Current Linebackers.......

[Dantheman1280]

All over this board, I read about how our LB's needs upgrading. I don't understand..... We have Spikes ( I know his injury is a question mark).. Fletcher (still a solid backer).. Posey ( sucks in pass coverage, but still average)..

Now I know all these guys are getting up there in age, but I feel Stamer, Haggen and definitly crowell are solid. They could all fill in if called upon!

Thoughts, comments, concerns.....

[Mahdi]

All over this board, I read about how our LB's needs upgrading. I don't understand..... We have Spikes ( I know his injury is a question mark).. Fletcher (still a solid backer).. Posey ( sucks in pass coverage, but still average)..

Now I know all these guys are getting up there in age, but I feel Stamer, Haggen and definitly crowell are solid. They could all fill in if called upon!

Thoughts, comments, concerns.....
Posey wont start. He's not fast enough for this defense. Crowell will start. Stamer may not be athletic enough as a starter on this defense and Haggan has never had enough playing time to judge him.

[OpIv37]

Fletcher's servicable but getting up there- he's not going to be solid for too much longer.

Spikes is my favorite player on this team but unfortunately he has to prove himself again after the injury.

Posey is consistent but not a playmaker by any stretch of the imagination.

Crowell is up and coming.

Haggan and Stamer- meh. They're on the team because they're good at ST. If they're playing LB, we're in trouble.

So LB could use an upgrade, but DT, OT, and S are far more important for this team at the moment. That being said, if Hawk falls to us I'd say we pretty much have to take him.

[Tatonka]

spikes is a huge question mark.. honestly.. he will say he is ready to go, just like every other guy who ever had a major injury like that, then after next year is over, he will go "well now i am a year removed from the injury, and i was just going at 90%.. just like willis said after his 2nd year.. spikes will not be full strength next year.. there is no way.

fletcher is on the wrong side of 30, and he is also a free agent after next season.. we need his replacement ready... because he should not be brought back.

posey is average at best.

so there you go.. our three starters all have huge issue looming..

crowell will most likely get in the starting lineup somewhere this season.. either in spikes spot or poseys spot.

stamer is a great back up at this point, as haggan is.. but i would not want to rely on either of them as starters..

LB is a huge need for us.

tell me that a guy like hawk, who could have a ray lewis/urlacher type presence on the field, wouldnt help our team out tremendously?

[clumping platelets]

Chad Greenway or Bobby Carpenter after we trade down :)

[Night Train]

A legit concern but we cannot do it all in one off-season. This year, we need to beef up the depth in the trenches and whatever else we can get.

Trying to get 2-3 OL, a DT, 1-2 Safeties,LB's,maybe a CB to replace Nate etc. is a little much to expect in one year.

[Nighthawk]

A legit concern but we cannot do it all in one off-season. This year, we need to beef up the depth in the trenches and whatever else we can get.

Trying to get 2-3 OL, a DT, 1-2 Safeties,LB's,maybe a CB to replace Nate etc. is a little much to expect in one year.

Excellent post...I agree 100%. We just have too much to fill this year and we aren't going to fill every hole in 1 offseason.

[Billsrock4life]

Are linebackers are fine if asny changes had 2 be made i'd say cut posey and start angelo crowell in his place

[DraftBoy]

Gerris Wilkerson in Rd 4. Just say no to a day 1 backer. I dont see Carpenter being anything special in the NFL, Greenway could be good but I wouldnt take him in rd1.

[Tatonka]

you guys are kidding yourself if you think spikes will be like he was.

[finsrclowns]

The fastest way to have a winning team is to draft defense. I'm in favor of using all four of our first day picks on defense, plus two 4ths on another DT to fill our paper thin roster and another DE to backup and rotate in with Schobel. Pittman gives us depth at CB and insulates us in the event of Clement's ultimate departure.

round 1: Broderick Bunkley or Haloti Ngata
round 2: Darnell Bing, S, USC
round 3a: David Pittman, CB NW State
round 3b: ( after trade down to add additional 4th) Gerris Wilkerson, ILB, G Tech

4a) Montavious Stanley, DT, Louisville
4b) Darryl Tapp, DE, V Tech

The go offensive line with both 5th's:
5a) Joe Toledo, OT, Washington
5b) Kevin Boothe, OG, Cornell

[DraftBoy]

The fastest way to have a winning team is to draft defense. I'm in favor of using all four of our first day picks on defense, plus two 4ths on another DT to fill our paper thin roster and another DE to backup and rotate in with Schobel. Pittman gives us depth at CB and insulates us in the event of Clement's ultimate departure.

round 1: Broderick Bunkley or Haloti Ngata
round 2: Darnell Bing, S, USC
round 3a: David Pittman, CB NW State
round 3b: ( after trade down to add additional 4th) Gerris Wilkerson, ILB, G Tech

4a) Montavious Stanley, DT, Louisville
4b) Darryl Tapp, DE, V Tech

The go offensive line with both 5th's:
5a) Joe Toledo, OT, Washington
5b) Kevin Boothe, OG, Cornell

Change Bing to Watkins and Im sold

[R. Rich]

tell me that a guy like hawk, who could have a ray lewis/urlacher type presence on the field, wouldnt help our team out tremendously?

He wouldn't. From what I've read on the Bills message boards, all we need is Haloti Ngata and we'll win the Super Bowl. That's it.

[oldno711]

He wouldn't. From what I've read on the Bills message boards, all we need is Haloti Ngata and we'll win the Super Bowl. That's it.

:rofl:

[Meathead]

A legit concern but we cannot do it all in one off-season. This year, we need to beef up the depth in the trenches and whatever else we can get.

Trying to get 2-3 OL, a DT, 1-2 Safeties,LB's,maybe a CB to replace Nate etc. is a little much to expect in one year.
a very wise cannibal said once that the marvs bills is a two year process

[mysticsoto]

In talking about linebackers, alot of people have forgotten Liam Ezekiel. He looked pretty good last year and might be much improved this year. I remember being thinking last year that he had good potential and that the only reason he wasn't starting on our team was b'cse we had an awesome corp that would be hard for him to break into. But now that Fletcher is getting older and Posey may be on his final legs, he just might break into our roster! I'd definitely be willing to give him the chance...

[alohabillsfan]

We can draft all the defense in the world but if they are out there for 40 mins a game we still lose. This is not a 1 year fix it is at least 2, this year we need to fix the trenches it makes out RB, QB, WR, and LB's better! We need to draft for our philosophy I.E. Power running game, and Cover 2 so with that said; There are increasing possibilities in this months draft, see below


" From previous thread"

While on the clock deciding.....4 teams want a trade up Arizona, Vikings, Denver and Ravens.

Arizona is offering there 10 and 2 to move up 2 spots.

Vikings are offering 17, 48, 51 and 3rd

Denver thier 2 #1's.

Ravens 1, 2, and 3 and Kyle Boller or 4th rounder.

If I were Marv and had those choices here is what I would do,

Trade down with Minnesota we need more picks to start to fill all the holes, They must be targeting a QB that they believe will be avail? I would then draft the following if avail. based on the great work by Dozer! Thanks man!

1-(17) LT Marcus McNiell (you think those RB's from Auburn did it by themselves?
2-(42) G Davin Joseph- Oklahoma
2-(48) DT Orien Harris- Miami
2-(51) DT Wright - Texas
3-(70) TE Fasano - ND
3-(73) CB Manning Abilene
3-(83) SS Pollard - Purdue
4-(104) FS Watkins - FSU
5-(129) OG/C Spitz - Louisville
5-(138) RB Riggs - Tenn
6-(169) OT Butler - Virginia
7-(198) LB Schlegel - Ohio
7-(248) WR Marshall UCF

[finsrclowns]

Change Bing to Watkins and Im sold

I like Watkins too but he's a FS and we need to replace Lawyer. Gotta go with Bing.

[Bill Cody]

We can draft all the defense in the world but if they are out there for 40 mins a game we still lose.

You can lose with a good defense but you can't win without one.

[mysticsoto]

I like Watkins too but he's a FS and we need to replace Lawyer. Gotta go with Bing.

Safeties are kind of interchangeable in a cover 2. That being said, I seriously doubt Pat Watkins last until the 4th round. In AlohaBillsfan's mock draft, I would have taken Pat Watkins with the first 3rd rounder instead of a TE Fasano of which we are pretty set at.

By the way, Bing will probably be gone in the 2nd rd...

[DraftBoy]

Safeties are kind of interchangeable in a cover 2. That being said, I seriously doubt Pat Watkins last until the 4th round. In AlohaBillsfan's mock draft, I would have taken Pat Watkins with the first 3rd rounder instead of a TE Fasano of which we are pretty set at.

By the way, Bing will probably be gone in the 2nd rd...

Well said! Watkins could play SS or FS bc in the Cover 2, S is a center field posistion something he is extremely good at.

[Saratoga Slim]

spikes is a huge question mark.. honestly.. he will say he is ready to go, just like every other guy who ever had a major injury like that, then after next year is over, he will go "well now i am a year removed from the injury, and i was just going at 90%.. just like willis said after his 2nd year.. spikes will not be full strength next year.. there is no way.

fletcher is on the wrong side of 30, and he is also a free agent after next season.. we need his replacement ready... because he should not be brought back.

posey is average at best.

so there you go.. our three starters all have huge issue looming..

crowell will most likely get in the starting lineup somewhere this season.. either in spikes spot or poseys spot.

stamer is a great back up at this point, as haggan is.. but i would not want to rely on either of them as starters..

LB is a huge need for us.

tell me that a guy like hawk, who could have a ray lewis/urlacher type presence on the field, wouldnt help our team out tremendously?

if Hawk is there for the taking, and OBD leaves him on the Board, I'm taking "In Marv We Trust" off my avatar. you don't pass on a player like that if you even arguably have a need for him.

the only way I'd feel differently is if Mario, or D'Brick are likewise still on the Board.

[finsrclowns]

Safeties are kind of interchangeable in a cover 2. That being said, I seriously doubt Pat Watkins last until the 4th round. In AlohaBillsfan's mock draft, I would have taken Pat Watkins with the first 3rd rounder instead of a TE Fasano of which we are pretty set at.

By the way, Bing will probably be gone in the 2nd rd...

That's true but I think we need a physical presence at safety which is why I prefer Bing.
Watkins is probably a late 2nd guy. I know Bing is gone in the 2nd, that's why I suggested we take him there.:;

[HAMMER]

If available I would go;
Brick 1st
Mario 2nd
Hawk 3rd
All three could have immediate and significant impact.