Harris, Bowen or Ellison?

[BillsWin]

Who do you think will win out the starting OLB spot?

I really think Harris will get it. I watched him at OU and like his hustle and hitting abilities. He's pretty good, I think he'll transition well.

I think Bowen is a great prospect as well, the guy is a tackling animal. Ellison is a backup at best.

Your opinions?

[elltrain22]

Unfortunately, unless we go out and sign a FA olb, then Keith Ellison will be starting. Alvin Bowen doesn't have enough NFL game experience, and Nic Harris I don't think will be ready to jump from safety to lb.

[ServoBillieves]

Bowen is my darkhorse to win the starting job, and rightfully so. WLB is based a lot on speed, and I think unless the injury really crippled his speed, Bowen is the best for the job. I'd then go Harris, and Ellison on coverage downs, cause, we can all at least agree that he's good in coverage.

[jimbohastle51]

i think it will be nick harris as our opening day starter. at worse ellison will start the season and harris will take over for him later in the year. they wanted harris all along. they worked him out in buffalo before the draft and they knew that because of his slow times he would fall because he wouldnt be a safety in the NFL and only a couple teams need cover 2 LB's right now. he is going to be a stud for us and honestly should easily unseat ellison.

[Tatonka]

nick harris..

[circlethewagons]

Personally im hoping Bowen or Harris Out plays Ellison in camp, but I have a feeling Ellison may be penciled in as the starter. Be nice if we could pick up another vet, but at this point that looks unlikely. I think Pat Thomas should be included in the mix as well, but he seems to be a long shot to win the job based on what i've read about him

[ChristopherWalken]

Ellison has the edge as he knows the defense and has the experience. He will more than likely start the season, but I think Nic Harris has the ability to take it from him once the season is on full swing.

[Devin]

none are starting material, least as of yet. While id love to see a new face there Ellison as of now easily is the starter.

[Lefty2985]

i like bowen but ellison has the experience and they wont start either over him unless they just are absoultly head and shoulders above him at that start of the season.

[Michael82]

If he's 100%...Alvin Bowen will win the job in training camp.

[ServoBillieves]

John DiGiorgio.

Make it an all white (is Kawika technically white?) LB corp.

[TigerJ]

Bowen is my darkhorse to win the starting job, and rightfully so. WLB is based a lot on speed, and I think unless the injury really crippled his speed, Bowen is the best for the job. I'd then go Harris, and Ellison on coverage downs, cause, we can all at least agree that he's good in coverage.

Unless the Bills have a change of heart, Kawika Mitchell is the Bills' weak side linebacker. Crowell and Ellison both have played the strong side linebacker spot. Of course, it's a guess at this point. The Bills know that Ellison has not really been an adequate strong side linebacker een though they won't admit it publically. They want someone to take it away from him. Bowen was even smaller than Ellison last season, but has reportedly bulked up. I think both Harris and Bowen have a little more upside than Ellison athletically. It's only a question of instinct, football intelligence and the quickness with which they can learn what they need to know to unseat Ellison. Harris is making the position switch, but he's reportedly very bright, super instinctive and a real student of the game, so he's got a legitimate shot. I don't know that Bowen is as much a student of the game as is Harris. I'll guess Harris wins it.

[Jeff1220]

Any chance Digi is in the mix?

[Goobylal]

If he's 100%...Alvin Bowen will win the job in training camp.
I agree. Ellison isn't pencilled-in as the starter; he'll have to fight for it.

[kid mickey]

Nic Harris is going to win the spot. The guy is the perfect blend of size and speed for the position. It doesn't hurt that he has played safety in college, because that means he has coverage skills. He just has to put on additional mass and he has got the job. You just look at the guy at 6'2 234 he has room to put on ten more pounds and be stronger. I just see him taking the job easily. Ellison is really not competition in my eyes. All he can do is cover.

[Goobylal]

Nic Harris is going to win the spot. The guy is the perfect blend of size and speed for the position. It doesn't hurt that he has played safety in college, because that means he has coverage skills. He just has to put on additional mass and he has got the job. You just look at the guy at 6'2 234 he has room to put on ten more pounds and be stronger. I just see him taking the job easily. Ellison is really not competition in my eyes. All he can do is cover.
Bowen at least has had a year to learn the system and get stronger, albeit his injury set him back some. I'd take Harris as a close 2nd option, though.

[Ed]

I think this ends up being the most interesting battle in training camp. I think Harris could be an exciting playmaker in this defense, so hopefully he's a quick learner and wins the spot.

[kid mickey]

It will be a good competition. I think it will be a three way battle, just like I think there will be a three way battle for the LT job.

[rcd333]

John DiGiorgio.

Make it an all white (is Kawika technically white?) LB corp.

i dont know, i think we do have the whitest front seven in the nfl already

[yordad]

I think it should be Digi's job to lose. And yes, I do know it wasn't his, I just think it should have been.

[HHURRICANE]

It will be a good competition. I think it will be a three way battle, just like I think there will be a three way battle for the LT job.

Walker at 5 million a year is playing LT so there will be no competition especially now that Butler is playing RT. End of story.

The competition for LB is between a guy who was terrible as the starter, a guy coming off major surgery, and a rookie that was drafted as an LB project.

Sorry, but this like be asked if you prefer to be killed by a knife or strangulation. Either way it sucks.

[kid mickey]

I'll take being killed by a knife any day of the week. Strangulation just would be freaking scary and ultra suffering, kinda like what Ellison does to this team. Oh I wouldn't say there won't be a competition for that LT spot just yet. I'm also pretty sure Walker isn't making 5 mil a year either.

[kid mickey]

And if he is holy crap, I don't think he's that good. Buffalo over-paid him big time.

[Pinkerton Security]

Nic Harris is going to win the spot. The guy is the perfect blend of size and speed for the position. It doesn't hurt that he has played safety in college, because that means he has coverage skills. He just has to put on additional mass and he has got the job. You just look at the guy at 6'2 234 he has room to put on ten more pounds and be stronger. I just see him taking the job easily. Ellison is really not competition in my eyes. All he can do is cover.

you do know that as an LB you have to fend off lineman right?

also, you say that Harris will win the starting job because he can cover, yet so can Ellison, but he has no chance to win the spot even though he has the most experience at that spot.

[kid mickey]

I mentioned that he was bigger than Ellison and went on to support that it doesn't hurt to have played safety, because you know he has decent coverage skills. Harris is already bigger than Ellison and hits harder and plays smarter. Sorry I didn't put that in the post for you.

All Ellison can do is cover. I must say though Ellison has a whole lot experience and no skills to show for it, I can't believe you are defending this scrub.

[HHURRICANE]

And if he is holy crap, I don't think he's that good. Buffalo over-paid him big time.

5 years, 25 million. Oh yeah he makes 5 million a year.

I actually think Walker was worth the money and has played reliable at RT. People have short memories around here. Our o-line blew monkey chunks when Bledsoe was here.

As far as LB, how Ellsion makes a starter on day one is mind boggling but he'snot going to get beat out by Harris. Bowen was an exciting prospect until he got injured but now who knows. The Byrd pick should have been used for LB IMO.

[ddaryl]

I'm disappointed that we do not have one more solid veteran OLB on the roster to compete.

[Oaf]

How can anyone place Bowen as a darkhorse STARTING candidate? The guy has never even taken a snap in the preseason. If anything, he's a darkhorse Make the Team candidate.

Hopefully Harris will be able to catch on and start over Ellison by week 6-8.

[kid mickey]

I am really hoping Harris beats Ellison out in training camp. All he has to do is show he is physical, can get off blocks and show superior instincts, I think he's got the superior instincts down. He just needs to get a little stronger and make freaking tackle. If he tackles better than Ellison than there is no way you keep him off the field.

[kid mickey]

5 years, 25 million. Oh yeah he makes 5 million a year.

I actually think Walker was worth the money and has played reliable at RT. People have short memories around here. Our o-line blew monkey chunks when Bledsoe was here.

As far as LB, how Ellsion makes a starter on day one is mind boggling but he'snot going to get beat out by Harris. Bowen was an exciting prospect until he got injured but now who knows. The Byrd pick should have been used for LB IMO.

Dude, you realize that if he was making 5 mil a year and Peters was only making 4 than Peters wanting out of Buffalo makes perfect sense. I'm not even the second highest paid player on the line I'm the third. Wow. I'd be disgruntled too, if I were him. At the same time though, you don't just destroy your teams chances of winning by not practicing and playing with the team. It was a imploding love affair and now the two sides have separated. Can't say I'm surprised.

[HHURRICANE]

Dude, you realize that if he was making 5 mil a year and Peters was only making 4 than Peters wanting out of Buffalo makes perfect sense. I'm not even the second highest paid player on the line I'm the third. Wow. I'd be disgruntled too, if I were him. At the same time though, you don't just destroy your teams chances of winning by not practicing and playing with the team. It was a imploding love affair and now the two sides have separated. Can't say I'm surprised.

Just figuring out now why I have been pissed.

Peters might have been DUI but the Bills served the liquor and gave him the keys.

This was an accident waiting to happen and that's why I blame the FO. yeah, he could have handled it better but maybe that's why he didn't.

[kid mickey]

It sucks, but honestly at the end of the day, I'm not too concerned about it. Whoever starts at LT won't be so horrible that Edwards gets killed. I only say this because we got Wood and Levitre.

[HHURRICANE]

It sucks, but honestly at the end of the day, I'm not too concerned about it. Whoever starts at LT won't be so horrible that Edwards gets killed. I only say this because we got Wood and Levitre.

I like Edwards alot. I hope your right. I would being pretty psyched about the Bills on offense had the kept Peters because you wouldn't of had to move anyone around and that would have helped immensly.

Everyone forgets the learning curve the o-line went though in 2006 and it wasn't until we brought Peters in at RT that things got better.

[kid mickey]

Hopefully the learning curve won't be crazy because these young guys are highly intelligent players. I would hope that the Bills can get it together with this group. I would really hate Jauron to fail because another coach could come in and turn this roster inside out and I honestly like this team. We need maybe one or two more guys to really compete. We are still lacking another D end and if T.O isn't around after this year we could stand to get another WR. I just don't think Hardy has it.

[Buddo]

There's actually another 'dark horse' from the practise squad, in Vince Hall. 6ft 238 lbs. Was a udfa taken by the rams, and we picked him up later last year sometime. iirc he was udfa due to an injury, as opposed to lack of talent.

[kid mickey]

There a bunch of guys on the squad right now who will be competing for the spot, but Nic Harris has the best size. I don't think the Bills are crazy about 6' guys starting. I think they like them all as back-ups, but I think Harris because he has a lanky frame and moves well has a very good chance of starting this year. Who knows, though. I just want a guy who can tackle and cover. I'm obviously pulling for Harris.

[Goobylal]

How can anyone place Bowen as a darkhorse STARTING candidate? The guy has never even taken a snap in the preseason. If anything, he's a darkhorse Make the Team candidate.

Hopefully Harris will be able to catch on and start over Ellison by week 6-8.
Bowen was having a great training camp before getting injured. That's why some think he's the darkhorse, depending on his return from the injury.

[psubills62]

Just figuring out now why I have been pissed.

Peters might have been DUI but the Bills served the liquor and gave him the keys.

This was an accident waiting to happen and that's why I blame the FO. yeah, he could have handled it better but maybe that's why he didn't.

Show me a player that handled their situation the same way. Sheldon Brown voiced his displeasure, but he showed up to the minicamp. Anquan Boldin has been displeased for a couple years - he still shows up.

Fact is, you can't blame the Bills for pushing him to make the choices that Peters made. He MADE those choices, just like most every other player is making the choice to show up and practice with their team. This is Peters' fault, period.

[Goobylal]

Show me a player that handled their situation the same way. Sheldon Brown voiced his displeasure, but he showed up to the minicamp. Anquan Boldin has been displeased for a couple years - he still shows up.

Fact is, you can't blame the Bills for pushing him to make the choices that Peters made. He MADE those choices, just like most every other player is making the choice to show up and practice with their team. This is Peters' fault, period.
Exactly. When was the last time a player held out until just before the first game of the season? The last player I recall holding out that long was Sean Gilbert, who missed an entire season. And judging by Peters' PC when he returned, it sounded like his agent (Eugene Parker, who is still a DB), wasn't the one telling him to stay away that long.

The bottom line is Peters handled it like a baby. And ultimately he got his wish: to be out of Buffalo. But he better grow up quick because they'll eat him alive in Philly and he doesn't have the mental makeup to handle it well.

[yordad]

I mentioned that he was bigger than Ellison and went on to support that it doesn't hurt to have played safety, because you know he has decent coverage skills. Harris is already bigger than Ellison and hits harder and plays smarter. Sorry I didn't put that in the post for you.

All Ellison can do is cover. I must say though Ellison has a whole lot experience and no skills to show for it, I can't believe you are defending this scrub.I disagree..... Ellison cannot even cover. :snicker:

[yordad]

How can anyone place Bowen as a darkhorse STARTING candidate? The guy has never even taken a snap in the preseason. If anything, he's a darkhorse Make the Team candidate.

Hopefully Harris will be able to catch on and start over Ellison by week 6-8.Because of this sweet vid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JQdajFXlD4). But seriously, this little clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYLcn0_jbRk) shows he is violent, and is fast and athletic. I just think he is a little smallish. But, maybe a year in the NFL training program put some more beef on the guy.

[venis2k1]

The problem with all these guys is that next year when we change over to a real defense, they wont be able to find a position.