SB Nation User Blog: hilliarddavid

Larry Foote anyone?

hilliarddavid — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:14:56 -0000

Larry Foote was just released from the Steelers. He is 28 years old but was playing ILB in the Steelers 3-4 defense. He did not have a overly productive 2008, but would probably only request 3.5 to 5 million a year. Do you think he would be worth bringing in. He has two Super Bowl rings and would bring some additional experience to what is a somewhat young roster.

Link: Pro Football Talk

New Offensive Line and the 2009 Bills

hilliarddavid — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:03:35 -0000

Looking at the Bills in a positive light. Please, no "Negative Nancy's."

I just want to start by saying that if we are going to have a year that we would be replacing or moving, up to four of our offensive linemen and plan on having three impact rookies start (DE or OT or OG or TE or LB); it might as well be this year. Here are my reasons to be optimistic and why:

1. We have an extra preseason game: This will allow our new offensive line to gel with each other and for the rookies to gain valuable snaps in an NFL setting. This will also give Edwards some extra snaps, since it will still only be his second full year starting

2. TO factor: With TO lining up across from Lee it will do several things for our team and offensive line.

It will give Trent one on one options on the outside, especially if they stack the box for the run
If they don't stack the box for the run, then we run the ball with one of our three capable RB (Lynch obviously not until week 4)
Josh Reed is like most other QBs TE for Trent Edwards. With a viable #2 WR, I see Reed having the most improved (not best) stats out of him and Lee

3. Run game: The best way to help a weak offensive line is to run the ball well. Walker (LT), Bell (RT) will do fine while running the ball. This will keep defenses honest and protect Trent.
4. Draft Picks: With Walker and Bell playing tackle, I see the Bills taking the best player available with their first two picks and not trading up to get a player. With how deep the draft is, I can see the Bills trading up in rounds two and three to nab a player the really like.
I wanted to give the plus side to all these moves. A team like the Eagles needs a dominant LT a lot more then a team like the Bills need a dominant LT. The Eagles pass a lot more and have a QB that holds on to the ball. The Bills have a better run game and a QB that gets rid of the ball. The Bills can get by with an above average LT which I think Walker can be... Walker is not a push over.
Please let me know your positive thoughts.

Anyone have ESPN insider??? Parrish Rumor

hilliarddavid — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:19:26 -0000

It pretty much says that we are looking for a 4th round choice but will probably get a 5th rounder. It also says that the Redskins seem to be interested. I am curious to see what the rest of the story has to say... maybe something about a Kelsey trade (at-least I hope so).

I think it would be great for us to get a 4th and a 5th for Roscoe and Kelsey. I think it would set us up great to move up in the draft. If we unloaded Kelsey's and Roscoe's salary, it would allow us to move up and possibly have an extra 1st (give us 3) or 2nd (give us 2) or another 3rd and be able to afford the salaries.

Link to Story

What do you guys think of the rumor?

What do you think of paragraph two?

Cutler... no way!!!

hilliarddavid — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:26:12 -0000

Cutler and Edwards bring two different styles of QB to the table.

Cutler

Great Arm
Semi-mobile
Lots of TD - Lots of INTs
Big ego and may buckle under pressure

Edwards

Accurate passer
Stays in the pocket to complete a pass
Game manager with a few more TDs then INTs
Cool, Calm and Collect

I would in no way want Cutler over Edwards. Can you imagine the fireworks if Cutler didn't get TO the ball. You would have TO yelling at Cutler as he is currled up in a corner crying. Cutler would then go home, wherever that is and complain to his parents.

Please Read

hilliarddavid — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:05:20 -0000

this pertains to Jason Peters...

Obviously we are all huge Bills fans and that is why we are on this site. This site also gets lots of recognition and is on BuffaloBills.com. I will say that support is very contagious and that is what the Bills Nation needs. I wrote about how mad I was that Peters held out, but now is the time to get behind Peters and show that we care. Lets not bash him and lets encourage him. If he can quickly get back to his Pro Bowl form, will increase our chances of the playoffs.

Jason Peters

hilliarddavid — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:12:52 -0000

I have not posted any entry in awhile but thought this would be a great topic to get back into the mix.

I am so disappointed in a guy that was an undrafted TE, who we turned into a Pro Bowl linemen. I don't think if he came to camp right now, that he would be ready for the season.

Most of the Bills must be a little be aggravated for him holding out. This was supposed to be the year we turn things around. Guys like Schobel, Kelsey, Denney, Crowell and Evans who have been here the longest must be really pissed.

Holdouts for guys that deserve money are one thing and I do believe that football players need to get theirs when they can because their careers are not that long. But Peters' holdout at this point is just selfish. If this was any other player other than the quarterback, I would say screw him. But the fact that Edwards is in his 2nd year and we are short on depth is a reason to worry.

Bottom line is Peters has wore out his welcome and I hope he sits out the rest of the season and we make the playoffs. I would even take Peters sitting on his couch and the Bills going 9-7 without him... just to prove a point.

I think I might even hate Jason Peters, whether he comes back or not. If he comes back, every mistake he makes is going to be scrutinized.

Im out!!!

DraftTek trade for Shepard

hilliarddavid — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 15:37:47 -0000

I saw on DraftTek.com that they have the Bills trading our #11 pick and our #147 pick (4th round) to the Eagles for Lito Shepard and their #19 (they have us taking Devan Thomas at #19). This would be a dream come true if it results in three things:

We can sign Lito to a long term deal (4/5 years) without giving him Samuel or Clement money.
This doesn't effect us resigning Evans.
This doesn't effect us resigning Crowell.

IMO, the signing of Shepard would allow McGee to be the #2 CB and give us a top 5 defense.

Also IMO, if we sign Evans and Shepard or Crowell and Shepard, this would give us a bigger whole next year to fill at WR or LB. I love the talent it brings, but it will also bring a high cost.

Do you think this could happen?
Do you think we can sign all three (will Shepard cost too much)?
If we do this trade, who would you rather sign, Evans or Crowell?

Will Losman go to the Packers???

hilliarddavid — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:52:23 -0000

I am not sure if anyone remembers the draft when JP came out. Most analysts had JP going to the Packers. The Packers were drawn to JP because of his extreme resemblance of Farve when he was JPs age. They both were very raw with cannons for an arm but needed some work and time. This makes me think that JP will end up with the Packers by the end of the draft or before (especially with all the rumors of him going to the Packers anyway).

What does everyone think they will give up to get JP and will it be enough for us to pull the trigger?

If we do trade JP... who is a legit backup that we can grab at a reasonable cost (Culpepper will not come cheap, nor do I want him in a Bills uniform)?

Kelly, Sweed or Thomas

hilliarddavid — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:17:00 -0000

I know that this has been a huge debate over the past several months and I have nothing new to argue about either three of them. I just spent the last half hour looking at random videos of all three and have come to one conclusion.

If all three are healthy and we picked any of them with our 11th pick, I would not be disappointed.

People say rookie WR don't contribute, I think it is a product of who they are lining up with. You are telling me that with Lynch in the backfield, Roscoe or Reed in the slot and Evans on the opposite side that any of the top three WR is not going to put up decent numbers (like I said before... if they are healthy).

This post is not for ney-sayers... I want to hear peoples excitement for selecting either one of these guys. I personally think if we don't take one at 11, we will do what ever it takes to move back up and grab a top 3 WR.

From an optimist point of view

hilliarddavid — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:51:05 -0000

I am excited about several things leading up to the Draft.

With our FA additions, we have already improved our team dramatically (whether Stroud stays healthy all year or not)
Any additions via the draft, will help our team even more
We have good enough players to start at several positions on our roster, so we have numerous options with our picks

As far as our FA additions go; if we said we would add Mitchell and Spencer I would have assumed we would use a draft pick to grab another DT. That DT would be our 4th and possibly the 2nd man in the rotation depending on when he was drafted. I would figure that if it was a guy we selected in round 1, he would challenge Spencer for the #2 spot (I give McCargo the #1, this is before we added Stroud). So IMO, we are looking great after FA.

After FA, you look at what we need and who we can land in the draft. We did not lose a single person from last years offense. This brings me to my second point. Whether we add Kelly, Sweed, Thomas, Hardy, Davis, Keller, Bennett, Rucker or Finely, will it make our offense any worse. Not to mention Edwards, Lynch and our whole O-line will have one year under their belt. As far as defense goes, we have drastically improved it in FA. If we added another CB in rounds 3 - 4 like Trae Williams (South Florida) or DeJuan Tribble (Boston College) or someone that falls to us (like Edwards did last year)... we would just add great depth.

With my last point about having good enough players to start. Part of the problem was Trent was a rookie. Royal was not as bad as people may think... he had a injured foot for 3/4 of the season. Not only that, but as we all know, our Offensive Coordinator was probably the worst play caller of all-time.

Could we have won another game or two with better play calling? If so, does it really matter what receiver we get as long as we get one in rounds 1 - 3?

If we added a decent receiver in rounds 1-3, having a healthy Royal and adding Teyo Johnson and Courtney Anderson with better play calling... wouldn't that be a huge upgrade?

Adding any young, athletic defensive player in any round... wouldn't that help our special teams?

What do you guys think?

My point is OBD has done such a great job of setting us up for success the past two years, we can't really go too wrong with the guys incharge making the decisions. Jauron is great and he needs to stay in Buffalo for a long time.