SB Nation - Demetrius Bell

Game Day Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/20

MattRichWarren — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:44:02 -0000

Buffalo Bills: Game Day | Democrat and Chronicle
Taking a closer look at today's Buffalo Bills game against the New England Patriots at Ralph Wilson Stadium with Sal Maiorana.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills-Patriots Primer
"Do the Bills have a chance? Let's break down the matchups."

Gameday Tipsheet - Week 15
Chris Brown provides his weekly analysis of the game with key matchups, Bills' advantages, and what to watch for.

Patriots downgrade six players | ProFootballTalk.com
"Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork and defensive end Ty Warren were among the six Patriots downgraded to out late Saturday. Running back Fred Taylor, guard Stephen Neal, tackle Nick Kaczur, and defensive tackle Myron Pryor were also downgraded to out."

Game Stories and Previews
Jerry Sullivan: Decade of futility yields many memorable losses to Pats : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"It would be short-sighted and silly to attach too much significance to one game. But it's understandable if people get giddy at the prospect of beating the Patriots. Fans can put aside the larger issues for three hours and contemplate the momentary joy of knocking the smug look off Bill Belichick's face."

Belichick, Shula: 'Men of Mastery' against Bills : The Buffalo News
"Don Shula's Dolphins ran the table against the Bills in the '70s, recording an NFL-record 20 straight victories. Now it's Bill Belichick and his Patriots teams doing a number on Buffalo. A win today would make the Pats 18-2 for the decade."

Bills-Patriots scouting report : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Allen Wilson breaks down key points of today's matchup.

Patriots feel `vulnerable' in preparing for Bills | BuffaloBills.com
"If the air of invincibility has fully seeped out of the ever-proud Patriots, the true litmus test comes on Sunday. That's when New England travels to face the Buffalo Bills (5-8), a division rival that's very much played the role of Patriots patsy in what's become a near-decade of futility."

New England Patriots have Buffalo Bills' number | Democrat and Chronicle
"The Bills' misery against New England in the 2000s mirrors their struggles against the Dolphins in the 1970s when they lost 20 straight games to Miami."

NFL Preview - New England (8-5) at Buffalo (5-8)
Game preview from the Sports Netowrk.

Buffalo Bills Game Day (Two Bills Drive)
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills Gameday Preview

Felser: Patriots' visit stirs memories : Larry Felser : The Buffalo News
"Having witnessed almost all the games played by the Patriots versus the Bills from the very first American Football League contest to their 50th anniversary meeting in Western New York today, I have no doubt that New England will find some way to qualify in style for the NFL's postseason tournament."

Paying Bills - The Boston Globe
Boston.com previews the game.

To Nick Aliotti, these Ducks unlimited - BostonHerald.com
Safeties Patrick Chung of the Patriots and Jairus Byrd of the Bills played in the same defensive backfield in Oregon. They both went in the second round of the 2009 draft and will be making key contributions to their teams today.

Patriots-Bills pregame analysis | New England Patriots | The Providence Journal
New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills coverage, blog reports and photos from projoSports.com

Patriots must cure their case of road block - BostonHerald.com
"The Patriots have lost five games this season. All five losses have come on the road. There’s no escaping the obvious conclusion: If the Pats expect to get into the playoffs, and do some damage once there, they have to prove they can win outside Gillette Stadium. They need to establish themselves as road warriors starting today."

The top five determining factors for Patriots-Bills today - BostonHerald.com
"Here are the five chief factors that will determine whether the Patriots will still be roadkill after this one."

Gameday Prep: Bills vs. Patriots | The Goose's Roost
Consider this your TGR gameday prep.

JoeFromNYC’s Bills vs Pats Preview : Buffalo Sports Daily
"The Bills have been bad against the Patriots this decade, but have been worse against the Pats the second time around in a season; being outscored 192-29 in their last six 2nd time around games. That’s what happens when Belichick has film to dissect the first outing and the rest of your games. Something tells me the Patriots will be ready for the Bills screen passes this time around."

Week 15 NFL game previews - USATODAY.com
USA TODAY previews the fifteenth weekend of the NFL season.

Bills won’t be thinking about streak – Inside The Bills
"The Bills losing streak to the Patriots is well documented. It’s at 12 games and counting and is the longest in Patriots franchise history over another opponent. But the players won’t be thinking about the streak at all when they take the field Sunday."

Milestone Watch

- Brian Moorman needs 220 punting yards for 30,000 in his career.
- Rian Lindell needs 14 points to pass the 1000 point marker for his career.
- Terrell Owens needs four receptions to become the sixth player in NFL history with 1,000 career catches.
- T.O. also needs 108 yards to pass Tim Brown for third place on the all-time receiving yardage list
- He can also become just the third players with 15,000 receiving yards by gaining 173.
- Randy Moss is one TD catch ahead of T.O. in second on the all-time list.
- Marcus Stroud needs eight tackles for 600 in his career.
- Jairus Byrd needs one interception to tie the franchise record for interceptions in a season.

Team in Transition

Bills still have offer on table for Shanahan | ProFootballTalk.com
"We're told that the Bills still have an offer on the table for Shanahan, even if he has no interest in accepting it. The Bills have been rebuffed by Mike Holmgren, Bill Cowher, and Jon Gruden. But that doesn't mean Shanahan was the fourth choice. Instead, the Bills apparently went after multiple coaches simultaneously in the hopes of generating serious interest from at least one of them."

What to watch in Week 15 - Peter King - SI.com
"Personally, I'd like John Fox or Mike Zimmer [as Buffalo's coach], with Fox bringing Charlie Weis to run the offense if it's him."

Other Bills News
Too soon to mock it out? No way - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Todd McShay has Buffalo taking Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis at number 10.

Calls and Effect: AFC East penalty tracker - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Since Perry Fewell took over the Bills have gone from 31st in the league in penalties to 13th. They committed 11 penalties in Jauron's last game and have 11 in the four games since. Demetrius Bell still leads the division with 10 flags, the amount of yardage marked off has been relatively minor in comparison to other AFCE players.

Inside the NFL: It's getting tough to find players for 3-4 : The Buffalo News
"If the Bills switch to a 3-4 next year, expect a rocky transition. Green Bay switched to the 3-4 this year and ranks No. 2 on defense. But the Packers already had a strong core of front-seven players. Kansas City switched to the 3-4 this year and ranks 30th overall. The Chiefs have Bills castoff Ron Edwards playing nose tackle, and it's not pretty."

Jets Flight Connections 121209

dvdvil — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:56:37 -0000

Kerry Rhodes will not shut up.

Rex Ryan praises Lito Sheppard.

Rex Ryan praises D'Brickasaw Ferguson.

Rex Ryan and Bart Scott praise Josh Freeman.

Mike Pettine praises Larry Izzo.

Damien Woody praises Alan Faneca.

Braylon Edwards praises Kellen Clemens.

Brad Smith and Wallace Wright celebrate with a middle school in New Jersey.

The Jets are thankful to Eric Mangini and learn from the Browns' upset.

Mark Sanchez, Dwight Lowery and Robert Turner will not play on Sunday.

Buccaneers WR Michael Clayton and RB Carnell Williams might not play either.

More connections after the jump.

Miami will be playing against last week's Defensive Player of the Week.

New England might be playing wihout a healthy Adalius Thomas, and with a subpar Tom Brady.

Buffalo will not have Demetrius Bell for the rest of the year.

Once again, Wayne Chrebet is quoted in an NFL concussion policy article.

The topic of NFL injuries is becoming more serious.

Former Buccaneers HC Tony Dungy is still very involved in the NFL.

His other former team is currently still unbeaten, along with the Saints.

I would like to stress again that Darrelle Revis and Thomas Jones need to go back to the Pro Bowl. Please vote for them here. Polls close on Dec. 21.

Lastly, Rex Ryan talks about growing up in Toronto:

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/12

MattRichWarren — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:22:56 -0000

Bills notebook: Tolbert staying put; McGee ready to start : The Buffalo News
"When asked about LSU, Tolbert declined comment and said he was focused on the Bills' season. According to team sources, Tolbert, a former LSU receiver (1988-90) never was offered the job."

Draft class review | BuffaloBills.com
Dan Bates profiles the instant impact Bills rookies, one that is showing some promise, and a few still paying their dues as well as first-year players that made the team since the draft.

Dungy says he was contacted Thursday about an NFL job | ProFootballTalk.com
"Former Bucs and Colts coach Tony Dungy said earlier today on The Dan Patrick Show that he was contacted Thursday by an NFL team about a job. Dungy said that the Bills weren't the team that contacted him."

Pro-football-reference.com blog » HOF 2010: Steve Tasker
PFR takes an in depth look at the candidacy of Bills special teamer Steve Tasker.

T.O., Freddie Mitchell have a Philly love fest | ProFootballTalk.com
"No disrespect at all to Buffalo, I would have to give it to Philly," said Owens when asked whether Bills fans or Eagles fans are better. "Both organizations' fans embraced me with open arms but I never felt anything like when I stood in Lincoln Financial Field and heard 75,000 fans chant my name."

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
Bills C Geoff Hangartner on Buffalo’s non-stop rash of injuries on the offensive line this year: "We just put our fifth guy (Demetrius Bell) on injured reserve - that’s a whole starting line on IR, which is just crazy. I've never seen anything like it."

Kansas City Chiefs - Chiefs-Bills Game to be Televised
The Chiefs asked for and received a 24-hour extension from the NFL yesterday, until 12:05 PM today, to sell the remaining tickets to lift the blackout and did.

Fan Friday 12-11 – Inside The Bills
Bills reporter Chris Brown answers your questions on using a dual RB backfield; coacing candidates Brian Billick, Russ Grimm, and Pete Metzelaars (with Frank Reich getting a shout out); the Bills QB situation; the revenue benefit of the Toronto series; and the fates of Bobby April and Perry Fewell.

Bell to I-R; Ramsey promoted | BuffaloBills.com
Bell becomes the 15th Bills player to go on injured reserve as the club is not far from surpassing their all-time high of 17 players on injured reserve in 2007.

Kelly's Call: It's Pride Time | BuffaloBills.com
"If you’re a player for the Bills you know you’re not going to the playoffs, but you have to continue to play for pride," writes Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly.

Levitre and Martin score TD for Teachers | BuffaloBills.com
Brian Martin was selected as the grand prize winner of the Bills and M&T Bank's "Touchdown for Teachers" program. Martin, an Iraq War veteran, teaches in Olean and Bills OL Andy Levitre was welcomed with open arms to Martin's classroom.

Marcus Mailbag 12/11/09
Find out what Marcus Stroud thinks about Buffalo's first snow storm of the season, what the biggest play of his career has been, and what actor would play him in a movie.

Bills put Bell on IR, promote Ramsey : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Andrew Ramsey, a 6-foot-5, 322-pound Ball State product, has spent the past 10 weeks on Buffalo's practice squad. He entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Seahawks following the 2009 draft. He was released by the Seahawks prior to the start of the 2009 season. "

Final Word: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"The only way Terrell Owens comes back to Buffalo is if he has no other options. "

Bills' special teams have been a letdown - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"We haven't gotten set on offense, defense, and special teams all year because of the rotation of people going in and out," Bills interim head coach Perry Fewell said. "Especially for Bobby because you have to cross-train so many different people in so many different places, and so he doesn't have any consistency.

Kansas City Chiefs - KC's Rushing Offense vs. Buffalo's Rushing Defense A Key Matchup
Pete Morris of the Chiefs team website looks at the matchup.

Bills send LT Demetrius Bell to IR

Brian Galliford — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:42:10 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

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Update: BuffaloBills.com is now reporting that D-Bell has been placed on Injured Reserve, ending his 2009 season. OL Andre Ramsey was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. End Update

Three Buffalo Bills players will miss the team's Week 14 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, but of those sitting, left tackle Demetrius Bell is the only starter. This according to BuffaloBills.com.

Bell, who began the season as the starting left tackle, has missed all or part of the Bills' last four games as he deals with a knee injury that might prevent him from playing again this season. That streak now extends to five games. Also out for this contest are tight end Joe Klopfenstein (who re-joined the team this week) and receiver Justin Jenkins.

Jonathan Scott will again start at left tackle in place of Bell. Kirk Chambers, who is questionable this week but is expected to play, will start at right tackle. Andy Levitre, Ryan Denney, Chris Draft and Jairus Byrd are all questionable as well, but BuffaloBills.com reports that it's anticipated that all players listed as questionable will be in the lineup.

Shawn Nelson, John McCargo and Ashton Youboty are all probable. McCargo and Youboty have each missed action in the past few weeks, but will be available this week.

Meanwhile, Terrence McGee, who was active but did not start in the Bills' Week 13 loss to the Jets, practiced fully all week and will start in Kansas City.

Vote: Most disappointing 2009 Buffalo Bill

Brian Galliford — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:30:14 -0000

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The 4-8 Buffalo Bills still have a full quarter of their season to get through, but they're also on the verge of missing the playoffs for a tenth consecutive season. While we could spend our time in this space talking about the intricacies of four mostly-uninteresting football games, it's much more fun - and constructive, in my humble opinion - to start wrapping this season up and moving on. Again.

The premise here is simple. As a community, we're voting on the one Buffalo Bill that has most disappointed us this season. I know, the season isn't over, so there are new and unique ways that these players can twist the knife over the next month. We're doing it anyway. I've got five nominees; if you have a differe

Trent Edwards. Buffalo built its entire attack around Edwards being "the guy" at the game's most important position. The no-huddle was installed to play to Edwards' intellect, the offensive line was re-tooled, and an explosive playmaker at receiver was brought in. Then everything crumbled - the line, the offensive coordinator, and most importantly of all, Edwards' confidence. He's now the backup quarterback, and his career looks all but over in Buffalo.

Marshawn Lynch. Coming off of a Pro Bowl season, Lynch missed the first three games of the season on a league-mandated suspension. Since his return to the lineup, Lynch hasn't rushed for more than 69 yards in a game, and once Dick Jauron was replaced by Perry Fewell as head coach, Lynch lost his starting job to two-year understudy Fred Jackson. He's still an extremely talented back, but his touches are down, mostly because he hasn't been productive.

Terrell Owens. At least to me, it's been profoundly intriguing to watch Owens play in person and on my favorite team. I love the guy. But he was brought here to "fix" the offense, and while that was always an unrealistic expectation - particularly given the status of the offensive line - Owens' numbers have at least been slightly disappointing. Through 12 games, he's had one 100-yard receiving effort. He's nowhere near the offense's biggest problem, but even if it's unrealistic, I don't think there's a fan out there who isn't secretly craving more big plays before T.O. leaves Buffalo forever.

Demetrius Bell. We heard about his athleticism as a rookie, and after a solid training camp, the Bills cut Langston Walker and installed Bell at left tackle, protecting Edwards' blind side. He struggled with consistency early, and of late, he's struggled with shoulder and knee injuries. He might not play again this season, and he certainly hasn't proven he's capable of handling the left tackle spot next season.

Aaron Maybin. Right idea, wrong player? Quite possibly. Buffalo needed an instant-impact player with their top draft pick this past April, and while I'll still maintain for the time being that Maybin's potential is elite, it was clear from the moment he declared himself eligible for the 2009 NFL Draft that he'd be a project-type player. A 21-year-old kid at the most difficult defensive position to break in at? People are surprised that he has yet to record an NFL sack?

Poll

Cast your vote for Most Disappointing Buffalo Bill.

Jets 19, Bills 13: Week 13 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:16 -0000

by Chris Young - AP

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It's Monday, and even though the Buffalo Bills are a full three days removed from their most recent loss - in this case, a 19-13 loss to the New York Jets in Toronto - Monday means it's film session day.

You know the drill. We've added a few thoughts about teams and games outside of this (dreary) matchup, so that's slightly different, but you know what to expect. As always, feel free to add your own thoughts and observations to those presented here in the comments section.

Rex Ryan has Buffalo's number. Buffalo put up 29 points in two games against the Jets this season. They ran the ball well in (extremely occasional) spots, and were able to hit the (extremely occasional) big play. But New York's offense was also very kind to Buffalo, giving them plenty of opportunities to put both games away, and the Bills were only able to do so once. Just how thoroughly is Rex Ryan's defense owning Buffalo's offense? Take a quick look at Ryan Fitzpatrick's stat line in the two games: 39.6% completions (19 of 48), 214 yards (4.46 yards per attempt), 1 TD, 2 INT, 3 sacks and a quarterback rating of 43.2. Fitzpatrick's quarterback rating of 43.2 is only slightly higher than the number of yards per quarter Thomas Jones picked up against the Bills this season (39.9).

Ryan's defense didn't do a ton, but given Buffalo's massive upheaval along the offensive line, it did the only thing it needed to do: run a bunch of exotic blitzes and confuse the hell out of Buffalo's blockers. Just like in Week 6, the Bills had opportunities to make plays down the field in this one - Lee Evans was open on intermediate routes several times, for example - but overload blitzes and stunts got pass protection out of whack, and Fitzpatrick was forced to either throw an inaccurate pass or eat the ball nearly every time.

I feel bad for Ron From NM. Not because of anything he's done or anything that's in his control. I just feel bad that most of the excellent, hard work he puts into analyzing Buffalo's offensive line on an annual basis will be largely meaningless this season. Demetrius Bell hasn't played enough to be evaluated fairly. Grades on Jonathan Scott, Kendall Simmons, Kirk Chambers and Jamon Meredith will be largely meaningless, because none of those players figure to be in Buffalo's long-term plans.

If I were Ron - and if I were him, he'd be me, and he'd probably use my body to do his usual analysis anyway - I'd just focus on three guys in my ultimate end-of-season analysis. Those three guys would be Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner and Eric Wood. They're the only guys who've played enough to fairly evaluate, and considering that fact alone, it's not hard to understand why Buffalo's offense is so ridiculously awful.

Given everything that's happened up front this season, as well as the fact that the Jets threw exotic looks at the Bills again, I came away impressed with Levitre. I think it's pretty safe to say that he has been the Bills' best lineman this season, his first in the league. He's played in every game, he's acquitted himself nicely when asked to play positions beyond his skill level (left tackle), and while he's had his ups and downs, his technique and consistency have come a long way since September 14 in New England. He's going to be a good player in this league for a while.

We've already talked about the abysmal run defense. Read that article if you missed it, but if you're looking for the Cliff's Notes version: backside contain and gap discipline are lacking, the linebackers stink, and the secondary is hit-and-miss in run support across the board.

That's it. I don't think I can talk about the rest of the team, because the game was so dreadfully boring and repetitive that we won't learn anything new by re-hashing what we've been talking about for three months. Blech. This team is awful to root for sometimes.

Mark Sanchez has the stuff to be the real deal. When I'm looking at a young quarterback, I don't care as much about the throws and the production as I do about what he looks like in the pocket. Sanchez has a little bit of a Tony Romo flair to him - he's quite mobile, can throw from different arm angles, and can create throwing lanes with his movement. He's terrific with ball fakes, and he has the arm to eventually make "all the throws," as they say in the biz. Yes, he's struggled in two games against the Bills this year, but I beg you to understand that that is not likely to continue. Sanchez is gonna be pretty good.

The AFC East stinks. Is there a more overrated division in the NFL? Our division leader is 7-5. Buffalo has beaten each of the two teams currently a game behind New England - who also barely beat us in the season opener. New England split with New York and Miami, two highly, highly average teams. I mean, they lost to the Bills, for crying out loud.

Going into the season, fans fretted about the "difficulty" of the two divisions the AFC East would be playing in 2009 - the AFC South and the NFC South. Granted, those two divisions sport the only two undefeated teams in football, but beyond those two teams, there aren't any others that strike fear into its opponents, with the possible exception of the Tennessee Titans of the last six games. This division is 7-5 against the NFC South - although, to be fair, they're 7-1 against teams not playing in New Orleans - and, more pertinently to the overrated argument, they're 3-6 against the AFC South.

There aren't any elite divisions in the NFL this season - mostly because there aren't many elite teams - but the AFC East race, at least in my personal opinion, is one of the least exciting out there. Which is, of course, a bummer.

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Buffalo Bills Run Offense

John B — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:00:26 -0000

by Dean Duprey - AP

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The Jets lost Kris Jenkins in the first game, leaving a void on the defensive line for the rest of the year. The defense really stepped up in games against teams with powerful running attacks like Miami and Carolina. The Bills aren't on the same level. They're averaging a pedestrian 4.1 per run and only gain 104.6 per game, not terrible but on the bottom half of the NFL.

Fred Jackson is now the starter for the Bills. He's more dangerous than Marshawn Lynch. Think of him as Leon Washington to Lynch's Thomas Jones. Jackson is very quick, capable of making guys miss in space, and a threat as a pass catcher out of the backfield. His 4.2 average per carry is over a yard better than that of Lynch, who started his year suspended and never really got things going.

A good chunk of the blame should go on the run blocking. Lynch is good at hitting holes. Buffalo has been terrible at opening them. The Bills tried to revamp their offensive line during the offseason. lnjuries have played a role, but even without them things have looked bad. Geoff Hartinger was supposed to bring veteran stability to the center positon. His play has been uneven. Rookie guard Eric Wood was doing well, but he's on IR, replaced by unremarkable Kirk Chambers. Other rookie guard Andy Levitre has gone through ups and a lot of downs. Tackles Jonathan Scott and Demetrius Bell have been flagged a combined 15 times in 12 combined starts. Bell will sit this one out with a knee injury, leaving Jamon Meredith likely in his place. We all know the Jets don't have many playmakers on the line, but this matchup is a favorable one.

McGee, Byrd questionable for Thursday night Toronto tussle

Brian Galliford — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:38:46 -0000

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While Terrell Owens puts on his best giddy face for the cameras and scores of reporters covering the Buffalo Bills' latest excursion to Toronto, there's actual news to discuss about tomorrow night's divisional battle with the New York Jets.

The injury reports are out, and two of Buffalo's main defensive cogs are questionable: starting cornerback Terrence McGee and starting free safety Jairus Byrd. McGee, who has missed the Bills' last three games recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery he had during the team's Week 9 bye week, is considered a game-time decision. Byrd is as well, as he deals with a groin injury that has bothered him off and on since before training camp.

Demetrius Bell, John McCargo and Ashton Youboty have all been ruled out. Just like in last week's victory over Miami, Jonathan Scott is expected to start at left tackle.

For the Jets, they'll be without two cornerbacks - Dwight Lowery and Donald Strickland - as well as guard Robert Turner. Mark Sanchez, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Shaun Ellis, Calvin Pace, Jim Leonhard and Eric Smith are all listed as probable, and all will play.

Identifying the "crux players" on Buffalo's roster

Brian Galliford — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:00:30 -0000

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Two weeks ago - a day before the Buffalo Bills fired head coach Dick Jauron, in fact - we here at Buffalo Rumblings took a look at the core players of Buffalo's roster. The idea behind the post was to identify players that, based on their contract status with the franchise, are very likely to survive a regime change at One Bills Drive.

We'll recap the fruits of that labor quickly after the jump, but the purpose of this post is to take that exercise a step further. With the core players out of the way, it's time to look at the players that I'll term "crux players" - guys with flexible contract situations that will define a new regime's focus on re-building the Bills.

Core player recap
We named 17 current Bills as "core players," splitting the group up into vested veterans, young players with promise and role-playing veterans awaiting new roles once the regime change is complete. Of those 17 players, we defined a solid 9 as starting-caliber, a further six as fringe starters, and two as reserves. Here's that breakdown:

Starters: RB Fred Jackson, WR Lee Evans, G/C Eric Wood, DE Aaron Schobel, DT Marcus Stroud, LB Kawika Mitchell, CB Terrence McGee, FS Jairus Byrd, P Brian Moorman

Fringe starters: TE Shawn Nelson, OT Brad Butler, OG Andy Levitre, DE Aaron Maybin, DT Kyle Williams, CB Leodis McKelvin

Reserves: C/G Geoff Hangartner, DT Spencer Johnson

Keep in mind that all of these players are currently under contract through the end of the 2012 season. That means that, if each plays to the end of their contract, they'll be in Buffalo for another three years. The fact that each player has at least three years left on his deal at least ensures that they'll be part of the roster in Year 1 of a new regime, and many of them will be playing considerably large roles.

For this exercise, the criteria changes a bit. "Crux players," as far as we're concerned for now, are players that, once the 2009 season ends, will have either one or two years left on their current deal. Each is under contract for the 2010 season, but each also has a deal that makes it possible for a new regime to play football in 2010 without these players under contract. They are truly "crux" players in that a new regime will be making its most important decisions amongst this group. The entire new direction of the franchise from a personnel standpoint will be based largely on evaluations of these 19 players.

Keep in mind, also, that this list changes if 2010 is an uncapped year. Ask MattRichWarren about it.

Buffalo's 19 "crux players"
You'll have a task at the end of this exercise, but for now, here's a quick summary of the 19 crux players on Buffalo's roster:

Trent Edwards, QB - Signed through 2011. He's been benched and needs a new environment, but some talent remains.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB - Signed through 2012. Has proven to be reliable as a backup, but is not considered a franchise signal-caller.
Brian Brohm, QB - Signed through 2012. A project player with some solid tools, there's a chance he never sees the field for Buffalo.
Marshawn Lynch, RB - Signed through 2013, with an opt-out clause in the final year. No longer the starting running back, Lynch might be the subject of trade talks this off-season.
Corey McIntyre, FB - Signed through 2011. Run-of-the-mill player.
James Hardy, WR - Signed through 2012. Buffalo invested a second-round pick in him, and the talent is there, but Hardy has had injury issues and hasn't seen the field much.
Roscoe Parrish, WR - Signed through 2012. Has clamored for a trade, but a new regime might be inclined to keep him as a punt returner. Unlikely to get PT as a WR anywhere.
Steve Johnson, WR - Signed through 2012. Held in high regard by current regime, but that could change quickly, and doesn't carry the same investment as Hardy.
Derek Fine, TE - Signed through 2012. Probably survives a regime change because he's a role player with special teams ability.
Demetrius Bell, OT - Signed through 2012. Has struggled with injuries and on the playing field, but again, there is raw ability to work with.
Chris Kelsay, DE - Signed through 2011. A heady veteran who has improved under position coach Bob Sanders, but has a large salary that might seal his fate.
Chris Ellis, DE - Signed through 2012. Does not play a significant role now and that's not likely to change, but represents a significant investment ('08 third-round pick).
John McCargo, DT - Signed through 2011. Nothing more than a rotational tackle at this point in his disappointing career.
Paul Posluszny, LB - Signed through 2011. Sure to be the most intensely-debated player on this list.
Drayton Florence, CB - Signed through 2011. Has been excellent as a fill-in starter, and has scheme versatility.
Reggie Corner, CB - Signed through 2012. Reserve-type corner that has his uses, but should never be counted on as a starter.
Donte Whitner, S - Signed through 2011, with an opt-out clause in the final year. Could be a UFA as soon as this coming March. New regime might feel differently about him.
John Wendling, S - Signed through 2011. Special teams player only.
Rian Lindell, K - Signed through 2012. Reliable and gets more consistent with age.

Your Task
There's your list, folks. Some of those names obviously carry much more weight and importance than others. Your task: pick out the players that you believe are worth keeping around. Then, of those names, split them into starters and reserves. Combined with your input from the original post, this should really cement your ideas about where you'd take the franchise if you were GM.

Rumblings Draft Scouting: Offensive Line Prospects

Brian Galliford — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:47:21 -0000

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It's been a couple of weeks since we've done a Rumblings Draft Scouting piece - the Buffalo Bills' firing of Dick Jauron and the subsequent rumor mill chatter kept us pretty busy - but now that things have died down some, our weekly scouting piece returns.

At the time that this post was published, Buffalo currently has five healthy offensive linemen - Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner, Jonathan Scott, Kirk Chambers and Jamon Meredith. One might argue that, at a maximum, two of those players are legitimate NFL prospects. Demetrius Bell might be considered legitimate, too, but he's having trouble staying healthy, and it might not be wise to count on him as a starter in 2010.

Naturally, we thought y'all might enjoy talking about 2010 NFL Draft prospects on the offensive line. Away we go.

Offensive Tackles
1. Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State (6'5", 300-pound senior)
- The nation's top pass protector without question. Possesses elite athleticism and footwork. Has been dominant against top-flight competition as a senior. Still something of a liability in the run game, and can be overwhelmed at the point of attack. Smart kid with a good work ethic and the frame to add a little bulk. Okung is really the only tackle that is a mortal lock for the Top 10.

2. Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers (6'5", 330-pound junior)
- Many scouts will tell you that Davis is a road grader who fits best on the right side. I don't see it. I see a powerful guy who can play the left side, even at his weight, and who is slightly better in pass protection than he is run blocking. I really like his athleticism, and he plays the game with the right demeanor. I'll consider Davis the most well-rounded tackle if he declares, but his ceiling is lower than other players'. I'd take him in the Top 12 without hesitation.

3. Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa (6'6", 304-pound junior)
- I really like Bulaga as a prospect, but he's just not the elite player that you see taken at the very top of the first round these days. Bulaga's very technically sound and has a great reach to help him in pass protection, but he's not an astonishing athlete, and again, his upside might be somewhat limited. He's a safe pick, however, and could be considered an instant starter on the blind side.

4. Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland (6'7", 310-pound junior)
- Campbell might be the highest-upside tackle in the nation right now. He's a phenomenal athlete with great length, and he's really come on as an elite lineman as a junior despite playing for a very mediocre Maryland team. But he's also missed a lot of time with nagging minor injuries, much like Bell, and that's a pretty major concern. He's pretty boom-or-bust, and he might not declare, but he's definitely a Round 1-type prospect.

5. Charles Brown, OT, USC (6'6", 298-pound senior)
- I look at Brown as a poor man's Okung. He's an elite pass protector with great footwork and the ability to consistently mirror. He plays with surprising power and isn't one-dimensional, but like Okung, he can still be controlled at the point of attack. He's a bit of a project player in that he'll need a year or two in a weight program to reach his full potential, but he's got elite left tackle written all over him. Right now, I consider him a fringe Round 1 prospect.

Others to keep tabs on: Jason Fox (Miami, FL), Selvish Capers (West Virginia), Trent Williams (Oklahoma), Ciron Black (LSU)

Interior Linemen
1. Stefen Wisniewski, C, Penn State (6'3", 297-pound junior)
- I don't think Wisniewski will enter this year's draft, but it's still at least possible. Centers are becoming hot commodities - two were drafted in the first round last year - and Wisniewski has the look of a top-end NFL anchor. He plays with great leverage and really understands angles and how to open up run lanes.

2. Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida (6'5", 318-pound junior)
- This guy is fun to watch. He's a really big kid and plays a very physical brand of football. He can bend and anchor, and even better, he looks completely at ease on the move when pulling or getting to the second level. Many scouts will consider him the best center in the draft, even ahead of Wisniewski, and it'd be hard to argue with them.

3. Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho (6'5", 330-pound senior)
- I consider Iupati the most NFL-ready lineman currently playing college football. He's huge, moves extremely well for a man his size, and is absolutely dominant at the point of attack. He's also an incredibly motivated and humble young man. The big question surrounding Iupati is whether or not he'll be able to adjust to a pretty massive change in competition level, but as far as run blockers go, Iupati is the best of the best this year. Another immediate starter.

4. Eric Olsen, C, Notre Dame (6'4", 305-pound senior)
- If Buffalo's new regime digs versatility as much as the one currently on its way out, Olsen will be high on their board. He was a guard up until this season, when he shifted over to the pivot. He's had a great season and made the switch seem effortless. He's not a top-end athlete, but he's well-rounded enough to be a starter at either center or guard in the NFL for quite a while.

5. Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida (6'5", 320-pound senior)
- Yes, he's the brother of Maurkice. No, he's not as talented as his younger brother. But Mike is an excellent pro prospect in his own right - he plays the same physical style of football and is fluid enough athletically to block at all levels. He's not the borderline first-round prospect that every name on this list is (with the exception of Olsen), but he, too, has the look of a guy a team can plug in at guard immediately and let him play for a long time.