"You can't play anymore with just some grunt guy at center," acknowledged Buffalo Bills general manager Tom Donahoe. "The defenses, especially with all the 3-4 fronts now, are too complex. Play a team like New England, with all the movement they do, and you better have a center with great recognitions skills or you won't have a chance. All over the league, we're seeing a lot better player, a lot better athlete, at center now."
In fact, Donahoe's center, Trey Teague, is a good example of how the position has evolved. The seven-year veteran began his career as a left tackle in Denver, then moved to center when he signed with the Bills in 2002 as an unrestricted free agent. Now three years later, if Buffalo can't acquire a left tackle to replace Jonas Jennings, who defected to San Francisco in free agency, Teague is the top candidate to fill the vacancy.
It would have been anathema, just a few years ago, to even suggest that the skills set for the two polar positions could be merged. But that is reflective of how some teams now view the significance of having a standout athlete, a guy whose brawling skills somehow have combined with solid athleticism.
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In fact, Donahoe's center, Trey Teague, is a good example of how the position has evolved. The seven-year veteran began his career as a left tackle in Denver, then moved to center when he signed with the Bills in 2002 as an unrestricted free agent. Now three years later, if Buffalo can't acquire a left tackle to replace Jonas Jennings, who defected to San Francisco in free agency, Teague is the top candidate to fill the vacancy.
It would have been anathema, just a few years ago, to even suggest that the skills set for the two polar positions could be merged. But that is reflective of how some teams now view the significance of having a standout athlete, a guy whose brawling skills somehow have combined with solid athleticism.
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