Here or Gone: Starting Offensive Line

[G. Host]

I will post a public poll a day (or so) whether a player will be on Bills' roster game 1 of the 2008 season. All polls will end on March 1 which should be before free agency starts. If any player retires before March 1 then the player will be removed from statistics. This should give us 65 polls or more whether a player remains and at start of 2008 season I'll post a chart who is best prognosticator and some other states such as who guessed the most players gone, etc.

Note: This is a prediction on what the Bills will do not what YOU think they should do. A vote of 'No' means the player will be cut, traded, injured and put on IR, retired, or put on some other list as long as it is not active roster. I will NOT vote to make judging impartial.

http://members.cox.net/billswatch/20080108.GIF

Seventh poll is on starting offensive line.

This time I am going to do something a little different to catch up - I am going to do a poll on EACH member of OL. Vote for EACH member of the OL who you think will be on roster game 1. If you vote for at least one but not all then gor the remainder of the players it will be counted as a "No" vote.

Previous Polls (with other polls linked):

http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php?p=2271145#post2271145

There were significant less people voting it that poll. If there is not interest from people then I am not sure if it is worth the effort to gather them. Hard to compare vote numbers.

[bigbub2352]

Yes the ywill all be back cause we have so many other pressing needs, but hopefully this is the last year we see Fowler, he is a bum, and i know we can do better

[venis2k1]

Fowler is not a bum. He is however the reason the bills have trouble running in between the tackles.

[TedMock]

I find Brad Butler to be a weaker link than Fowler. Not all pressure in the middle is the center's fault. Butler is young and came into the season off of an injury that resulted in some weight loss, so I'm willing to be a little patient, but I saw him as a reason for a lot of the interior collapse.

[bigbub2352]

Fowler is not a bum. He is however the reason the bills have trouble running in between the tackles.

If u take the time to look at the pressure even on pass plays it comes from up the middle, they cant run bewteen the tackles or pull or trap effectivly cause fowler gets pushed back into the backfeild, he is the weakest link and is average at best

[venis2k1]

A RG would allow Butler to become our #1 backup tackle...cause we all know that Kirk Chambers sucks. Thats like upgrading 2 positons with one move.

[Mahdi]

As much as I would like to see an upgrade at C I doubt they do it. Their reasoning, which is fair, will be that our run game got way to much attention due to our QB and WR corps.

[mysticsoto]

Anybody that is brought in will likely take time to be able to adjust and replace another - even Center. So in the interest of keeping the current gelling of the Oline stable, I don't predict much changes, though grooming may likely begin for Center...

[Saratoga Slim]

Anybody that is brought in will likely take time til be able to adjust and replace another - even Center. So in the interest of keeping the current gelling of the Oline stable, I don't predict much changes, though grooming may likely begin for Center...

That's exactly why I voted to keep them all. Even if we pick up a great center in FA--and from what I've read there is nobody that would be a huge upgrade--it would be worthwhile keeping Fowler. He's not terrible, and is a good backup or an adequeate starter while we groom a rookie.

[yordad]

Walker- locked up

Butler- Considering the switch they made here last year, I wouldn't be surprised if they did it again. No real ties. No big contract. But, with so many other glaring needs, I do not think a top move would be used here, so I doubt an upgrade will be aquired

Fowler- Weakest link, IMO. But, I don't see how they get anyone who is an upgrade. Fowler will return by default.

Dockery- Solid

Peters- No brainer

[jimbohastle51]

i think they will all be on the roster but maybe fowler will be a back up, but that really depends on how free agency goes. they spent so much garanteed money on walker and dockery they might not want to put anymore big money into the offensive line and draft a center to compete with fowler instead.

[TigerJ]

I could see Buffalo bringing in some competition at center, but unless Fowler's contract is up, I don't see the Bills releasing him. I think he's the most likely to be gone, and I don't think that will happen, so I really expect all of them to be back and probably all will be starters on day one.

[djjimkelly]

continuity is the key on o line they better all be back and get fowler some JUICE

[G. Host]

Fowler - 3 yrs. $7.2M. SB & LTBE $3.075M. Base $600,000 (2006); $1.75M (2007); $1.775M (2008).

So figure $1M needs to be recaptured if he is let go.

[YardRat]

They should all be on the roster opening day, but hopefully there is a different starter at center.

Walker and Peters are set as bookends. Butler did fine, Dockery underachieved a little and wasn't as dominant as some would like but he isn't going anywhere. Fowler is too weak.

[casdhf]

They'll all be here. Starting? Who knows.

[patmoran2006]

I think they're all back.

Fowler is most questionable, but there's nobody in the draft who's going to start before him this year, and there isn't a lot of quality centers in free agency worth spending on either.

[ParanoidAndroid]

I watched Butler get out front on a pull against Cleveland. His block broke a big run by Lynch and I'll be damned if they ever went back to that the rest of the game. Butler is going to be fine. If he can get a bit stronger along with Fowler, they will be a decent O-line. We were top 10 in sacks allowed this year. I'll take it, but we need to get a better push in the running game. However, I agree with an earlier post by Mahdi which raised the point that teasms stacked the box on us.....again.
Keep the O-line....get some receivers and let it fly!