Stroud's Pursuit Isn't Trivial

[Romes]

“Obviously he’s a very talented, Pro Bowl player,” said guard Brad Butler, who lines up across from Stroud. “And right off the bat, I can tell he’s smart. You’re sitting there playing eye games. You can tell he’s a veteran and he knows what he’s doing. He’s breaking it down before the snap. That’s something that takes a few years to get and it’s something that I’m still learning. You look at a guy’s hands and the pressure he’s putting on his hands, where his eyes are moving, what number he’s calling out. You can tell he knows what he’s doing.”

Stroud also likes what he sees of his new teammates so far.

“I think if we can keep running to the ball and take care of the little things, we can be in the top tier in the league,” he said. “We definitely have the talent. It’s just a matter of going out and playing every Sunday and doing the right things.”

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/356950.html

Even if Stroud is only 75% of his former self that veteran experience in the middle of the line should be huge.

[jamze132]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/356950.html

Even if Stroud is only 75% of his former self that veteran experience in the middle of the line should be huge.
I agree. As long as he isn't becoming a liability on the field, he will help lots with the D-line. Meaning, he doesn't have to be his old Pro Bowl caliber self to contribute to his team. As long as he can stay healthy and not get "owned", we'll be allright.

[dasaybz]

Ya, I highly doubt Marcus Stroud is going to get "owned".

[jamze132]

Ya, I highly doubt Marcus Stroud is going to get "owned".
Me neither. That disclaimer was for those individuals who want to argue every avenue of ones post.

[Night Train]

My favorite thing about Marv was he'd play his star/key players for 1 series in the pre-season and then bench them for 56 minutes.

I bet Thurman didn't play more than 20 minutes in the pre-season his entire career. I'm still a big believer in that thinking. Only bad things can happen.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

As much as his experience will help, I think that Stroud's "presence"--the fact that he has been a Pro Bowler and knows how to get the job done--even if he isn't 100% or able to play up to his previous Pro Bowl level, will give the Bills' younger players a degree of confidence in their own abilities that they haven't had before.

I believe that that confidence will allow them to believe that they can get the job done and, ultimately, allow them to play better than they have. Just knowing that a player like Stroud is there--that he has your back or that you can turn to him for advice or help in a tough situation if need be--can make a young, relatively inexperienced player, like McCargo or K.Williams, even S.Johnson, feel freer to just let loose and play his game.

I am really looking forward to seeing how the Bills D-line--and particularly the DTs--play this season. I think the additions of Stroud and Mitchell could make the Bills' front seven a lot better than it was last season, even if those two veterans do not have outstanding seasons.

I am impressed by Stroud's pride in his accomplishments and how he has directed that pride towards trying to get himself back to his past level of play while modestly saying that his teammates have the makings of a good team and he is just that little piece to get them over the top. I like that approach and hope that he can have a great comeback season for the Bills this year, even if they may not need for him to be great in order for their defense to be greatly improved this season.