JDG Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Its great to hear that Martin Nance is catching everything in sight at mini-camp, but the #1 question for Martin Nance seems to have rarely been covered - Can He Play Special Teams? Here's the thing for the Bills at WR: 1) Lee Evans - not going anywhere 2) Peerless Price - received a $2 million signing bonus, would be an awful lot to make for just appearing at training camp 3) Josh Reed - (see note on Peerless Price) 4) Roscoe Parrish - hard to see us cutting a 2nd round pick of a WR in his second year, even if he was picked by the old regime After those four WR's, we have the following guys competing for 1 roster spot, maybe a second WR spot if we keep a 6th WR who is inactive on game days. A) Sam Aiken - By all accounts an important special teams player for us B) Jonathan Smith - An intriguing punt returner - but he probably has to beat out Parrish to stick as a returned, or beat Aiken as Special Teams cover man C) Andre Davis - Signed with the Bills cheap, and probably thought he had a chance to start. Then the Bills threw $2 million at Price and Reed. Tough break. Hard to see any scenario where he sticks without convincing the Bills to swallow that $2 million check to either Price or Reed. D) George Wilson - The last undrafted free agent to catch everything in sight for us at camp. E) Martin Nance So, barring the Bills handing a two million dollar check to either Peerless Price or Josh Reed for being camp fodder for us, Martin Nance has a tall order ahead of him. Barring injury, pretty much the only way he is going to be active on game days is to become a better special teams player than Sam Aiken. Failing that, Nance will have to beat out Smith, Davis, Wilson, and the next best player at other positions to stick as a 6th WR who will be mostly inactive on gamedays. The most likely situation still seems to be the practice squad - if he isn't picked up by someone else. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Its great to hear that Martin Nance is catching everything in sight at mini-camp, but the #1 question for Martin Nance seems to have rarely been covered - Can He Play Special Teams? Here's the thing for the Bills at WR: 1) Lee Evans - not going anywhere 2) Peerless Price - received a $2 million signing bonus, would be an awful lot to make for just appearing at training camp 3) Josh Reed - (see note on Peerless Price) 4) Roscoe Parrish - hard to see us cutting a 2nd round pick of a WR in his second year, even if he was picked by the old regime After those four WR's, we have the following guys competing for 1 roster spot, maybe a second WR spot if we keep a 6th WR who is inactive on game days. A) Sam Aiken - By all accounts an important special teams player for us B) Jonathan Smith - An intriguing punt returner - but he probably has to beat out Parrish to stick as a returned, or beat Aiken as Special Teams cover man C) Andre Davis - Signed with the Bills cheap, and probably thought he had a chance to start. Then the Bills threw $2 million at Price and Reed. Tough break. Hard to see any scenario where he sticks without convincing the Bills to swallow that $2 million check to either Price or Reed. D) George Wilson - The last undrafted free agent to catch everything in sight for us at camp. E) Martin Nance So, barring the Bills handing a two million dollar check to either Peerless Price or Josh Reed for being camp fodder for us, Martin Nance has a tall order ahead of him. Barring injury, pretty much the only way he is going to be active on game days is to become a better special teams player than Sam Aiken. Failing that, Nance will have to beat out Smith, Davis, Wilson, and the next best player at other positions to stick as a 6th WR who will be mostly inactive on gamedays. The most likely situation still seems to be the practice squad - if he isn't picked up by someone else. JDG 708184[/snapback] I agree Nance is caught in a numbers game, but hes got a shot seeing his size, and i think the bills will keep 6 WR's. Hell, we kept 7 on the roster last year. I dont see andre davis making the team, and i think fast freddie is gone with roscoe back there returning punts. I wouldnt mind seeing nance on the PS, but the problem with putting nance on the practice squad is that any team can sign him to their active roster at any time during the season. I guess it comes down to what he shows in camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003Contenders Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 No, but Nance could supplant Smith or Wilson. I agree that Nance is a longshot to make the final cutdowns and that the practice squad is the most likely place for him, but if he continues to turn heads once training camp starts, who knows? I know comparisons to to other WRs who looked good in preseason but never made the roster will pop up, but at 6'4", Nance does bring something to the table that none of our other WRs have -- and that could be a nice thing to have in redzone situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuntheDamnBall Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 His best shot is beating out Sam 'rubbermaid hands' Aiken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUFFALOTONE Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 No, but Nance could supplant Smith or Wilson. I agree that Nance is a longshot to make the final cutdowns and that the practice squad is the most likely place for him, but if he continues to turn heads once training camp starts, who knows? I know comparisons to to other WRs who looked good in preseason but never made the roster will pop up, but at 6'4", Nance does bring something to the table that none of our other WRs have -- and that could be a nice thing to have in redzone situations. 708200[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 The Bills will keep 7 WR's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUFFALOTONE Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 I have to believe that Nance will make the team outright. Not all WR have to play special teams. Nance will be a possession and goalineWR until he can develop more as a #2 or 3. Rosco will not see the field that much as a WR. If JP is going to be our guy I am sure that he would much rather throw at a big target like Nance then a smaller guy like Parrish. And I hope the coaches are thinking the same thing. We need a big WR with our stable of speedy midgets. Parrish will play ST just like he did in Miami. I hold my breath everytime Mcgee takes the ball on a kickoff. It would suck to lose a starter on ST. Or anyway for that matter. In the league today it is good to have the big WR to go up and get it. Nance could be our guy if he is kept and brought along properly. As for Price and Davis. Speed kills, and Davis has the knack for sitting games out and we all know Price does not like the middle of the field. I think there will be a spot for Nance on this team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochBillsFan Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Nance is 6'4"....tall fast receiver....I say he stays. I think Reed and/or Davis are traded. Bills keep 6 WR's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 parrish is going to be safe because he's an excellent punt returner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted June 14, 2006 Author Share Posted June 14, 2006 I have to believe that Nance will make the team outright. Not all WR have to play special teams. 708221[/snapback] Not all WR's do - but pretty much all 4th and 5th string WR's do while they develop.... JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUFFALOTONE Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Not all WR's do - but pretty much all 4th and 5th string WR's do while they develop.... JDG 708254[/snapback] Why do you think that he couldnt be a #2 or 3. Who else besides Evans is assured a spot in the rotation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phlegm Alley Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 I like the idea of having a lot of guys competing for a couple of positions. Competition will allow the creme to rise to the top, and I feel the new regime is going to make wiser decisions when it comes to final cutdown. Personally, I think that the only one that is safe is Lee Evans. RP will make the roster because of his PR/KR ability, not necessarily because of his WR skills. JR is a great blocker and I think that he may have salvaged himself with his performance last year and he was JP's favorite WR, but this doesn't neccesarily mean that he is going to make the team. PP may be expendable and if he isn't lights out in camp, I think that he gets cut and his career is over with, regardless of signing bonus. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Nance makes the final roster considering how well he has performed so far, the match up problems he can create in the RZ, and the fact that his size could be a commodity to this WR corps and may aid in JP's development. He is, however, going to have to be lights out considering he is an Undrafted FA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted June 14, 2006 Author Share Posted June 14, 2006 Why do you think that he couldnt be a #2 or 3. Who else besides Evans is assured a spot in the rotation. 708259[/snapback] Two reasons: 1) Over the past few years, how many undrafted free agent WR's have been #3 WR's, let alone starters, as rookies? In other words, why are there 32 NFL General Managers who didn't use so much as a 6th or even a 7th round draft pick on a WR who was ready to start as a rookie??? 2) In order to so much as make the #3 slot, he would have to beat out two WR's who have already received checks for Two Million Dollars from Ralph Wilson this year. Now, I know that all the prices have gone up - but still, it would be a tough pill to swallow to pay Two Million Dollars this year to ride the bench while an undrafted rookie gets playing time. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Nance stays because he fits a specific purpose on this team.....red zone offense (for now) I think not only does he stay but so does Andre Davis......he is a speed vet receiver who is also a very good special teams player....which is why Sam Aiken is gone..... Evans Peerless Reed Parrish Nance Davis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUFFALOTONE Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Two reasons: 1) Over the past few years, how many undrafted free agent WR's have been #3 WR's, let alone starters, as rookies? In other words, why are there 32 NFL General Managers who didn't use so much as a 6th or even a 7th round draft pick on a WR who was ready to start as a rookie??? 2) In order to so much as make the #3 slot, he would have to beat out two WR's who have already received checks for Two Million Dollars from Ralph Wilson this year. Now, I know that all the prices have gone up - but still, it would be a tough pill to swallow to pay Two Million Dollars this year to ride the bench while an undrafted rookie gets playing time. JDG 708268[/snapback] So you are saying that Price and Reed should start before Nance just because they are payed more. But if nance is the better of the three you think the coaches are going to keep him on the bench strictly for financial purposes. That is some odd logic there pal. I would have to disagree with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted June 14, 2006 Author Share Posted June 14, 2006 So you are saying that Price and Reed should start before Nance just because they are payed more. But if nance is the better of the three you think the coaches are going to keep him on the bench strictly for financial purposes. That is some odd logic there pal. I would have to disagree with you. 708286[/snapback] If the coaches thought Nance was better, they wouldn't have given Price and Reed $2 million dollars, and they wouldn't have let Nance get through the draft without taking him. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSpeed Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Here's hoping the Bills will turn a blind eye to all that political BS and keep the best player at every position not just WR. I really could care less about signing bonus', draft position, or who was managing the team when the guys was brought in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Ray Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Nance stays because he fits a specific purpose on this team.....red zone offense (for now) I think not only does he stay but so does Andre Davis......he is a speed vet receiver who is also a very good special teams player....which is why Sam Aiken is gone..... Evans Peerless Reed Parrish Nance Davis 708277[/snapback] I could live with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 So you are saying that Price and Reed should start before Nance just because they are payed more. But if nance is the better of the three you think the coaches are going to keep him on the bench strictly for financial purposes. That is some odd logic there pal. I would have to disagree with you. 708286[/snapback] there is no way that nance is close to being equal too - much less better than - price or reed at this point in his career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Its great to hear that Martin Nance is catching everything in sight at mini-camp, but the #1 question for Martin Nance seems to have rarely been covered - Can He Play Special Teams? Here's the thing for the Bills at WR: 1) Lee Evans - not going anywhere 2) Peerless Price - received a $2 million signing bonus, would be an awful lot to make for just appearing at training camp 3) Josh Reed - (see note on Peerless Price) 4) Roscoe Parrish - hard to see us cutting a 2nd round pick of a WR in his second year, even if he was picked by the old regime After those four WR's, we have the following guys competing for 1 roster spot, maybe a second WR spot if we keep a 6th WR who is inactive on game days. A) Sam Aiken - By all accounts an important special teams player for us B) Jonathan Smith - An intriguing punt returner - but he probably has to beat out Parrish to stick as a returned, or beat Aiken as Special Teams cover man C) Andre Davis - Signed with the Bills cheap, and probably thought he had a chance to start. Then the Bills threw $2 million at Price and Reed. Tough break. Hard to see any scenario where he sticks without convincing the Bills to swallow that $2 million check to either Price or Reed. D) George Wilson - The last undrafted free agent to catch everything in sight for us at camp. E) Martin Nance So, barring the Bills handing a two million dollar check to either Peerless Price or Josh Reed for being camp fodder for us, Martin Nance has a tall order ahead of him. Barring injury, pretty much the only way he is going to be active on game days is to become a better special teams player than Sam Aiken. Failing that, Nance will have to beat out Smith, Davis, Wilson, and the next best player at other positions to stick as a 6th WR who will be mostly inactive on gamedays. The most likely situation still seems to be the practice squad - if he isn't picked up by someone else. JDG 708184[/snapback] You are right about the difficulties for Nance given the roster situation. Even so, I have to beleive that there is always room on the roster for a guy who makes plays no matter what overpaid name players there are ahead of him. If player A outplays player B, then that is all that should matter. Shame on our coaches if performance on the field takes a back seat to any other factor. As for special teams prowess, Aiken is a WR first and a pretty poor one at that. I'd rather try and teach Nance special teams than to hope that Aiken suddenly improves as a receiver. He has had plenty of time to do that and hasn't come through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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