[/snapback]

I agree with your opinion of Shelton 100%

 

I think we need him but our expectations would be moderate. Given that, it is still fair for TD tou ask for a swap of picks, IMO.

 

Why, because despite THs relatively low market value, Shelton's is lower. It is widely expected he'd be cut in June. There are serious questions about his ability/potential. Travis may be a one trick pony, but it isn't a bad trick. It is actually a useful one. He allows Az to focus in other areas. Shelton fills a spot for us adequately, but doesn't likley free up a draft slot for us. We won't go with a rookie LT. We would have to pick up Shelton or someone else in June. That isn't desirable but it is the most likely scenario.

 

In short, Henry does more for them than Shelton does for us.

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

I have twin expectations for Shelton:

 

1. As an individual player I expect him to have some strengths and some weaknesses as a player (hows that for taking a firm stand it sounds like Mark Gaughan or Peter King) but what this actually means is that I expect his strengths to be in the run game when he attacks a specifcic direction and is successful when he gets his long mitts on a player. From what I hear I expect his weaknesses to show on speed rushers and when he gets out in space with an athletic player who can put a double move or fake on him.

 

2. In addition though he has exploitable weaknesses as a player, I expect JMac and Clements to run the offense in a manner that minimizes Shelton's weaknesses and plays to his strengths and the Bills O will improve its performance because the whole with Shelton will be stronger than the whole with Jennings.

 

Shelton seems to have a clear set of weaknesses in his game with troubles in space, but the Bills seem to have two things going for them which will minimize this problem:

 

1. We plan to run the ball and then run it again as a strategy and if we are taking this initiative it will play to the Shelton strength.

 

2. We will need to pass some in order to be successful. However, we will employ the pass and play to Shelton's weaknesses unfortunately from time to time. However, when we do, JP has some clear running talent and a career in college where he excelled in gfree-lancing and running for his life. If/when Shelton gets beat by a Jason Taylor type out wide, he will need to decide whether JP is aware of the problem and simply curse and yell and plan on JP getting out of the way or if he thinks JP is busy or unawares tackle Taylor and take the penalty.

 

I think Shelton is a likely upgrade over JJ unless Shelton is suffering from the same injury episodes that plagued JJ. I will probably ask in a separate poll whether folks considered JJ injury prone or not, butquite frankly I did because he never has started all 16 games in the 4 years of his career and in addition to the 1 or 2 (or 4 in his worst year) starts he missed due to injury there were 2 or more games last year he could not finish due to a variety of injuries like concussions or a bum shoulder.

 

I expect Shelton to be just an OK player with some notable strengths and weaknesses, but I expect the Bills as an O to perform better because our O style will be set-up to maximize his strengths and JP should have the skills which minimize his weaknesses.

[stuckincincy]

Expectation = 0.

 

It's time to leave the table...

[Steve O]

I can remember VERY few trades involving LTs. Teams, in general, just wont give them up. Leon Gray was part of the Eric Dickerson trade.

295103[/snapback]

 

 

? Leon Gray retired in 1983, was not part of Eric Dickerson trade. Gregg Bell was.Leon Gray

[Bob in SC]

?  Leon Gray retired in 1983, was not part of Eric Dickerson trade.  Gregg Bell was.Leon Gray

295594[/snapback]

Over-rated. Character problems. Will back up Teague, if we get him. (I hope we don't.) :huh

 

Over-rated. Character problems. Will back up Teague at LT, if we get him . (I hope we don't.)

[34-78-83]

I wouldn't expect Shelton to be as good as JJ was overall, but I think he'd be a slight improvement in run blocking. I wouldn't be happy if we didn't also swap 2nd's in the deal...