The reason we did not draft a LT early.

[acehole]

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/06/24/1093706/bills-meredith-ready-to-tackle.html

Just as good as any #2 pick we could have picked up this year.

[ddaryl]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

we still could use the competition and depth... but I'm glad someone is stepping up some...

that being said If brohm starts at QB and Medredith starts at LT and we have moderate success this year... boy did we rape some of GB's future

[trapezeus]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

the last line where he says he relies on his skill over technique is where the growing pains are going to be. good that he acknowledged that, but let's hopethe new coaches can get him sound technique.

Players at this level can't solely rely on being an athelete. Everyone is an athlete at the NFL level.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

Meredith is getting a good chance to show coaches his answer. He has worked at left tackle with the Bills' starting offense all spring because prospective starter Demetrius Bell is on the sidelines rehabilitating his injured knee.

He can't even beat out an injured player, who was a penalty machine last year, on the depth chart? Sorry, but they're screwed.

[ddaryl]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

He can't even beat out an injured player, who was a penalty machine last year, on the depth chart? Sorry, but they're screwed.

Main Entry: pro·spec·tive
Pronunciation: \prə-ˈspek-tiv also ˈprä-ˌ, prō-ˈ, prä-ˈ\
Function: adjective
Date: circa 1699
1 : relating to or effective in the future
2 a : likely to come about : expected benefits of this law> b : likely to be or become
— pro·spec·tive·ly adverb



Likely to be.... god your reply was pathetic

[acehole]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

we still could use the competition and depth... but I'm glad someone is stepping up some...

that being said If brohm starts at QB and Medredith starts at LT and we have moderate success this year... boy did we rape some of GB's future

Didnt think of that. Good point.

What we have to take into account is the zone blocking system.
In a zone blocking scheme, fleet-footedness and athletic ability trump size as desirable qualities in offensive linemen. Coordination and technique matter more than muscle in implementing a successful scheme because defensive linemen are often double-teamed at the point of attack. Creating movement on the defensive line is more important than opening a specific hole in the defense. Jackson and spiller are masters in finding the seam. A good running game will open up a good passing game...is the hope.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

He can't even beat out an injured player, who was a penalty machine last year, on the depth chart? Sorry, but they're screwed.

Yeah, all that talk and he acknowledges that Bell will be the starter. Bell, the worst lineman on the team last year.

[madness]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

Here's another reason:

Are left tackles overvalued by the NFL?

When it comes to the high value placed on left tackles, KC Joyner has a loud response.

"O-ver-rated!"

Clap! Clap! Clap, clap, clap!

"O-ver-rated!"

Clap! Clap! Clap, clap, clap!

In a column for ESPN Insider, Joyner (aka the Football Scientist) presents as myth the importance for a great left tackle to make an offense work.

Joyner's opinion might buoy Buffalo Bills fans' expectations of their offensive line. The Bills refused to pay two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters last year and for the past two offseasons declined to address the void through free agency. They didn't draft a tackle last spring and waited until the fifth round to take Ed Wang this year.

The other AFC East clubs have a left tackle who has been to at least one Pro Bowl in the past four seasons. Jake Long of the Miami Dolphins and Matt Light of the New England Patriots have been to two apiece.

Joyner wrote the book "Blindsided: Why the Left Tackle is Overrated and Other Contrarian Football Thoughts" in response to Michael Lewis' book "The Blind Side," which chronicled the rise of the NFL left tackle juxtaposed with the inspirational story of Michael Oher, a Baltimore Ravens first-round pick last year.

Dolphins football operations boss Bill Parcells and general manager Jeff Ireland based their organizations future on the more traditional theory, taking Long first overall ahead of quarterback Matt Ryan.

Joyner states his case by taking a look at how few championship teams have had an elite left tackle. Of the past nine Super Bowl winners, only one featured a first-round pick at left tackle.

There could be many explanations for these incidents, but the Occam's Razor version is that teams are examining the evidence and realizing they don't need an elite left tackle to win. ...

Overall, four of the last nine Super Bowl winners had a left tackle who was drafted in the third round or later. It's not as if these players were lower-round selections who built themselves into elite starters, either, as they had only seven Pro Bowl selections and one All-Pro pick in a combined 56 seasons between them.

The Patriots won all three Super Bowls with Light at left tackle. They drafted him 48th overall in 2001. His heir apparent, Sebastian Vollmer, was considered a reach at 58th overall last year but has proved quality tackles can be found deeper in the draft.

[THATHURMANATOR]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

He can't even beat out an injured player, who was a penalty machine last year, on the depth chart? Sorry, but they're screwed.

Probably but this is the optimistic time of the year. We haven't seen them sucking YET!!!

[justasportsfan]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

Chances are, he's going to go through growing pains . BUt to say we're screwed is like saying we were screwed the minute we switched an undrafted rookie free agent TE to LT.

[billz83]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

The reason we didnt get a LT is because this organization is ******ed! one of the WORST OLINEz in the NFL and this team completely ignored it..thank god my bulls are actually making MOVES..they are showing they actually wanna win unlike the bills.

[JCBills]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

Good to see he's at 311 lbs.

[jimbledsoe]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

Its a complete dream, but imagine if Meredith can take the starting LT spot this year and we can move Bell to Right, or even vise versa, and they actually play decent. Then we would have a very young line that all have a long time left on there contracts.

That would be fun

[Mr. Pink]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

So we didn't draft a LT to start a scrub who was terrible when on the field last year?

Interesting logic.

[mayotm]

Re: The reason we did not draft a LT early.

So we didn't draft a LT to start a scrub who was terrible when on the field last year?

Interesting logic.

About as logical as having multiple favorite NFL teams.