Bell favored at LT?

[psubills62]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-9-220/Bell-evolving-into-Bills--left-tackle-of-choice.html

From this, it sounds as though Bills coaches want Bell to start over Walker... kind of strange, to me. I thought Walker had been doing decently at LT. Not great, but decent. And it didn't sound like Bell was all THAT good. I guess we'll find out during the season.



When Langston Walker takes the field at left tackle Saturday night, do not assume that's what the Buffalo Bills prefer.

Sources close to the team tell me there's a growing belief among some coaches on Dick Jauron's staff that Demetrius Bell should be the left tackle when the regular season opens Sept. 14 against the New England Patriots.

Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert is said to prefer Bell because he has outperformed Walker and would give Buffalo the best chance to win.

That's disconcerting news for a team that was comfortable plugging Walker into the critical blind-side protector role vacated by the trade of two-time Pro Bowler Jason Peters.

Bell has gotten some first-team reps in practices and preseason games. That hasn't been by accident.

Bell's progress, however, has been interrupted by a back injury that Jauron has labeled "week to week." He was carted off the practice field Monday and hasn't been able to practice. He already has been ruled out for Saturday night's exhibition against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.

That part of Buffalo's staff favors Bell speaks as much about the club's dissatisfaction over Walker's inadequacies as it does Bell's development.

Bell was drafted in the seventh round last year out of Northwestern State as a project. He was deactivated for 15 games, and didn't get on the field for the only game he suited up.

Walker is entering his eighth NFL season and started all 16 games in each of his past three seasons. He's a natural right tackle, but the Bills were relying on his experience when they traded Peters to the Philadelphia Eagles and chose not to draft a tackle.

Bills fans have been intrigues by Bell's development, even comparing him to Peters. The Bills signed Peters as an undrafted tight end and converted him into one of the NFL's most dominant tackles when he's on his game.

If Bell is able to win the job from Walker, it will make the Bills' offensive line even more inexperienced. Rookies Eric Wood and Andy Levitre are expected to be the starting guards on opening night.

[-Brandon-]

I hope this is the case. I want to see a line of Bell-Levitre-Hag-Wood-Walker come opening day. Walker seems too big to be an effective left tackle, his mobility(or lack thereof) bothers me.

[TigerJ]

I think the Bills have known all along that Bell is very athletic and has great upside as a left tackle. They probably feared he would not be ready to take that major step up this soon. That's why they had penciled in Walker as the starting LT. Walker is clearly better suited to be a RT. It's impossible to predict how fast a young player will progress, but if Bell is ready, this is clearly good news for the Bills as it instantly gives them some good depth with Butler as a swing man. The big "if" in this scenario is the question of how Butler would handle a demotion after starting for a couple years.

[Lexwhat]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-9-220/Bell-evolving-into-Bills--left-tackle-of-choice.html

From this, it sounds as though Bills coaches want Bell to start over Walker... kind of strange, to me. I thought Walker had been doing decently at LT. Not great, but decent. And it didn't sound like Bell was all THAT good. I guess we'll find out during the season.

If you remember, we had a debate about this a few weeks ago... I have NEVER trusted Walker to be a Left Tackle -- I've had it as my Sig for a long time now.

This has nothing to do with Peters either. This has everything to do with the Bills not drafting a Tackle and thinking that Walker could handle the LT position in the first place.

Now we're stuck with Demetrius Bell (who is the definition of "raw") to fill in the most important O-Line position with 2 weeks to go until the regular season.

This O-Line could very well be worse than the one we had during the Donohoe era.

Ridiculous.

[Lexwhat]

I think the Bills have known all along that Bell is very athletic and has great upside as a left tackle. They probably feared he would not be ready to take that major step up this soon. That's why they had penciled in Walker as the starting LT. Walker is clearly better suited to be a RT. It's impossible to predict how fast a young player will progress, but if Bell is ready, this is clearly good news for the Bills as it instantly gives them some good depth with Butler as a swing man. The big "if" in this scenario is the question of how Butler would handle a demotion after starting for a couple years.

This isn't really "good news." If you read the article by Tim Graham, the Bills are very dissatisfied with Walker at LT. That's the primary reason they want to throw Bell into the fire from Day 1.

As far as Butler goes, the guy is so average, and is extremely overrated by Bills fans. He's not horrible, but he's not a bonafide starter either.

[BertSquirtgum]

this team is such a bleeping mess. i'm so glad i didn't get season tickets. i would much rather have 500 dollars and watch them blow on t.v.

[Scumbag College]

this team is such a bleeping mess. i'm so glad i didn't get season tickets. i would much rather have 500 dollars and watch them blow on t.v.

It's almost funny how out of sorts this team is. I mean it's one cluster-f after another for the Bills.

[TigerJ]

This isn't really "good news." If you read the article by Tim Graham, the Bills are very dissatisfied with Walker at LT. That's the primary reason they want to throw Bell into the fire from Day 1.

As far as Butler goes, the guy is so average, and is extremely overrated by Bills fans. He's not horrible, but he's not a bonafide starter either.I suppose you could say that it's bad news if Walker at left tackle is a failure. It's good news if Bell is ready to step in and take over.

[HHURRICANE]

You guys are finally realizing why I blew a gasket over this crappy front office. Who lets their LG and LT go without legitimate replacements?

Walker sucking at LT is a shock when his natural position is RT and Oakland made the same mistake with this experiment?

[Lexwhat]

I suppose you could say that it's bad news if Walker at left tackle is a failure. It's good news if Bell is ready to step in and take over.


Scenario 1: Bell ends up playing okay at LT, and Walker goes back to RT where he belongs: Ideal, positive situation.

Scenario 2: Bell plays just as bad at LT as Walker is playing right now, and Walker goes back to RT: This is better than scenario #3, since we at least have some stability at the RT position. Overall, our O-Line still SUCKS though.

Scenario 3: Bell plays worse at LT than Walker is right now: I guess this is a wash with what we have now, since Bell can at least get experience at LT. Our O-Line SUCKS again.

[Mahdi]

Bell has clearly outperformed Walker at LT. He is extremely solid in pass pro and his athleticism is evident.

He looks like a grateful 2006 verison of Jason Peters.

[Jan Reimers]

I see nothing in this article about Walker going back to RT. It could be that the coaching staff feels that Butler has done well there, and that Walker will be a backup.

[zone]

I see nothing in this article about Walker going back to RT. It could be that the coaching staff feels that Butler has done well there, and that Walker will be a backup.
Not a chance.

[Tatonka]

sounds like levi jones should be getting a phone call.

[casdhf]

Bell has clearly outperformed Walker at LT. He is extremely solid in pass pro and his athleticism is evident.

He looks like a grateful 2006 verison of Jason Peters.Peters looked grateful in 2006 too.

[TigerJ]

I see nothing in this article about Walker going back to RT. It could be that the coaching staff feels that Butler has done well there, and that Walker will be a backup.

Walker would be a very pricey backup. Teams generally don't like pricey backups.

[justasportsfan]

Isn't Bell as brittle as Trent? What happens when he gets injured again?

[yordad]

I think if Bell is better the Walker, that can only be good.

Bell, Butler, Hangartner, Wood, Walker.

[Mahdi]

I think if Bell is better the Walker, that can only be good.

Bell, Butler, Hangartner, Wood, Walker.
Butler is way to tall and slim to be a guard. So easy to stand him up in the run game. Especially for the shorter, bullish guys he goes up against inside.

[yordad]

Butler is way to tall and slim to be a guard. So easy to stand him up in the run game. Especially for the shorter, bullish guys he goes up against inside.To my knowledge, Butler was our best run blocker statistically. And, Levitre isn't exactly a road grader. I like Butler over Levitre at this point. I think he is physically stronger.

[Mahdi]

To my knowledge, Butler was our best run blocker statistically. And, Levitre isn't exactly a road grader. I like Butler over Levitre at this point. I think he is physically stronger.
I dont know. I see Butler getting overpowered often. He is good in pass pro but being a 6'7 guard makes it hard to get leverage in the run game.

[mysticsoto]

I dont know. I see Butler getting overpowered often. He is good in pass pro but being a 6'7 guard makes it hard to get leverage in the run game.

Agreed. Butler has been anything but consistent in the preseason and has been pushed back consistently. I don't think he's strong enough to hold the point of attack. Strength is something these guys should work on exclusively in the offseason (like Wood did), yet looking at Butler, there are no indications that he has...