Overrating the Bills roster

[X-Era]

It happens all the time in the Bills Front Office and it also happens here. We all want an overachieving team but the Bills bank on it. If you look at the team realistically it shakes out like this IMO:

Solid players as of now:

• Stevie Johnson- Needs to simply continue what he has done
• Kyle Williams- Borderline star, he's top 15, but not top 5 at his position
• Eric Wood- Most solid OL we have
• Fred Jackson- A gamer but won't ever be a star
• David Nelson- For his spot, he's solid already
• Dwan Edwards- A solid player game in and game out
• Garrison Sanborn- Does his job, no complaints
• Brian Moorman- Still very solid
• Rian Lindell- See Moorman

Up and down guys (therefore not solid):

• Roscoe Parrish- Injuries, and fumbles
• Ryan Fitzpatrick- Solid numbers, not enough wins, and a poor streak at the end of last season and so far in this season
• Demetrius Bell- Average last season, toast in this last game
• Andy Levitre- Good games and bad games
• Chris Kelsay- May make a play here or there but usually is a non-factor
• Drayton Florence- Will make some plays but will also draw a lot of penalties
• Terrence McGee- Can look slow and old at times but may make a pick or a play
• Arthur Moats- Young and will make a play but will also look lost
• Leodis McKelvin- Can look bad but can also make a nice play
• Jarius Byrd- Rookie season vs. last season... nuff said
• CJ Spiller- Will make an occasional highlight reel play but will usually be a non-factor

Haven't done anything enough times, in real games, to speak of on this team (the vast majority of current Bills players):

• All the remaining OL
• All the remaining DL
• All the remaining LB
• All the remaining QB's
• All the remaining WR's
• All the TE's
• All the remaining S's
• All the remaining CB's
• All the remaining RB's

Some of those remaining guys look like they could make a difference for us but it hasn't been proven yet:

• Shawne Merriman- Could go from a guy who has done zero for us in a real game to one of our best players on the whole team
• Marcel Dareus- The sky is the limit but he must show it
• Nick Barnett- Has proven nothing so far as a Bill but has the talent and attitude to make us hope he will
• Brad Smith- Proven as a player elsewhere but not here yet

Really this team is much like last years team, very much unproven and based on overachieving and hope. Upgrades could have and still can be had to many spots on this roster if we were willing to eat into that cap room. And the main point is that if you look at how unproven and frankly weak we are on much of our roster, you can see what some journeymen vets could add.

[SeatownBillsFan21]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

Couldn't agree more this has been the story for awhile now. Tis the life of a Bills fan.

[X-Era]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

Couldn't agree more this has been the story for awhile now. Tis the life of a Bills fan.

It really is. Overall talent is a major part of a teams success. It something the Bills ignore hoping for over-achievement.

[SeatownBillsFan21]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

Note D Bell a guy who has shown really nothing but still the FO refuses to address the LT spot because hes got all the tools but is unable to put it all together to become the player they hoped he would be. Play decent for a half and then tanks for a couple of game than is decent than suck again.

[X-Era]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

Note D Bell a guy who has shown really nothing but still the FO refuses to address the LT spot because hes got all the tools but is unable to put it all together to become the player they hoped he would be. Play decent for a half and then tanks for a couple of game than is decent than suck again.

I'm not totally hating him. I liked his play last year to be honest. But watching him make those short steps and then trying to push Miller and Dumervil wide was bad technique to say the least. It was simple pass coverage technique and he looked like a college player. He showed little to no kick slide and the edge of his wall was in the QB's face... scarry.

[SeatownBillsFan21]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

I'm not totally hating him. I liked his play last year to be honest. But watching him make those short steps and then trying to push Miller and Dumervil wide was bad technique to say the least. It was simple pass coverage technique and he looked like a college player. He showed little to no kick slide and the edge of his wall was in the QB's face... scarry.

Yeah i guess. Hes just so hit or miss to me and can never seem to just stay consistent maybe Im over reacting because last Saturday night but he was awful. But he wasn't the only one going back to your original post. Guys make plays but not on a consistent basis. Just enough for us to stay interested

[YardRat]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

I can live with the rest of the roster at this point (although I really wish Evans could've stuck around for one more season) but the lack of attention to the offensive line really grinds me.

[better days]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

It happens all the time in the Bills Front Office and it also happens here. We all want an overachieving team but the Bills bank on it. If you look at the team realistically it shakes out like this IMO:

Solid players as of now:

• Stevie Johnson- Needs to simply continue what he has done
• Kyle Williams- Borderline star, he's top 15, but not top 5 at his position
• Eric Wood- Most solid OL we have
• Fred Jackson- A gamer but won't ever be a star
• David Nelson- For his spot, he's solid already
• Dwan Edwards- A solid player game in and game out
• Garrison Sanborn- Does his job, no complaints
• Brian Moorman- Still very solid
• Rian Lindell- See Moorman

Up and down guys (therefore not solid):

• Roscoe Parrish- Injuries, and fumbles
• Ryan Fitzpatrick- Solid numbers, not enough wins, and a poor streak at the end of last season and so far in this season
• Demetrius Bell- Average last season, toast in this last game
• Andy Levitre- Good games and bad games
• Chris Kelsay- May make a play here or there but usually is a non-factor
• Drayton Florence- Will make some plays but will also draw a lot of penalties
• Terrence McGee- Can look slow and old at times but may make a pick or a play
• Arthur Moats- Young and will make a play but will also look lost
• Leodis McKelvin- Can look bad but can also make a nice play
• Jarius Byrd- Rookie season vs. last season... nuff said
• CJ Spiller- Will make an occasional highlight reel play but will usually be a non-factor

Haven't done anything enough times, in real games, to speak of on this team (the vast majority of current Bills players):

• All the remaining OL
• All the remaining DL
• All the remaining LB
• All the remaining QB's
• All the remaining WR's
• All the TE's
• All the remaining S's
• All the remaining CB's
• All the remaining RB's

Some of those remaining guys look like they could make a difference for us but it hasn't been proven yet:

• Shawne Merriman- Could go from a guy who has done zero for us in a real game to one of our best players on the whole team
• Marcel Dareus- The sky is the limit but he must show it
• Nick Barnett- Has proven nothing so far as a Bill but has the talent and attitude to make us hope he will
• Brad Smith- Proven as a player elsewhere but not here yet

Really this team is much like last years team, very much unproven and based on overachieving and hope. Upgrades could have and still can be had to many spots on this roster if we were willing to eat into that cap room. And the main point is that if you look at how unproven and frankly weak we are on much of our roster, you can see what some journeymen vets could add.

I pretty much agree with everything but I HIGHLY DOUBT Stevie can play as well as he did last year without Evans on the other side.

In fact, I think Jackson & Spiller will also miss Evans to spread the field. Look for 8 in the Box A LOT unless the Bills find a receiver to CATCH passes downfield. Running fast is not enough, defenses must fear the WR can actually catch the ball. And Rosco is too small to play anywhere but in the slot.

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

Bills roster = a step above that of an expansion team, barely.

[X-Era]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

Bills roster = a step above that of an expansion team, barely.

So, I actually feel like they are more like a developmental league team.

We are so young and unproven
We sometimes develop players that then go on to other teams as a proven commodity
We seem to desire to have raw unproven guys in all levels of our team

[X-Era]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

I pretty much agree with everything but I HIGHLY DOUBT Stevie can play as well as he did last year without Evans on the other side.

In fact, I think Jackson & Spiller will also miss Evans to spread the field. Look for 8 in the Box A LOT unless the Bills find a receiver to CATCH passes downfield. Running fast is not enough, defenses must fear the WR can actually catch the ball. And Rosco is too small to play anywhere but in the slot.

I'm real worried that Stevie won't repeat as well.

[Dujek]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

I pretty much agree with everything but I HIGHLY DOUBT Stevie can play as well as he did last year without Evans on the other side.

In fact, I think Jackson & Spiller will also miss Evans to spread the field. Look for 8 in the Box A LOT unless the Bills find a receiver to CATCH passes downfield. Running fast is not enough, defenses must fear the WR can actually catch the ball. And Rosco is too small to play anywhere but in the slot.

Stevie's numbers (in terms of yards per game) didn't drop off after Evans went down last year, including having a game with Brian Brohm at QB.

He might see more attention this year, but I think he has the ability to keep up his production.

[better days]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

Stevie's numbers (in terms of yards per game) didn't drop off after Evans went down last year, including having a game with Brian Brohm at QB.

He might see more attention this year, but I think he has the ability to keep up his production.

We will see & I hope you are right but I would not bet a buffalo nickle that will be the case.

[OpIv37]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

So, I actually feel like they are more like a developmental league team.

We are so young and unproven
We sometimes develop players that then go on to other teams as a proven commodity
We seem to desire to have raw unproven guys in all levels of our team

Here's the problem:

How many raw, unproven guys have we had over the last few years that:
a) actually develop into good players and
b) remain on our roster for any serious length of time?

Terrence McGee, Eric Wood, Kyle Williams if he gets an extension, Steve Johnson may be headed in this direction....

That's all I can come up with. Like I said before, we lead the league in "potential" every year. It's realizing that potential where this team consistently fails.

[Beebe's Kid]

Re: Overrating the Bills roster

Byrd had hernia surgery the week before the season, and came back before he was ready. By the end of the year he was playing really well. I would say that numbers aside, he was a far better Safety last year. He was making tackles and even forced some fumbles at the end of the year. He was shut down in coverage, he just didn't have all of the interceptions. Nuff (sic) said.