Ellison

[RoanokeVABillsFan]

This guy missed a bunch of the mini camps but every time they put him in there he seems to make plays. Everyone talks about our 5th pick but I think we got our best steal with getting him so low in the draft. I can see him becoming a starter, but who does he replace? What do you guys think about him and how do we keep him on the field. That was a great interception for a linebacker...

[Night Train]

Ellison can really run and fits this D like a glove. Sure tackler and was in on 8 tackles, to go with his INT.

If Fletcher leaves, I see Crowell moving to the middle with Ellison taking his place. Don't be so sure Spikes is a lock to return either. Was in on some plays today but was slow on many other plays.

Regardless, Ellison was quite the find in the 6th round.

[Jayhawk]

jennifer?

[Kerr]

The young guys are really coming along.

[Philagape]

:up: What a draft.

[realdealryan]

This guy can TACKLE! What a steal! How long is he locked up? I'm afraid the Colts will try and take him after some of the tackles he made...

[shelby]

Ellison looked fantastic today. i am really impressed with our draft this year.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

At this point I still see us taking a lineback with the first pick next April.

Run defense remains to be the biggest weakness of this team and there are many ways to attack the problem instead of trying to find that ONE defensive tackle. For one thing, we are rotating so much that one tackle may not making that much a difference. In my view, a linebacker that can fight off O-Linemen quite often, yet fast enough in coverage is a person that can take the Bills D to that next level.

In this scheme, that will be lanes to running back from time to time. There will be times - maybe half the times - the D-Linemen don't make plays. We need that linebacker to make the play then. We don't have that person on the roster now.

London Fletcher will be a nice addition to any NFL team. But if he's your best defender, then you don't have a good defense. The past two years and his first year with the Bills proved this point. Spikes was the guy who did out-play Fletchers for a few years and the Bills D was stout. We need to spend our prime draft pick to find this guy so that Ellison and Crowell and post-injury Spikes could be very effective and do what they do the best.

[ublinkwescore]

jennifer?

Drunk, are we?

[Historian]

Very athletic move on the INT.

Nice play.

[kernowboy]

At this point I still see us taking a lineback with the first pick next April.

Run defense remains to be the biggest weakness of this team and there are many ways to attack the problem instead of trying to find that ONE defensive tackle. For one thing, we are rotating so much that one tackle may not making that much a difference. In my view, a linebacker that can fight off O-Linemen quite often, yet fast enough in coverage is a person that can take the Bills D to that next level.

In this scheme, that will be lanes to running back from time to time. There will be times - maybe half the times - the D-Linemen don't make plays. We need that linebacker to make the play then. We don't have that person on the roster now.

London Fletcher will be a nice addition to any NFL team. But if he's your best defender, then you don't have a good defense. The past two years and his first year with the Bills proved this point. Spikes was the guy who did out-play Fletchers for a few years and the Bills D was stout. We need to spend our prime draft pick to find this guy so that Ellison and Crowell and post-injury Spikes could be very effective and do what they do the best.

I'd like them to add Henderson (Vikings) through FA who is primarily an ILB but can play outside, then add either Patrick Willis or Paul Posluzny. We should still be able to trade down for both and get an extra pick. I think Justin Harrell, or Okoye should come with R2, as Royal seems to be finally coming good, removing the need for a TE. The OL can be fixed with a new RG and the resigning of Gandy. I am still a little concerned about LT cover so might advocate a LT with the R3 pick especially if Doug Free continues to fall. On the RT issue, I think Pennington has done well but I wouldn't rule out Brad Butler bulking up and offering serious competition. They are both 2 young guys with enough talent to prosper here.

It has however been a magnificent draft

1a Whitner - done extremely well
1b McCargo - still a very good prospect
3 Youboty - finally played against the Jets and more than held is own
4 Simpson - sensational for a Day2 pick
5a Williams - very good role player
5b Butler - the one blip, yet to play
6 Ellison - brilliant
7a Pennington - the next Howard Ballard
7b Merz - offered a great sight of the future

9 picks, 8 have done ok/well, 1 still might. Another draft like this and Marv/Dick will have turned the team around completely. I still see the principle focus will be on the Defence though as that is still an area of need and is also where our principle losses in FA will come from

[Goobylal]

I think adding a run-stuffing DT is THE priority over the off-season, along with looking for OL improvements (keep Peters and Pennington, maybe Fowler). The Bills have enough LB's, as I expect Spikes to be better next year after being over 2 years removed from the injury, while you still have Ellison, Crowell, and maybe Fletch.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

From what I understand, there is no premier run stopping DT FA this coming off season. I don't see Levy and Co. spend too much money there. I do see them draft one somewhere next April because Anderson's last year is coming up.

It'll be interesting to see Levy & Jauron's O-Line analysis at the end of the season and see where they go about it. There are some quality FAs out there that are coming off their first NFL contracts that fit into Levy's philosophy of building a team. Do they spend big bucks to go after one or do they think resigning Gandy and drafting an interior lineman is good enough now? There is saying that most NFL players make their biggest improvement from 1st to 2nd year, so barring a Robert Hick's moment, Pennington should be counted on doing better next year. I'd like more run blocking push from Preston's spot but he himself is still a growing player.

It'll be interesting to see this off-season. The hardest part just may be signing Clements into a contract that Levy likes.

[Gunzlingr]

I'd like them to add Henderson (Vikings) through FA who is primarily an ILB but can play outside, then add either Patrick Willis or Paul Posluzny.

Didn't the Vikes just give Henderson an extension?

[jamze132]

The OL can be fixed with a new RG and the resigning of Gandy. I am still a little concerned about LT cover so might advocate a LT with the R3 pick especially if Doug Free continues to fall. On the RT issue, I think Pennington has done well but I wouldn't rule out Brad Butler bulking up and offering serious competition. They are both 2 young guys with enough talent to prosper here.


So what about Jason Peters, should we release him?

I think you made a mistake.

[The_Philster]

So what about Jason Peters, should we release him?

I think you made a mistake.
I think when he said LT cover, he means backup :idunno:

[jamze132]

I think when he said LT cover, he means backup :idunno:
Oh, we I still wouldn;t spend a 3rd round pick on a back up LT.

[Goobylal]

From what I understand, there is no premier run stopping DT FA this coming off season. I don't see Levy and Co. spend too much money there. I do see them draft one somewhere next April because Anderson's last year is coming up.
DT Ian Scott of the Bears is scheduled to become an UFA. He would make a ton of sense. But I'm sure the Bears will try to lock-him-up first.

And Henderson is signed through 2011.

[kernowboy]

So what about Jason Peters, should we release him?

I think you made a mistake.

I said LT COVER as in cover for the position - what if Peters goes down injured? After QB, left tackle is the most important and specialised position IMO

Look what has happened to the Giants went Petitgout broke his leg. Compare this to what happened to the Patriots last season when Light did the same and they were able to plug in Kaczur.

If Peters gets injured do we

a) Move Gandy to a position he has failed out
b) Move Pennington to a position he is unlikely to be able to play
c) Insert our R3 LT draft pick

Personally c) looks seriously the best option

[kernowboy]

DT Ian Scott of the Bears is scheduled to become an UFA. He would make a ton of sense. But I'm sure the Bears will try to lock-him-up first.

And Henderson is signed through 2011.

Yes, it just happened on 12/15

I think if we can get our hands on Posluzny or Willis, and Okoye or Harrell, that would help enormously in the draft. Even if we start with Crowell, Ellison and the draft pick, I feel we still need another LB ... maybe Matt Wilhelm for the middle - but this would rely on the Chargers cutting him loose from his RFA status

[jamze132]

I said LT COVER as in cover for the position - what if Peters goes down injured? After QB, left tackle is the most important and specialised position IMO

Look what has happened to the Giants went Petitgout broke his leg. Compare this to what happened to the Patriots last season when Light did the same and they were able to plug in Kaczur.

If Peters gets injured do we

a) Move Gandy to a position he has failed out
b) Move Pennington to a position he is unlikely to be able to play
c) Insert our R3 LT draft pick

Personally c) looks seriously the best option
Yeah I missed the cover part, my bad. But I still don't think we should invest a 3rd round pick into a known backup unless that player is BPA, which I doubt would be the case. I know we draft for depth but I also think at least on Day 1, we should look for guys that can make an impact within 2 years.

[John Doe]

From what I understand, there is no premier run stopping DT FA this coming off season. I don't see Levy and Co. spend too much money there. I do see them draft one somewhere next April because Anderson's last year is coming up.

It'll be interesting to see Levy & Jauron's O-Line analysis at the end of the season and see where they go about it. There are some quality FAs out there that are coming off their first NFL contracts that fit into Levy's philosophy of building a team. Do they spend big bucks to go after one or do they think resigning Gandy and drafting an interior lineman is good enough now? There is saying that most NFL players make their biggest improvement from 1st to 2nd year, so barring a Robert Hick's moment, Pennington should be counted on doing better next year. I'd like more run blocking push from Preston's spot but he himself is still a growing player.

It'll be interesting to see this off-season. The hardest part just may be signing Clements into a contract that Levy likes.

I think that signing Gandy is a top priority. It would mean that the entire starting O-line from the second half of the year is back in one piece. I can’t remember the last time that happened. That does not mean that there is no improvement to be made, but it is nice to have the option of looking at other positions to improve first.
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Reyes was perhaps the biggest disappointment of the free agent class signed by Levy. (Bowens looked good in the preseason but had to cope with injuries before the regular season started while Reyes’ injuries came after he had the chance to perform in top condition). It will be interesting to see if he makes the team next year. If he does, then maybe that leaves only one spot to fill on the O-line assuming that Brad Butler and Aaron Mertz are deemed worthy of keeping. I would think that they would go after a veteran rather than a rookie given the youth that is already on the roster. It would not necessarily be a top name – maybe someone like Fowler who is solid, intelligent, but unspectacular. Of course, Reyes was also seen as that type of player last year.