This Line is getting "offensive"

[patmoran2006]

If the "whiners" and the "homers'" of this board can come together on this thread for a minute.. Let's have a discussion on a specific topic.

90% of the people on here despised Donahoe, including myself. Regardless of who liked him or not, I think we can ALL concur that the BIGGEST REASON the Bills didn't make the playoffs the past six years is because of TD's blatant neglect on the offensive line. To a man (or woman) we all agree on this, no?

Well the Bills have already signed five free agents this season, and NOT a SINGLE one of them is an offensive linemen. Nada

HOw does this make Levy ANY better than Donahoe? WE're signing these system and developmental safeties, tight ends and quarterbacks. Where the hell are the offensive linemen?

In Donahoe's defense; he brought in a damn good defense. Spikes, Fletcher, Posey, Milloy, Vincent and Adams were all brought in by Donahoe and two of the past three years we had the #2 defense in the NFL.. TD dropped the ball last year by letting Big Pat walk to the Vikings and then TKO got hurt. As we all know, it was a very long year for the defense.

One can tell already that Marv is looking at building a better line through the draft. I think it's a big mistake if anyone expects this team to be any kind of competitive anytime soon.

Jason Peters is rising as a tackle. At times he was VERY solid last year. IN fact, he was probably our best linemen by season's end. STill he's been a starting tackle for LESS than a year. He still has to grow and develop more.

Same for Duke Preston. He's likely to inherited the starting center spot from Trey Teague, the same way JP was handed the QB spot from Drew. The kid is good but still has a lot to learn.

What are we going to do, surround them with one or two more rookie starters?

JP's never going to have a chance in Buffalo, this line is going to get him murdered. Willis will never be a franchise back either running behind a line that young and unproven.

I cant even see them using the first pick on a OL either. THey paid Tripplett good money and since there is no one really left in FA, you have to draft Ngata/Bunkley or Tripplett is going to be a $3+ million waste.

I don't condem Marv and Co. for the general plan they have in place. But I can't fathom he didn't learn from Donahoe that you can't do ANYTHING without an offensive line that is solid.

People keep talking about Pittsburgh, Denver, New England etc and how they didnt go crazy in FA and they're always good. This is all true.. However, these teams have one thing in common.. THey ALL HaVE outstanding offensive lines.

Marv doesnt have the luxury. SPEND THE MONEY and get Runyan and Neal.. Both are still out there. This in ONE day makes the line legit and on par with some of the better lines in the league.

Then JP will have a real chance to succeed. Willis has a chance to run for 1,500 yards.. We have a good chance to control the clock and line of scrimmage.. Then we have a chance to stay in games, ESPECIALLY on the road.

Draft smart, spend cheap wherever else you want.. JUST not with the offensive line. You already have two youngsters on a shaky line..

Don't make it more.

[EDS]

Pittsburgh, NE and Denver all built their lines through the draft. Same with Indy. NE and Indy in particular have had success with multiple rookies and/or inexperienced players on their lines.

[EDS]

And for the record, I think the line does need significant upgrading. I also think a guy like Joesph or Spencer in round two could easily be plugged into left guard (the lines biggest hole) and perform well from day 1 through the next decade. That one upgrade will have a ripple effect on the entire line - that and additional experience for Peters/Gandy/Preston/etc.

[patmoran2006]

You're right about Denver, Pittsburgh and all of the teams.

That's a very good point.

MY point is the NFL is a lot different than it was before. The salary cap is at $105 million and it goes up to $112 next year and God only knows after that.

Teams HAD to build through the draft mainly because of less money to throw at free agents.

That's not the case anymore; with the exception of the Buffalo Bills of course.

[GarnOFreak]

I agree with you on most of that. I still see OL as a bigger need than DL though. There are still warm bodies out there that will fill the one spot at DT better than there are people who will fill the OL spots. I say the draft needs to address the OL first and then worry about DT. Even if we did grab Runyan in FA, we really need to pick someone up to groom behind him. Neal and Ashworth weren't really household names before this off-season. The Patriots are A LOT like Denver in that respect, their line is good because of their scheme, not due to Star talent. Pittsburgh actually does have a talented line(which they made by investing several high round picks:
Marvel Smith(LT) 2000, round 2, pick 7
Lan Faneca (LG) 1998, round 1, pick 26
Jeff Hartings (C) FA (5 year starter for DET picked up in 2001)
Kendall Simmons(RG) 2002, round1, pick 30
Max Starks, (RT) 2004, round3, pick 12

Other than Hartings who is getting old and might be eventually replaced by a C from this years draft...can you say Nick Mangold in the first rouind, pick 32? They are all first day picks on the right side of 30.

Of our 4+ first day picks(1, 2, 3, 3, + any comp picks we get) I'd like to see an OT and OG taken.

[GarnOFreak]

oh, by the way Jeff Hartings was a round 1(pick 26) by Detroit back in 1996

[patmoran2006]

If we got Runyan and then drafted Spencer or Joseph in round two that would be a significant upgrade.

I am one who feels your football team will only go as far as the OL takes you.

That's an example of opening up the bank for an established ALL PRO and taking a guard early in the draft.. That's a good mix.

NOw throw BUnkley in there at number eight and both sides of the line just got a hell of a lot better.

A stud tackle like Runyan is the key.

[EDS]

I don't think you can call Runyon a stud tackle anymore. If anything, he is a 1 or 2 year stopgap.

[patmoran2006]

I don't think you can call Runyon a stud tackle anymore. If anything, he is a 1 or 2 year stopgap.

A one or two year stopgap who can make this football team better while a guy you draft in rounds 2-3 develops for those few years and is more ready to start when Runyan is gone.

As opposed to another RAW young guy on the line who's going to get your QB killed.