LBers

[Mike]

What do you think of our current LBers?

I like Barnett. Merriman is nothing until he is something -I wont count my chickens before they hatch. The others are ok.

Discuss

[jamze132]

We have a LOT of depth at LB now and I don't consider it one of our major weaknesses anymore. Of the plethora of young guys and vets we have, it will be a good mix of smarts and athleticism.

If Merriman is healthy, him and Barnett are going to create a great problem for the rest of the LBs to see the field, which will promote a lot of competition, which in turn makes the defense better.

[Meathead]

just because you have bodies doesnt mean you have quality depth

there isnt a single backup that i feel confident could come in for an extending time and provide little to no dropoff from the starters

thats the achilles heel of this defense. if/when they lose any of the starting backers its going to expose a big drop off. im hoping they add some quality there from cutdowns

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Of all the units of this team, including offense, LB corp is the weakest unit. I'm not going as far as calling it the achilles heel, but this is where the only proven vet is Barnett, considered average league wide. Of the young "up and comers", Sheppard has the highest pedigree being a 3rd rounder a year ago, not really a standout as a rookie. No Zach Thomas kind of outstanding guy from the rest after the rookie camp (in which Zach wow-ed everyone in his rookie camp).

I suspect that we are going to see a lot of 2 LBs and 3 Safeties sets in this defense. Our safeties are big in size and Bryan Scott is a hybrid.

My biggest worry is injury to Barnett. He surprised me with playing all 16 games, but I remember he was closed to miss some games. He was our best LB last year and has the coverage skills we haven't seen in Buffalo for years. I don't know there is an adequate backup for him on this team, yet.

[BillsOverDolphins]

Of all the units of this team, including offense, LB corp is the weakest unit. I'm not going as far as calling it the achilles heel, but this is where the only proven vet is Barnett, considered average league wide. Of the young "up and comers", Sheppard has the highest pedigree being a 3rd rounder a year ago, not really a standout as a rookie. No Zach Thomas kind of outstanding guy from the rest after the rookie camp (in which Zach wow-ed everyone in his rookie camp).

I suspect that we are going to see a lot of 2 LBs and 3 Safeties sets in this defense. Our safeties are big in size and Bryan Scott is a hybrid.

My biggest worry is injury to Barnett. He surprised me with playing all 16 games, but I remember he was closed to miss some games. He was our best LB last year and has the coverage skills we haven't seen in Buffalo for years. I don't know there is an adequate backup for him on this team, yet.

I'd say WR/TE is unquestionably our weakest unit. We have Stevie and not much else after that.

[Skooby]

Hard on the outside & soft in the middle is our defense.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

I'd say WR/TE is unquestionably our weakest unit. We have Stevie and not much else after that.

I don't agree. The fact that everyone in that unit from last year is coming back and they performed reasonably well with all the injuries last year showed me they can be OK. The #2 is a concern, as was last year. Looking forward, we know Donald Jones was not adequate last year at that spot, but it's not like he's a 28 year old vet. That was his first year starting. He may get better. Easley is healthy now. Then they drafted Graham. Each one of them has things they need to work on but at least we have 3 candidates.

[TigerJ]

Aren't the Bills moving Merriman to right defensive end, where he'll rotate with Mark Anderson? The linebackers are the weakest area of the defense. Barnett is a pretty good starter if he can stay healthy, something he's not always done in his career. Sheppard might be a pretty good starter. Morrison is only adequate. The Bills worked both Bradham and Carder at outside spots during the rookie minicamp, so that's where they seem to envision them playing. They could eventually be decent depth, and maybe more. Early on you have to question whether they'll be ready for more than spot duty. Chris White looks like the main backup at middle linebacker. He was not highly regarded coming out of college, hence becoming a late round pick. Supposedly he's pretty instinctive and a football junkie, kind of a Chris Spielman type, but we don't really know what he can do on the field if he had top come in for a lot of plays.

There is no one who is elite among the linebackers, a couple who are decent, one who is adequate, and then a lot of relative unknowns, guys who were OK in college, but we can't be sure how that's going to translate to the pros. Then we have some guys who are better fits in a 3-4 defense. Compare that to the line where we have three elite/near elite players, four if Shawn Merriman can regain elite status, and one very good player and pretty good competition for most of the backup spots.

[Mahdi]

Merriman will not play LB. He is RDE.

LBs are Moats/Morrison --- Sheppard --- Barnett

[JCBills]

We have a LOT of depth at LB now and I don't consider it one of our major weaknesses anymore. Of the plethora of young guys and vets we have, it will be a good mix of smarts and athleticism.

If Merriman is healthy, him and Barnett are going to create a great problem for the rest of the LBs to see the field, which will promote a lot of competition, which in turn makes the defense better.

What?

We have one person on the roster with NFL experience at OLB.

Also, how do people still not understand the difference between 3-4 and 4-3 OLBs?

If you were a 3-4 OLB 95% of the time they would be 4-3 DEs, not OLBs when switching.

[dasaybz]

Our LBs are in very rough shape. I'm hoping one of the young guys can step up, but man this unit isn't looking very good right now. I'd really like 1 more veteran guy, and I'm hoping there will be a surprise cut in training camp that the Bills could jump all over.

[Mahdi]

Our LBs are in very rough shape. I'm hoping one of the young guys can step up, but man this unit isn't looking very good right now. I'd really like 1 more veteran guy, and I'm hoping there will be a surprise cut in training camp that the Bills could jump all over.
Don't really agree.

Our LBs are in fine shape. Barnett should be even better in a 4-3 defense that will allow him more freedom, Sheppard's job will be simpler which will allow him to play faster and we have Morrison plus two draft picks that can do well at the SLB spot.

I think we will have a fast instinctive LB corps that will excel behind our DL.

[Raptor]

Merriman is a DE, I honestly still don't understand why some can't grasp this

In any case Barnett is a gamer and is our best LB

Shepp I'm still on the fence. He had some good moments and some not so good moments so we will see this year

and I don't really care about who the third "starting" LB is because he'll barely see the field

[JCBills]

Merriman is a DE, I honestly still don't understand why some can't grasp this

In any case Barnett is a gamer and is our best LB

Shepp I'm still on the fence. He had some good moments and some not so good moments so we will see this year

and I don't really care about who the third "starting" LB is because he'll barely see the field

Shep had some rookie moments but still had a strong rookie season. Got better as the year went on, and had never played in a 3-4 before. He should be more at home in the 4-3. Barnett is a gamer and he doesn't concern me. After that, who knows. Morrison isn't the greatest against the run and was backseated all last season. If anything he is a stopgap. Beyond that they have nobody proven. Yeesh.

[stuckincincy]

Shep had some rookie moments but still had a strong rookie season. Got better as the year went on, and had never played in a 3-4 before. He should be more at home in the 4-3. Barnett is a gamer and he doesn't concern me. After that, who knows. Morrison isn't the greatest against the run and was backseated all last season. If anything he is a stopgap. Beyond that they have nobody proven. Yeesh.

Plenty of folks here hated on Weeden because he is 28, with nary an NFL lick hitting him. Barnett is 30, going into his 10th season of NFL competition.

When will he hit the so-called "wall?" Or is he another London Fletcher?


I have concerns.

[alnilla]

Hard on the outside & soft in the middle is our defense.

That's what she said

[PTI]

Not so hot at the moment. Weakest part of the defense still. Lots of time we will have 5 DBs out there anyway.

[ServoBillieves]

Hard on the outside & soft in the middle is our defense.

Dareus and Williams are pretty weak on the inside... oh wait a minute...

Now to the question at hand.

Sheppard proved his worth last year. Barnett is a gamer, and Morrison was praised as a signing from a few around here... so when he finally gets the call he's cast off as worthless? Makes sense.

Depth comes to a stud ST player in White, Moats who has done nothing but work his ass off, Bradham and Carder who everyone is having orgasms over, yet when a thread is made about it, we suddenly find it weak?

No. It's inexperienced. Until the season starts, there is no knowing what Barnett/Sheppard/Morrison/Scott/Bradham/Carder/White/Moats can do. 5 youngin's and 3 veterans. On this new look defense, if the front 4 ruin the O-line, all you need to do as a LB is form tackle. Sheppard will have a career year if healthy.

[streetkings01]

Barnett/Sheppard/Morrison

Bradham/McKillop/Carder/White

Looks as if our LB core lacks experience.......good thing LB is one of the easier positions for a rookie to make an impact.

[stuckincincy]

Barnett/Sheppard/Morrison

Bradham/McKillop/Carder/White

Looks as if our LB core lacks experience.......good thing LB is one of the easier positions for a rookie to make an impact.

Perhaps. But opposing OCs, faced with a decent DL rush, plan for another soft spot.

Every other team is looking at BUF's Darius, the acquisition of M. Williams, the probable return of K. Williams, and possibly Merriman.

My guess is they look at an aging Barnett, the other lbs, and plan an attack.

BUF's DL looks powerfun for pass rush - but I do worry a bit that the DC might let it go to his head. Nice to have a good one, but not so good to lean on that as the be-all-end-all. Sacks and rushes are nice, but there's still run blocking and edge coverage.

I don't see a lot of DL bench either. In CIN's comeback win against BUF last season, one of the Buf News reporters remarked that CIN was able to bring in fresh DL talent throughout the game. They weren't winded, the BUf OL was.

Gilmore was an OK pick, but I thought that they ignored a lot of DL talent on the board.

[Bert102176]

I'd say WR/TE is unquestionably our weakest unit. We have Stevie and not much else after that.



and we passed Floyd a WR that is gonna be amazing cause they are idiots

[Meathead]

lmao just for fun i went and looked up the backup lbs currently on the team

check out these names as the list of current backups:

bradham
carder
moats
mckillop
scott
c.white
g.williams

holy fkn slim pickins batmat! jeez thats a trainwreck waiting to happen

the best guy on the list right now is scott and hes a converted safety who will be a specialty player for covering tes only. thank god hes good at that but putting him on the field for all downs is just asking for trouble eventually

several of the rest might turn out well when they get a chance to develop but if forced into regular duty now are more likely to make the critical errors that lose games than the plays that win them

moats? eh well he showed flashes - both good and bad so far. im not sure he even makes the team anyway with the higher picks invested in guys like carder, bradham, maybe even white

garick williams? was he drafted? i dont even remember. i think he was a udfa. who knows but good luck with that

leaving mcgimpy i mean mckillop. maybe the best potential of the bunch to contribute right away based on one season of pro ball backing up willis and spikes but has been out of football for two seasons (?!) so thats a big red mark

i mean could it be much worse? best chance is for mckillop to hit the ground running and one of the rookies to develop surprisingly fast. thats not reassuring

[Tatonka]

why would they move merriman to DE??

[Meathead]

because hes going to be a rush specialist only

[BillsOverDolphins]

and we passed Floyd a WR that is gonna be amazing cause they are idiots
Your sarcasm aside, Floyd would've made this a flawless offseason.

[JCBills]

why would they move merriman to DE??

3-4 OLBs primarily rush the passer.

4-3 REs primarily rush the passer.

[TigerJ]

Perhaps. But opposing OCs, faced with a decent DL rush, plan for another soft spot.

Every other team is looking at BUF's Darius, the acquisition of M. Williams, the probable return of K. Williams, and possibly Merriman.

My guess is they look at an aging Barnett, the other lbs, and plan an attack.

BUF's DL looks powerfun for pass rush - but I do worry a bit that the DC might let it go to his head. Nice to have a good one, but not so good to lean on that as the be-all-end-all. Sacks and rushes are nice, but there's still run blocking and edge coverage.

I don't see a lot of DL bench either. In CIN's comeback win against BUF last season, one of the Buf News reporters remarked that CIN was able to bring in fresh DL talent throughout the game. They weren't winded, the BUf OL was.

Gilmore was an OK pick, but I thought that they ignored a lot of DL talent on the board.

While I'm one who thinks LB is the weakest part of the Bills' defense at the moment, it's still no worse than last season, and is potentially somewhat better. Moreover, a strong effort from the defensive line will help, not hurt the linebacking corps.

I'm also a little less worried about defensive line depth than you. I think Buffalo is probably going to be fine at defensive tackle. If Shawn Merriman is finally healthy, I think he and Mark Anderson will make for a strong rotation at the RDE spot. If Merriman has yet another late training camp injury, then Kelsay is at least adequate as a reserve. The only spot where the depth is really a question mark is the LDE spot behind Mario Williams. Kelsay may be available here if not pressed into duty on the right side. If he is not available, then I'm not sure who is going to make the team as a reserve LDE. Spencer Johnson? Lionel Dotson? Kyle Moore? They're the only guys listed on the roster as defensive ends who have enough size to backup the LDE spot. If not one of them, then Buffalo might have to convert Carrington back to DE, or try Jarron Gilbert there.

[acehole]

Hard on the outside & soft in the middle is our defense.


Like sab's mom vajay jay.