O-Line shakeup

[Buffalogic]

With our new additions I'm trying to envision our new O-line, but it's kind of hard after watching the post draft videos on bb.com.

Hangartner - Came to play center.

Wood - Drafted at center; expected to play guard.

Levitre - Much better guard than tackle.

So what are your thoughts on how the line will come together? Maybe move Butler out to RT and Langston to LT?

[ddaryl]

Re: O-Line shakeup

5 best players play

it'll come down to trainign camp and preseason battles

[SquishDaFish]

Re: O-Line shakeup

Love it

[jamze132]

Re: O-Line shakeup

It's about time we drafted some O-lineman early.

[Mathja]

Re: O-Line shakeup

Hangartner, Wood and Levitre should occupy the interior line. I think Butler will move to right tackle (his natural position in college) and he will battle it out with Bell for the starting nod.
Langston Walker will be a serviceable left tackle -- not great, serviceable.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: O-Line shakeup

With our new additions I'm trying to envision our new O-line, but it's kind of hard after watching the post draft videos on bb.com.

Hangartner - Came to play center.

Wood - Drafted at center; expected to play guard.

Levitre - Much better guard than tackle.

So what are your thoughts on how the line will come together? Maybe move Butler out to RT and Langston to LT?

Gil Brandt, who is one of the most respected football people on the planet and was calling picks before they happened loved the Wood pick.

They said "Gil where is going to play?" and he said "it has to be center."

The Bills will probably screw this up but it should look like this:

Walker RT
Butler RG
Wood/Hangartner C
Levitre/Hangartner RG
Bell, Chambers, and maybe a Levi Jones pickup to battle for LT.

I'd rather have one hole with solid locks at the other positions vs. some experiment entrusted to our coaching staff.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: O-Line shakeup

Hangartner, Wood and Levitre should occupy the interior line. I think Butler will move to right tackle (his natural position in college) and he will battle it out with Bell for the starting nod.
Langston Walker will be a serviceable left tackle -- not great, serviceable.

I love Butler and I have thought that they might move him to RT and have Walker play left.

Keep in mind that I watched Walker at LT in Oakland and he sucked. Let me make this clear, and I think Walker has done everything we have asked of him, but he royally sucked.

Butler being next to Walker makes Walker a better player.

[colin]

Re: O-Line shakeup

our line all comes down to bell. if he is ready this year he plays and we are good, if he is not then we might just sign an older LT vet for a year or so. possibly by late this year, definitely by 2010, bell will be a starting tackle for us.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Re: O-Line shakeup

our line all comes down to bell. if he is ready this year he plays and we are good, if he is not then we might just sign an older LT vet for a year or so. possibly by late this year, definitely by 2010, bell will be a starting tackle for us.

I totally agree.

As for the interior linemen:

If you listen to Coach Kugler's comments on Wood and Levitre on BB.com, he says that Wood will play both center and guard, but that they will be starting him out at guard. If you watch the video of Levitre on BB.com, it talks about how he has played both OT and OG spots and even some at TE and how he will have to transition from LT to an interior line spot in the NFL.

That tells me that Wood will eventually be the Bills starting center, but they are going to put him at LG this year so that he can break in to playing in the NFL without having the responsibility of having to make the line calls as a rookie. Hangartner will play center this season. Butler will be the right guard. Levitre will spend the year learning how to play all of the line positions, but will probably spend more time learning how to play OG this season. I don't know what Butler's contract situation is, but next year Levitre will be ready to compete with Hangartner and Butler for a starting OG spot. If Butler produces this season and stays with the Bills, Hangartner will be competing against Wood and Levitre for a starting job and could find himself back in the same position that he was in when he was with Carolina (which is fine because the contract that he signed with the Bills really isn't for that much money).

I think the tackle spots will be determined by where the Bills feel that Bell is at in his development. I think colin did a great job of summing up the situation and what the Bills are likely to do in his excellent post.

As pointed out in another post, John Clayton of ESPN says that Levi Jones could be released or traded by Cincy and that the Bills could be a destination for him. Jones has really been slowed down by injuries in recent years, but the Bills may only need to have him healthy for a year or even a half year if they feel that Bell needs more time to develop. If the Bills were to bring him in, they could keep Walker at RT (which I think they should do anyway) and still have K.Chambers as a capable backup at both OT spots for game days until Bell is deemed ready to play.

The offensive line could be decent enough to get by with this year, but should really improve next season with Wood and Levitre and Bell being a lot more ready to step in and start. Walker and Butler can give the Bills a decent right side of the offensive line. The kids could make the middle and left side pretty good next season. If Bell and Wood could give the Bills a passable or even decent left side of the line this season, but a LOT will depend on Bell.

I've said that he is the key to what the Bills line will look like this year and I still think that he is.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: O-Line shakeup

Wow I called this. I guess Jauron is considering Moving Butler to tackle.

[historypete]

Re: O-Line shakeup

I had the same feeling late last night and started a thread on it. Butler played RT in college so it would seem to fit. I think it is risky, but I trust Butler more than Chambers and Bell.

[T-Long]

Re: O-Line shakeup

LT: Walker
LG: Wood
C: Hangartner
RG: Levitre
RT: Butler