Very Interesting Chart from PFF -- BILLS Starters

[Mahdi]

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/05/15/2014-depth-chart-buffalo-bills/

[SpikedLemonade]

• The Bills have done a lot right recently but don’t count us as Buffalo sycophants. The move getting Chris Williams to fill the void at left guard (and more particularly, the guaranteed $5.5M) left us slack-jawed. He does have OK games, so maybe in the days of subset scouting they saw his Weeks 2, 5, 8 and 13 games which netted him a +6.7 grade and not the Weeks 1, 9, 14 and 17 outings which amassed a ridiculous -22.1 mark.

I found the above interesting.

I don't see Chris Williams as an upgrade.

Dumb signing.

[DesertFox24]

Well some things they need to change based on information we now have from the draft.

1. Manny Lawson is going to be a DE and will rotate with jerry Hughes
2. Keith Rivers is the other OLB and probably SLB
3. Not sure Chris Williams wins the LG spot over Unga and Richardson
4. I would have put EJ as a below average starter not poor starter. He was good in 3 games, average in 3.5 games, and poor in the 3 games

[Buffalogic]

I don't think we know what we have with Williams yet. With Marrone being rooted in the Oline, I'll take a wait and see approach. Definitely not going to gripe about them bringing in more linemen and it's not my money they are spending.

[DraftBoy]

Well that was depressing.

[GingerP]

They have averaged 6.3 wins a year over the last 10 years. What did you expect, a bunch of superstars?

[Lucidvizion]

Lee Smith is better than Scott Chandler? ooooookay.

[stuckincincy]

Well that was depressing.

Yellow journalism?

[DraftBoy]

They have averaged 6.3 wins a year over the last 10 years. What did you expect, a bunch of superstars?

No, the colors just made me sad.

[OpIv37]

I realize that this is one site's opinion, but they say we only have one elite player and they had to debate if he is truly elite. Ouch.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Did you guys look at the other teams? So far they've done 4: Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Buffalo. Arizona won 11 games in a much harder division then us and were rated with only 26 players of "average" or above. Baltimore is two years removed from a Super Bowl title and has 30. Atlanta had a crap season but were still a dropped TD from the Super Bowl in 2012, and has 26. Buffalo had 31.

Players not considered elite: Haloti Ngata, Larry Fitzgerald, Julio Jones, Terrell Suggs, and Daryl Washington

[DraftBoy]

Did you guys look at the other teams? So far they've done 4: Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Buffalo. Arizona won 11 games in a much harder division then us and were rated with only 26 players of "average" or above. Baltimore is two years removed from a Super Bowl title and has 30. Atlanta had a crap season but were still a dropped TD from the Super Bowl in 2012, and has 26. Buffalo had 31.

Players not considered elite: Haloti Ngata, Larry Fitzgerald, Julio Jones, Terrell Suggs, and Daryl Washington

To answer your original question...no.

Which says volumes about Kyle Williams being elite.

[jimmifli]

2. Keith Rivers is the other OLB and probably SLB


I think Rivers will be our 2nd LB in our nickel package. Spikes and our SLB come off the field, and Rivers joins Kiko for passing downs. Then our secondary has Graham at FS, Robey at nickel CB, and McKelvin and Gilmour on the outside. All DBs can play man and both LB's can cover. That's a tough defense to pass on.

If Rivers is our SLB that makes the substitutions easier, but I don't think he fits that role as well as Hughes or Lawson.

But looking at our lack of DEs.... Are we really going to line them up as DEs? I ****ing hope not.

[Dr. Lecter]

They list Garrison Sanborn as average.

Clearly these people are buffoons. He is Elite ++++++

[The Jokeman]

Lee Smith is better than Scott Chandler? ooooookay.

While Chandler and Smith are both TEs they are different types of TEs. Easily put Smith is a blocking (Y)TE and Chalder is a receiving (H) TE and that's why they graded as such. As a blocking TE Smith is pretty good whereas Chandler as a receiver is considered below average as he's not a game changer or excels at one spot. One would think at 6-7 he's be a great red zone target but he just hasn't become one. For more info about scouting TEs see http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Scouting-Tight-Ends-and-Receivers.html

[stuckincincy]

They don't like the January 2013 SB winner all that much, either...

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/05/14/2014-depth-chart-baltimore-ravens/

[Buffalogic]

Damn, nice digging Illum

[Skooby]

Winning cures many poor stats.

[swiper]

I don't think we know what we have with Williams yet.

I love this statement. The only possible response to this is: which one?

[psubills62]

I can't even imagine how bad this chart would have looked in the Jauron and Gailey years. Red, purple and orange all up and down the starting 22.

[Homegrown]

Not sure Chris Williams wins the LG spot over Unga and Richardson


Per rotoworld:


Chris Williams signed a 4 year / $13.40 million contract with the Buffalo Bills, including a $3,500,000 signing bonus, $5,500,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $3,350,000.


I respectively disagree .....

[DesertFox24]

Per rotoworld:



I respectively disagree .....

I am not saying he does not have the upper hand or it is his job to lose.

I will say though that the way his deal is written he will be on the team for at least this year. No guarenteed money after this year, so if we cut in 2015 no dead money to carry.

That being said if Richardson or Unga beat him out then he will serve as the primary backup, plus with his tackle experience he will irrevocably dress every game because he can play 4 spots on the OL.

[Mr. Pink]

How is Spiller elite?

[GingerP]

I will say though that the way his deal is written he will be on the team for at least this year. No guarenteed money after this year, so if we cut in 2015 no dead money to carry.

The contract included a $3.5M signing bonus, allocated at $875K per year for the 4 years of the contract. If they cut him after this year he will count as $2.625M in dead money in 2015. He will earn $5.025M in cash in 2014, so they aren't cutting him.

Here is a link with the contract details:

http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/8050/breaking-down-chris-williams-contract

[BB4ever]

Yes ej was a 4th rd pick reached for in the 1st rd.

[Dr. Lecter]

How is Spiller elite?

Nobody said he was

[Raptor]

Ah yes, PFF, the crutch for those who have no idea what they are looking at when watching football...just look at there player rankings and you'll see a very flawed system for rating players

[Raptor]

Per rotoworld:



I respectively disagree .....


thats a avg salary for a Avg OG on a contract that's easy to cut. It by no means locks him to anything

[YardRat]

Fred Jackson "good", CJ Spiller "high quality" = zero credibility.

[JoeMama]

When they fully compile all 32 teams, I'd like to see how we grade out in comparison.

We DO have individual talent on this team, there's just not enough synthesis.

If EJ is worth half a damn, this will be a good team in 2014.

[Mace]

I'm not really sure how anyone worries about a depth chart before we even had all the players in a camp. Come on now.

[YardRat]

On paper we don't look half bad...the only positions I find nauseating are QB and FS

You won't miss Byrd, and if EJ stays healthy and progresses you should be a pretty happy camper then.

[Dr. Lecter]

You won't miss Byrd, and if EJ stays healthy and progresses you should be a pretty happy camper then.

You think Searcy is as good as Byrd?

I don't get your Byrd hate. You treat him like Raion Hill.

[better days]

Lee Smith is better than Scott Chandler? ooooookay.

Thad Lewis is better than EJ Manuel? oooookay

And Tuel is just as good as EJ?

[better days]

I realize that this is one site's opinion, but they say we only have one elite player and they had to debate if he is truly elite. Ouch.

They have Kiko who made the top 100 as only a good starter?

RIDICULOUS.

And Carpenter who had a GREAT year as 2nd string & only average?

These people don't know ANYTHING.

[Mahdi]

They have Kiko who made the top 100 as only a good starter?

RIDICULOUS.

And Carpenter who had a GREAT year as 2nd string & only average?

These people don't know ANYTHING.

PFF doesn't focus on the overall impact of a player. They rate a player on each and every play they are on the field for.

Although Kiko made a lot of plays and was on the field for all of our defensive snaps he was also on the field for what contributed to our last ranked run Defense... So there is a lot of bad tape there for Kiko.

So even though he had a big impact on our defense in terms of playmaking, he was also out of position a lot which means overall he is a good starter.

[better days]

PFF doesn't focus on the overall impact of a player. They rate a player on each and every play they are on the field for.

Although Kiko made a lot of plays and was on the field for all of our defensive snaps he was also on the field for what contributed to our last ranked run Defense... So there is a lot of bad tape there for Kiko.

So even though he had a big impact on our defense in terms of playmaking, he was also out of position a lot which means overall he is a good starter.


Like I said, Kiko made the top 100 list.

Should have won Rookie of the year.

And they have Carpenter as AVERAGE & SECOND string.

Carpenter is NOT average, he is GOOD & he will be the starting kicker this season.

These people don't know ANYTHING.

[Dr. Lecter]

PFF doesn't focus on the overall impact of a player. They rate a player on each and every play they are on the field for.

Although Kiko made a lot of plays and was on the field for all of our defensive snaps he was also on the field for what contributed to our last ranked run Defense... So there is a lot of bad tape there for Kiko.

So even though he had a big impact on our defense in terms of playmaking, he was also out of position a lot which means overall he is a good starter.

Kyle Williams was too, but still got an elite grade

[DesertFox24]

The contract included a $3.5M signing bonus, allocated at $875K per year for the 4 years of the contract. If they cut him after this year he will count as $2.625M in dead money in 2015. He will earn $5.025M in cash in 2014, so they aren't cutting him.

Here is a link with the contract details:

http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/8050/breaking-down-chris-williams-contract

Ok thanks I read an article by Joe B or someone else that said his singing bonus is paid this year.

With this news he will at the very least be on this team for two years.

I dont have a problem with that even if he is not a starter he can backup all 4 OL positions and that is huge because we would probably only dress 7 OL on game days then which will open up another position for special teams or special defensive/offensive packages.

[jills]

Fair rankings, no wonder why we finished dead last in the division.

[better days]

Fair rankings, no wonder why we finished dead last in the division.

So you don't expect Carpenter to be the kicker this year?

[Thief]

Anyone know why Moorman is considered poor?

[TacklingDummy]

Did you guys look at the other teams? So far they've done 4: Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Buffalo. Arizona won 11 games in a much harder division then us and were rated with only 26 players of "average" or above. Baltimore is two years removed from a Super Bowl title and has 30. Atlanta had a crap season but were still a dropped TD from the Super Bowl in 2012, and has 26. Buffalo had 31.



Out of the 5 only 1 of them had a QB that was in the red.

We have the pieces in place to be a playoff team, except for the most important piece.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Yellow journalism?

No need to insult Hearst and Pulitzer like that. :D

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Anyone know why Moorman is considered poor?

He was brutal last year and at his age you can't really expect a big rebound.


Out of the 5 only 1 of them had a QB that was in the red.

We have the pieces in place to be a playoff team, except for the most important piece.

I agree with that, I was disputing the idea that pff was ranking us poorly. Pff loves Buffalo for whatever reason.

[better days]

Anyone know why Moorman is considered poor?

He muffed a punt in the Jets at Bills game that went for 2 yds.

That no doubt brought his numbers crashing down.

I think his best days are behind him. He is no longer GOOD, but I would say he is average.

[GingerP]

I think his best days are behind him. He is no longer GOOD, but I would say he is average.

He was 32nd in the NFL in gross punting and 30th in the NFL in net punting. That isn't average.

[YardRat]

You think Searcy is as good as Byrd?

I don't get your Byrd hate. You treat him like Raion Hill.

I didn't say anything in the least bit derogatory about Byrd, your response is a little bit of a strawman. We'll see if Searcy can play as well or not, although I really don't see him settling into the starting FS role. I have confidence in Williams, and think he has a skill set that could make him better than Byrd.

[better days]

He was 32nd in the NFL in gross punting and 30th in the NFL in net punting. That isn't average.

Like I said, that 2 yard punt skewed his numbers.

[GingerP]

Like I said, that 2 yard punt skewed his numbers.

He punted 61 times, that 1 punt is statistically insignificant. If that punt had been 50 yards instead of 2, his gross average would go from 41.2 to 42.0. That would move him from 32nd in the NFL to 30th.

Besides, what makes you think other punters haven't shanked punts? He was terrible last year.

[better days]

He punted 61 times, that 1 punt is statistically insignificant. If that punt had been 50 yards instead of 2, his gross average would go from 41.2 to 42.0. That would move him from 32nd in the NFL to 30th.

Besides, what makes you think other punters haven't shanked punts? He was terrible last year.


I did not realize he was that bad last year. Cut his ass.