DEFENSE NEEDS MOST HELP

[CAT]

NEXT OFFSEASON the Bills will go after at least 3 defensive starters :middle linebacker, tackle ,cornerback and depth at linebacker. On offense 2 starters: both on the line and depth at running back(a quick change of pace guy) and maybe a #3 young QB.( We will stick with JP and CN). Draft:1-Line backer,2-Oline,3 runningback,4-linebacker,6-QB,7-wr. The other o lineman , the d tackle and the corner will be FA. The big money FA will be on the Defense. This will bring us close to playoff caliber D and special teams. If JP improves we are 1 year and a playmaker away on offense( maybe a tight end or WR). If not then we go FA at QB. So, 8 and 8 in 2007 and 10 and 6 in 2008. This year 5 and 11.

[VABills]

NEXT OFFSEASON the Bills will go after at least 3 defensive starters :middle linebacker, tackle ,cornerback and depth at linebacker.  On offense 2 starters: both on the line and depth at running back(a quick change of pace guy) and maybe a #3 young QB.( We will stick with JP and CN).  Draft:1-Line backer,2-Oline,3 runningback,4-linebacker,6-QB,7-wr.  The other o lineman , the d tackle and the corner will be FA.  The big money FA will be on the Defense. This will bring us close to playoff caliber D and special teams.  If JP improves we are 1 year and a playmaker away on offense( maybe a tight end or WR).  If not then we go FA at QB. So, 8 and 8 in 2007 and 10 and 6 in 2008.  This year 5 and 11.

821535[/snapback]

Yup and we need three starting LBers if Spikes doesn't get healthy. Crowell needs to go back to being in on nickle and dime packages because he's terrible in run support.

[Scraps]

NEXT OFFSEASON the Bills will go after at least 3 defensive starters :middle linebacker, tackle ,cornerback and depth at linebacker.  On offense 2 starters: both on the line and depth at running back(a quick change of pace guy) and maybe a #3 young QB.( We will stick with JP and CN).  Draft:1-Line backer,2-Oline,3 runningback,4-linebacker,6-QB,7-wr.  The other o lineman , the d tackle and the corner will be FA.  The big money FA will be on the Defense. This will bring us close to playoff caliber D and special teams.  If JP improves we are 1 year and a playmaker away on offense( maybe a tight end or WR).  If not then we go FA at QB. So, 8 and 8 in 2007 and 10 and 6 in 2008.  This year 5 and 11.

821535[/snapback]

 

How do you figure that? The Bills have the 29th ranked offense and the 15th ranked defense. Sounds like the offense needs the most help.

[Bflojohn]

While were at it don't forget DT! I'd throw some money at either Lance Briggs or Cato June, IF they're available because this "D" needs experienced hands on this defense. Both LB's play this style with their respective teams. bringing in a rookie LB is fine, but I'd hold off until round 2 or 3. In free agency, the DT I'd target would be Terdell Sands of the Oakland Raiders. I'd suppose that he wouldn't mind escaping that zoo atmosphere!! The word on him is that they (Raiders) couldn't keep this guy on the bench anymore because he's a monster in the middle. I do expect the Raiders to try HARD to keep him, though! I'll keep touting Leonard Davis because he is best suited for OLG. He is a man out of position at OLT... IF the Bills were to land "BIG" (his nick-name!), he would be awesome next to Jason Peters. The Bills could run left all game with those two.

[daquixers_is_back]

Yup and we need three starting LBers if Spikes doesn't get healthy.  Crowell needs to go back to being in on nickle and dime packages because he's terrible in run support.

821539[/snapback]

 

How do you know this?

 

We need help on defense so lets boot Clements so we have 2 million extra to sign one extra below average player.

[Bill from NYC]

Yup and we need three starting LBers if Spikes doesn't get healthy.  Crowell needs to go back to being in on nickle and dime packages because he's terrible in run support.

821539[/snapback]

 

Crowell is not a bad player, and if he is healthy we can place the Franchise Tag on Fletcher.

I am not saying that we don't need help at linebacker because we do, but 3 different starters is a reach imo.

[generaLee83]

Crowell is not a bad player, and if he is healthy we can place the Franchise Tag on Fletcher.

I am not saying that we don't need help at linebacker because we do, but 3 different starters is a reach imo.

821816[/snapback]

 

I don't know about the franchise tag on Fletch. That's going to be an awful lot of money to be used on someone who honestly appears to have lost 1 if not 2 steps this year. I think the Bills should work very hard to ink him before seasons end. I'm sure they could extend him for less than franchise.

[Bill from NYC]

I don't know about the franchise tag on Fletch.  That's going to be an awful lot of money to be used on someone who honestly appears to have lost 1 if not 2 steps this year.  I think the Bills should work very hard to ink him before seasons end.  I'm sure they could extend him for less than franchise.

821863[/snapback]

 

Maybe, maybe not. Besides, this team should be at the very least 20 million under the cap. Williams and Moulds had outrageous cap hits in 07 that have been erased.

 

As for Fletch "losing steps," I am not seeing it. The DTs are doing little to slow down the run and enable him to make plays. Don't misunderstand.....the LB position is either 2 or 3 on my wish list, but Fletcher is one of our best players, and we simply can't afford to lose him imo.

[tombstone56]

Maybe, maybe not. Besides, this team should be at the very least 20 million under the cap. Williams and Moulds had outrageous cap hits in 07 that have been erased.

 

As for Fletch "losing steps," I am not seeing it. The DTs are doing little to slow down the run and enable him to make plays. Don't misunderstand.....the LB position is either 2 or 3 on my wish list, but Fletcher is one of our best players, and we simply can't afford to lose him imo.

821869[/snapback]

 

franchise tag `on fletcher ? what are you nuts or naive? ole "london" is way past his prime he d be a excellent special teamer but as a starter hes history after this year ,,do you watch the games ?,fletch leads the team in "TOF" TACKLES ,,THATS TRIPPED OVER FACEMASK,,as the ran by him ...fletch as franchise player ,go back and do your homework..

[tennesseeboy]

Forget Defense versus offense. All of our problems (or almost all) are attributable to poor line play, offense and defense. Going with the offensive line helps offense and defense. Time eating drives with a dominant running game (and McGahee is a better than average running back) keeps defenses fresh and keeps the other teams offense off the field. I remember a SuperBowl some years back where a guy named Parcells won the game against a much more talented team by keeping the much more talented team off the field for all but 19 minutes. The other team scored 19 points in those minutes...but lost.

[The Senator]

One word...

 

Posluszny

[Dr. Fong]

Forget Defense versus offense.  All of our problems (or almost all) are attributable to poor line play, offense and defense. 

821889[/snapback]

 

 

Exactly. Give me a good defensive line and it won't matter who plays linebacker. The smart money is invested in the line not in positions that always have decent players floating around for cheap prices.

[bills_fan]

One word...

 

Posluszny

 

I could see that if we addressed the lines through free agency & in the later rounds. I don't think I'd be too upset about it if we did that.

[R. Rich]

Exactly.  Give me a good defensive line and it won't matter who plays linebacker.  The smart money is invested in the line not in positions that always have decent players floating around for cheap prices.

821892[/snapback]

 

Fix lines. Get good.

[BillsFanForever19]

I think our FA focus needs to be on D. But I have a problem with focusing ANOTHER draft on D. Yeah our defense is playing terrible right now, but that's because we have a lot of new faces and rookies. It takes time. That's not to say everyone is worth keeping, but our rookies need time to groom and we need some veteran help at most of these places.

 

I don't know if anyone's noticed or not, but our Offense lacks any real firepower (outside of Evans and McGahee once in a while).

[Scraps]

I could see that if we addressed the lines through free agency & in the later rounds.  I don't think I'd be too upset about it if we did that.

822025[/snapback]

Haven't we been trying to address the lines through free agency and later rounds and realize it doesn't work?

[apuszczalowski]

I think our FA focus needs to be on D. But I have a problem with focusing ANOTHER draft on D. Yeah our defense is playing terrible right now, but that's because we have a lot of new faces and rookies. It takes time. That's not to say everyone is worth keeping, but our rookies need time to groom and we need some veteran help at most of these places.

 

I don't know if anyone's noticed or not, but our Offense lacks any real firepower (outside of Evans and McGahee once in a while).

822049[/snapback]

I think in the Draft, getting more then a d-linemen and a linebacker is too much.

 

The rest of the draft should focus on a RT (or LT if Peters doesn't look like he will suceed there and a better option is available) another Guard, and then maybe a TE (although I think Royal could be our answer if they start including him in passing plays), a FB or another RB to complement McGahee and split time (alot of teams are going in this direction now of having 2 good backs) and maybe another WR to become our #2 behind Evans.

 

The have depth already at Safety, and a CB can be taken if Clement is gone but I would say he is probably replaced through FA since Youbouty was taken this year. QB (if Losman is deemed not the answer, which I doubt will happen this offseason), would be answered through Nall or FA this year (maybe a late pick will be used to develop as a #3 for now) and pretty much every other position is covered.

[apuszczalowski]

Haven't we been trying to address the lines through free agency and later rounds and realize it doesn't work?

822058[/snapback]

hard to say if it has worked or not, only because Peters was taken as an undrafted FA and seems to be working out, Fowler is a decent Centre, and there are some young guys who may be starters in Pennigton, Merz, and Preston that we haven't seen much playing time from yet.

 

They definitly need a couple more guys for the o-line though probably taken through the draft.

[BillsFanForever19]

QB (if Losman is deemed not the answer, which I doubt will happen this offseason), would be answered through Nall or FA this year (maybe a late pick will be used to develop as a #3 for now)

822060[/snapback]

 

I have a problem with that.

 

This offseason (outside of Schaub who is a RFA) there is no QB's worth building your team around. Nall, who will be entering his 6th season next year and has little experience, is not that guy either.

 

Every NFL team needs to have a solid veteran and a guy for the future. If Losman isn't the guy, I don't want to pass on more Leinart's and Cutler's and wait until Round 6. I want someone with real potential. If Losman doesn't work, a Day 1 pick needs to be used on QB. I don't care what anyone says.

[apuszczalowski]

I have a problem with that.

 

This offseason (outside of Schaub who is a RFA) there is no QB's worth building your team around. Nall, who will be entering his 6th season next year and has little experience, is not that guy either.

 

Every NFL team needs to have a solid veteran and a guy for the future. If Losman isn't the guy, I don't want to pass on more Leinart's and Cutler's and wait until Round 6. I want someone with real potential. If Losman doesn't work, a Day 1 pick needs to be used on QB. I don't care what anyone says.

822067[/snapback]

Who says Nall isn't the answer? That would be the reason why they bring in the veteran QB so that Nall and the Vet would compete for the starting job. Both would be more likely to lead the team over another 1st round pick QB who will take time to develop.

 

Drafting another QB early is just another setback in the rebuilding process, bringing in a vet for a couple seasons just to get the rest of the team built to compete while another QB takes a couple years to develop is more likely. Drafting another 1st round QB (like Quinn) would force the Bills to start the 1st rounder and the condition the team in right now is not a spot you want a young QB to develop in.