Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

[The Spaz]

As the Bills rookie minicamp was winding down, one of the three offensive linemen in attendance positioned himself over the ball and reached down with his left hand. A few seconds later Nevin McCaskill was snapping the ball to quarterback Matt Baker.

It's the first time McCaskill (6'4" 300) has taken snaps at center since he was a teenager, but Buffalo's offensive staff believe there could be a future for him in the pivot.

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=6071

[TigerJ]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

McCaskill certainly isnot going to make the team as a tackle. Might as well try him at a position where there is more of a question mark. Personally, I think with a name like Nevin, he should learn how to be a butler.

[Mitchy moo]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

McCaskill certainly isnot going to make the team as a tackle. Might as well try him at a position where there is more of a question mark. Personally, I think with a name like Nevin, he should learn how to be a butler.

You go ahead and tell him that to his face. I can give a care less if his name is June june, give him the rock at center and let's see what he has. Fowler isn't going to replace himself.

[OpIv37]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

Nevin McCaskill is snapping the ball to QB Matt Baker and BB.com calls it news?

This is why I hate off-season.

[OpIv37]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

also, how does a black guy from California get the name "Nevin McCaskill"? When I clicked the link, I was expecting to see a picture of a limey Brit with messed up teeth.

[Tatonka]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

championship.

[Romes]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

- upgrade center position




edit: /sarcasm

[Michael82]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

- upgrade center position




edit: /sarcasm

[Jan Reimers]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

I've had the offseason blues the last couple of days, but I'm stoked now!

[jamze132]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

I just heard after the article broke, the Bills put playoff tickets up for grabs!

[Johnny Bugmenot]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

Good God, they're STILL shuffling people up and down the line? I swear, they ruined Duke Preston's career that way!

[mysticsoto]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

Good God, they're STILL shuffling people up and down the line? I swear, they ruined Duke Preston's career that way!

What? There's no shuffling...they're trying to add skillsets to the backups to make them more worthy of keeping - those that can adapt...remain. And so far, McCaskill looks like he adapts quickly. Duke Preston never had a career - he was brought in b'cse of his so called intelligence, but never took over at Center, is below avg at guard, has really short arms and the only intelligence I've seen from him is that he's managed to swindle some money out of the Bills these last couple of years.

[superbills]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

also, how does a black guy from California get the name "Nevin McCaskill"? When I clicked the link, I was expecting to see a picture of a limey Brit with messed up teeth.

Ha! I was thinking the exact same thing...

[Patrick76777]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

Ha! I was thinking the exact same thing...

I think Jeff Saturday was an Undrafted FA.

You never know!

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Re: Upstart Lineman McCaskill Trying Center

I think Jeff Saturday was an Undrafted FA.

You never know!

He was.

So was Jason Peters.


Just because a guy wasn't drafted in the first three rounds of the draft, it doesn't mean that he has no chance of becoming a good player in the NFL--particularly on the offensive line.

I haven't seen enough of McCaskill to know what he can or can't do. But, it sounds like the coaches like him and, knowing what they are looking for in a player, think that he has a shot to develop as a player at the center position. Who are we to say that he does or doesn't?

Let them see the kid play the position in the OTAs and TC and maybe give him a year to develop further at it on the PS.

The Bills aren't going to replace Fowler as their starting center this season, but, with Gaddis and now McCaskill getting reps at the position, it appears that they are looking to develop someone who potentially will be ready to challenge him for the starting job next season. Which is, after all, what so many of you guys wanted them to do.

And, at least this kid has some size at 300 lbs., which is more than could be said of most of the centers that everyone wanted the Bills to draft in the later rounds of this draft. Almost half of the centers who were taken in the draft were in the 285-295 range and none of the centers in this draft was going to be ready to step in and start at the position this season. So, even though he hasn't played the position since he was a teenager, in some ways he's already a step ahead of those guys.

Geez, give the kid a chance before you automatically label him as a bust or a nobody. I'd rather give him a chance to show what he can do than Duke Preston who has had three full seasons and plenty of opportunities to show that he can't get the job done.

Some of the same people who have already written this kid, McCaskill, off are the same people who wrote off Jason Peters and thought that the very idea that he would become the Bills starting LT within three years was a joke. Now, I'm in no way suggesting that McCaskill is going to be another Jason Peters, but I wouldn't write him off as a joke just yet either. Give the kid a chance...for all we know he just might develop into a nice upgrade over M.Fowler by next year. And, if he doesn't, at least we will know that the Bills are looking at the position as one where they need to try to make an upgrade.