Eric Wood and Andy Levitre named Starters

[Mahdi]

Glad to see this "competition" didn't drag out. Getting these guys as many reps as possible is key.


http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-3/front-five-on-o-line-in-place/85bcd07b-3b3a-4247-9e7a-8b5210f5f714

[Joe Fo Sho]

"Since Wood and Levitre were drafted, offensive line coach Sean Kugler spoke about changing the culture of play on the line, which sought stronger, tougher and smarter players up front. The staff believes they have that in their two rookie linemen."

:brilliant:

[bigbub2352]

Smartest thing this coaching staff has ever done is starting these too and drafting them

[ServoBillieves]

I still don't see this happening opening day.

Having that much raw talent in the middle scares me. Who really trusts Geoff Hangartner, Andy Levitre, or Eric Wood against Vince Wilfork?

I know it's early and I know we won't know til it happens, but I still think the smartest line would be...

Walker-Levitre-Hangartner-Butler-Chambers

Prove me wrong rooks, prove me wrong.

[Mahdi]

I still don't see this happening opening day.

Having that much raw talent in the middle scares me. Who really trusts Geoff Hangartner, Andy Levitre, or Eric Wood against Vince Wilfork?

I know it's early and I know we won't know til it happens, but I still think the smartest line would be...

Walker-Levitre-Hangartner-Butler-Chambers

Prove me wrong rooks, prove me wrong.
When you draft a guard or center in the first round he better be able to come in and start right away. Interior line positions are not that difficult to transition to in the NFL. It happens all the time. I believe 6 or 7 rookie LTs started last year and they all performed well. No reason why Wood shouldn't be able to start day one and succeed.

[ServoBillieves]

When you draft a guard or center in the first round he better be able to come in and start right away. Interior line positions are not that difficult to transition to in the NFL. It happens all the time. I believe 6 or 7 rookie LTs started last year and they all performed well. No reason why Wood shouldn't be able to start day one and succeed.

I'm not trying to say he'll fail, I am just a little on-edge about starting 3 new people in the middle and a tackle that is transfering. The FO has faith in the move, so I should too.

I will admit that any guard/center we plug in this year is far better than Fowler or Preston.

[Bills Juggernaut]

The one I trust the most is Hangartner. I watched some of the vids on him and he is going to be a very good center for us. Best by far since Hull.

Don't be surprised if he is our best O-linemen this year.

[yordad]

I still don't see this happening opening day.

Having that much raw talent in the middle scares me. Who really trusts Geoff Hangartner, Andy Levitre, or Eric Wood against Vince Wilfork?

I know it's early and I know we won't know til it happens, but I still think the smartest line would be...

Walker-Levitre-Hangartner-Butler-Chambers

Prove me wrong rooks, prove me wrong.If you were going to start only one rook, why would it be Levitre, and not Wood?

[ParanoidAndroid]

I still don't see this happening opening day.

Having that much raw talent in the middle scares me. Who really trusts Geoff Hangartner, Andy Levitre, or Eric Wood against Vince Wilfork?

I know it's early and I know we won't know til it happens, but I still think the smartest line would be...

Walker-Levitre-Hangartner-Butler-Chambers

Prove me wrong rooks, prove me wrong.

Why Levitre? Wood is the better lineman so far. This doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I would feel better about Wood than Butler at guard.

[Hemlepp53]

WE need to throw them in the fire and see who can and cant handle the heat.

I think Wood is going to make a name for himself by knocking some big D Linemen on their asses. He doesnt seem to have an ounce of punk in him. Very confident and very aggressive in his play. I love the hit em in the mouth and knock em on their back O Line mentally.. from what i see Wood is the perfect mold for that style.

My real concern is Levitre.. not just the fact he is a bit slow on the pick up of what the game plan is but he got blown out of the water by the way Wood came into camp and the statements he has made thus far. Andy needs to step it up and make me a believer. I still think we need to throw him up front and see what the guy is made of. This O Line needs to take notice of Woods heart and mentaliy.

I hope it spreads like the Swine Flu.... :drool:

[Scumbag College]

From LT to RT, Walker-Levitre-Hangartner-Wood-Butler get the five best O-Lineman on the field. It'll probably take a while to gel, but I can see those five starting together for the next couple of years, barring any injuries.

For depth, the versatility of McKinney and Chambers will be great to have around. McKinney can play center or guard if needed, Chambers guard or tackle. Demetrius Bell will probably stick around, but will probably see little to no playing time due to being "raw" and a "project." Jonathon Scott, too, might stick around if he's in shape.

[The Juice Is Loose]

This is good news is so many ways

A. The fact that the veterans didn't hang around for more than a week tells me that these two rookies are already clearly better. We've seen the vet's they beat out play, and we had good games with those guys. We're officially better at the interior 3 than we were last year.

B. Hangartner is going to be our best center since Hull, like the poster said above. The guy has been part of a winning team and should bring some of that with him. We know he can run block. If we can run the ball the way we should be able to, that will take away quite a bit of the pass rush.

C. Our screen game is already further along than it has been in the last 3 years. Even Trent said it. Screens were the biggest thing missing from this offense, IMO. Marshawn/Fred/Dominic are going to be awesome this season.

I'm getting very, very excited.

[Akhippo]

First, I love the way Wood has come in. If he plays half as good as the hype we have a player. On paper I like the interior. Now if we can get a first round LT next year, or a RT and have Bell develop I will be more excited about this line than I have in years.

[tampabay25690]

It helps them with the extra preseason game

[Philagape]

If we're going to blow up the line, it's best to do it with guys like these: smart, tough, smart, versatile, and smart.
I'm loving the rookie guards more and more. Could be the smartest draft picks this team has had in a long time.

[Night Train]

After watching Saturdays practice, I wouldn't be surprised if it's Bell-Wood-Hangartner-Levitre-Walker by Sept.

[Mad Bomber]

I still don't see this happening opening day.

Having that much raw talent in the middle scares me. Who really trusts Geoff Hangartner, Andy Levitre, or Eric Wood against Vince Wilfork?

I know it's early and I know we won't know til it happens, but I still think the smartest line would be...

Walker-Levitre-Hangartner-Butler-Chambers

Prove me wrong rooks, prove me wrong.
Based on what Stroud has said, Wood is good, and mean. I would have more doubts about Levitre than Wood, from what I've heard/read so far. Wood also has the advantage that he can play Center.

I have a good feeling about this guy.

[Mad Bomber]

After watching Saturdays practice, I wouldn't be surprised if it's Bell-Wood-Hangartner-Levitre-Walker by Sept.

I don't have the advantage of having actually SEEN them play, but from what I have read, Wood seems like the real deal.

[Scumbag College]

After watching Saturdays practice, I wouldn't be surprised if it's Bell-Wood-Hangartner-Levitre-Walker by Sept.

I've heard Demetrius Bell hyped up in a few different places. Do we have our next Jason Peters in this guy?

[FlyingDutchman]

After watching Saturdays practice, I wouldn't be surprised if it's Bell-Wood-Hangartner-Levitre-Walker by Sept.

is that attributed to Bell playing good? Or Butler stinking at RT? Or Walker stinking at LT?....please elaborate....

[Nighthawk]

I still don't see this happening opening day.

Having that much raw talent in the middle scares me. Who really trusts Geoff Hangartner, Andy Levitre, or Eric Wood against Vince Wilfork?

I know it's early and I know we won't know til it happens, but I still think the smartest line would be...

Walker-Levitre-Hangartner-Butler-Chambers

Prove me wrong rooks, prove me wrong.

I trust them a lot more then I trusted the garbage that was there in the past!

[BillsWin]

Got no Wood? Need some Levitre?

HA!

[YardRat]

I'm cautiously optimistic, but if these guys aren't the second-comings of John Hannah and Gene Upshaw we're screwed.

[mayotm]

I'm cautiously optimistic, but if these guys aren't the second-comings of John Hannah and Gene Upshaw we're screwed.They don't need to Hall of Famers. Just solid starters.

[RamblingMisnomer]

I question the early decision to name both rookies as starters without any game action what so ever. What is the hurry exactly? You can give them first team reps all day long and nobody is going to question it given their draft status. I just dont like "naming" starters so early into camp and before we even see a snap in even a scrimmage or pre-season game. Just doesnt make a lot of sense to me.

Hopefully come Sunday both guys tear it up, I know I for one will be watching them very closely.

[Goobylal]

I question the early decision to name both rookies as starters without any game action what so ever. What is the hurry exactly? You can give them first team reps all day long and nobody is going to question it given their draft status. I just dont like "naming" starters so early into camp and before we even see a snap in even a scrimmage or pre-season game. Just doesnt make a lot of sense to me.

Hopefully come Sunday both guys tear it up, I know I for one will be watching them very closely.
They weren't drafted to sit. And McKinney and Chambers don't figure too much in future plans at OG. I'd rather they went with Wood, Levitre, and Bell, and get the future started earlier.

[YardRat]

They don't need to Hall of Famers. Just solid starters.

I disagree...maybe not HOFers, but more than 'solid starters'. They need to show flashes of being able to dominate, and not just against scrubs.

[Al the Bills Fan]

I LOVE that we drafted these two guys BUT I am a little concerned with naming them starters this soon. I wanted both of these guys as Day 1 starters anyways, I just hope they stay hungry.

The positive is that they will get a lot more reps which is never a bad thing.

[RamblingMisnomer]

They weren't drafted to sit. And McKinney and Chambers don't figure too much in future plans at OG. I'd rather they went with Wood, Levitre, and Bell, and get the future started earlier.

I realize that however there are things to consider other than just their draft status. For instance rushing development, stunting a player, or a player losing his confidence. All things that are big time factors into rookies and them either panning out or being busts.

[jmb1099]

gone are the days of having the luxury of slowly grooming a player into being seasoned. They're paid too much to sit and team needs usually dictate an out of the gate approach. Besides, if we don't start them immediately we'd all be questioning the FO for taking them in the first place so...

[jamze132]

I think Dick named them starters for their own mentality. I would rather go into the pre-season games knowing the job is mine to lose.

[ddaryl]

Having that much raw talent in the middle scares me. Who really trusts Geoff Hangartner, Andy Levitre, or Eric Wood against Vince Wilfork?




Over Dockery, Fowler and Butler


are you really concerned considering what we fielded the last few years...

[Commissioner]

2 rookie guards starting makes me a little nervous.....

But I do believe these guys will be good.... so why wait?

It's about time the Bills used the draft to invest in good Olineman.

[Mahdi]

This is an OL with five new starting positions. There isn't time to drag things out. The simple reason for this decision is getting 5 guys comfortable with each other by the time the real games start.

[Jan Reimers]

We were 7-9 the last three years. Why not take a chance and let 2 of the highest rated interior linemen in the draft play? How do we and they get better by sitting?

[madness]

Running no huddle in TC exclusively makes even more sense now.

[mysticsoto]

I agree with the decision. If these guys are our future, you need to get them reps with the 1st team now and in preseason. Chambers, Butler, etc already have experience playing. Bell unfortunately won't get too much experience with the 1st team b'cse he's competing w/Walker who also needs experience at LT. He's been getting some reps at RT atleast.

[RamblingMisnomer]

Levitre hasnt played OG since HS, and Wood played predominantly OC in college, nobody said they shouldnt be getting the most reps, I think we all agree they should. But naming them starters before even a preseason snap is a bit of an early deicision, no? Especially given that while Wood has been very impressive, Levitre has been just meh, making rookie mistakes and adjusting slowly.

[yordad]

JNust because you "named" someone starter, doesn't mean you cannot un-name them. Chris Brown, who is most likely the source of this news, also said Dick didn't "write it in stone".

[SABURZFAN]

if Chris Brown says it is so, it has to be true. he's never wrong. :whistling