karl malone's kid

[Tatonka]

so have you all given up on him? i see everyone is convinced we need a LT..

[BillsWin]

I see him as more of a RT.

Campbell, Levitre, Wood, Hangnarter, Bell

Championship.

[OpIv37]

He sucks. We need a LT, a C (or a G and Wood can play C) and all- around depth.

[Tatonka]

so butler is not a starter in your mind?

[FlyingDutchman]

he just never seemed to get his head out of his ass, god knows he had his shot

[methos4ever]

And do not forget depending on the length of time recovery wise for his knee injury he may not be ready for the regular season...

[Beebe's Kid]

If he delivers like the Mail Man..

He seems to have potential, but he may be better off as a backup to start. He and JM both have some potential, but I would feel better if LT was not a huge ? at the beginning of the season.

You will never go wrong having an O line that is too deep, and too good. It is the most important aspect of the game, right behind QB. If a team can't score, they can't win.

[Tatonka]

He sucks. We need a LT, a C (or a G and Wood can play C) and all- around depth.

really? he was in a tough spot last year and extremely inexperienced, but i thought i saw some flashes of a very good play from him, in between the false starts.. i guess you saw something different.....

[Beebe's Kid]

FWIW, I like ?LT, Levitre, Wood, Incognito, Butler. Bell, Meredeth, Hangman, McKinney as depth, and possibly a late pick.

[Mahdi]

so have you all given up on him? i see everyone is convinced we need a LT..
Needs to get stronger if he wants to compete with Meredith, Butler and whoever else we bring in through FA or draft.

[Aliceinchainsbills15]

so have you all given up on him? i see everyone is convinced we need a LT..
I'm more conerned with a QB at this moment.

[Italian Stallion]

Seeing him pull up lame durring the middle of a play and allow a sack holding his arm in the Jets game...like a 5 year old hurt on the playground...is all I needed to see. Then to make it even worse, he didn't even sustain any sort of injury!?

Yeah. Real tough guy we got on our hands. Next please.

[Ebenezer]

so butler is not a starter in your mind?


as I said (and got criticized for) when people started pumping him up in his first training camp...he's a wannabe...on a team with servicable OTs he wouldn't make the cut...did anybody ever figure out that little dance he was doing when he hurt his hand?

[BillsWin]

so butler is not a starter in your mind?

I think he can start. But I would love it if he was our second string. That means we have excellent depth.

[PECKERWOOD]

He could workout at RT in the ZBS, but he should not be our left tackle.

[Jan Reimers]

I think Bell might compete with Butler at RT, with the loser becoming a good backup.

My money's on Butler winning the job at RT, though, because he was doing a good job before his injury last season.

[Tatonka]

i think meridith and incognito are locks for a shot to start too.

i think injuries crushed our line worse than anything.

[DesertFox24]

I dont think he sucks but we definitely need more competition at the tackle position.

I like Bell, Butler, and Meredith but Scott and Chambers need to go. As a result we need a LT (not sure a first round one).

Also Bell got some valuable experience and he will get a legitimate shot at keeping the job this year, I would say he needs to add 10 pounds of muscle and work on staying healthy.

I would love a tackle group that consist of Bell, Meredith, Butler, and Rookie.

[Dujek]

FWIW, I like ?LT, Levitre, Wood, Incognito, Butler.

As long as the LT there can play I'd be happy with that. I just hope Wood is good to go at the start of the season.

[Demon]

FWIW, I like ?LT, Levitre, Wood, Incognito, Butler. Bell, Meredeth, Hangman, McKinney as depth, and possibly a late pick.

This is something i agree with. Iggy needs to start. The o-line is pretty young and we have very young players on the bench. I think the best option would be signing a free agent LT. I think our line needs a veteran lineman. Also, draft a LT in the 2nd or 3rd round. They found Levitre last year with the 51st overall pick. Buddy Nix needs to work his magic again.

[psubills62]

I like Bell as decent depth. Get a starter at LT, Butler at RT, Meredith as the swing tackle, and Bell as the 4th tackle.

[ddaryl]

so have you all given up on him? i see everyone is convinced we need a LT..

haven't given up at all.. just don't want to have to rely on one player to compete for a position that needs to be better in 2010 wether that upgrade be an existing player getting better or a new player coming in.

But from what I saw last year.... there is no reason not to bring in a LT

[bigbub2352]

Bell should be a perfect swing tackle and excellent depth with Meredith backing up both RT and LT, if we are serious about building a winner we need Depth
between Butler and Wood coming back fomr injury, and Hangartner Levitre and possibly Inconginito and Simmons being brought back we dont have as much need as people think, a starter at LT could be found in FA and the draft
so in my opinion we are only looking for 1 player to fill a spot on this Oline thats a starting LT

If we go into TC with Butler, Meredith, Bell and a FA or pick we are solid at Tackle

If we go into TC with Wood, Levitre, hangartner, Simmons and Incognito in the interior and maybe throw in a later pick or another vet in FA we are solid

with the 9th pick overall we should be going D or QB

[Philagape]

I don't see what there is to "give up" on. He's a seventh-round pick who ended up as the starter by default because of Dick's bizarre plan that turned into a fiasco. He is not entitled to the position.

[The Spaz]

Levitre is not a tackle i know that much. Iggy can stay at G, Didn't think Hangartner was bad at center but maybe if Wood is healthy enough he can play there. We just had so many injuries on the o-line I don't even know how i would judge the o-line as a whole seeing there was like 8-9 different line combinations we used.

[EDS]

so have you all given up on him? i see everyone is convinced we need a LT..

It is not that I have given up on him, more that I am convinced he was not ready to play last year and he needs additional seasoning in practice. Definitely more back-up material for 2010 then starting material.

I would much rather have a more refined prospect for the position, even if that prospect is a rookie (chances are that rookie will be further advanced than Bell).

[realdealryan]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kY7jNsfh-UQ/SzqYk4GxVaI/AAAAAAAAAoo/qwFVS6Bvg_E/s320/Karl+Kimmel+Malone.jpg

Karl Malone say, that ain't my kid and he ain't no good at football.

[Buddo]

Due to the amount of question marks we have at Tackle, we definitely need one who we can start at LT.
Personally, I'd be keeping Bell, Butler and Meredith as Tackles, while adding a starting LT, either from FA, or the draft. TBH, I think the draft is favourite. McNeil will get the high tender, while they work out a new deal for him. Bell/Meredith/Butler, can be at RT, whoever gets it through competition. I suspect that would be Butler TBH, which is no bad thing, as both Bell and Meredith can carry on learning, as backups for both positions.
I'd also keep Wood, Levitre, Hangartner, Incognito and Simmons. If fit, Simmons is better than McKinney. Wood/Hangartner, maybe Incognito, as Center/Backup Center. Simmons and Levitre just guards. Keeping those 5 guys would represent some serious competition on the interior of the line. I suspect that Hangartner will be the Center to start. Wood may be moved there eventually, but will need reps to get up to speed, once he regains fitness. This coming season, he may be best left as a guard, while being a backup center.
As this draft is apparently pretty deep with tackles, I wouldn't be averse to picking up two tbh.

[Michael82]

I don't think we are as bad off as people say for OTs. I love what I saw from Jamon Meredith and think he might be our next LT. I also love Brad Butler as RT and let Bell compete with him.

[justasportsfan]

did buddy Nix help build that beast of an OL that SD had a few years back when he was still with the SD? If so, he should have insight when it comes to talent.

[Tatonka]

i agree with bigbug.. i dont think our need is as great as it may look from afar.

Tackles - Bell, Meridith, Butler, and a FA/Draft pick.
Guard/Center - Wood, Levetri, Hartgardner, Incognito, Simmons

that sounds pretty good to me, assuming the injured guys make it back fully.

[EDS]

i agree with bigbug.. i dont think our need is as great as it may look from afar.

Tackles - Bell, Meridith, Butler, and a FA/Draft pick.
Guard/Center - Wood, Levetri, Hartgardner, Incognito, Simmons

that sounds pretty good to me, assuming the injured guys make it back fully.

The absence of a starting caliber left tackle is a big piece of the puzzle. That starting caliber guy needs to come via free agency or the draft, unless one of the young guys currently on the roster makes a huge step forward.

[TacklingDummy]

Should have payed Peters and the Bills wouldn't need a LT.

[YardRat]

He may still work into a solid tackle on either side, but as of this moment LT is the weak link and definitely needs to be addressed. You can never ahve too many corners, and the same can be said for the offensive line. Give him a couple of more seasons, but bring in an anchor now while he grows.

[Tatonka]

peters nearly got donavan killed in philly.. he gave up way to many sacks again this year.. he wasnt worth the cash.. he has all the talent but plays like a pussy when he doesnt feel like being good.

[Bulldog]

peters nearly got donavan killed in philly.. he gave up way to many sacks again this year.. he wasnt worth the cash.. he has all the talent but plays like a pussy when he doesnt feel like being good.

I agree, Peters is no where near worth what the Eagles gave him. Not impressed at all with Peters play this year. I'm over it.

[BuffaloBlitz83]

Just like Karl said, he was a waste of sperm.

[bflojohn]

If anyone here really thought that the line that started the 2009 season would be a sound NFL calibre unit, well I've got property to sell you! The chance the Bills took did NOT have near enough backup in the plan, and inexperience and health issues muddled the waters to the point that it might have been the worst O-line in their history, by the end of the season. However, the potential is there, and seasoning and a chance to jell NEVER happened. Personally, I think Bell and Meredith are still pretty exciting prospects. Have they done it yet, heck NO, but if Chan Gailey brings in this teacher for O-line coach, maybe we could be "on" to something here. I loved the Richie Incognito pickup, and actually all the Bills really did last year was solve the interior problems somewhat, and create the mess at left tackle!! Is it Bell's fault? Hardly, but he's going to have to clean up issues and become stronger to have a legit shot. Otherwise, they will draft a bonified OLT prospect, and leave him out of the mix! Time will tell.

[elltrain22]

he's got a chance. If he's coached well, and dedicates himself, who knows.

[TigerJ]

I think Bell still has some upside. He didn't play many games before he went out for the season. The main thing is I think he needs to get quite a bit stronger still, along with continued technique work. The problem is the team can't really just assume Bell is going to get it right, or Meredith or anyone else, any more than the team can just assume that Trent Edwards is going to stop being afraid of throwing the ball downfield. They need to address tackle in the draft.

[OpIv37]

so butler is not a starter in your mind?
I was counting him as RT

[Tatonka]

sorry, i missed that.