Offseason moves on defense, early thoughts

[X-Era]

Get serious and spend some money AND picks.

Here's a few moves I would make.

Resign Whitner- He's 4th in the league in combined tackles and is having his best season to date. Maybe a move to the 3-4 helped him become much more like what we all had hoped.

Re-sign Poz- Yes he gets injuries, but he is tied with Patrick Willis for 8th most combined tackle sin the league. He is not the problem on our D, he's an asset.

Sign David Harris- Sure NYJ would like to keep him, but they have spent a ton of money so far and may have trouble keeping him. Spend some money and add a talent like Harris next to Poz.

Sign Tamba Hali- He's finally made the conversion to OLB in the 3-4 and has had 7 or more sacks in 4 out of his 5 years in the league, he's young, and he will get better.

Sign Merriman- Many hate the move, but I like it. Even if he ends up being nothing more than a situational rusher and backup, I'm fine because I don't think he will command big money by any means at this point.

In the draft:

I would add another mid-round ILB who can shed blocks and make tackles. Derrell Smith from Syracuse is a guy I like a lot.

I would add another pass rushing OLB to push Maybin who may be on his way out. A guy like Vonn Miller, or Jeremy Beal in round 2 may be a fit.

And, I would add another 3-4 DE as a complement on the front 3. Someone who can push Stroud to the bench and add better fire against the run and pass. Bowers, or Dareus may fit that case in round 1, maybe Jurell Casey Or JJ Watt in round 2 or 3.

If we use free agency and the draft, we don't need to spend the whole draft on defense to get significantly better.

[Ebenezer]

Get serious

That seems to be the problem since 1999.

[X-Era]

That seems to be the problem since 1999.Unfortunately I agree. And I don't honestly expect it to change. But I feel my list includes players that are a bit of a reach but not out of sight reaches like Julius Peppers as an example.

I think Hali is an Dwan Edwards type signing but admit Harris might be out of our realistic reach... He may be like a Bart Scott type signing.

[psubills62]

Harris and Hali? Those would be some huge names at LB. Still doubt either of them leave their current teams, especially Hali.

I'd love that free agency, don't see it happening at all though.

I wouldn't be surprised to see them grab 1-2 ILB's and an OLB in the draft (pass-rusher, like you said). With Batten coming off of injury, Kelsay re-signed (ugh), and several other young guys like Moats and Coleman at OLB, the position will get full quickly.

[X-Era]

Harris and Hali? Those would be some huge names at LB. Still doubt either of them leave their current teams, especially Hali.

I'd love that free agency, don't see it happening at all though.

I wouldn't be surprised to see them grab 1-2 ILB's and an OLB in the draft (pass-rusher, like you said). With Batten coming off of injury, Kelsay re-signed (ugh), and several other young guys like Moats and Coleman at OLB, the position will get full quickly.
On Harris, NYJ may have issues resigning him with all the money they have doled out. Apparently, they are looking more at Holmes and Edwards right now:

http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/jets_to_resign_holmes_and_edwards/3671585

On Hali, he's not an elite name. Good player, getting better, but not elite. KC may push to resign him but if they don't prior to FA, I can't see a 12+ mill franchise tag for the guy.

All of it assumes we get a new CBA as well, but for the purposes of this discussion, lets assume they do.

[psubills62]

On Harris, NYJ may have issues resigning him with all the money they have doled out. Apparently, they are looking more at Holmes and Edwards right now:

http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/jets_to_resign_holmes_and_edwards/3671585

On Hali, he's not an elite name. Good player, getting better, but not elite. KC may push to resign him but if they don't prior to FA, I can't see a 12+ mill franchise tag for the guy.

All of it assumes we get a new CBA as well, but for the purposes of this discussion, lets assume they do.

Harris very well might not stay in NY. They've got a lot of people they need to sign to extensions. Just not sure I see him coming here if they do let him go.

Hali is not elite like Peppers, but in another year of limited UFA's, he'd command the top price easily. He's a lot better than most fans realize and is easily a Tier 1 free agent. He may not be quite worth the franchise tag, but who really is at this point? He's good enough to keep around with the tag if needed, imo. Teams have used it on less.

from rotoworld:


Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and coach Todd Haley have both indicated that OLB Tamba Hali is next on the agenda for a long-term deal.

"Tamba has stated to me on numerous occasions that he'd like to retire a Kansas City Chief," Hali's agent said. "We both agreed we'd wait to see how the season progressed for the Chiefs and for Tamba. The ball is in their court." Hali's play has been All-Pro caliber this year, and he's third in the NFL with 8.0 sacks.

Sounds like another case of they want to get an extension done but the CBA is complicating things, imo.

[better days]

Nix has said the Bills will not sign expensive free agents. They will instead use that money to resign their own players. I could see Whittner & Poz in that plan but not Harris.

[bigbub2352]

would love it but would walk away from Poz and Whitner...no offense

i think a play making ILB with size and speed would b more ideal in a 3-4 i loved poz coming oit of PSU but he is injury prone and gets blocked in the 2nf teir way to much,,,and cant cover for ****...

Whitner blows in coverage and makes to many tackles way down feild it either means he lacks instincts for the ball carrier...or coaching has him playing 25 yards deep every play...he has done it now in 2 different dfences
Also he cant catch LOL

i think pass rush all day in the draft unless he can draft Luck or Mallett

Defintly think a 3 yr deal for "Lights Out" we got nothing to lose

love the harris and hali pickup

[Ebenezer]

Whitner blows in coverage and makes to many tackles way down feild it either means he lacks instincts for the ball carrier...or coaching has him playing 25 yards deep every play...he has done it now in 2 different dfences
Also he cant catch LOL

I've watched him at every game. He plays that far off the line of scrimmage and his first step is sideways. That's not technique; that's design. I can't fault a guy who lines up where they tell him and plays how he is told. Do you think he would have lasted this long if he intentionally defied coaches and lined up where he wanted?

[kingJofNYC]

I'm pretty sure Kiwanuka is a FA, I'd take a long look at him. Not great, but solid and won't cost much. Played SAM position so he's used to covering, played plenty of end, and is good against the run as evidenced last season when he took plenty of snaps away from Osi on run downs.

[WeAreArthurMoates]

Harris and Hali are absolute pipe dreams. Guarentee that Hali gets 8 mil a year. 2 guys we need to look at are RT's Jeremy Trueblood and Ryan Harris. Both will most likely hit the open market and both would solidify the line. Trueblood is a better run blocker but boy can Harris pass protect. Seeing our offense he should be the one.

[BertSquirtgum]

if the bills did all that you just said, i could see the defense being pretty damn solid in 2011.

[X-Era]

I'm pretty sure Kiwanuka is a FA, I'd take a long look at him. Not great, but solid and won't cost much. Played SAM position so he's used to covering, played plenty of end, and is good against the run as evidenced last season when he took plenty of snaps away from Osi on run downs.Kiwi is another possibility. there are others like Lamar Woodley and D'Qwell Jackson.

[methos4ever]

And Burnett and Siler (SD) could do the trick at either ILB position...

[OpIv37]

Get serious and spend some money AND picks.

Here's a few moves I would make.

Resign Whitner- He's 4th in the league in combined tackles and is having his best season to date. Maybe a move to the 3-4 helped him become much more like what we all had hoped.

Re-sign Poz- Yes he gets injuries, but he is tied with Patrick Willis for 8th most combined tackle sin the league. He is not the problem on our D, he's an asset.

Sign David Harris- Sure NYJ would like to keep him, but they have spent a ton of money so far and may have trouble keeping him. Spend some money and add a talent like Harris next to Poz.

Sign Tamba Hali- He's finally made the conversion to OLB in the 3-4 and has had 7 or more sacks in 4 out of his 5 years in the league, he's young, and he will get better.

Sign Merriman- Many hate the move, but I like it. Even if he ends up being nothing more than a situational rusher and backup, I'm fine because I don't think he will command big money by any means at this point.

In the draft:

I would add another mid-round ILB who can shed blocks and make tackles. Derrell Smith from Syracuse is a guy I like a lot.

I would add another pass rushing OLB to push Maybin who may be on his way out. A guy like Vonn Miller, or Jeremy Beal in round 2 may be a fit.

And, I would add another 3-4 DE as a complement on the front 3. Someone who can push Stroud to the bench and add better fire against the run and pass. Bowers, or Dareus may fit that case in round 1, maybe Jurell Casey Or JJ Watt in round 2 or 3.

If we use free agency and the draft, we don't need to spend the whole draft on defense to get significantly better.

I like the idea of adding Harris, if he's available. And we definitely need to add ILB, OLB and DE in the draft, as we suck at ILB and Stroud and Maybin will most likely be gone. Carrington is looking like a strong candidate for DE, but we would still need either depth or an upgrade to Dwan Edwards.

I don't know enough about Hali to comment on that piece.

I hate the idea of keeping Whitner and Poz. These guys are holdovers from the old regime who never lived up to expectations. They're part of the problem. Get rid of them.

As far as Merriman, I guess it depends on the cost. He has injury problems and it appears that he doesn't want to be here, so I'd be concerned about overpaying, but I'm not flat-out opposed to the idea.

[DraftBoy]

And Burnett and Siler (SD) could do the trick at either ILB position...

I still really like Siler, he is just stuck in a numbers game at SD.

[Scumbag College]

What ever the Bills do, they have to do something to improve the linebackers on this team. They are a glaring weakness on this team and in the offseason will need to be addressed.

[better days]

Harris and Hali are absolute pipe dreams. Guarentee that Hali gets 8 mil a year. 2 guys we need to look at are RT's Jeremy Trueblood and Ryan Harris. Both will most likely hit the open market and both would solidify the line. Trueblood is a better run blocker but boy can Harris pass protect. Seeing our offense he should be the one.

The Bucs just IR'ed Davin Joseph & he may be available next year as well.

[Jaybird]

I would sign Lamar Woodley over any of those guys. Pits has huge money invested in LB and I know they will have problems resigning him

[X-Era]

I still really like Siler, he is just stuck in a numbers game at SD.Saw his name on a list and remembered you liked him. I wouldn't mind him.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

picking up a trueblood, clary or harris to play rt would be really ideal and would pretty much solidfy our offense... i think our first 5 picks have to be front 7, something like this...

1-dareus 34de
2- jeremy beal 34olb
3- donta hightower 34ilb
4- kelvin sheppard 34ilb
4- christian ballard 34de


maybe we can resign merriman cheap and he gets healthy we could have a ace pass rusher, maybe we get lucky and make a run at woodley..?? who knows... i highly doubt we will invest top 5 money at ilb for someone like harris when there are plenty of other solid prospects at ilb that can be had in the draft... the main focus should be pass rush and a couple 34de that can really stop the run...

[NOT THE DUDE...]

also a back qb in the tyler thigpen, grandowski mold should be imperative in case fitz gets hurt...

im not thrilled with resigning poz, because he is pretty much a c+ player who can make the occasional tackle for loss or stuff play... hes smart and cerebral too, he can be solid like holececk was if he gets some studs in front of him...

[Prov401]

would love it but would walk away from Poz and Whitner...no offense

i think a play making ILB with size and speed would b more ideal in a 3-4 i loved poz coming oit of PSU but he is injury prone and gets blocked in the 2nf teir way to much,,,and cant cover for ****...

Whitner blows in coverage and makes to many tackles way down feild it either means he lacks instincts for the ball carrier...or coaching has him playing 25 yards deep every play...he has done it now in 2 different dfences
Also he cant catch LOL

i think pass rush all day in the draft unless he can draft Luck or Mallett

Defintly think a 3 yr deal for "Lights Out" we got nothing to lose

love the harris and hali pickup

Or it means Whitner has to wait and see if our piss poor LB's can make a play or not, which usually ends up with him having to make a tackle because our LB's are flat out below average in this leauge.

Good move by the Bills to get a head start at signing Whitner. Once we finally get talent at the second level, and are able to get a pass rusher or two, he will finally be able to run around and worry about his own position rather than worrying about playing LB as well.

[X-Era]

picking up a trueblood, clary or harris to play rt would be really ideal and would pretty much solidfy our offense... i think our first 5 picks have to be front 7, something like this...

1-dareus 34de
2- jeremy beal 34olb
3- donta hightower 34ilb
4- kelvin sheppard 34ilb
4- christian ballard 34de


maybe we can resign merriman cheap and he gets healthy we could have a ace pass rusher, maybe we get lucky and make a run at woodley..?? who knows... i highly doubt we will invest top 5 money at ilb for someone like harris when there are plenty of other solid prospects at ilb that can be had in the draft... the main focus should be pass rush and a couple 34de that can really stop the run...I guess I'm just going to disagree with the assumption that we need to spend our first 5 picks on the defense. Moreover, I think it's highly unlikely that we will actually do that.