WR moves this offseason

[RuntheDamnBall]

I'll try not to make this too much of a LAMP. Fact is, after a few weeks in a country where ESPN only shows cricket and David Beckham news, I need some football analysis. I hope this hasn't been discussed too much already.

 

We all knew losing Eric would mean certain things for our WR corps and our team in general. Certainly, his reliability as a possession target was missed to some degree. I do believe this was offset by the kind of bad presence he'd become in the locker room, a guy so sick of losing that he couldn't help the new guys grow. That said, our WR production wasn't adequate this year. Play-calling? Talent? Shackles on the young QB in a new system? I think it was some of all three.

 

After watching this season here are my conclusions.

1. Evans has shown he's a certifiable #1 if not an all-around threat who can grab everything under the middle. He stays.

2. Reed just signed a new contract, and he showed in the second half of the season that he has guts and will give up his body to make plays. He also can make some nifty moves when he wants to. He can also block well. Does he get open enough? Probably not. But he's earned the right to stay on.

3. Parrish was either not used enough or not open enough. I didn't go to enough games to get the whole story. It seemed he was just dangerous when he actually touched the ball. And on the reverse he and no one else should get the ball every time, because it appears he can always take it 6 yards further than any other candidate. He is still learning the NFL game as evidenced by his boneheaded approach to a couple returns, but unlike McGahee's aimless 'dancing around,' Roscoe seems to move out of a belief in the possibility of huge yardage once that opening happens (like on the punt return TD). It doesn't always work but when it does it's awesome. He must get the ball more, 4-5 times a game, if he's to really be worth anything to this team. He stays. I think if he gets the ball more we see more of the kind of field awareness we saw in the catch against Jax.

4. This is where it gets murky. Peerless Price -- great catch and a season-changer in the Houston game. But season-long he was a disappointment. An inability to connect with Losman? A lost step? I'm not sure. To me, Reed and Parrish give us enough of what Peerless does and more, with age on their sides. We sort of scratched our heads at the PP signing and length of contract and I'm not sure he's worth the next three years. I would cut him. Maybe I'm wrong and with more 4WR sets he could yet work out.

5. Davis and Aiken. From fifth and sixth receivers you don't expect much, and these guys are special teams heroes, as the argument goes. And generally that's what you want from your depth guys. But Aiken has displayed preseason promise and not much more in the rest of the game, and Davis didn't show much when his number was called on offense. For instance, when Reed was out, I was not seeing the speed, separation, or hands I'd want from either for a guy who wants to move up in the rotation. In their spots, these two are fine. Davis had two catches on the season. Aiken zero.

 

So that leaves us with the moves. To me, it appears Davis stayed because of his special teams value. He was on a one-year contract so he is now a FA again. George Wilson likely didn't prove enough ST value in camp, so that leaves question as to whether he would jump up to the club next year and fill Davis' spot (or Peerless' place, should he be cut).

 

The real important thing to me is that I think that JP Losman's development would be aided immeasurably by the addition of a certifiable #2 target -- not a WR who's going to necessarily make a run at Evans' job, but a tall guy who can make some tough catches. This would leave a rotation of

 

1. Evans

2. ???????

3. Reed

4. Parrish

5-6. choose 2 from Davis/Aiken/Wilson/late-round pick or value FA signing

 

Is this #2 guy out there in the draft or FA?

 

One could also make the argument that a better threat at receiving TE could make the difference. Royal showed some signs but he also showed a critical mental lapse in the Tennessee game. Cieslak looked like a tough MFer on his few opportunities. Everett is toast for all I care, looks like complete bust material, and Cieslak's emergence said to me that Neufeld is expendable, unless kept merely for ST. Don't know what the answer is here.

 

Interested in good opinions and counter-arguments, and certainly in being proven wrong if someone has the good stats to back it up. I'm merely going on what I saw and my own impressions in watching on the idiot box this year. Cheers, Bills fans; it's good to be back and I'm looking forward to 2007. I wish the season started tomorrow!

[BuffaloBilliever]

Uhm, I think we keep all of them actually, except Aiken may switch with Wilson.

 

I honestly think this...

[Oneonta Buffalo Fan]

Keep them all.

[MartyBall4Buffalo]

Starting with Davis and Aiken. I know they both are very good st's players however I dont see the point in keeping 2 roster spots at the same position for strictly st's play when neither contributes as a wideout. Determine which one is more valuable on st's and let go the other one. Like you and the other poster. Maybe George Wilson steps up preferably though I'd prefer a #2 wr or receiving te.

 

A receiving te is a young qb's best friend and would do more imo for losmans confidence as he progresses then another wideout. I'm not looking for the next gates although that would be nice. Someone like Daniel Graham or Jerramy Stevens would be good. Or in the later part of the draft. Possibly someone like Martrez Milner from Georgia who might be a bit of a project due to not much playing time in playing time, but when he's played he's done well. He had some issues with drops. More of a draft on potential but for a middle round pick would not be a bad pickup.

 

 

As far as free agency goes theres not much in the way of anything that good. I know everyone shouts off about Drew Bennett, but going this route and keeping with the system. Maybe someone like Kevin Curtis or Shaun McDonald from the rams who have experience in fairchilds system. I'd really prefer not to spend a lot of money for a guy like bennett when that money can go towards other areas or re-signing Nate. If McDonald or Curtis don't interest you and you're not keen on the idea of Bennett maybe Travis Taylor who would be a nice #2 if we let go of price. My biggest with this as well as the potential of losing Nate is the experience factor. You really need that guy who's been there done that and can teach the younger players.

 

All I remember hearing is how Price became a father figure to Roscoe and took him under his wing. Which is why I dont think Price will get cut. Regardless of low ypc. Which I think is more of a reflection on how he was used and Losmans slow development over the course of the season. He was used more as a security blanket posession receiver then sent out on deeper routes. Fairchilds poor man version of Ike Bruce to Lee Evans Torry Holt.

 

 

Next season I'd prefer more of a 2 te system. I believe you can do so much more out of the passing and running games and be much more effective in the redzone where we have struggled the most. Losman and company have shown the ability to move between the 20's but down in the redzone have not been nearly as effective. A 2 te system would give us more options to keep defenes honest respecting both the run and pass. It mostly gives you more options for a stronger run game as it's basically having 2 extra linemen on the field. Ne excells at the 2 te system as does indy and teams like sd and kc etc etc etc.

 

The deph chart I'll say will end up looking like this..

 

WR-

 

1. Evans

2. Price

3. Reed

4. Parrish

5.Draft pick

6. Davis

 

TE-

1. Robert Royal

2. FA or draft pick

3. Brad Cieslak te/h-back

[cieslak86]

I would like the Bills to pick up a #2 wr through the draft, but we have so many other needs that it's kinda hard to believe Marv would do it. There's some really good wrs that would help the Bills in the first round or 2, as we could really use a tall redzone threat (Dwayne Jarrett, Robert Meachem, Dwayne Bowe). There's a few big guys later in the draft (Matt Trannon, Dallas Baker, Brandon Myles), but they're simply not the receivers that the first rounders are.

 

Free agency is almost non-existant; Drew Bennett is the best available and he's gonna be vastly overpaid.

 

Hopefully the Bills can add either a big wr or a pass catching tight end at some point this offseason because someone is needed to take the pressure off of Evans.

 

Zack Miller or Greg Olsen, if they last till the 2nd round, could both help the offense a lot, but it's hard to imagine them picking up a tight end with an early pick.

 

Maybe if the Bills can address some of their defensive needs through free agency, a wideout could become a possibility on Day One, but it doesn't look likely.

[eSJayDee]

I think the general concensus is that Evans is a solid #1 & Reed a competent #3. Beyond that...

 

Davis & Aiken are major ST contributors. One problem is that Davis is a FA and I suspect unless we "show him the money" (which I don't think is prudent), he likely would like to go elsewhere where he might be in a better position to play WR & catch some balls.

That said, unless you've got players that likely show substantially more potential than these 2, you keep them both. Making a couple big plays on ST a game is far more than you can expect a 4th or 5th WR to make on the offense. I don't think either of these guys have much of a chance to be a solid #2.

 

Price was somewhat of a disappointment. I don't know the cap ramifications of letting him go, but I assume since we've got so much room, it really isn't an issue. Cutting him in the offseason is needless, but in my book, come August he's the one that should be looking over his shoulder for the Turk.

 

Parrish seems to be the biggest ?. He made his fair share of big plays, and/but I get the impression that he's not on the field that much. Also, he's our best PR which is something that shouldn't be discounted. Can he be our #2? Let's give him a chance & see, but I'm not too confident that he can be.

 

I'd say bring in another 2nd tier FA a la Price to see if they can make the cut &/or maybe spend a 3rd or 4th round pick. The latter would likely make Reed our #2 by default.

 

As for Wilson, he supposedly has promise. Maybe next yr will be his time to step up, but I wouldn't count on it.

[John from Riverside]

I know this wont be a popular opinion but.....

 

If we wanted to turn our good wr core from good to great all we would have to do is deal a 3rd round pick to the raiders for Randy Moss.....

 

Randy Moss is a head case but not in a TO kinda way.....he is just sick of losing and the Raiders are a mess.

 

From the other starting WR position we are looking for a wr with size who will go up and get a ball.......that is Randy Moss except it also gives ups two deep threat speed weapons.....there is NOBODY in the 3rd round of this draft that would give us that kind of wr talent.

 

I am good with the TE's we have in Royal and Ceislak both of them can catch and block....Everett is a huge dissapointment

 

We can use our first two picks on a D tackle and a O guard.....and pick up a linebacker in free agency like Briggs.....

[RuntheDamnBall]

I know this wont be a popular opinion but.....

 

If we wanted to turn our good wr core from good to great all we would have to do is deal a 3rd round pick to the raiders for Randy Moss.....

 

Randy Moss is a head case but not in a TO kinda way.....he is just sick of losing and the Raiders are a mess.

 

From the other starting WR position we are looking for a wr with size who will go up and get a ball.......that is Randy Moss except it also gives ups two deep threat speed weapons.....there is NOBODY in the 3rd round of this draft that would give us that kind of wr talent.

 

I am good with the TE's we have in Royal and Ceislak both of them can catch and block....Everett is a huge dissapointment

 

We can use our first two picks on a D tackle and a O guard.....and pick up a linebacker in free agency like Briggs.....

I am not sure Moss is "just a head case." He's also never been anything but a #1 receiver. Think Moulds had a problem with that? Magnify that by about 50x and I think you have the kind of problems we'd have with Moss. The guy ran himself off a perennial playoff team and comes with baggage and has showed no signs of stepping up and being the mature one in any situation. I don't forsee Marv or this team bringing him in, whatever might be achieved with him on the field.

[SoulMan]

Starting with Davis and Aiken. I know they both are very good st's players however I dont see the point in keeping 2 roster spots at the same position for strictly st's play when neither contributes as a wideout. Determine which one is more valuable on st's and let go the other one. Like you and the other poster. Maybe George Wilson steps up preferably though I'd prefer a #2 wr or receiving te.

 

A receiving te is a young qb's best friend and would do more imo for losmans confidence as he progresses then another wideout. I'm not looking for the next gates although that would be nice. Someone like Daniel Graham or Jerramy Stevens would be good. Or in the later part of the draft. Possibly someone like Martrez Milner from Georgia who might be a bit of a project due to not much playing time in playing time, but when he's played he's done well. He had some issues with drops. More of a draft on potential but for a middle round pick would not be a bad pickup.

As far as free agency goes theres not much in the way of anything that good. I know everyone shouts off about Drew Bennett, but going this route and keeping with the system. Maybe someone like Kevin Curtis or Shaun McDonald from the rams who have experience in fairchilds system. I'd really prefer not to spend a lot of money for a guy like bennett when that money can go towards other areas or re-signing Nate. If McDonald or Curtis don't interest you and you're not keen on the idea of Bennett maybe Travis Taylor who would be a nice #2 if we let go of price. My biggest with this as well as the potential of losing Nate is the experience factor. You really need that guy who's been there done that and can teach the younger players.

 

All I remember hearing is how Price became a father figure to Roscoe and took him under his wing. Which is why I dont think Price will get cut. Regardless of low ypc. Which I think is more of a reflection on how he was used and Losmans slow development over the course of the season. He was used more as a security blanket posession receiver then sent out on deeper routes. Fairchilds poor man version of Ike Bruce to Lee Evans Torry Holt.

Next season I'd prefer more of a 2 te system. I believe you can do so much more out of the passing and running games and be much more effective in the redzone where we have struggled the most. Losman and company have shown the ability to move between the 20's but down in the redzone have not been nearly as effective. A 2 te system would give us more options to keep defenes honest respecting both the run and pass. It mostly gives you more options for a stronger run game as it's basically having 2 extra linemen on the field. Ne excells at the 2 te system as does indy and teams like sd and kc etc etc etc.

 

The deph chart I'll say will end up looking like this..

 

WR-

 

1. Evans

2. Price

3. Reed

4. Parrish

5.Draft pick

6. Davis

 

TE-

1. Robert Royal

2. FA or draft pick

3. Brad Cieslak te/h-back

 

The key to making this perfectly playoff capable depth chart successful is just this............get a running game and watch the receivers numbers (and quarterbacks) rise.

 

The one possible exception is, no more "Lonnie Johnson moments" for RR.

[UHSLA]

One could also make the argument that a better threat at receiving TE could make the difference. Royal showed some signs but he also showed a critical mental lapse in the Tennessee game. Cieslak looked like a tough MFer on his few opportunities. Everett is toast for all I care, looks like complete bust material, and Cieslak's emergence said to me that Neufeld is expendable, unless kept merely for ST. Don't know what the answer is here.

 

You think? I think Neufeld would have emerged towards the end of the season had he not had to deal with that injury. I'm guessing he's already had surgery and will probably be ready for offseason mini camps and training. I was excited to see what Cieslak could do this year. He's a tough player and showed some sparks. But I wouldn't necessarily like to seem line up as an H-back. He really struggled those last couple games when Shelton was out. Neufeld seems to be the better blocker of the two, and based on what I've seen, a far better special teamers. I was at the Miami game and saw Cieslak out there on kick off - he was the last guy down the field! Really slow. I was a little disappointed that he didn't do better - I was rooting for him.

 

I think these two will be going at it again during training camp. Both of them won't be on the team, unless the coaches don't see a need for a true fullback on the roster and decide to keep 4 tight ends (could happen). If they don't, Neufeld makes it over Cieslak if he stays healthy. And that's a big "if."

[OnTheRocks]

a couple of weeks ago, i was kind of thinking i would like to see the Bills sign Rams FA Kevin Curtis.

but the more i think about it, i think Drew Bennet would be an even better fit.

 

as far as who goes?

i don't know...they have a bunch of guys that look like #3 and #4 guys. who cares. get rid of all of them (except Evans of course) for all i care...just as long as they bring in someone that can be a true #2 guy.

[tennesseeboy]

I see us picking up a WR very late in the draft if at all. I like Marcus Price out of Charleston Southern, and kind of hope he lasts til the later rounds. IMHOP Evans is a future pro bowler and the Price/Parrish/Reed combo is fine. Royal may be close to the answer at tight end, and Cieslak at TE/FB is a nice wrinkle. All in all I'm pretty happy with the receivers.

[RuntheDamnBall]

I don't think any of us need to forget that a shrewd second-day pick in this draft could still make an awesome difference. Guys like Marques Colston and Anquan Boldin are seeming to pop up more than a Sinorice Moss succeeds.

[Beerball]

Personally I think it's time to move Roscoe to #3. Forget the crap about his size, forget the crap about his worth as a returner. Get the guy on the field each and every series (well, most) of the game. I know that Reed was pretty dependable, but he scares nobody. We used a top pick on the guy, so put him on the field and get the most that you can from him while his body holds up. And Fairchild...no more reverses using Price or Reed. Let Roscoe run those.

[ganesh]

Considering the FA market for WRs are not good and a WR from the draft usually takes a year or two to blossom, we should go and get one of the best TEs available (Daniel Graham or Jeremy Stevens) and put more 2 TE sets....I don't necessarily need a super 2nd WR...

[ganesh]

I don't think any of us need to forget that a shrewd second-day pick in this draft could still make an awesome difference. Guys like Marques Colston and Anquan Boldin are seeming to pop up more than a Sinorice Moss succeeds.

 

Boldin was a 1st day pick...

[stuckincincy]

I encourage the Bills to take a look at B'gals WR Kelley Washington, Tenn. With a caveat.

 

He dropped to the 3rd round in 2003 - neck injury that proved to be no problem, and attitude. He's a UFA now - so interested parties no longer have to cough up a 3rd.

 

Plus:

 

He's big - 6'3", 218 lb. Has competitive speed, hands, and moves. Hits opponents. He's grown up - his snotty attitude has been replaced with hard play.

 

Minus:

 

He suffered a bad hamstring injury in game 5 last season. He was kept on the roster, and tried to make a go of it around game # 12, but couldn't. If he recovers, he could go quickly in the FA derby.

 

http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/396119

[tennesseeboy]

I encourage the Bills to take a look at B'gals WR Kelley Washington, Tenn. With a caveat.

 

He dropped to the 3rd round in 2003 - neck injury that proved to be no problem, and attitude. He's a UFA now - so interested parties no longer have to cough up a 3rd.

 

Plus:

 

He's big - 6'3", 218 lb. Has competitive speed, hands, and moves. Hits opponents. He's grown up - his snotty attitude has been replaced with hard play.

 

Minus:

 

He suffered a bad hamstring injury in game 5 last season. He was kept on the roster, and tried to make a go of it around game # 12, but couldn't. If he recovers, he could go quickly in the FA derby.

 

http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/396119

Very interesting UFA. I was pushing for him in early rounds (along with Jason Whitten) out of college. He is perhaps one of the most talented atheletes I've ever seen at the college level. While playing WR he was also the best quarterback Tennessee had. I think we could do a lot worse than make a run at him. He'd solve that so-called number 2 receiver problem.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Boldin was a 1st day pick...

My bad, I don't know where I got the idea he was a 4th rounder.

[2003Contenders]

Another possibility is someone like Justin McCareins, who the Jets are likely to release. He was a disappointment in NY -- but a change of venue could do him some good. He also fits the mold of the big-bodied WR.