Crowell meets with the Bills about vacancy

[shelby]

Linebacker Angelo Crowell traveled to Buffalo on Monday to have a meeting with the Bills, according to an NFL source.
Crowell, who spent the last six seasons in the Bills’ organization, was considered an unlikely candidate to return to Buffalo after sitting out all of last season with a knee injury.
However, 19 days into the free agency season, Crowell still is looking for a job and the Bills still are looking for a starting outside linebacker.
Crowell, 27, might be the best unrestricted free agent linebacker available. He visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.
Crowell gave the Bills three strong years as a starter from 2005 to ’07. On the Thursday before the 2008 season opener in September, he informed the team that he decided to have surgery on his left knee, which had bothered him throughout training camp and even dating to the ’07 season. The Bills were surprised and upset about the timing of the decision, and the team opted to place him on the injured reserve list for the season.
At 245 pounds, Crowell would give the Bills considerably more stoutness at the strong-side linebacker spot than they had last season, when Keith Ellison manned the position. Ellison is listed at 229 pounds. Crowell also has the versatility to play both the strong and weak-side spots.
Crowell was a defensive captain for the Bills in 2007 and led the team in tackles, with 140. He started 16 games in 2007, 12 in ’06 and 13 in ’05.


more.... (http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/billsnfl/story/610179.html)

[ddaryl]

Sign him and June and get rid of Ellis

[Tatonka]

get him signed. that fills a huge void.

the only thing that worries me is that he has gotten little to no interest on the market.. why?? people are opting for guys like keith brooking, who has cleary gotten older and is on the decline over a younger guy like crowell.

is the injury going to be a constant issue? is it his lack of discipline (ie does he freelance too much on the field instead of stay with his responsibility)?

[OpIv37]

I really think the problem is his knee injury.

[HHURRICANE]

The fact that the Bills and Crowell aren't agreeing to a contarct tells me he is done in Buffalo.

He's a mediocre player and maybe the Bills want a real upgrade at the position.

Just because it looks good on paper doesn't mean that's what we should or will do.

[EricStratton]

I really think the problem is his knee injury.


Because of that I would take a chance on him with a team-friendly make good contract.

Just don't exclude other players just in case.

[PH83]

get him signed. that fills a huge void.

the only thing that worries me is that he has gotten little to no interest on the market.. why?? people are opting for guys like keith brooking, who has cleary gotten older and is on the decline over a younger guy like crowell.

is the injury going to be a constant issue? is it his lack of discipline (ie does he freelance too much on the field instead of stay with his responsibility)?Brooking simply fits the system better as a 3-4 ILB than Crowell would have.

[NC-BILLS44]

Get Crowell signed.

[Dr. Lecter]

The fact that the Bills and Crowell aren't agreeing to a contarct tells me he is done in Buffalo.

He's a mediocre player and maybe the Bills want a real upgrade at the position.

Just because it looks good on paper doesn't mean that's what we should or will do.

1. Who says they are not agreeing to a contract?

2. He is better than mediocre, but not as good as some here think. But who is better and available?

3. At this point he is the best option. And the Bills are likely his best option.

A one or two year deal, set-up so he gets money if he can play and is able to perform.

[PH83]

1. Who says they are not agreeing to a contract?

2. He is better than mediocre, but not as good as some here think. But who is better and available?

3. At this point he is the best option. And the Bills are likely his best option.

A one or two year deal, set-up so he gets money if he can play and is able to perform.With the previous injury it would have to be a year or two deal.

[bigbub2352]

sign him to a 3 yr deal worth 9mil before his injury he was borderline Probowl treat him like one and get a starting LBing core that actually scares people

[The Spaz]

sign him to a 3 yr deal worth 9mil before his injury he was borderline Probowl treat him like one and get a starting LBing core that actually scares people

Something is off about Crowell. If he is "borderline Pro Bowl" Where are all these suitors for him? He apparently hasn't gotten a contract offer from anyone yet.

[bigbub2352]

Something is off about Crowell. If he is "borderline Pro Bowl" Where are all these suitors for him? He apparently hasn't gotten a contract offer from anyone yet.

Could be, or could be player over valueing himself, or the organizations that looked at him are undervalueing him
either way he is defintly the best OLB available and would serve us alot better than June or Keiaho and is much more stout against the run than either of them

Also fills a huge void before the draft

[The Spaz]

Could be, or could be player over valueing himself, or the organizations that looked at him are undervalueing him
either way he is defintly the best OLB available and would serve us alot better than June or Keiaho and is much more stout against the run than either of them

Also fills a huge void before the draft

I agree but I do not see paying him like you said just because he played like a borderline pro bowler like you said.

[venis2k1]

The injury is scaring alot of people away. I'm assuming he got offered alot of 1 year deals, thats prolly not what hes looking for.

[Boomstick]

It seems to me that other teams that may be offtering him contracts, don't know the whole situation about his injury. They just see that he was on IR last year and the short contracts are the thing to offer him.
His injury doesnt really scare me that much. I had something similar done to mine and I feel fine. Now granted I don't play in the NFL, just semi-pro softball, so yeah the knee shouldn't be a problem for him.

[bigbub2352]

I agree but I do not see paying him like you said just because he played like a borderline pro bowler like you said.

Im not the only one to say he was borderline probowl before his injury, he was also team Captain and had 140 tackles 2.5 sacks and a couple of picks as well as a saftey
i think it is safe to say if he is healthy he mite be better than Poz and Mitchell
he would be a big pick up for us right now and allows us to concentrate on filling other pressing holes with the draft and the rest of free agency

[jamze132]

I'm good either way. For every good play he made, he made a horrible decision trying to make another. He doesn't seem disciplined to me.

Considering the remaining options, he is the best.

[HHURRICANE]

After Chris Brown's take I serioulsy doubt that he'll play in Buffalo again.

The Bills screwed themselves and Crowell when they put him on IR.

[Goobylal]

After Chris Brown's take I serioulsy doubt that he'll play in Buffalo again.

The Bills screwed themselves and Crowell when they put him on IR.
Hardly. The best case scenario was that he returned in 4 weeks, and he still needed the major surgery. So he comes back after 4 games, plays at less than 100%, and has the major surgery and is out even longer than he is now.

And Crowell came in today. He's been in other cities and didn't sign.

[MPN]

OBD has to get over his "waiting till the last minute" situation and get him signed, he'll help the team quite a bit.

[DynaPaul]

I would sign Crowell again. There's not much else out there to fill his spot and I don't think we could do another year with Ellis.

[MPN]

get him signed. that fills a huge void.

the only thing that worries me is that he has gotten little to no interest on the market.. why?? people are opting for guys like keith brooking, who has cleary gotten older and is on the decline over a younger guy like crowell.

is the injury going to be a constant issue? is it his lack of discipline (ie does he freelance too much on the field instead of stay with his responsibility)?

It's got to be a combination of his knee injury and the fact that he wasn't the most consistant big play linebacker. Don't take this the wrong way, I like Crowell a lot and hope he gets signed. It just, he has always shown flashes of 2 different levels of play and I dont think other teams followed him strongly enough to see if his partiular skill set outways his current injury.

[tatersalad]

get him signed. that fills a huge void.

the only thing that worries me is that he has gotten little to no interest on the market.. why?? people are opting for guys like keith brooking, who has cleary gotten older and is on the decline over a younger guy like crowell.

is the injury going to be a constant issue? is it his lack of discipline (ie does he freelance too much on the field instead of stay with his responsibility)?




Takeo Spikes and I heard crowell doesn't have much miniscus left he is almost bone on bone

[acehole]

The fact that the Bills and Crowell aren't agreeing to a contarct tells me he is done in Buffalo.

He's a mediocre player and maybe the Bills want a real upgrade at the position.

Just because it looks good on paper doesn't mean that's what we should or will do.

? None of this makes sense....all the way to the period.

[Oaf]

Even with him signed, our LBs are not much above average.. I think we need another bonafide talent there and I'm willing to say its a bigger need than DE.

[Goobylal]

Even with him signed, our LBs are not much above average.. I think we need another bonafide talent there and I'm willing to say its a bigger need than DE.
If they sign Crowell or June to play OLB, they'll be fine at LB. Where they'd improve a lot is by upgrading the DL (outside of Stroud and maybe Schobel, depending on his foot). The trouble is it's easier said than done. Oh and they need to sit Simpson and start Scott.