Reviewing the Bills 2009 Draft

[patmoran2006]

by Paul Seebald


Anyone who’s paid attention to my discussing this year’s Buffalo Bills rookie class can distinguish my belief of it being premature to judge the path each career is heading on. It’s impractical to discern if injuries are an unlucky occurrence or a lingering part of their career (e.g. Jairus Byrd, Eric Wood).

No one knows how a player might respond to a different position, such as a certain first-round draft pick moving to a 3-4 outside linebacker role. Does a feeble rookie season mean the draft pick was wasted and all hope should be given up?


For the purpose of this exercise, I will not be handing out grades for each draft pick based on 2009 performance only. I’ll infuse my comments about their future in the league, but it’s certainly no time to be issuing report cards.


FULL STORY (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/01/reviewing-the-bills-2009-draft/)

[Don't Panic]

I think Maybin will be the #1 beneficiary of a 3-4 switch. I just see the guy as an OLB, plain and simple.

[ddaryl]

I think Maybin will be the #1 beneficiary of a 3-4 switch. I just see the guy as an OLB, plain and simple.


and yet when we drafted him and during our season when our OLB's were dropping like flies the majority were completely against swtiching Maybin to OLB.. which boggled my mind because you always find ways to get your best players on the field plus he was too small to be a DE in the NFL, that was obvious.

that being said they never did try the move so that clearly stated that Maybin was a wasted pick for 2009

could he turn into something, sure but as of this junction he's clearly wasted pick.

the rest of our draft appears ot be better then previous years

[Jan Reimers]

If Maybin develops into a quality DE or LB (and a new coaching staff should definitely help), the 2009 draft may turn out to be one of our best ever. It's still too early to tell for sure, however.

[patmoran2006]

I think Maybin will be the #1 beneficiary of a 3-4 switch. I just see the guy as an OLB, plain and simple.

Without professing to having any inside information, I'm going to say that I will be really, really surprised if Gailey hires a coach that will switch to a 3-4 defense.

[Don't Panic]

and yet when we drafted him and during our season when our OLB's were dropping like flies the majority were completely against swtiching Maybin to OLB.. which boggled my mind because you always find ways to get your best players on the field plus he was too small to be a DE in the NFL, that was obvious.

I don't think he has the coverage skills to play OLB in a C2, especially at this stage of his career. He may be strictly a 3-4 SOLB... attacking pass rusher and little else.

[Don't Panic]

Without professing to having any inside information, I'm going to say that I will be really, really surprised if Gailey hires a coach that will switch to a 3-4 defense.

We'll see. The Gailey comments at the presser lead me to believe otherwise, but it is obviously dependent on who he feels the most comfortable with out of the DC candidates.

[patmoran2006]

We'll see. The Gailey comments at the presser lead me to believe otherwise, but it is obviously dependent on who he feels the most comfortable with out of the DC candidates.

yeah, I know what he said but I am thinking after evaluating this roster he's going to see how very unequipped this roster makeup is for a 3-4 switch.

I strongly feel (though I don't automatically agree) that this defense will remain 4-3 with a bigger emphasis on just that, getting bigger upfront.

[Mitchell55]

and yet when we drafted him and during our season when our OLB's were dropping like flies the majority were completely against swtiching Maybin to OLB.. which boggled my mind because you always find ways to get your best players on the field plus he was too small to be a DE in the NFL, that was obvious.

that being said they never did try the move so that clearly stated that Maybin was a wasted pick for 2009

could he turn into something, sure but as of this junction he's clearly wasted pick.

the rest of our draft appears ot be better then previous years


3-4 OLB is 10X different than a 4-3 DE

[ParanoidAndroid]

Switching to the 3-4 alignment is not out of the question. I don't think this roster is much, if any, more deficient than other teams who have previously made the switch. The biggest need, no pun intended, is a good nose tackle who could be had in free agency. There are a few out there this year.

[psubills62]

Switching to the 3-4 alignment is not out of the question. I don't think this roster is much, if any, more deficient than other teams who have previously made the switch. The biggest need, no pun intended, is a good nose tackle who could be had in free agency. There are a few out there this year.

I continue to believe that this roster is about as far from a 3-4 switch as any roster could possibly be. Yes, we would need an NT, but the greater need in terms of quantity would be at LB.

Without counting on Schobel, who could we use at OLB? Maybin and Chris Ellis...two enormously unproven guys who have never played LB. And then at ILB, the only two guys with the size to play are Poz and Mitchell.

We would have to do a LOT of filling out the roster with LB's. I don't think it's something we can do in one offseason.

As I've stated before, if they want to switch to the 3-4, I think the best route would be to go to a heavy 4-3 (a la NYG) for 2010, then move to a 3-4 the next offseason.

[psubills62]

yeah, I know what he said but I am thinking after evaluating this roster he's going to see how very unequipped this roster makeup is for a 3-4 switch.

I strongly feel (though I don't automatically agree) that this defense will remain 4-3 with a bigger emphasis on just that, getting bigger upfront.

Yup. Too many years of drafting 225 pound LB's. A large roster overhaul would be needed to switch to a 3-4, especially at LB.

[trapezeus]

yeah, I know what he said but I am thinking after evaluating this roster he's going to see how very unequipped this roster makeup is for a 3-4 switch.

I strongly feel (though I don't automatically agree) that this defense will remain 4-3 with a bigger emphasis on just that, getting bigger upfront.

if the goal is to win now, you're right, stick with the 4-3, and upgrade upgrade upgrade.

if you are going the typical ralph route of giving the new guy as much slack as he could possibly want in years 1-2, you switch to 3-4 and slowly build it up.

[bigbub2352]

If u look at the last 4 yrs
09 maybin, Wood, Levitre, byrd
08 mckelvin Hardy ellis
07 Lynch poz Edwards
06 whitner mccargo youboty simpson
05 parrish everett
04 Evans Losman
way to many misses!

that is straight horrible that u can pick 2-3 players out of all those picks Hi picks mind u and u can see combined with Guy's ignorance and allowance to sign players like walker docerky etc. why we are so bad

it is embarrissing and we are sitting thru it all over again with the cheap hires that are being thrown in our face..

Cam Cameron was a serious contender for our HC job but Shotty and Billick werent hirlairous
makes u want to give up
but i wont

[BILLSROCK1212]

Maybin meh Wood yeh Levitre yeh Byrd sleh and the rest nothing more than bench players

meh= maybe yeh=solid/good sleh= potential yes, will he live up to it?? maybe

[Michael82]

yeah, I know what he said but I am thinking after evaluating this roster he's going to see how very unequipped this roster makeup is for a 3-4 switch.

I strongly feel (though I don't automatically agree) that this defense will remain 4-3 with a bigger emphasis on just that, getting bigger upfront.

Which would basically be the final step towards changing to a 3-4 completely.

[TrEd FTW]

Maybin meh Wood yeh Levitre yeh Byrd sleh and the rest nothing more than bench players

meh= maybe yeh=solid/good sleh= potential yes, will he live up to it?? maybe

How is Byrd a "sleh" while Wood and Levitre fall under "yeh"?

[better days]

I continue to believe that this roster is about as far from a 3-4 switch as any roster could possibly be. Yes, we would need an NT, but the greater need in terms of quantity would be at LB.

Without counting on Schobel, who could we use at OLB? Maybin and Chris Ellis...two enormously unproven guys who have never played LB. And then at ILB, the only two guys with the size to play are Poz and Mitchell.

We would have to do a LOT of filling out the roster with LB's. I don't think it's something we can do in one offseason.

As I've stated before, if they want to switch to the 3-4, I think the best route would be to go to a heavy 4-3 (a la NYG) for 2010, then move to a 3-4 the next offseason. I think they coud move Poz outside. They could draft a LB to play inside & pick up another vet to play inside. I also think Kyle Williams could play DE in a 3-4, they will need a Nose tackle. I could see them switch between the two systems next year.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

whenever u can get 4 starters in a draft that is good. we could have had 5 if we picked orakpo or oher....

[psubills62]

I think they coud move Poz outside. They could draft a LB to play inside & pick up another vet to play inside. I also think Kyle Williams could play DE in a 3-4, they will need a Nose tackle. I could see them switch between the two systems next year.

One of Poz's weaknesses the past couple years has been blitzing, and that's mainly what OLB's do. Poz is more of a tackling machine...that's an ILB. But either way, we're still short of LB's. It's not just legit starters we're missing, it's all the depth that 3-4 teams have at LB.

Kyle Williams may be able to play DE, though he doesn't really have the height. I think we'd need to play a penetrating 3-4 system, similar to GB, because that's who we'd have on the DL...penetrators.

[YardRat]

Poz is more of a tackling machine...

:rofl:

Oh...I'm sorry...You were probably being serious.

[psubills62]

:rofl:

Oh...I'm sorry...You were probably being serious.

My point was that right now, he's more of a guy who simply gets to the ball carrier to make the tackle. He doesn't specialize in getting sacks, Int's, fumbles, etc. Sort of like London Fletcher. Either way, you may not agree, but that's fine. I know a lot of people on here don't like him.

[jamze132]

I would rather stay with the 4-3 temporarily then make the switch down the road. We need fat bastards on the D-line. And we need a DE who can actually get to the QB.

[SeatownBillsFan21]

Without professing to having any inside information, I'm going to say that I will be really, really surprised if Gailey hires a coach that will switch to a 3-4 defense.
Agreed