Jerry Hughes

[DesertFox24]

He is another reason I am keen on this front office. I really liked shepherd but Hughes has really preformed well in pass rush. I wonder if colts fans feel like they got fleeced in this deal as Shepard does not start.

Just another reason I think Whaley is a good gm and will get us to the point we are a consistently good team.

I also think Hughes might end up being the answer at the other olb spot when they work on his run def and coverage this offseason as Whaley eluded to in the video. However, he should not preclude them from drafting a stud olb if they have one on top of their board in first or second round.

[GvilleBills]

100% Really great move getting him for Shep. I always thought Shep would be one dimensional, but I was shocked when he couldn't even stop the run.

[IAG]

The pieces are there...one more solid draft and there is no reason the Bills cannot end the drought next year.

[T-Long]

Funny seeing the Colts inactives tonight..."Da Rick Rogers, Delano Howell, and Kelvin Sheppard"

[TacklingDummy]

The pieces are there...one more solid draft and there is no reason the Bills cannot end the drought next year.

They drafting a QB that's not a bust?

[DesertFox24]

Yeah the qb is the piece we need hopefully ej becomes that guy. At least new rookie wage scale does. Or kill a team for missing. I believe if ej does not show by end of next season bills draft a guy in 2015 draft.

[The Jokeman]

The pieces are there...one more solid draft and there is no reason the Bills cannot end the drought next year.

One more solid draft and offseason. I say offseason as worry we might let Byrd walk which to me is a mistake. Also think we have to remember that Freddie, Stevie and Mario, Kyle and Manny are all going to be a year older next year which is a small concern as they all could turn the wrong side of 30 quickly. So we better gear up some free agents that can help them out. I've outlined some free agent WRs and TEs I'd target in other threads and we might also want to look and re-sign Alan Branch and maybe find a depth LB to and maybe a young RB to replace Tashard Choice that could also be a more serviceable guy if Fred/CJ struggle with injuries.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Hughes is still a one dimentional player. The Bills have not asked him to play ends which in Indy, he proved to be ineffective (not developed like Freeney which Polian modelled him after). As OLB, he does not cover well and still over runs or being pushed out too easily on run defense.

But the man can rush around the corner. His speed outside and inside are making some T and G look like statues, and unlike our famous former 1st round pick from Penn State, Hughes can maintain his balance taking a hit/punch from those big men.

Right now, on a Bills team where opposition routinely double team Mario and Marcell, sometimes Kyle, Hughes is getting clear one on one matches and Pettine has moved him around to get him the best match up. In other words, he's a role player who prospers under the scheme and players around him.

Role players are important. It's very hard to find a complete player like Mario who has the perfect physical attrubutes (too fast for big, powerful but slow footed O-Linemen yet too strong for those known for agility but not for power - on a side note, if an O Lineman has both, power and speed, then you are #1 overall pick and all pro) as well as the football sense. The Bills have Mario, I'd say conservatively for another 2 years at peak performance. I hope he's like Bruce Smith who played in top shape to mid 30s but I don't know how dedicated Mario is; Bruce was a big, "fat" dude coming out college and worked his way down to 280lb to gain speed and he kept at it throughout his career and even today as I heard; Mario has a natural athletic body and a lot of times people of his physical pedigree does not work as hard. The Bills also have an up comer in Marcell who's shaping into a complete player as well. They need role players like Hughes to round out the front 7 D.

[Pinkerton Security]

Agreed. He isnt probably ever going to be more than a situational pass rusher, but hes apparently pretty darn good at pass rushing. So many young players get drafted and their team expects them to do X, Y, and Z even though they only have the skill set to do X, and the player looks like crap, loses confidence, and often ends up out of the league. Kudos to the Bills (and I'm guessing Pettine) for recognizing a player they can use in their defensive scheme that didnt pan out elsewhere.

[Night Train]

I'll take a situational pass rusher over a guy that isn't worthy of being active on game day.

It was a minor move and everyone makes such a big deal over it. Hughes > Sheppard. We get it.

Now let's get back to business.

[OpIv37]

I like him a pass rusher. I hate seeing him in coverage and I blame the coaches when that happens. The opposing OC always seems to be looking for that mismatch.

That being said, a one dimensional pass-rushing OLB is more than Shep ever was, so I'd call the trade a win for us.

[IAG]

They drafting a QB that's not a bust?

He has barely played. Relax.

[Bill Cody]

They drafting a QB that's not a bust?

So wait you don't like EJ?:idunno:

[Oaf]

Sheppard was worth a can of oatmeal. A single sack in a key situation would have been worth more, so a good low-risk, high-reward type transaction here.

[ParanoidAndroid]

I think he's improving out in space, As long as you don't ask him to cover a speed WR like Stills one-on-one, he is serviceable in zone coverage at this point. He's got good sideline-to-sideline speed and is capable of setting the edge. Those two areas are developing for him, but he is not on Manny's level yet. Six sacks and 2 forced fumbles with limited playing time is nice, but it would be even nicer if he could develop those other parts of his game. It would be great if they get him more snaps this season because the playoffs are pretty much out of the question, anyway. The LB spot we need an upgrade at is WLB where Bradham is just not getting it done.

[justasportsfan]

I see Hughes getting better especially next year. I see his pass coverage skills getting better as well.

[Mace]

Hughes is still a one dimentional player. The Bills have not asked him to play ends which in Indy, he proved to be ineffective (not developed like Freeney which Polian modelled him after). As OLB, he does not cover well and still over runs or being pushed out too easily on run defense.

But the man can rush around the corner. His speed outside and inside are making some T and G look like statues, and unlike our famous former 1st round pick from Penn State, Hughes can maintain his balance taking a hit/punch from those big men.

Right now, on a Bills team where opposition routinely double team Mario and Marcell, sometimes Kyle, Hughes is getting clear one on one matches and Pettine has moved him around to get him the best match up. In other words, he's a role player who prospers under the scheme and players around him.

Role players are important. It's very hard to find a complete player like Mario who has the perfect physical attrubutes (too fast for big, powerful but slow footed O-Linemen yet too strong for those known for agility but not for power - on a side note, if an O Lineman has both, power and speed, then you are #1 overall pick and all pro) as well as the football sense. The Bills have Mario, I'd say conservatively for another 2 years at peak performance. I hope he's like Bruce Smith who played in top shape to mid 30s but I don't know how dedicated Mario is; Bruce was a big, "fat" dude coming out college and worked his way down to 280lb to gain speed and he kept at it throughout his career and even today as I heard; Mario has a natural athletic body and a lot of times people of his physical pedigree does not work as hard. The Bills also have an up comer in Marcell who's shaping into a complete player as well. They need role players like Hughes to round out the front 7 D.

Hughes didn't really play much at all in Indy, behind the obvious starters. When they traded him, the Indy people on their boards called him a preseason wonder, it was the only time he got significant snaps.

You get results by using your best pieces when you can use them as pieces. Pettine plus 1. Maybin was not real good, the Jets got results from him a bit, he couldn't get snaps here. Same stuff.

Works for now though. We'll see next year.