Current Bills Starters

[patmoran2006]

Bills current starters.

QB: JP Losman
RB: Willis McGahee
FB: Damien Shelton
WR: Lee Evans
WR: Peerless Price
TE: Robert Royal
LT: Jason Peters
LG: Merz
C: Melvin Fowler
RG: Duke Preston
RT: Terrence Pennington

Defense
DT: Kyle Williams
DT: Larry Tripplett
DE: Aaron Schobel
DE: Ryan Denney
LB: Ellison
LB: Takeo SPikes
LB: Angelo Crowell
CB: Terrence McGee
CB: Ashton Youboty
S: Donte Whitner
S: Ko Simpson

Ones in bold IMO absolutely HAVE to be upgraded..
Those in italic (Price, Royal, Pennington, Williams) would be nice to have a better player there, but you cant have everything so those players you could live with. (If I had to pick one more though it would be Price to be benched)

[xXSpIkes5IXx]

I think Daimon Shelton is a free agent as well

so we have no fullback

[patmoran2006]

he shouldnt count anyway, forget I even put him in the lineup, I'd rather bring back Carwell Gardner than Shelton

[Yasgur's Farm]

QB: JP Losman
RB: Willis McGahee
FB: Damien Shelton
WR: Lee Evans
WR: Peerless Price
TE: Robert Royal
LT: Jason Peters
LG: Merz
C: Melvin Fowler
RG: Duke Preston
RT: Terrence Pennington

Defense
DT: Kyle Williams
DT: Larry Tripplett
DE: Aaron Schobel
DE: Ryan Denney
LB: Ellison
LB: Takeo SPikes
LB: Angelo Crowell
CB: Terrence McGee
CB: Ashton Youboty
S: Donte Whitner
S: Ko Simpson

Both Shelton and Duke Preston are free agents (Although I expect Preston to be tendered).

I think we need at least 1 of the top 3 FA G's... 2 if we don't sign Gandy. PLUS a 3rd rounder.

LB is a bit more of an unknown with Spikes and Fletcher both up in the air. From my observations, LB (not DT) was our problem against the run. The D is designed to allow our DT's to persue. Therefore it's essntial we have a stable of LB's who are capable of filling gaps. I would love to sign both Thomas and June from FA. But I believe we'll only sign 1 of them and draft a 2nd rounder.

I'd like to see a move like moving Neufeld or Ceislak to the FB position.

I'd also like to see Reed as more of a WR/RB slash player.

[Dr. Lecter]

I don't disagree Pat (although I like Denny more than you do).

I would also add they need a DT for rotational purposes.

[HHURRICANE]

I just vomitted when I saw Denney as a starter.

[HHURRICANE]

FB: Damien Shelton - He was useless. I think he's done here.

WR: Peerless Price - I have to believe that even a 3rd or 4th rounder could compete here.

LG: Merz - If not Gandy than we need to find someone. This is not good.

RG: Duke Preston - I will not watch Prston play RG all season.

RT: Terrence Pennington - Maybe?

Defense
DE: Ryan Denney - No fickin way.

Pat did we cut McCargo? Where is he on your list of starters.

[madness]

he shouldnt count anyway, forget I even put him in the lineup, I'd rather bring back Carwell Gardner than Shelton

Use your damn pencil then and edit the post.

[madness]

Pat did we cut McCargo? Where is he on your list of starters.

He's not starter status.

[patmoran2006]

McCargo is a backup to Tripplet..

Coulda had Mangold.. But oh well

[HHURRICANE]

He's not starter status.

Can someone explain why our first rounder is not breaking through into our lineup? Can we get our second rounder bacK?

[Devin]

Now Honestly, looking at it this way it doesnt seem to bad at all imo. I mean yeah we still have holes but we certainly are headed the right way, we are in good cap shape, and we are loaded with young talent.

You cant do it all in one year anyway.

Course this is all kinda shooting fromt he hip, just moreso pointing out we are hardly in some sort of vicious downward spiral or something.

FA:
Kris Dielman, OG (or Dockery dont care who)
Tory James, CB

Resign:
Anthony Hargrove
Anthony Thomas
Kiwaukee Thomas

Draft: (just off the top of my head)
1. Patrick Willis, MLB
2. Brian Leonard, FB
3. Marcus Mcauley, CB

Just did the first 3 because i didnt feel like going through the rest. This isnt a terribly serious mock anyway, just making a point.

Offense
QB: JP Losman
RB: Willis McGahee
FB: Brian Leonard
WR: Lee Evans
WR: Peerless Price
TE: Robert Royal
LT: Jason Peters
LG: Duke Preston
C: Melvin Fowler
RG: Kris Dielman
RT: Terrence Pennington/Brad Butler

Defense
DT: Kyle Williams
DT: Larry Tripplett/McCargo
DE: Aaron Schobel
DE: Anthony Hargrove
LB: Takeo Spikes
LB: Patrick Willis
LB: Angelo Crowell
CB: Terrence McGee
CB: Tory James
S: Donte Whitner
S: Ko Simpson

So you sign an aging CB who at best is here for 2 seasons but will give Youboty or the Bills if Ashton isnt the answer a year to sort it out. And is likely cheap. Hopefuly both our young S's grow into the position a little better this season. You add a hard hitting MLB who adds not only youth/speed to the LB corps but upgrades the group from last year. TKO wont be his old self, but I expect an upgrade from last year. And lastly I move Hargrove back to his natural spot and let him have an honest go. We cant fix it all in one year but its a start.

On O they sign a major upgrade at OG. Who hopefully helps our young RT whoever it maybe out. Adding a big young athletic FB as another target for JP.....as well as a bruiser who can spell Willis or just pound it in from a yard out would be a nice addition.

All in all its not perfect, no plan is. And id be shocked if even half that happened. The point is things are not THAT bad.

[gr8slayer]

Merz should get a shot at OG, the guy is a beast.

[patmoran2006]

Preston isnt strong enough to start at guard, he gets pushed around.. Thats the problem with this team, cant run the ball or protect Losman up the middle.

they need not one but TWO better guards than they had last year.. its a need, not a luxury

[Devin]

Well it wont happen. Plain and simple.

We have young players at OG behind Gandy. If he isnt here next year one of them will be starting. Thats just the way it is.

It isnt gonna happen in one year.

[gr8slayer]

Preston isnt strong enough to start at guard, he gets pushed around.. Thats the problem with this team, cant run the ball or protect Losman up the middle.

they need not one but TWO better guards than they had last year.. its a need, not a luxury

Funny you mention Preston not being strong enough because hew as regarded as the strongest guy in the draft (lower body, which is all that matters on OL.)

[Philagape]

Can someone explain why our first rounder is not breaking through into our lineup? Can we get our second rounder bacK?

Because our top FA signing and our second first-round draft pick, who we traded picks to acquire, play the same DT position.

[madness]

Can someone explain why our first rounder is not breaking through into our lineup? Can we get our second rounder bacK?

He started showing some real progress the last couple of games before his season ending injury in week 5. He is expected to come in to camp heavier and compete for the spot next to Tripplett. As of right now, he's not a starter.

[Mr. Pink]

Bills current starters.

QB: JP LOSMAN - God this pains me to admit right lol
RB: Willis McGahee? Dominic Rhodes or Marshawn Lynch possibilities, my gut reaction...McGahee is here one more year.
FB: damion shelton I'm still upset Alan Ricard didn't win this job last year. I give him another shot.
WR: LEE EVANS
WR: peerless price Kevin Johnson had a few productive seasons out in Cleveland with Couch and learned how to block. Good fit as a 2.
TE: robert royal Zack Miller or Cam Cleeland
LT: JASON PETERS
LG: merz Floyd Womack
C: FOWLER
RG: GANDY - i like him at guard not at tackle
RT: terrence pennington Orlando Brown might not be a bad option

Defense
DT: kyle williams Jeff Zgonina
DT: LARRY TRIPLETT
DE: AARON SCHOEBEL
DE: ryan denney N.D. Kalu
LB: ellison? Jamie Sharper would be a nice fit either inside or outside
LB: takeo spikes? Chris Claiborne would be nice.
LB: ANGELO CROWELL
CB: TERRENCE MCGEE-I'd like him better as the number 2 to be honest though.
CB: Youboty? Duane Starks
S: WHITNER
S: SIMPSON

Ones in CAPS are definitely keepers, lowercase need to be gone, question marks next to them would be definitely nice to upgrade.

The people listed next to the names are people I could see us definitely targeting.

[Elminster]

Bills current starters.

QB: JP Losman
RB: Willis McGahee
FB: Damien Shelton
WR: Lee Evans
WR: Peerless Price
TE: Robert Royal
LT: Jason Peters
LG: Merz
C: Melvin Fowler
RG: Duke Preston
RT: Terrence Pennington

Defense
DT: Kyle Williams
DT: Larry Tripplett
DE: Aaron Schobel
DE: Ryan Denney
LB: Ellison
LB: Takeo SPikes
LB: Angelo Crowell
CB: Terrence McGee
CB: Ashton Youboty
S: Donte Whitner
S: Ko Simpson

Ones in bold IMO absolutely HAVE to be upgraded..
Those in italic (Price, Royal, Pennington, Williams) would be nice to have a better player there, but you cant have everything so those players you could live with. (If I had to pick one more though it would be Price to be benched)

I'll do better...

JP Losman- He progressed wonderfully, and is our franchise QB. All we should be talking about is back-up.

Willis McGahee- You're happy with this guy? Mediocre production, questionable work ethic, more paternity suits than 1,000 yard rushing seasons, and he wants a lucrative extension he isn't getting. Definitely could be upgraded.

Daimon Shelton- He's a FA and shouldn't be resigned. Cieslak is better.

Evans- See Losman, insert WR where necessary

Price- Meh...could we get some one a few inches taller? I won't cry if we don't upgrade him, but I certainly won't be wild about another year of "Peerless."

Royal- He's good enough. If Kevin Everett could figure out how to get on a football field, we'd have a good compliment for him...but that seems like a shaky proposition.

Peters- See Losman, insert LT where necessary.
Gandy/Merz- See Peerless comment. Merz looked good when he played.
Fowler- Above-average.
Preston/Villarial- We do need one other guard, for the record. Maybe it's Butler...maybe he's not on the roster...
Pennington- He played FINE. Why the hell do you hate on the guy? Would you like him better if he came from a higher round? It's a matter of him learning, it's not a question of his intangibles. A lot of teams have good OLs built primarily from late-round and undrafted talent. Like the Broncos...

Williams- He's fine. We DO need another one-gap, given we have 2 of each. Maybe it's McCargo...and maybe we draft one.
Triplett- I'm surprised he isn't bolded or something. I'd like to see better out of him myself...
Denney/Hargrove- I'm fine with them. Kelsay is the one who gets pushed around, not Denney.
Schobel- I hope no one thinks he's weak after single-handedly bullrushing big ole' D'Brickashaw on his fat ass. That was great, and made me like him even more.

Ellison- He certainly outplayed TKO...
Crowell- Good player.
TKO- I'm losing patience, and won't shed a tear if he gets cut. That said, draft a linebacker. The way I see it, we have two starters, one of which is a potential starter, not a lock(Ellison), and TKO may not be any of 'em.

Youboty- He's a Buckeye corner. Doesn't that guarentee he's starting-calibre? At least there's a good history. What do you want here...Nick Harper i.e. Troy Vincent redux? Draft another? All assuming Clements doesn't come back..

McGee- I shiver at the thought of playing the Jaguars in the play-offs...will all big wide-outs beat him like a rented mule?

Other points of concern...
O-Line depth- I feel like we're short a good depth player...
Back-up QB- We need to light some fires under KH and Nall...neither impressed me last year.
Linebacker depth- Ewww...well, ok, Stamer made a good play(before ending his season with an injury), but Haggan doesn't inspire confidence...