TigerJ
01-10-2013, 01:00 PM
We've heard something of what we can expect the Bills' defense to be like under Mike Pettine. He runs a hybrid defense out of a base 3-4 alignment. He likes to blitz, and to run the defense successfully the Bills need at least two cornerbacks with strong man coverage skills.
Looking at what the defense requires and what the Bills have, the defensive line seems to be in pretty good shape. One thing I've noticed is that even when in a base 3-4 alignment, the Rex Ryan/Pettine defense is a one gap defense. Many 3-4 defenses use a two gap philosophy. This is significant in that the nose tackle in a two gap defense has one primary responsibility, hold his ground and tie up blockers so that linebackers are free to make plays. Typically, you want to find the biggest strongest dude you can find, and he doesn't have to be very fast. Buffalo really doesn't have a lineman like that. The guys who will compete for defensive tackle for the Bills right now are Kyle Williams and Torrell Troup, assuming he can be healthy. Of course, Kyle Williams is the presumed starter until we learn otherwise. KW is really not suited to be a two gap nose tackle. He's not huge, and his game depends on penetrating the gap and disrupting things in the backfield. This is what he does in a 4-3 defense, but I believe it will work just as well in a one gap 3-4. Marcel Dareus, BTW can play both a two gap or one gap tackle in a 3-4 even though he lined up as a DE the last time the Bills ran a 3-4, and presumably will next season as well. Torrell Troup is bigger than Kyle Williams, and could probably work the tackle spot in either a one gap or two gap system.
At end, I'm guessing Marcel Dareus will go back to starting on one side at DE. At the other spot, the Bills have some flexibility. Mario Williams could either line up as an end or as a linebacker. He wasn't too happy playing linebacker for the Texans, but one linebacker in Pettine's scheme is essentially a defensive end equivalent who doesn't put his hand on the ground. Williaims should be OK with that. I don't know if it would be an advantage for Pettine to move Mario Williams between the DE and linebacker spots, if that would confuse offenses or not, but it's something he could do. Alex Carrington has some of the same flexibility that Mario Williams has, though he clearly doesn't have the elite quickness and speed that MW has. There are a couple of other guys on the roster who could make some noise in training camp. Pettine's scheme could be ideal for taking advantage of Jarron Gilbert's elite athleticism in the DE spot. He's big enough and very fast/quick even though he's done nothing in the NFL production wise. Maybe Pettine's scheme is just what the doctor ordered to get his career untracked much like Ryan was able to get some production out of Aaron Maybin.
Linebacker is the most unsettled area of the Bills' defense. Barnett is getting long in the tooth. Sheppard lacks great athleticism, Arthur Moats appears to have reached his ceiling (not very high). The only young guy with great athleticism is Nigel Bradham, and his ideal spot was as a 4-3 outside linebacker. He can still do that when the Bills line up in a 4-3, but it remains to be seen where he'll fit in a 3-4. He's somewhat undersized for a 3-4 outside linebacker. He's got nice size for an ILB spot, but we don't know if mentally he can make the shift. The Bills could re-sign Shawn Merriman who cut his NFL teeth as an elite 3-4 rush linebacker before a drug scandal and injury took its toll. He seemed to end the 2012 season healthy, and made at least a modest contribution to the Bills defense in 2012. The other unknown is Mark Anderson. He's nice sized for a 3-4 LB if he can get healthy, adapt to the 3-4 and actually produce on the field. I would guess this is where Pettine will hope to import some experience from the Jets. Maybe Bart Scott who I belileve is a free agent.
In the secondary, there are two main needs that I see. First, the Bills need a second CB with strong man coverage skills to make a pair like the Jets have in Revis and Cromartie. The first is Stephon Gilmore. He was very good for a rookie, though like any rookie he made some mistakes along the way. There's no reason to think he can't continue to improve, and may become the elite player we hoped he'd become when he was drafted. Ron Brooks seems to have some man skills, but an injury delayed his development, and some insurance seems in order here. Experience would be nice, making it preferable for the Bills to try and fill the need through free agency. The other need is for a linebacker/strong safety hybrid when the Bills abandon both the 3-4 and 4-3 as the Jets often did for more DBs. I understand the Jets had that kind of player, though I couldn't tell you who. Buffalo has Bryon Scott, but he's definitely getting long in the tooth, and is an unrestricted free agent. I could see the Bills wanting to get younger there. I don't know if DaNorris Searcy has enough size/talent to fill the role. If the Bills try to fill that role in the draft, I don't see them spending a high draft choice. One possibility is Ray Ray Armstrong. He has great size and speed. He was at Miami and got kicked off the team. I don't think it was for drug or legal issues, though I could be wrong. He transferred to a NAIA school but was ruled ineligible. Thus, he did not play football in 2012. However, if he's got his act together, he's got the measurables to go a lot higher than where the Bills could get him in the draft if they want him.
Well, those are my thoughts.
You can react to them, if you'd like, and add your own ideas of how things could/should shake out for the Bills defense
Looking at what the defense requires and what the Bills have, the defensive line seems to be in pretty good shape. One thing I've noticed is that even when in a base 3-4 alignment, the Rex Ryan/Pettine defense is a one gap defense. Many 3-4 defenses use a two gap philosophy. This is significant in that the nose tackle in a two gap defense has one primary responsibility, hold his ground and tie up blockers so that linebackers are free to make plays. Typically, you want to find the biggest strongest dude you can find, and he doesn't have to be very fast. Buffalo really doesn't have a lineman like that. The guys who will compete for defensive tackle for the Bills right now are Kyle Williams and Torrell Troup, assuming he can be healthy. Of course, Kyle Williams is the presumed starter until we learn otherwise. KW is really not suited to be a two gap nose tackle. He's not huge, and his game depends on penetrating the gap and disrupting things in the backfield. This is what he does in a 4-3 defense, but I believe it will work just as well in a one gap 3-4. Marcel Dareus, BTW can play both a two gap or one gap tackle in a 3-4 even though he lined up as a DE the last time the Bills ran a 3-4, and presumably will next season as well. Torrell Troup is bigger than Kyle Williams, and could probably work the tackle spot in either a one gap or two gap system.
At end, I'm guessing Marcel Dareus will go back to starting on one side at DE. At the other spot, the Bills have some flexibility. Mario Williams could either line up as an end or as a linebacker. He wasn't too happy playing linebacker for the Texans, but one linebacker in Pettine's scheme is essentially a defensive end equivalent who doesn't put his hand on the ground. Williaims should be OK with that. I don't know if it would be an advantage for Pettine to move Mario Williams between the DE and linebacker spots, if that would confuse offenses or not, but it's something he could do. Alex Carrington has some of the same flexibility that Mario Williams has, though he clearly doesn't have the elite quickness and speed that MW has. There are a couple of other guys on the roster who could make some noise in training camp. Pettine's scheme could be ideal for taking advantage of Jarron Gilbert's elite athleticism in the DE spot. He's big enough and very fast/quick even though he's done nothing in the NFL production wise. Maybe Pettine's scheme is just what the doctor ordered to get his career untracked much like Ryan was able to get some production out of Aaron Maybin.
Linebacker is the most unsettled area of the Bills' defense. Barnett is getting long in the tooth. Sheppard lacks great athleticism, Arthur Moats appears to have reached his ceiling (not very high). The only young guy with great athleticism is Nigel Bradham, and his ideal spot was as a 4-3 outside linebacker. He can still do that when the Bills line up in a 4-3, but it remains to be seen where he'll fit in a 3-4. He's somewhat undersized for a 3-4 outside linebacker. He's got nice size for an ILB spot, but we don't know if mentally he can make the shift. The Bills could re-sign Shawn Merriman who cut his NFL teeth as an elite 3-4 rush linebacker before a drug scandal and injury took its toll. He seemed to end the 2012 season healthy, and made at least a modest contribution to the Bills defense in 2012. The other unknown is Mark Anderson. He's nice sized for a 3-4 LB if he can get healthy, adapt to the 3-4 and actually produce on the field. I would guess this is where Pettine will hope to import some experience from the Jets. Maybe Bart Scott who I belileve is a free agent.
In the secondary, there are two main needs that I see. First, the Bills need a second CB with strong man coverage skills to make a pair like the Jets have in Revis and Cromartie. The first is Stephon Gilmore. He was very good for a rookie, though like any rookie he made some mistakes along the way. There's no reason to think he can't continue to improve, and may become the elite player we hoped he'd become when he was drafted. Ron Brooks seems to have some man skills, but an injury delayed his development, and some insurance seems in order here. Experience would be nice, making it preferable for the Bills to try and fill the need through free agency. The other need is for a linebacker/strong safety hybrid when the Bills abandon both the 3-4 and 4-3 as the Jets often did for more DBs. I understand the Jets had that kind of player, though I couldn't tell you who. Buffalo has Bryon Scott, but he's definitely getting long in the tooth, and is an unrestricted free agent. I could see the Bills wanting to get younger there. I don't know if DaNorris Searcy has enough size/talent to fill the role. If the Bills try to fill that role in the draft, I don't see them spending a high draft choice. One possibility is Ray Ray Armstrong. He has great size and speed. He was at Miami and got kicked off the team. I don't think it was for drug or legal issues, though I could be wrong. He transferred to a NAIA school but was ruled ineligible. Thus, he did not play football in 2012. However, if he's got his act together, he's got the measurables to go a lot higher than where the Bills could get him in the draft if they want him.
Well, those are my thoughts.
You can react to them, if you'd like, and add your own ideas of how things could/should shake out for the Bills defense