2007 Bills Team Depth

[ghz in pittsburgh]

My definition of depth goes beyond the normal "when a starter injures himself there is a capable backup to stand in for a game or two." I mean the Ellison type who can stand in for a game or two and threatens to take the job away period.

For a team wanting to surprise people, this is not a luxury, it's a requirement.

For the most part, I think Marv and Jauron are building a team in that direction. Of course every team has a couple of players that are irreplaceable. What kind of record would NE have if Brady were to go down for some lengthy time? For the Bills, I think it is Lee Evans and Losman comes very close behind, even though he's not nearly as established.

For the first time in a long time - maybe going back all the way to HC Marv's era - I feel the Bills have quality backups on both sides of the trenches. The starters may not be world beaters, but up and down, they should be steady throughout the season. No big dropoffs because so and so does not play on a particular day. That gives coaches options to make adjustments on guys who are not effective.

Wide receivers and running backs fall in the same category, but I'm not so sure about TEs, though we have Everett who's supposed to come back full strength this year and somewhat seasoned for two years.

I'm mostly concerned about linebackers because beyond the starting 3 (Ellison, Poz, and Crowell), I think there is big dropoff in quality, and all 3 starters are coming off some kind of injury last year. I actually feel the CBs are a little better in that regard because we know what Thomas and Greer can do and we do have pipeline CBs in the practice squad that are promising. I feel pretty good about safeties.

All in all, given the past history of our LBs and their backups, I really doubt we can survive any extended injury to Crowell, Ellison, or Poz in 2007.

[OpIv37]

LB depth is a serious issue.

CB depth and DL depth is "good" in relative terms- there isn't much drop-off but that's because the starters aren't all that much better than the back ups in the first place.

The offense is in a little bit better shape, although Evans is key. If he gets hurt, we're in big trouble. Same for Peters.

[POZ]

I honestly think if we suffer an injury at any position the backups will be able to step in and there won't be a major drop-off.

[OpIv37]

I honestly think if we suffer an injury at any position the backups will be able to step in and there won't be a major drop-off.

I completely disagree. Stamer, Haggan and Wire are Special Teams guys and they can't play D. There is no way that they can step in without a noticable drop off. Same for WR behind Evans. Parrish, Reed and Price are all #3's at best. No one on our roster can play LT except Peters. This team has depth at RB and some depth on the OL and maybe depth at S depending on how Wendling works out, but that's it. No other position will survive a long-term injury.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

I won't put Peters in that category. Both Butler and Pennington can play some LT and judging by Pennington's performance in 2006, my guess is they might do OK there.

[POZ]

Stamer played great last year before suffering an injury, he's a great run stopper (goaline stop against Kevin Jones) he's very athletic (the only thing stopping him from being a starter is his coverage skills.

[OpIv37]

Stamer played great last year before suffering an injury, he's a great run stopper (goaline stop against Kevin Jones) he's very athletic (the only thing stopping him from being a starter is his coverage skills.

we run a Cover 2 D that requires the LB's to be active in pass coverage. So, you admit Stamer is a liabilitly in pass coverage, but you say there will be no drop-off if we have an injury. That doesn't make any sense.

[POZ]

we run a Cover 2 D that requires the LB's to be active in pass coverage. So, you admit Stamer is a liabilitly in pass coverage, but you say there will be no drop-off if we have an injury. That doesn't make any sense.Cover 2 is more of corners and safeties in zone coverage, LB's are more of free lancers

[OpIv37]

Cover 2 is more of corners and safeties in zone coverage, LB's are more of free lancers

the cover two relies on a pass rush from the front four so the LB's can drop into pass coverage. On running plays, they are responsible for coming up and making the play once the DT's disrupt the lanes, but the LB's are in zone on passing plays. 4 DB's can't cover zone on the underneath stuff AND the deep stuff.

[HHURRICANE]

Ghz, I agree that the Bills finally have some depth on the OL and DL. Not many teams keep depth at WR so any team losing there #1 wideout is basically screwed.

Our new poster "POZ" doesn't realize that his new boy is a rookie. Tampa 2 has nothing to do with fact that we are in bad shape here. BAD.

It is extremely likely that the line of Crowell-Ellison-Poz will not finish the year together. The line of Spikes-Fletcher-Crowell played how many games together last year?

Wire, Haggan, DiGorgio or Stamer seeing alot of time on the field will be a nightmare for us. I have to believe that the Bills are still targeting a veteran before the season starts.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Coverage is THE issue here. Stamer does not have the lateral quickness to hang with a potential receiver/TE. Haggins is just friggin slow. Wire does not have the pass defense instincts (in the wrong place, closing in in the wrong angle, etc.)

At this point they were no better than last year's corp where Spikes was simply ineffective to the point he came out on 3rd downs. Poz is bigger and faster than London, and has very good football instincts. But he's also a rookie and London is as a savvy vet as they come.

[TigerJ]

Linebacker depth is an issue. Haggan can't play cover two. I think Stamer can a little. Wire can but I don't think he has the body mass to do much more than spot duty. Behind them there are some other guys, but they are very much unknowns

[SABURZFAN]

i wouldn't worry about the LB position just yet.there's plenty of time to get a LB for added depth.

[Elminster]

Mmm, linebacker depth may sink us. Schematically, we may be able to cope with the loss of one linebacker...but if we're missing two for an extnded period, I think it'll get ugly on D. However, it didn't make much sense to retain Fletch given his recent performance or Spikes given his salary and desire to leave. I'd feel a lot better if we were to find some one semi-capable after June 1st(yeah, right), but I'm happy with the starters, and I guess we'll just have to cross our fingers.

Other potential problem areas...
Lee Evans- Let's be honest, he's half of our passing game. Without him, our receiver corp is a bunch of slot receivers.

JP Losman- Trent Edwards will probably be a good back-up in a year or two...but not now. Nall Ball is unappealing, and so is the thought of a small-school QB taking his first snaps in the NFL. Then again, it's not like Captain Checkdown would be any better.

Jason Peters- Come on people. Do you really think Butler and Pennington can fill in for this guy? He's an athletic freak...they're just athletic. They(especially Butler) lack starting experience and LT experience. Losing him would be a huge blow.

Aaron Schobel- See Peters, except substitute in Ryan Denney and Tony Hargrove. Not as bad...but still not good.

Corner- Any corner. It doesn't matter. We're thin here and it's a shame we couldn't have found some depth in the draft, but then we'd be deficient elsewhere.

Safety- See above, though I hear a lot of good about Wendley.

Personally, I'd say our starters are mostly set, as well as line depth. Next off-season, we'll probably be picking mid-round(#18) and will possibly look to bring in a #2 WR, a CB, and a lot of depth in the problem areas....

[HHURRICANE]

i wouldn't worry about the LB position just yet.there's plenty of time to get a LB for added depth.

Any thoughts on who?

[Mr. Pink]

Almost every team in the league from best team to worst if you take away one of their key players will sink. With the advent of the salary cap, you can't afford to have good depth players. You just have to hope that the injury bug doesn't bite you.

I'm not gonna focus on if Player A gets hurt, or if Player B gets hurt. I just want our key players to stay healthy and have productive years. Focusing on injuries makes the season unbearable...it's bad enough to worry about question marks, which yes, every team has at least one, then to focus on the what if's if one of our stars gets hurt.

[thecoordinator]

I feel the Bills have quality backups on both sides of the trenches.

you are out of your mind.

you don't have depth. what you have are starters that aren't much better than their backups. that doesn't mean depth. it means your starters aren't that good.

[Elminster]

you are out of your mind.

you don't have depth. what you have are starters that aren't much better than their backups. that doesn't mean depth. it means your starters aren't that good.
We're discussing the Bills, not the Dolphins.:box:

[SABURZFAN]

Any thoughts on who?


not really but i'm sure that marv will be scouring the waiver wire every day until he finds somebody.

[SABURZFAN]

you are out of your mind.

you don't have depth. what you have are starters that aren't much better than their backups. that doesn't mean depth. it means your starters aren't that good.



good enough to break the broom off in your ass last year. :rolleyes:

[gr8slayer]

you are out of your mind.

you don't have depth. what you have are starters that aren't much better than their backups. that doesn't mean depth. it means your starters aren't that good.
0-2

[gr8slayer]

good enough to break the broom off in your ass last year. :rolleyes:
Yeah man but they won the Super Bowl like thirty plus years ago. Watch out.