How have the Bills improved the O-Line?

[BuffaloRanger]

They added Villarrial and lost RB. They added a great line coach who constantly repeats "I can't preform miracles." meaning "Some real players would be great."

So if the Bills selected an OL in the 3rd round, he'd just be depth this year. Then how has the Bills line improved?

No June 1st cut will make a difference.

Face it, if the Bills line is too be improved like everyone from the HC on down has said it will be, TD has to go OL in the 1st or 2nd rounds.


That means Grove or Carey.

[BIGDAWG]

Face it, if the Bills line is too be improved like everyone from the HC on down has said it will be, TD has to go OL in the 1st or 2nd rounds.


That means Grove or Carey.

Sorry to disagree but, Mike Williams and Rueben Brown were our last two high pick for OL, right? Where did that get us. No..I think we have to trust the new coaches and improvement will come from within.:snicker2:

[elltrain22]

Villarial was a good start, but ever since then, management has fallen asleep. I thought we were going to get Woody, then I thought we were gonna get Chris Bober, but all we are left w/ is Villarial and the rest of our crappy line from last year.

[Tatonka]

by removing pucillo and adding villarreal

by removing brown and adding sullivan

by adding McNally.. who had plenty of "real" players..

[clumping platelets]

Coaching can do wonders. But the key to adding Villarrial? It will give Mike Williams a veteran to work with as opposed to consecutive 1st year starters (Sullivan in 2002, Pucillo in 2003). I believe the OL will be much improved this year, but still wouldn't mine further reinforcements.

[Ebenezer]

Originally posted by clumping platelets
Coaching can do wonders. But the key to adding Villarrial? It will give Mike Williams a veteran to work with as opposed to consecutive 1st year starters (Sullivan in 2002, Pucillo in 2003). I believe the OL will be much improved this year, but still wouldn't mine further reinforcements.

agreed.

[Dozerdog]

Too many people fall in love with the "cosmetic" and don't look into what the line problems really are.

They see other teams sign players and automatically we are "Missing the boat". That's garbage. This team has done a ton of offseason moves the previous two seasons and the fans got spoiled- it's now expected every year.

Woody- For what he signed for, the Bills would not get a single other FA this season. This isn't Madden Football. You can't sign anybody you want. Ther eis a Salary Cap

Bober- He signed with KC to be their tackle. Tackles make a lot more than Centers. Everybody assumes he wanted to sign here to mplay Center. We have 2 very good Tackles.

Just getting a new playbook and a coach who knows what an "adjustment" is will help a ton. You can't expect to line up 4 WR's then send your FB in motion every third down and expect your line to keep the Blitz off Bledsoe. And when their defense tosses a wrinkle at you- you adjust to it! The Bills coaches last year were to stubborn to change a thing

[Goobylal]

Considering the Bills' O-linemen haven't had even decent coaching since they've entered the NFL, outside of Teague (who was never was tutored by Gibbs to play center though), they will benefit immensely from McNally's presence. However despite this, Jennings, Williams, and Sullivan have shown flashes. As for Sullivan and especially Williams, not only were they hamstrung by poor coaching, but also by playing next to inexperienced players. As a 2nd year player and first-time starter, Sullivan played next to a first-time starting center (Teague) and a rookie (Williams) and Williams played next to Sullivan and then Pucillo. Replace inexperienced Sullivan and Pucillo with Villarrial and you get a huge upgrade not only at the RG spot, but at RT and OC, because those guys don't have to compensate anymore. I think that Sullivan will win the LG spot, because of the promise he showed at RG a few years ago, and because he played LT in college and should be more comfortable on the left side versus the right.

[THATHURMANATOR]

Originally posted by Dozerdog
Too many people fall in love with the "cosmetic" and don't look into what the line problems really are.

They see other teams sign players and automatically we are "Missing the boat". That's garbage. This team has done a ton of offseason moves the previous two seasons and the fans got spoiled- it's now expected every year.

Woody- For what he signed for, the Bills would not get a single other FA this season. This isn't Madden Football. You can't sign anybody you want. Ther eis a Salary Cap

Bober- He signed with KC to be their tackle. Tackles make a lot more than Centers. Everybody assumes he wanted to sign here to mplay Center. We have 2 very good Tackles.

Just getting a new playbook and a coach who knows what an "adjustment" is will help a ton. You can't expect to line up 4 WR's then send your FB in motion every third down and expect your line to keep the Blitz off Bledsoe. And when their defense tosses a wrinkle at you- you adjust to it! The Bills coaches last year were to stubborn to change a thing

Great post.

[Tatonka]

Originally posted by Goobylal
Considering the Bills' O-linemen haven't had even decent coaching since they've entered the NFL, outside of Teague (who was never was tutored by Gibbs to play center though), they will benefit immensely from McNally's presence. However despite this, Jennings, Williams, and Sullivan have shown flashes. As for Sullivan and especially Williams, not only were they hamstrung by poor coaching, but also by playing next to inexperienced players. As a 2nd year player and first-time starter, Sullivan played next to a first-time starting center (Teague) and a rookie (Williams) and Williams played next to Sullivan and then Pucillo. Replace inexperienced Sullivan and Pucillo with Villarrial and you get a huge upgrade not only at the RG spot, but at RT and OC, because those guys don't have to compensate anymore. I think that Sullivan will win the LG spot, because of the promise he showed at RG a few years ago, and because he played LT in college and should be more comfortable on the left side versus the right.

this is a great post too.

[Michael82]

This is why I believe Donahoe is looking at trading down and picking Vernon Carey or Jake Grove towards the end of the 1st round.

[Throne Logic]

I agree with both Dozer and Goobylal.

However, something has been nagging at me here. If the coaches and TD were happy with the guys they have now, why were they still looking at FA's? Just a nagging.

Actually, I believe the one mistake TD has made relating to the OL is letting Sam Gash go. He was a great asset to the OL. I don't understand why TD didn't resign him.

[Goobylal]

WRT Gash, he's getting old, his neck isn't completely healthy, and frankly I wasn't all that impressed with him last year. Shelton could be every bit as good a blocker, and he also plays ST's As for continuing to look at FA OL's, unless you have all-pros at every position, you can always upgrade. Considering what Bober and Williams signed for, which the Bills could have easily matched, it doesn't appear they lost out on anything they felt the didn't already have.

[Fat Tony]

Originally posted by Throne Logic
I agree with both Dozer and Goobylal.

However, something has been nagging at me here. If the coaches and TD were happy with the guys they have now, why were they still looking at FA's? Just a nagging.

Actually, I believe the one mistake TD has made relating to the OL is letting Sam Gash go. He was a great asset to the OL. I don't understand why TD didn't resign him.

First off- you are always looking at free agents. Unless you line up 22 pro bowlers and have them all under contract for an extended period of time, you are constantly looking for those parts to plug in.


Here is another pet peve. The Bills didn't let the 1997-98 Pro Bowl Sam Gash go. They let the 35 year old Sam Gash go. People are just too sentimental for the good old days.

There are some good FB's in this draft- two that I have an eye on- Mike Karney of AZ st (Almost 260 and a real bulldozer) and Travis Wilson of Kansas St (Ex Linebacker) - both can block and both will make solid special teams players.

Both will also be around in the 5-7 th round

[Tatonka]

Originally posted by Fat Tony
First off- you are always looking at free agents. Unless you line up 22 pro bowlers and have them all under contract for an extended period of time, you are constantly looking for those parts to plug in.


Here is another pet peve. The Bills didn't let the 1997-98 Pro Bowl Sam Gash go. They let the 35 year old Sam Gash go. People are just too sentimental for the good old days.

There are some good FB's in this draft- two that I have an eye on- Mike Karney of AZ st (Almost 260 and a real bulldozer) and Travis Wilson of Kansas St (Ex Linebacker) - both can block and both will make solid special teams players.

Both will also be around in the 5-7 th round

good post.. i was just getting ready to say.. we will definately draft a fb.. and i think that karney is our guy.