Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

[Romes]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/billsnfl/story/339351.html

Derek Fine’s receiving numbers at the University of Kansas weren’t jaw-dropping last season. But his 46 catches for 394 yards and four touchdowns weren’t that bad for a tight end playing in a spread offense that used multiple wide receivers and moved him all over the field.

Even though Kansas won a school-record 12 games, Fine was overshadowed in the Big XII Conference, where Martellus Bennett of Texas A&M, Martin Rucker of Missouri and Jermichael Finley of Texas got more attention and were drafted earlier.

But the Buffalo Bills believe they benefited from the lack of hype surrounding Fine. The way they have talked up the fifth-year senior, the Bills must think they’ve found a steal in the fourth round.

“This is why we never listen to the media or what the experts might say,” Bills tight end coach Charlie Coiner said. “Sometimes a guy can get on a roll publicitywise and all of a sudden they’ve got six or seven names that keep coming up over and over. Maybe a guy like Derek slips through the cracks. But we’re very happy to have him. I think we’ve got a really good football player.”

Fine will contribute right away on special teams (he was Kansas’ special teams co-MVP), but Coiner wouldn’t stop there.

Desperate for a tight end with receiving skills, the Bills expect Fine to make an early impact in the passing game.

“I think if you’re a tight end and you make the team you’re a guy who is going to be involved immediately in a lot of things,” Coiner said. “I see him as a guy who will come in and contribute in different positions in our offense. He can line up next to the tackle; he can line up as a wing or line up as the second tight end. I think he is going to be a good intermediate and short pass catcher early and I think he’s got the ability to stretch the field when we need to.” ....

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I hope Coiner is right.

[ddaryl]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

“This is why we never listen to the media or what the experts might say,” Bills tight end coach Charlie Coiner said. “Sometimes a guy can get on a roll publicitywise and all of a sudden they’ve got six or seven names that keep coming up over and over. Maybe a guy like Derek slips through the cracks. But we’re very happy to have him. I think we’ve got a really good football player.”
.

And this paragraph is exactly what all the draft nay sayers were guilty of. Pretending to know more, and believing the medias perception of via mock drafts and paid publications.

Not saying that the stuff we get from these publications and websites aren't useful, they do however not take much into context outside of raw numbers and raw info, much of which is borowed from the other publications and mock drafts.

the montra of trust your board is well ingrained into the Bills last few drafts and especially this years IMO...

All we can do is sit back and hope our teams scouts and FO are better then others. The last couple of drafts (ones with Marv at the helm) has me believing that they have done well... and continued that this year...

[justasportsfan]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

“This is why we never listen to the media or what the experts might say,” Bills tight end coach Charlie Coiner said. .

question is, what probowl TE have Coiner and his scouts produced since they've been here?

Time to prove those scouts and experts (you don't agree with) wrong, Charlie.

[DraftBoy]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

No comment...

[Jan Reimers]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

I believe Fine is a much better player than all of us Keller-Davis-Bennett-Rucker lovers think he is.

Seems to have really good hands, smarts, a high motor, and at least some blocking ability, which I'm sure he will work on to get better.

[Romes]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

And this paragraph is exactly what all the draft nay sayers were guilty of. Pretending to know more, and believing the medias perception of via mock drafts and paid publications.

yes and no.

naturally players will fall through the cracks and fine may be one of those...

but also every team is gonna fall in love with there draft picks and say glowing things about them.

that said it was nice to read that they think Fine stretch the field.

[Romes]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

No comment...

Shouldn't McKelvin be going for the pick in your avatar? It looks like he has the position.

Isn't that the knock on him? Not enough INTs.

[DraftBoy]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

Shouldn't McKelvin be going for the pick in your avatar? It looks like he has the position.

Isn't that the knock on him? Not enough INTs. :P

Not McKelvin necessarily, its just a Madden generated picture.

[dasaybz]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

If this guy can actually play, then I won't mind the pick.

Howevere, looking at the pick now, it just didn't seem like they did enough to address the position. I probably would have preferred to take the TE with the 3rd round pick, but hey, the Bills obviously thought differently.

[Mahdi]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

Wow. I didnt realize he has such great measurables. #1 in the 3-cone and #3 in the 20 yard shuttle means he has great short area quickness which is probably why he was a big threat in the medium range passing game for Kansas.

Jason Witten doesnt have great long speed either, probably in the 4.8 range as well but his qualities are his hands, C.O.D, and instincts which is the same as Derek Fine from what im reading. He could be a similar player to Witten or Cooley and if he is even close to that he will be a steal.

[ddaryl]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

yes and no.

naturally players will fall through the cracks and fine may be one of those...

but also every team is gonna fall in love with there draft picks and say glowing things about them.

that said it was nice to read that they think Fine stretch the field.

Of course teams are going to toot the horn of their draftees, and they should... , but I stand by my belief that the Bills stood by their draft board and took the players they had ranked highest in the slots they chose them.

Not saying that one of the other TE's weren't rated higher, but IMO for exapmle the Bills had a higher rating on Ellis in the 3rd then any of the TE's remaining on the board at that time.

I also believe that the things they bring to point are exactly what the plethera of mock drafts and publications skim over most of the time. A player whose job within a system did not bring that player to the forefront of the draft rankings. Which is exactly the job you want to see done successfully by the scouts and FO of our organization...

and I still laugh at the draft naysayers who really can't see beyond the mocks etc... no matter how much they insist they've watch so-and-so play...

[Tatonka]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

this is one thing that i look at..

the bills scouts are very good (for the most part) in picking corners.. most of the corners that the bills pick are solid, if not very good, which is why they never go out and sign a big name corner. and i agreed with that process.. big name corners cost tons of money, and if you can pick one in the draft, then thats ok.

but the bills do NOT have a good track record of picking TEs. they lucked out on Jay Remiersma years ago, and we have not had a good one since then. That being said, how is anyone supposed to have faith that all the sudden they know how to pick a tight end, when they havent ever been able to?

[ddaryl]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

Howevere, looking at the pick now, it just didn't seem like they did enough to address the position. I probably would have preferred to take the TE with the 3rd round pick, but hey, the Bills obviously thought differently.

I guess the question here is what did the Bills have on their list of a more pressing need. A pass rushing DE or a TE, and what were the rankings on their board for the remaining players left.

I assume that Ellis graded out higher then the remaining TE's on the Bills board and that is why they drafted Ellis. If the remaining TE's graded out higher then Ellis then Bills probably would have drafted one of the TE's left in round 3.

I will also assume the forumla the Bills use includes calculations for positions of need, and a pass rushing DE might have been of more importance to the Bills then a pass catching TE at that point.

[ddaryl]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

That being said, how is anyone supposed to have faith that all the sudden they know how to pick a tight end, when they havent ever been able to?

This is a simple answer for me... because going the other route and complaining about the pick would just make me miserable and I wouldn't look forward to trainng camp, preseason and the season in general as much... So I choose to Billieve regardless of the past. this in return allows me to Billieve a little more.

Of course I start to sink into reality mode towards the end of pre-season and by the 1st 4-6 games of the season I'm in reality mode. you will notice that I don't post as much during the season because there is nothing left to specualte on, and I'm sure as hell not going to waste my time *****ing about it. I just watch every week and deal with the reality.

This year is going to be different though.. I can feel it. !!!!

[TigerJ]

Re: Fine-tuning of new role is rookie tight end’s focus

"I think he is going to be a good intermediate and short pass catcher early and I think he’s got the ability to stretch the field when we need to.”

I'm not one to cry over spilt milk. The deal is done and Derek Fine is a Buffalo Bill. I'll root for him and hope he does well. I just hope Coiner is right.