JPicc2114 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Im not sure if I can count on Langston Walker this year on the left side. Looks like a big weakness to me. Another question is... why can't this guy lose any weight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Im not sure if I can count on Langston Walker this year on the left side. Looks like a big weakness to me. Another question is... why can't this guy lose any weight? No, I don't trust him. I've always thought he's been up to no good and I want him out of the neighborhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offde-fence Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 As a Bills fan, I have some optimism about our O-line, even if it will take a chunk of the season to be functioning at a peak level. My biggest concern is Langston Walker, and that, in itself, is a good sign. I say that because he's played the position before, and shown he can do it. We aren't asking nor expecting him to be a pro-bowl caliber LT. The staff knows from real game experience what he can do, and what his limitations are. That being said, they should know pretty well by the end of training camp what he and the rest of the line are good at, and where their weaknesses are. He's one big dude, and pretty good on his feet for his size, so, I can imagine a solid running game behind him. If he's completely inept at pass protection, I'm thinking that will be obvious sooner than later, so, the team will have time to replace him if he can't do it. My prediction, though, is that he'll be consistent. He and the rest of the line will have plays where they look inexperienced and perhaps porous, but they'll have series and drives where they run smoothly and effectively. Considering he's in it for the long haul, and that he's a consistent player, by mid season we should know what to expect from the line, and I think it'll be much better than all the doubters here complain about. He doesn't need to be a pro-bowler; good would be good enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Walker was an average type RT for us - you know, better than 15 RTs worse than 15 RTs and tied with one RT- at LT he'll be in the bottom 5, not a joke but not very good, kinda like Ellison at LB- I'm more concerned with Brad Butler at RT, Butler has the potential to be the worse starting RT in the NFL, I've just seen no athletic qualities from him that give the vaguest suggestion that he can play in space in the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glass To The Arson Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 As long we throw off the defense with 4 wide packages and have a good running game Walker will do just fine I see him letting about 4-7 sacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazedandConfused Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Im not sure if I can count on Langston Walker this year on the left side. Looks like a big weakness to me. Another question is... why can't this guy lose any weight? As is the case with all these players since last I checked I an not in charge, my default stance is to trust but verify. I really do not think one can count on any player from a year after year (after year) 7-9 team. The good thing though about Walker is that though it would pretty silly to expect Pro Bowl level play out of him right here and right now, he did show enough as an RT starter who filled without big flaws as a starting LT when Peters was trying to work himself back in to shape. He will need to step up his game to be a credible fulltime starter, but he had the rep coming in as a player and a marginal but signs of being a good starter for all but the most pessimistic to hope for the best (and likely says more about the observer than it says about Walker). PS- One likely answer to the weight question is that he never was asked to lose weight by the Bills because in the old mode we were proud to have the heaviest OL in the league by weight and he was employed mostly as a roadgrader. The interesting question is how he was able to at least hold his own at LT during our winning streak last year against weak opponents when he had to start at LT. My guess is that this year as a constant LT starter he likely will be better with less weight. There is a ton of time once the season begins to start whining about this issue if it is a real problem (a problem that is likely better assesed by how he looks to objective observers rather than relying on the oft fictional official weight claims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOR Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I trust Walker more than I trust Peters last year. At least I know that Walker will give a damn, give his best effort, show up in game shape, and know the playbook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans4e64 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I trust Walker more than I trust Peters last year. At least I know that Walker will give a damn, give his best effort, show up in game shape, and know the playbook. Amen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I trust Walker more than I trust Peters last year. At least I know that Walker will give a damn, give his best effort, show up in game shape, and know the playbook. As long as round and fluffy constitutes a shape, then I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOR Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 As long as round and fluffy constitutes a shape, then I agree. Notice I said "game shape" and not "in shape." There is a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billistic Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Im not sure if I can count on Langston Walker this year on the left side. Looks like a big weakness to me. Another question is... why can't this guy lose any weight? With Bell and Hennesse pushing him, he damn well better perform, or he'll find himself sitting next to Chris Ellis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Im not sure if I can count on Langston Walker this year on the left side. Looks like a big weakness to me. Another question is... why can't this guy lose any weight? Without Jason Peters at the training table two years in a row now, there is no hope of Walker losing weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billistic Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 If he had his jaws wired, he'd probably just take turkey suppositories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diwdem Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I trust him, I think. In space, he scares me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fewell733 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I think Walker can hold his own most of the time. But I think they're going to have to protect him with a TE a good chunk of time depending on matchups, etc and especially in the first half of the year. He didn't seem thrilled about the switch but I trust that he's doing everything he can to pull it off on the left side. I hope he comes in a little lighter this year. 20 lbs less seems pretty achievable considering his size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billistic Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Langston is kind of the opposite of Tony Boselli. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstencel Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I think will be ok overall with Walker as our LT. He may have a couple of rough games, but overall think he is capable of holding his own. For those couple of games that he may strugle, they can always put the TE outside of him for a chip block. I also think that they are fine at RT with Butler slidding out. He is more suited physically to play tackle than guard, and while not a freak athlete, not many RT's are. Chambers did ok at RT for a few games, and he is a much better athlete than Chambers, and stronger at point of attack, so that should help the running game. I think that overall the line play will be better, and that Butler is an improvement in the run game for the right side, Walker is a step down from a motivated Peters, but about the same as the one we had last year. The center position has been upgraded, and the guards will be better in the run game than last years, but about even in pass. So we should still have descent pass protection and be much better in the run blocking over last years group in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fewell733 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Langston is kind of the opposite of Tony Boselli. cause he's not constantly injured? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurman#1 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 As is the case with all these players since last I checked I an not in charge, my default stance is to trust but verify. I really do not think one can count on any player from a year after year (after year) 7-9 team. The good thing though about Walker is that though it would pretty silly to expect Pro Bowl level play out of him right here and right now, he did show enough as an RT starter who filled without big flaws as a starting LT when Peters was trying to work himself back in to shape. He will need to step up his game to be a credible fulltime starter, but he had the rep coming in as a player and a marginal but signs of being a good starter for all but the most pessimistic to hope for the best (and likely says more about the observer than it says about Walker). PS- One likely answer to the weight question is that he never was asked to lose weight by the Bills because in the old mode we were proud to have the heaviest OL in the league by weight and he was employed mostly as a roadgrader. The interesting question is how he was able to at least hold his own at LT during our winning streak last year against weak opponents when he had to start at LT. My guess is that this year as a constant LT starter he likely will be better with less weight. There is a ton of time once the season begins to start whining about this issue if it is a real problem (a problem that is likely better assesed by how he looks to objective observers rather than relying on the oft fictional official weight claims. Look at who he played against when he was at LT last year at the start of the season. He played the whole game at Seattle where he faced Lawrence Jackson, who had two sacks all year. He played a bit here and a bit there against the next team or two. Jaguars - Reggie Hayward, 4.5 sacks all year long, though he did some platooning with Quentin Groves who had 2.5. Neither guy is a big speed guy, though Groves is a bit faster. Raiders - Jay Richardson, 3 sacks. By the time we played the Rams, Peters was playing the whole game at LT, though he sure wasn't back to anywhere close to his old self yet. People don't worry about whether Walker can handle power rushers. He can. They wonder whether he can handle speed rushers. Which he DID NOT DO last year when he played LT. And this year we face a lot of them, including some very very good ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WellDressed Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 This should be a multiple choice question. Langston or Lenny?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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