are there any free agent tackles we could sign?

[Billsouth]

so that we do not have to spend our first round pick on a tackle. we clearly need lineman, especially since butler retired. we ended last year signing a bunch of cast offs like incognito and kendall simmons. if we do not sign a left tackle in free agency then we will have no choice but to draft the best tackle available with the #9 pick.

however, i think the signing of favor along with kyle alleviates the need to draft a tackle with our second round pick. i expect us to draft WR/QB.

an interesting observation is that we have drafted defense 1st round 3 out of 4 years (whitner, lynch, mckelvin and maybin). we have not drafted a tackle in the first 4 rounds since we drafted mike williams.

as i post this, i have come to the realization that we are destined to draft a tackle and look for qb/wr later in the draft.

[tampabay25690]

You can never have to much Tackle depth....
I think it will all depend how the draft goes on day 1......
If Clausen falls in our laps the BILLS will jump all over that.
If both QB's are gone OT, LB, WR, or may be even DT could be our pick....

[Mahdi]

Pace, McIntosh
Chad Clifton
Mike Gandy(ugh)
Tony Pashos (I can see the Bills liking his run blocking as a RT)
Khalif Barnes (is RFA right now but the Raiders might let him walk, was a solid OT in Jax, especially as a run blocker)
Jon Jansen (not sure how much he has left but could be a good backup at G and OT)
Jeromy Clary (RFA - Nix drafted him and the Chargers might let him walk)

[patmoran2006]

Pace, McIntosh
Chad Clifton
Mike Gandy(ugh)
Tony Pashos (I can see the Bills liking his run blocking as a RT)
Khalif Barnes (is RFA right now but the Raiders might let him walk, was a solid OT in Jax, especially as a run blocker)
Jon Jansen (not sure how much he has left but could be a good backup at G and OT)
Jeromy Clary (RFA - Nix drafted him and the Chargers might let him walk)
One name you can add to that for a RT possibility is Minnesota OT Artis Hicks.

But I don't think there is a single UFA who can play LT, except for maybe a real short term stop gap like a Chad Clifton

[Mahdi]

One name you can add to that for a RT possibility is Minnesota OT Artis Hicks.

But I don't think there is a single UFA who can play LT, except for maybe a real short term stop gap like a Chad Clifton
Barnes could. He played LT in Jax for 5 years. Real strong OT, big, mauler type guy. Decent but not great in pass pro. Would be a nice fit and is only 27.

Barnes - Levitre - Hang - Wood - Meredith would be a nice OL.

[tampabay25690]

Whatever we do we draft OL as well.....
That wouldn't be a bad line to start the seaosn and some depth behind that.

I will be honest Donald Penn is PISSED at Tampa and he wants out bad.
I would have luved to have him in a Bills uni for our LT of the future...

[The Jokeman]

Barnes could. He played LT in Jax for 5 years. Real strong OT, big, mauler type guy. Decent but not great in pass pro. Would be a nice fit and is only 27.

Barnes - Levitre - Hang - Wood - Meredith would be a nice OL.
I agree Barnes be an upgrade to what we have at LT yet at this stage of his career he's looing more like the ideal swing OT backup ie keep him on the bench and if a starter goes down he can play either LT or RT when needed. See Marcus Price role. At least think that was his name that had a few years ago when had Jennings et all.

[WeAreArthurMoates]

One name you can add to that for a RT possibility is Minnesota OT Artis Hicks.

But I don't think there is a single UFA who can play LT, except for maybe a real short term stop gap like a Chad Clifton

I really like Hicks as an option for RT. Sign him and draft a LT at 9. With Meredith and Bell, we would have a decent mix there then.

[The Jokeman]

I really like Hicks as an option for RT. Sign him and draft a LT at 9. With Meredith and Bell, we would have a decent mix there then.
Hicks has been a backup in Minnesota, why would we sign him? I understand everyone loves the idea of a guy backing up on one team just needs an opportunity but haven't we learned from the Larry Tripletts, Robert Royal, Craig Nall and even Spencer Johnson that sometimes backups are just that backups?

[SABURZFAN]

One name you can add to that for a RT possibility is Minnesota OT Artis Hicks.

But I don't think there is a single UFA who can play LT, except for maybe a real short term stop gap like a Chad Clifton


i think it would make sense to go RT in FA as a stopgap, try to land the LT with the #9, and be on the lookout for a possible T to slide mid-late rounds. you look for a T in next years draft if it doesn't happen and/or Meredith doesn't pan out.