Early prediction for the 53 man opening day roster (plus PS): LONG

[DraftBoy]

My turn

Qb: Bledsoe, AVP, Preistley-whiel Brown showed nothing bad in the game he played in he also didnt show anything good. He had a very average day and this Priestly kid I think could be a great backup in the league. He has a solid arm and comes from a good program at Pitt, He had good recievers (English, Bryant), and a solid back.

RB: Henry, Huntley, Alexander, Rogers-Curtis earned his spot here on the team after his great campaign in NFLE. Barring an absolute horrid camp I feel as though he may be a lock to beat out Sammy Morris. I also think we will deal Bryson and cut Morris. Rogers makes it do to ST ability. Besides the cop probably deserved it. j/k

FB: Centers, Ferguson-Feguson beats out Crosby for this spot and is groomed as Centers replacement. The Sporting News said Ferguson had best hands in the draft class.

WR: Moulds, Price, Reed, Germany, Johnson, Wright-Yes I know Rodney has had some legal problems but surprsingly enough I could see him being invited to camp and if he can beat out McDaniel, which I happen to see as a thing he can do.

TE: Moore, Rimersma, McDonnel-O'leary aint a great blocker or pass catcher, McDonnel can block.

OL:Teague, R. Brown, Jennings, Ostroski, Mike Williams Sullivan, M. Price, Hulsey, Pucillo-Mike Pucillo beats out Bill Contany for a roster spot as the center posistion is pretty full with Jennings there and Ostroski capable of playing it.

K/P:Hollis, Moorman-no arguments

DL: Denney, Adams, Irons, Maxie, Robertsson, Williams, Edwards, Office, Bannan- I dont see Shaun Price signing not with the knowledge that Adams and other FA's will soon lower there contract demands to get into camp early. I see a good line of Denney Williams Adams Office, Maxie and Irons make it based on great camp performances

LB: Newman, Fletcher, Robinson, Spoon, Stevenson, Jimmy Robinson-Polk I think is a bust Stevenson brings tremendous energy to ST, he did at Tennesee and seems to love playing it. Jimmy Robinson I have liked and he had a solid season in NFLE.

DB: Winfield, Clements, Prioleau, Jenkins, Wire, Thomas, Watson, Bostic, Driver-Tillman gets the ax, Bostic fromer GT cb makes it for depth reasons

Just my thoughts

[clumping platelets]

Where's Schobel??

Irons is a rookie FA.......he's not gonna start

I think the Bills will rescind the draft rights to Wright

[shawn]

finally some football talk!

I think McDaniel stays and Johnson goes. McDaniel may not have done anything on the field to impress the coaching staff on the field because of injury last season but McDaniel was always the last person to leave practice last season. The coaching staff stated they were impressed with his work ethic. McDaniel has shown promise with his play in 2000-2001. Johnson is a bust who is only sticking around in this league because he was a former first round selection.

[DraftBoy]

Originally posted by clumping platelets
Where's Schobel??

Irons is a rookie FA.......he's not gonna start

I think the Bills will rescind the draft rights to Wright

Damnit I knew somebody was forgotten, Ok then take out Maxie and put in Schoebel. And CP where did you see me saying Irons was gonna start? I said:

"I see a good line of Denney Williams Adams Office, Maxie and Irons make it based on great camp performances"

No where did it say Irons would start.

[eyedog]

gotta agree with winfield. c'mon cp ,get your **** together.

[John from Hemet]

I will have to one liner it for the sake of time...

Basically...your reasoning is pretty sound just a couple of comments.

It is pretty easy to see why this coaching staff likes Phillip Crosby....he blocks like Sam Gash...this team is going to a vertical passing/power running game and good blocking FB or a good blocking TE is a must.....I personally think that Crosby is a better fit now then Centers....

I think that Ostroski starts.....but the team IS very high on Sullavin who can play both guard and tackle....and has great size......I think the talent is there with him unlike a sayyy John Carmen who really doesn't belong in the NFL. Also...dont be suprized if Farris makes this team.

I personally think we are going to come out the gate with Kendrick Office and Aaron Schrobel as our DE's....but Ryan Denny is going to make a push very quickly and it may end up turning into one of those Nate Clements/Ken Irvin things very quickly....I also would not be surpized to see Grant Irons make this team as a reserve and special teams guy......

It may end up being a real interesting duel between Tyrone Robertson and Justin Bannon for that DT spot....one thing that Bannon can do is play the run.....

[Ebenezer]

i will post mine on 8/1...too early to tell

[colin]

I think that O'Leary is a good enough long snapper to keep, bad long snapper => trouble with the kicking game, and we all know how important that can be.

Rogers, unless he is going to jail, is a return threat we don't want to lose. Mc is good, but we have players better than him.

I think we might be rotating pretty tightly with Ahonitu, Office, Denny on the left and Schoble, Flowers, whoever on the right.

Even the Freak missed about 10-20 snaps a game under Our coach's D. What ever we think of him as a HC, he got a level of aggression out of more than 6 men on the dline an a consistant enough basis to really change games. If he can do part of that with our now faster and stronger D, we are in good shape.

Office really stands out to me as a tough player, if Denny turns out as well as Schoble, then we have some good DEs, Flowers is a goof but can still speed rush.

[clumping platelets]

Originally posted by eyedog
gotta agree with winfield. c'mon cp ,get your **** together.

I didn't leave out a starting DE

[DraftBoy]

I didnt either. I just forgot one guy who I think would be a better starter. I still names 2 starting DE's.

[TigerJ]

I think McDaniels is gone because of the numbers. He's old regime, and the new guys have brought in people they like. It probably doesn't matter anyway. He would be buried in the depth chart anyway and wouldn't get many reps anyway(just like last year).

I wonder if the Bills will keep 4 RBs. I like Morris, but I don't think he really has anything to offer the Bills that they can't find in another back. He's good good hands. Centers' hands are better. He has decent size. So do Huntley and Henry. He's an OK blocker. Is that really what the Bills are looking for in a RB. I'll bet Huntley can block some if they need it. He's not particulary instinctive, quick or elusive. Alexander seems to have superior instinct and quickness, and would be a great change of pace back since his combination of style, size (he's smaller), and quickness is a different package from any other RB.

The competition for the third TE spot will be a long snapping contest between O'leary and McConnell. Whoever does it better will win the spot.

I think Crosby makes the roster and Fergusson the practice squad. Fergusson has a lot of the same qualities as Centers, and Crosby is the best blocker of the three. This presents a problem to Gilbride however. Unless Gilbride designs some plays to throw defenses off, they will know that whenever Crosby is in the Bills will run the ball.

I'm not convinced that Ahanotu will be a Bill. I think TD would have made a move by now if it was humanly possible to get it done, and he felt the guy was worth it. Larsen and Fisher are likely DL cuts, Larsen because he just doesn't get it, and Fisher because of his physical (lack of size and speed) limitations. Flowers gets a real shot to prove he isn't Butler's last big mistake. If he doesn't cut it in training camp a dark horse (Maxie or Irons) may rise to the occasion.

Good work, Clumpy

[askabry]

From left field...

A couple of things...

Huntley and Morris are essentially the same back, in physique and playing talents. Travis Henry isn't much different. I look for all three to make the squad, plus Alexander as a change of pace and Bryson to be traded.

I don't see Centers on this team. It's a club being formulated for a three year horizon, and Larry's trail ends this year rain or shine. One fullback, and its Crosby with Fergy making the PS.

They'll keep six WR, if you think of Rogers as WR and not a KR. Germany makes the cut, and McDaniel (unfortunately, because he is a good WR) is dropped.

My bet is Cotton makes the squad on Dline with Irons, Fisher, Schobel, Denney, Bannan, Edwards, Williams and Robertson.

I don't see Mike Williams as a starting lineman for the Bills at the start of the year, and I don't see that as a terrible thing either. Teague at LT, Brown, Conaty, Ostroski and Jennings for starters is okay. When Williams picks it all up (game five?), Jennings takes over LT and Teague moves to C.

[angneli]

Centers is a good keep. He gives Bledsoe a great dumpoff, and will result in somebody getting open downfield. Williams needs experience. Put the best five OL's on the field.

teague, brown, jennings, ostroski, williams.

[John Doe]

Three rookies out of 9 defensive linemen? Kendrik Office doen't even make the team? The undersized Cotton, currently listed as a linebacker, does? Better re-think this one.

[askabry]

Well, now wait a minute...Kendrick Office couldn't even get himself any playing time last year after the one game against the Pats. And you know what? That was a fluke; NE had three starting linemen out at the time and when you look at the plays he made, they all came against backups. When he's had to perform against first string talent, he's been stonewalled.

Denney and Bannan are locks to make this team one way or the other (PS?). I think Irons is one of the few players on the roster with sufficient size and strength to play DE at the point of attack. It is possible they'd keep Maxie over Cotton, but Cotton was by far the more productive player in the CFL.

So...I guess I just did rethink it. I like my alignment.