A week ago, the Philadelphia Eagles dropped quite the bombshell upon announcing they traded their former starting quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins for a 2nd round pick in the 2010 NFL draft and what will be a 3rd or 4th round pick in the 2011 draft.
The Eagles liked the potential they see in now-starting quarterback Kevin Kolb who is heading into his 4th season with the Eagles and played college ball for the University of Houston where he had an excellent career.
This trade most certainly raised eyebrows however as it can always be a risky move trading to teams within your division.
The Eagles reportedly had more attractive offers on the table for McNabb from both the Oakland Raiders and the Buffalo Bills, but in an effort to give back to the quarterback that has done so much for the Eagles franchise, they elected to listen when he said he wasn't interested in playing for either team and pulled the trigger when he decided Washington would be a suitable new home.
It is also reported that the Redskins were willing to part ways with the dominant force in the middle that is their defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to land McNabb, but the Eagles denied, probably due to Haynesworth's monster $100 million contract.
How does this trade impact the Buffalo Bills off-season?
First and foremost, as previously stated the Bills were extremely interested in the possibility of landing Donovan. Now with him gone to Washington this opportunity obviously no longer exists.
They say when one door closes another one opens and that is certainly the case that this McNabb deal presents to the Bills. With McNabb the shoe-in to start for the Redskins, quarterback Jason Campbell could probably be traded for if the Bills wished to do so.
Campbell was the 25th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft who can make all the throws and some say has struggled so much not due to his own lack of ability, but to the fact that every year he's played in the NFL he has had to learn a new offense due to the instability at the head coach and offensive coordinator position. If the Bills could bring him into Buffalo for a 3rd round pick or less it may be worth considering.
This trade also effects the Bills in another way as well. The Washington Redskins hold the 4th overall pick in this years NFL Draft. Originally, with a new head coach in town many thought Mike Shanahan would want to bring in his "own guy" to play quarterback for the Redskins. Now, with the quarterback position obviously filled up it is unlikely they would select either of the top quarterback prospects Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clauson, and makes the chance for them to grab top left tackle prospect Russell Okung a lot more likely.
This may disappoint many Bills fans, such as myself, that were hoping Okung may drop to the #9th pick as he would certainly be an immediate improvement to an offensive line that finished in the bottom half of the league in sacks allowed last season.
Some Bills fans on the other hand may be absolutely in love with this scenario however. With the Redskins not grabbing a quarterback, this nearly guarantees that at least 2nd rated quarterback prospect Jimmy Clausen will be available for the Bills to select on April 22nd if they choose to go that route.
Head coach Chan Gailey is on record saying he'd like to shore up the quarterback position before the draft. Now that it looks impossible to do so, it will be interesting to see if he veers from his intended path and grabs his hopeful quarterback of the future with his first pick as head coach of the Bills.
Regardless of how you look at it, with only 2 weeks before the NFL Draft kicks off this trade certainly throws a wrench in everybody's mock draft and completely changes some teams' draft strategy's. Expect teams looking for a left tackle to try to trade up and grab Tampa Bay's 3rd overall pick as they fear the Redskins would grab Okung 4th with their new signal caller running the show.
It will certainly be interesting to see how everything plays out.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
NFL Combine: Part 3
Heading into the NFL Draft, the Bills have two absolutely fundamental assets of their football team that they must improve. Protecting the quarterback and stopping the running game.
Finishing dead last in rush defense last year means teams can move the ball on the ground against us at ease and allowing the 4th most sacks on the quarterback last year means we couldn't pass the ball to get ourselves back into ball games once losing.
Below is what I feel the Buffalo Bill's draft board should look like going into the draft. Basically, the highest available prospect on the list below at #9 should be the pick the Bills send in.
Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Tackle:
In a word, dominating. Playing defensive tackle for Nebraska, Suh with limited talent surrounding him lead the Cornhuskers to the Big 12 Championship game against Texas where he nearly single-handedly defeated the Longhorns. With a juggernaut-like 4.5 sack performance the Suh-lead defense held the explosive Texas offense to only 13 points.
Unfortunately, their underwhelming offense only put 12 on the board and Nebraska couldn't pull off the upset but Suh's performance certainly caught the attention of NFL scouts.
Sadly for Bills fans, the chance of Suh falling to the 9th pick is slim to none as he if almost locked in as one of the top 3 selections of this years' draft.
Gerald McCoy, Defensive Tackle:
Since their high-school days, Suh and Mccoy have been grouped together as the 2 most dominating defensive players in their class. As it stands currently, Suh is thought of a slightly more dominating force in the middle but some scouts have them tied with Suh being 1a. and McCoy being 1b.
Whichever way you cut it, McCoy is another truly dominant player that would most certainly help the Bills create more pressure on opposing quarterbacks and prevent teams from running all over them.
Again however, this is another situation where McCoy is basically guaranteed to go as a top 3 pick in the draft. Buffalo shouldn't hesitate to take him if somehow there at #9 but it will most likely take the Bills trading up for the Lions 2nd overall pick (which actually has been rumored) to land McCoy.
Russell Okung, Left Tackle:
A more realistic but still somewhat unlikely selection with the #9th overall pick, Okung is one of the "safest" selections of this draft and, aside for career-ruining injuries, is more than likely going to be an All-Pro left tackle in the NFL for at least a decade.
With great size and feet quicker than any man with his mass should have, Okung matches power with finesse to stay in front of pass rushers and keep his quarterback's blind side in tact. While he very-well may be gone before the Bills pick, if there he should be an instantaneous selection.
Bruce Campbell, Left Tackle:
With a strong combine, Campbell has made the case to be a top 10 selection. Originally, Okung was the only tackle to be considered not being a reach in the top 10 but Bruce has emerged as an elite prospect who could step in and start for a weak offensive-line like that of the Bills.
As it is right now, we could plug Peyton Manning behind our offensive-line and he would only achieve limited success as there simply isn't time for receivers to get open and anybody to get them the ball. A player the caliber of Bruce Campbell would fix that.
Currently, if Campbell is the Bills' desired selection we should first look to trade down into the early teens as he will probably still be available then and we could possibly pick up another draft pick. If takes two to tango though and if there are no takers than picking him at #9 would still be a strong selection in my book.
Anthony Davis, Left Tackle:
Catching a trend? Left tackle needs to be a top priority for Buffalo in this draft as our chances of a winning with the offensive line we have now is quite simply, not going to happen.
Davis has the size and agility to be a solid starter for years in the NFL and could be far and away the best left tackle Buffalo has had since trading away an unhappy and unmotivated Jason Peters 2 years ago.
Another possible slight reach at #9, trading down wouldn't be a bad decision but, like the situation with Bruce Campbell, taking Davis at #9 wouldn't be all too bad.
Rolando McClain, Inside Linebacker:
Being the consensus top linebacker prospect in this years' draft, McClain is an explosive force in the middle that, if Buffalo elects to switch to a 3-4 defense could put up some serious numbers roaming the middle with Posluszny or, if we stay with a 4-3 defense, could man the middle linebacker position and allow Posluszny to swing out to outside linebacker where he probably has more potential.
McClain would immediately help our lacking run defense and could probably create some pressure on opposing quarterbacks with his athleticism on the occasional blitz. Plus, McClain wouldn't be as much of a reach at the 9th spot and no criticism would be made towards the front office if taken there.
All in all, if any of the above players are wearing a Bills jersey come training camp Buffalo fans should be more than happy with the new organization lead by Chan Gailey and Buddy Nix. Here's to rebuilding.
Finishing dead last in rush defense last year means teams can move the ball on the ground against us at ease and allowing the 4th most sacks on the quarterback last year means we couldn't pass the ball to get ourselves back into ball games once losing.
Below is what I feel the Buffalo Bill's draft board should look like going into the draft. Basically, the highest available prospect on the list below at #9 should be the pick the Bills send in.
Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Tackle:
In a word, dominating. Playing defensive tackle for Nebraska, Suh with limited talent surrounding him lead the Cornhuskers to the Big 12 Championship game against Texas where he nearly single-handedly defeated the Longhorns. With a juggernaut-like 4.5 sack performance the Suh-lead defense held the explosive Texas offense to only 13 points.
Unfortunately, their underwhelming offense only put 12 on the board and Nebraska couldn't pull off the upset but Suh's performance certainly caught the attention of NFL scouts.
Sadly for Bills fans, the chance of Suh falling to the 9th pick is slim to none as he if almost locked in as one of the top 3 selections of this years' draft.
Gerald McCoy, Defensive Tackle:
Since their high-school days, Suh and Mccoy have been grouped together as the 2 most dominating defensive players in their class. As it stands currently, Suh is thought of a slightly more dominating force in the middle but some scouts have them tied with Suh being 1a. and McCoy being 1b.
Whichever way you cut it, McCoy is another truly dominant player that would most certainly help the Bills create more pressure on opposing quarterbacks and prevent teams from running all over them.
Again however, this is another situation where McCoy is basically guaranteed to go as a top 3 pick in the draft. Buffalo shouldn't hesitate to take him if somehow there at #9 but it will most likely take the Bills trading up for the Lions 2nd overall pick (which actually has been rumored) to land McCoy.
Russell Okung, Left Tackle:
A more realistic but still somewhat unlikely selection with the #9th overall pick, Okung is one of the "safest" selections of this draft and, aside for career-ruining injuries, is more than likely going to be an All-Pro left tackle in the NFL for at least a decade.
With great size and feet quicker than any man with his mass should have, Okung matches power with finesse to stay in front of pass rushers and keep his quarterback's blind side in tact. While he very-well may be gone before the Bills pick, if there he should be an instantaneous selection.
Bruce Campbell, Left Tackle:
With a strong combine, Campbell has made the case to be a top 10 selection. Originally, Okung was the only tackle to be considered not being a reach in the top 10 but Bruce has emerged as an elite prospect who could step in and start for a weak offensive-line like that of the Bills.
As it is right now, we could plug Peyton Manning behind our offensive-line and he would only achieve limited success as there simply isn't time for receivers to get open and anybody to get them the ball. A player the caliber of Bruce Campbell would fix that.
Currently, if Campbell is the Bills' desired selection we should first look to trade down into the early teens as he will probably still be available then and we could possibly pick up another draft pick. If takes two to tango though and if there are no takers than picking him at #9 would still be a strong selection in my book.
Anthony Davis, Left Tackle:
Catching a trend? Left tackle needs to be a top priority for Buffalo in this draft as our chances of a winning with the offensive line we have now is quite simply, not going to happen.
Davis has the size and agility to be a solid starter for years in the NFL and could be far and away the best left tackle Buffalo has had since trading away an unhappy and unmotivated Jason Peters 2 years ago.
Another possible slight reach at #9, trading down wouldn't be a bad decision but, like the situation with Bruce Campbell, taking Davis at #9 wouldn't be all too bad.
Rolando McClain, Inside Linebacker:
Being the consensus top linebacker prospect in this years' draft, McClain is an explosive force in the middle that, if Buffalo elects to switch to a 3-4 defense could put up some serious numbers roaming the middle with Posluszny or, if we stay with a 4-3 defense, could man the middle linebacker position and allow Posluszny to swing out to outside linebacker where he probably has more potential.
McClain would immediately help our lacking run defense and could probably create some pressure on opposing quarterbacks with his athleticism on the occasional blitz. Plus, McClain wouldn't be as much of a reach at the 9th spot and no criticism would be made towards the front office if taken there.
All in all, if any of the above players are wearing a Bills jersey come training camp Buffalo fans should be more than happy with the new organization lead by Chan Gailey and Buddy Nix. Here's to rebuilding.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
NFL Combine: Part 2
If you're a fellow Buffalo Bills fan (and I do hope you are if you're following this blog) then you would know the importance at looking for the best offensive line prospects in this upcoming draft. More specifically, you're trying to find the top Left Tackle prospect.
The left tackle is known as the cornerstone of the offensive line as, for the most part if your team has a right handed quarterback, the left tackle will be protecting his blind side; the side the quarterback is oblivious of any oncoming pass rushers on as his back is facing that direction.
The left tackle is also a position that, in trading away an unhappy Jason Peters last off-season, the Bills are extremely weak at. This is proven by the fact that the Bills finished 29th in sacks allowed last season, finishing in front of only the Oakland Raiders, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers.
With drafting a franchise left tackle in this upcoming draft being my top priority for the Bills, this blog is going to focus on the following three elite left tackle prospects:
Russell Okung - Oklahoma State 6'8" 299 lbs Left Tackle
Anthony Davis - Rutgers 6'51/2" 328 lbs Left tackle
Bruce Campbell - Maryland 6'6" 314 lbs Left Tackle
For a left tackle the three most important elements of the combine is their weighing and measuring-in, their bench press, and their cone drill.
The first shows that the prospect hasn't gotten lazy or let them self go during the off-season, along with proving that their arms are long enough to have no trouble with keeping the pass rushers in front of them and engaged with them.
The bench press shows the prospect won't simply be bullied around by defenders at the next level and the cone drill shows the prospect is agile enough to stay in front of some of the more speedy defenders.
Okung:
Going into the combine, Okung has been widely accepted as the top tackle prospect in the draft due to his excellence in his 4 year career with the Cowboys of Oklahoma State. But how did he fare at the combine?
Bench Press:
In the bench press drill, Okung did nothing to make any NFL scouts sweat about picking him in the top 10. Okung did a whopping 38 reps of 225 lbs finishing 2nd out of all lineman along with 3rd overall out of all of the participants in the combine.
Cone Drill:
Okung did not participate in the cone drill. While not getting to see a person you're potentially going to be paying top-10 pick salary to may be unsettling, in his 4 year career Okung has done nothing to show he has incapable feet at the next level.
Overall, Russell Okung did nothing at the combine to make him look less appealing or knock him off of the position of being the top left tackle prospect in the draft. While he'll be expensive, if Okung manages to fall to Buffalo at the 9th selection of the draft Buddy Nix shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger and start the contract negotiations.
Bruce Campbell:
Bruce Campbell has held down the left tackle position with dominance since his true freshman season with the Terrapins of Maryland. Declaring to enter the NFL Draft as a junior, Campbell is a projected first round selection and has all of the physical tools to succeed at the professional level.
Bench Press:
Campbell's performance in the bench press drill wasn't jaw dropping but at the same time did nothing to scare any teams out of drafting him. With a solid 34 reps of 225 lbs, Bruce finished in the top half of all offensive line prospects and showed enough strength to hold his ground in the NFL.
Cone Drill:
Campbell again put in a solid performance in the 3-cone drill running it 7.58 seconds. With that effort, Campbell shows a Julies Peppers or Dwight Freeney type defender won't be able to blow around him with ease when playing on Sundays.
Campbell had a very solid performance at the NFL Combine and, if anything, slightly raised his draft stock. Maybe he'd be a bit of a reach at #9 but we could always look to trade anywhere from the 12th to 16th selection to grab him. If not, picking him at #9 wouldn't be a terrible thing and he could be the cornerstone of our offensive line for years to come.
Anthony Davis:
When Anthony Davis declared to enter the NFL Draft as a junior, general managers, scouts, and head coaches across the nations salivated at the idea of selecting him and he was immediately placed in the group of the top 3 tackle prospects in this year's draft. Unfortunately, Davis didn't participate in this year's combine and scouts will have to look solely at game tape to decide whether not he's worth the selection.
Based on their respected combine workouts, if I was in the war room with Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey on draft day I would rank the three left tackles in order of Russell Okung, Bruce Campbell, and then Anthony Davis. Landing any of the three would certainly be a good thing however.
The left tackle is known as the cornerstone of the offensive line as, for the most part if your team has a right handed quarterback, the left tackle will be protecting his blind side; the side the quarterback is oblivious of any oncoming pass rushers on as his back is facing that direction.
The left tackle is also a position that, in trading away an unhappy Jason Peters last off-season, the Bills are extremely weak at. This is proven by the fact that the Bills finished 29th in sacks allowed last season, finishing in front of only the Oakland Raiders, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers.
With drafting a franchise left tackle in this upcoming draft being my top priority for the Bills, this blog is going to focus on the following three elite left tackle prospects:
Russell Okung - Oklahoma State 6'8" 299 lbs Left Tackle
Anthony Davis - Rutgers 6'51/2" 328 lbs Left tackle
Bruce Campbell - Maryland 6'6" 314 lbs Left Tackle
For a left tackle the three most important elements of the combine is their weighing and measuring-in, their bench press, and their cone drill.
The first shows that the prospect hasn't gotten lazy or let them self go during the off-season, along with proving that their arms are long enough to have no trouble with keeping the pass rushers in front of them and engaged with them.
The bench press shows the prospect won't simply be bullied around by defenders at the next level and the cone drill shows the prospect is agile enough to stay in front of some of the more speedy defenders.
Okung:
Going into the combine, Okung has been widely accepted as the top tackle prospect in the draft due to his excellence in his 4 year career with the Cowboys of Oklahoma State. But how did he fare at the combine?
Bench Press:
In the bench press drill, Okung did nothing to make any NFL scouts sweat about picking him in the top 10. Okung did a whopping 38 reps of 225 lbs finishing 2nd out of all lineman along with 3rd overall out of all of the participants in the combine.
Cone Drill:
Okung did not participate in the cone drill. While not getting to see a person you're potentially going to be paying top-10 pick salary to may be unsettling, in his 4 year career Okung has done nothing to show he has incapable feet at the next level.
Overall, Russell Okung did nothing at the combine to make him look less appealing or knock him off of the position of being the top left tackle prospect in the draft. While he'll be expensive, if Okung manages to fall to Buffalo at the 9th selection of the draft Buddy Nix shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger and start the contract negotiations.
Bruce Campbell:
Bruce Campbell has held down the left tackle position with dominance since his true freshman season with the Terrapins of Maryland. Declaring to enter the NFL Draft as a junior, Campbell is a projected first round selection and has all of the physical tools to succeed at the professional level.
Bench Press:
Campbell's performance in the bench press drill wasn't jaw dropping but at the same time did nothing to scare any teams out of drafting him. With a solid 34 reps of 225 lbs, Bruce finished in the top half of all offensive line prospects and showed enough strength to hold his ground in the NFL.
Cone Drill:
Campbell again put in a solid performance in the 3-cone drill running it 7.58 seconds. With that effort, Campbell shows a Julies Peppers or Dwight Freeney type defender won't be able to blow around him with ease when playing on Sundays.
Campbell had a very solid performance at the NFL Combine and, if anything, slightly raised his draft stock. Maybe he'd be a bit of a reach at #9 but we could always look to trade anywhere from the 12th to 16th selection to grab him. If not, picking him at #9 wouldn't be a terrible thing and he could be the cornerstone of our offensive line for years to come.
Anthony Davis:
When Anthony Davis declared to enter the NFL Draft as a junior, general managers, scouts, and head coaches across the nations salivated at the idea of selecting him and he was immediately placed in the group of the top 3 tackle prospects in this year's draft. Unfortunately, Davis didn't participate in this year's combine and scouts will have to look solely at game tape to decide whether not he's worth the selection.
Based on their respected combine workouts, if I was in the war room with Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey on draft day I would rank the three left tackles in order of Russell Okung, Bruce Campbell, and then Anthony Davis. Landing any of the three would certainly be a good thing however.
NFL Combine: Part 1
With the NFL Draft coming up, this past week is considered one of the most important in the off-season.
Every year, the best collegiate athletes in all the land who are entering the NFL Draft are invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. There, they are put on display in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams. The athletes participate in events such as the bench press where they show how many times they can lift 225 pounds, the cone drill where they show off their agility, and the flashy 40 yard dash where players put their pure speed on display.
We'll be splitting up my coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine into 3 separate posts, with my first starting with the exciting 40 yard dash drill.
Blazing 40 yard dash times:
Two years ago, Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson dropped jaws running a combine record 40 yard dash in 4.24 seconds. While initially a relatively unknown prospect coming out of an obscure school in East Carolina, Johnson immediately flew up teams' draft boards and ended up being selected by the Titans withs the 24th overall pick.
Fast forward to this year's combine, USC Safety Taylor Mays made serious splashes when it was reported that he tied Johnson's record with a 4.24 second 40 yard dash time. Mays is a big safety who's speed and agility was supposedly one of his weaknesses and this time was going to make a huge impact for his draft status.
Unfortunately for Mays, it was later clarified that he actually ran a 4.43. A time that still should boost his draft status but isn't as jaw-dropping as once thought.
Only 3 players ran in the 4.2s this year. Clemson wide receiver Jacoby Ford who's projected to be a mid-round prospect, Clemson running back CJ Spiller (4.28) who was the consensus best running back prospect in the draft, and LSU return specialist Trindon Holliday who's draft status is hurt by his lack of size (only 5'5").
While as it stands right now Spiller is the only one of the three that is projected to go in the first round, don't be too surprised if Ford and Holliday jump up the boards more than expected as speed is the one thing you can't coach.
Not so impressive results:
While the 40 yard dash can certainly do wonders for a players' draft status, it can also do quite the opposite. A slow 40 time can make coaches question whether or not you should change positions or if you're even fast enough to play at the next level.
Going into the combine, Florida cornerback Joe Haden was considered a top 10 draft pick and heads and shoulders above his peers at the cornerback position. All he had to do was run somewhere in the 4.4 range and his draft status wouldn't be questioned. That's when he flopped.
Haden's first 40 time was an underwhelming 4.57 seconds. Frustrated, he then ran it again and recorded an even worse 4.60 seconds. To put that in perspective, defensive end prospect Dexter Davis was able to run 40 yards in 4 56 seconds. For teams interested in selecting Haden in the top 10, that kind of money being invested into somebody who may not even have the speed to stay with some of the top-end receivers may make them weary.
Another combine disappointment was one of Haden's teammates at Flordia, Carlos Dunlap a defensive end. Dunlap is a potential first round pick and is as athletically gifted a defensive end as anybody else in the draft. His downfall has been his effort and attitude problems. Unfortunately for Dunlap, the combine didn't do much to change his image.
4.71 seconds was Dunlap's fourty time, one of the lowest out of all of the defensive end prospects. With all of the question marks he has, you would think he'd put in the extra effort to make sure he makes general managers and head coaches a little more uncomfortable with spending a 1st round pick on him.
Overall though, Haden and Dunlap were the only real red flag 40 yard dash participants in this years' NFL Scouting Combine. For the most part no players did far worse than expected and there weren't too many surprises either.
That just about does it for the 40 yard dash talk, next up we'll be talking about the bench press drills, the cone drills, and how these drills translate to the gritty battles in the trenches.
Every year, the best collegiate athletes in all the land who are entering the NFL Draft are invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. There, they are put on display in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams. The athletes participate in events such as the bench press where they show how many times they can lift 225 pounds, the cone drill where they show off their agility, and the flashy 40 yard dash where players put their pure speed on display.
We'll be splitting up my coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine into 3 separate posts, with my first starting with the exciting 40 yard dash drill.
Blazing 40 yard dash times:
Two years ago, Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson dropped jaws running a combine record 40 yard dash in 4.24 seconds. While initially a relatively unknown prospect coming out of an obscure school in East Carolina, Johnson immediately flew up teams' draft boards and ended up being selected by the Titans withs the 24th overall pick.
Fast forward to this year's combine, USC Safety Taylor Mays made serious splashes when it was reported that he tied Johnson's record with a 4.24 second 40 yard dash time. Mays is a big safety who's speed and agility was supposedly one of his weaknesses and this time was going to make a huge impact for his draft status.
Unfortunately for Mays, it was later clarified that he actually ran a 4.43. A time that still should boost his draft status but isn't as jaw-dropping as once thought.
Only 3 players ran in the 4.2s this year. Clemson wide receiver Jacoby Ford who's projected to be a mid-round prospect, Clemson running back CJ Spiller (4.28) who was the consensus best running back prospect in the draft, and LSU return specialist Trindon Holliday who's draft status is hurt by his lack of size (only 5'5").
While as it stands right now Spiller is the only one of the three that is projected to go in the first round, don't be too surprised if Ford and Holliday jump up the boards more than expected as speed is the one thing you can't coach.
Not so impressive results:
While the 40 yard dash can certainly do wonders for a players' draft status, it can also do quite the opposite. A slow 40 time can make coaches question whether or not you should change positions or if you're even fast enough to play at the next level.
Going into the combine, Florida cornerback Joe Haden was considered a top 10 draft pick and heads and shoulders above his peers at the cornerback position. All he had to do was run somewhere in the 4.4 range and his draft status wouldn't be questioned. That's when he flopped.
Haden's first 40 time was an underwhelming 4.57 seconds. Frustrated, he then ran it again and recorded an even worse 4.60 seconds. To put that in perspective, defensive end prospect Dexter Davis was able to run 40 yards in 4 56 seconds. For teams interested in selecting Haden in the top 10, that kind of money being invested into somebody who may not even have the speed to stay with some of the top-end receivers may make them weary.
Another combine disappointment was one of Haden's teammates at Flordia, Carlos Dunlap a defensive end. Dunlap is a potential first round pick and is as athletically gifted a defensive end as anybody else in the draft. His downfall has been his effort and attitude problems. Unfortunately for Dunlap, the combine didn't do much to change his image.
4.71 seconds was Dunlap's fourty time, one of the lowest out of all of the defensive end prospects. With all of the question marks he has, you would think he'd put in the extra effort to make sure he makes general managers and head coaches a little more uncomfortable with spending a 1st round pick on him.
Overall though, Haden and Dunlap were the only real red flag 40 yard dash participants in this years' NFL Scouting Combine. For the most part no players did far worse than expected and there weren't too many surprises either.
That just about does it for the 40 yard dash talk, next up we'll be talking about the bench press drills, the cone drills, and how these drills translate to the gritty battles in the trenches.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Superbowl XLIV
While not Buffalo related, the Super bowl is a holiday for fans of football all over and this week's match-up between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts should be truly special.
New Orleans:
The year is 2006, Sean Payton was just hired as the head coach of the struggling New Orleans Saints (struggling is an understatement, their 2005 record was 3-13) and needs to make some changes. What does he do?
He convinces his front office to put forward the money to out-bid the San Diego Chargers for the four year veteran Drew Brees, a free agent signing that very well may have been the best of the decade.
With the New Orleans Saints, Brees set NFL records for most completions in a season with 400 in 2007, highest completion percentage with 70.62% in 2009, and came 15 yards short for tieing Dan Marino's record for the most passing yards in one season (Brees had 5069, Marino's record is 5084) in 2008.
Brees also holds 21 franchise records.
Bringing in Brees wasn't the only brilliant move Payton made that off-season however, in the 2006 NFL draft Sean Payton selected vital role player Reggie Bush, their current starting strong safety Roman Harper, a rotational defensive end Jahari Evans, and Marques Colston who, for a seventh round pick, may very well have been the best pick of the draft.
Fast forward to the 2008 off-season. Sean Payton is now known as an elite offensive mind throughout the NFL and the Saints are once again (actually I shouldn't say once again, they've never really been) a respected franchise.
Under Payton they've made the playoffs but they're still missing something. In 2008 the Saints passing defense finished 23rd and was clearly their Achilles heel. So now what does Payton do?
He goes out and signs Free Safety Darren Sharper from the Minnesota Vikings, brings in Cornerback Jabari Greer, and uses their top draft pick on the top cornerback prospect in the draft Malcom Jenkins.
All they did was combine for 12 interceptions (9 of them coming from Sharper who was tied for the league lead and was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year) and lift the Saints to the elite level that their franchise has never really been on.
Payton has been phenomenal for the New Orleans Saints and certainly helped in the healing from Hurricane Katrina.
Indianapolis Colts:
Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell didn't exactly have it as difficult as Sean Payton.
Inheriting a team that Tony Dungy generously left him with 7 pro-bowlers, Caldwell made the wise decision of sitting back and not trying to make any radical changes. In letting quarterback Peyton Manning and offensive coordinator Tom Moore do their thing, Caldwell showed he's a firm believer in the philosophy of, "If it's not broke don't fix it," .
Obviously it now appears Caldwell's decision to keep things as they were was the smart thing to do.
The Colts this year went 16-0 (including playoffs) in games where their starters played for the entire duration of the game. Peyton Manning had arguably his best season and won his NFL record 4th Most Valuable Player award.
The one change Caldwell did actually make was bringing in defensive coordinator Larry Coyer. Coyer's more aggressive play-calling didn't yield much better results statistically, but if you were to ask offensive coordinators and head coaches around the league they would tell you they much preferred playing against Dungy's conservative Tampa 2 scheme.
So who's going to bring home the Lombardi Trophy?
Going into the Super Bowl, the Saints are currently a 5.5 point underdog. Despite the somewhat wide margin, don't let it fool you into thinking we won't have our third consecutive thrilling Super Bowl.
Both participating offenses are phenomenal and this game could easily turn into a shootout won by whichever team makes the big turnover or simply has the ball at the end of the game.
At the same time however, both teams have had two full weeks to prepare for the other. Preparation has to do entirely with coaching and it's clear that the Saints have a better head coach than that of Indianapolis. With 14 days at their disposal, who knows what Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Greg Williams have cooked up for Payton Manning and that methodical offense.
Ultimately, I feel like the New Orleans, "Who Dat," nation will be too much for the Colts to overcome. The game will virtually be a Saints home game as, since Katrina, the nation has shown love to New Orleans and it wouldn't matter where the game is set at, the crowd would be pro-Saints.
I see Sean Payton and Drew Brees hoisting their first Lombardi Trophy above their head in a 35-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
New Orleans:
The year is 2006, Sean Payton was just hired as the head coach of the struggling New Orleans Saints (struggling is an understatement, their 2005 record was 3-13) and needs to make some changes. What does he do?
He convinces his front office to put forward the money to out-bid the San Diego Chargers for the four year veteran Drew Brees, a free agent signing that very well may have been the best of the decade.
With the New Orleans Saints, Brees set NFL records for most completions in a season with 400 in 2007, highest completion percentage with 70.62% in 2009, and came 15 yards short for tieing Dan Marino's record for the most passing yards in one season (Brees had 5069, Marino's record is 5084) in 2008.
Brees also holds 21 franchise records.
Bringing in Brees wasn't the only brilliant move Payton made that off-season however, in the 2006 NFL draft Sean Payton selected vital role player Reggie Bush, their current starting strong safety Roman Harper, a rotational defensive end Jahari Evans, and Marques Colston who, for a seventh round pick, may very well have been the best pick of the draft.
Fast forward to the 2008 off-season. Sean Payton is now known as an elite offensive mind throughout the NFL and the Saints are once again (actually I shouldn't say once again, they've never really been) a respected franchise.
Under Payton they've made the playoffs but they're still missing something. In 2008 the Saints passing defense finished 23rd and was clearly their Achilles heel. So now what does Payton do?
He goes out and signs Free Safety Darren Sharper from the Minnesota Vikings, brings in Cornerback Jabari Greer, and uses their top draft pick on the top cornerback prospect in the draft Malcom Jenkins.
All they did was combine for 12 interceptions (9 of them coming from Sharper who was tied for the league lead and was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year) and lift the Saints to the elite level that their franchise has never really been on.
Payton has been phenomenal for the New Orleans Saints and certainly helped in the healing from Hurricane Katrina.
Indianapolis Colts:
Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell didn't exactly have it as difficult as Sean Payton.
Inheriting a team that Tony Dungy generously left him with 7 pro-bowlers, Caldwell made the wise decision of sitting back and not trying to make any radical changes. In letting quarterback Peyton Manning and offensive coordinator Tom Moore do their thing, Caldwell showed he's a firm believer in the philosophy of, "If it's not broke don't fix it," .
Obviously it now appears Caldwell's decision to keep things as they were was the smart thing to do.
The Colts this year went 16-0 (including playoffs) in games where their starters played for the entire duration of the game. Peyton Manning had arguably his best season and won his NFL record 4th Most Valuable Player award.
The one change Caldwell did actually make was bringing in defensive coordinator Larry Coyer. Coyer's more aggressive play-calling didn't yield much better results statistically, but if you were to ask offensive coordinators and head coaches around the league they would tell you they much preferred playing against Dungy's conservative Tampa 2 scheme.
So who's going to bring home the Lombardi Trophy?
Going into the Super Bowl, the Saints are currently a 5.5 point underdog. Despite the somewhat wide margin, don't let it fool you into thinking we won't have our third consecutive thrilling Super Bowl.
Both participating offenses are phenomenal and this game could easily turn into a shootout won by whichever team makes the big turnover or simply has the ball at the end of the game.
At the same time however, both teams have had two full weeks to prepare for the other. Preparation has to do entirely with coaching and it's clear that the Saints have a better head coach than that of Indianapolis. With 14 days at their disposal, who knows what Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Greg Williams have cooked up for Payton Manning and that methodical offense.
Ultimately, I feel like the New Orleans, "Who Dat," nation will be too much for the Colts to overcome. The game will virtually be a Saints home game as, since Katrina, the nation has shown love to New Orleans and it wouldn't matter where the game is set at, the crowd would be pro-Saints.
I see Sean Payton and Drew Brees hoisting their first Lombardi Trophy above their head in a 35-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Friday, January 22, 2010
A Man Named Chan
Last Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills shocked many when they announced Chan Gailey as their new head coach, replacing interim head coach Perry Fewell who left to be the Defensive Coordinator for the New York Giants.
But who is Chan Gailey? Gailey's spent the better half of the last decade as the head coach for Georgia Tech, a Division 1 college football team. Under Gailey, the Yellow Jackets never missed a bowl game and won two: the Humanitarian Bowl in 2003 and the Champs Sports Bowl in 2004.
Gailey isn't a man who's inexperienced in the NFL however, from 1996-1997 Gailey was the Offensive Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Gailey running the offense, the Steelers ranked second in rushing offense in 1996 and first in rushing offense in 1997. The Steelers also won their division both years and had appeared in a super bowl.
Going into the hunt for a new head coach the Bills were targeting somebody with some offensive experience as they haven't had an offense thats ranked top 15 in the NFL since 2002.
Gailey also isn't a man without head coaching experience at the NFL level, in 1998 and 1999 he coached the Dallas Cowboys. Under Gailey the Cowboys won their division in '98 and came second in their division the next year. Both years however, the Cowboys lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Looking back at the offensive statistics as that's where the Bills are desperate for improvement, Gailey's first year with the Cowboys had them finish 8th in total offense with the 8th ranked rushing offense. 1999 was a bit of a down year for Dallas overall as they dropped off all the way to the 16th spot in total offense but actually improved their already successful running game to 6th in the league.
With talented running backs Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, Bills fans should be excited about the success Gailey has had in the past running the ball.
Despite playoff appearances, Gailey was fired after only two seasons with Dallas as the impatient owner Jerry Jones didn't feel Gailey could get the Cowboys past the first round. Jones later went on to say that he was probably wrong in firing Gailey as quickly as he did.
Chan certainly has his work cut out for him if he wants to succeed in Buffalo. With question marks at quarterback, the most important position of them all, and a weaker quarterback class than recent years don't expect the Bills to be much of a threat in the air.
The offensive line isn't much better. Demetrius Bell's potential is still something to look forward to but who knows how he will recover from his injured knee. Plus, it's never good to enter a season not sure if your left tackle, the cornerstone of the offensive line, is healthy or not.
And those are just the offensive issues. Buffalo ranked dead last in stopping the run last season. This draft class does feature one of the most promising Defensive Tackle prospects in recent history in Ndamukong Suh but he is expected to be off the board far before Buffalo selects.
That means the Bills have gaping holes at three positions, Quarterback, Left Tackle, and Defensive Tackle. Maybe they should steal a page out of the division rival New England Patriot's playbook and trade down multiple times in the draft as it's known that it's a crapshoot and usually quantity of picks beats quality.
While it would be nice to have immediate success, General Manager Buddy Nix and Ralph Wilson should be realistic. Gailey can be a successful coach in the NFL but he isn't exactly inheriting a team close to really competing. Even if fans are screaming for Gailey's head after 2 seasons they should give him time. The last thing this franchise needs is more instability and firing Gailey would create just that.
While Bill Cowher certainly would be nice, the Bills are going to have to accept that Chan Gailey is the man running the show and the fans should be behind him 100%. Hopefully with his traditional football methods, the Bills will be back and playing in January before too long.
But who is Chan Gailey? Gailey's spent the better half of the last decade as the head coach for Georgia Tech, a Division 1 college football team. Under Gailey, the Yellow Jackets never missed a bowl game and won two: the Humanitarian Bowl in 2003 and the Champs Sports Bowl in 2004.
Gailey isn't a man who's inexperienced in the NFL however, from 1996-1997 Gailey was the Offensive Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Gailey running the offense, the Steelers ranked second in rushing offense in 1996 and first in rushing offense in 1997. The Steelers also won their division both years and had appeared in a super bowl.
Going into the hunt for a new head coach the Bills were targeting somebody with some offensive experience as they haven't had an offense thats ranked top 15 in the NFL since 2002.
Gailey also isn't a man without head coaching experience at the NFL level, in 1998 and 1999 he coached the Dallas Cowboys. Under Gailey the Cowboys won their division in '98 and came second in their division the next year. Both years however, the Cowboys lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Looking back at the offensive statistics as that's where the Bills are desperate for improvement, Gailey's first year with the Cowboys had them finish 8th in total offense with the 8th ranked rushing offense. 1999 was a bit of a down year for Dallas overall as they dropped off all the way to the 16th spot in total offense but actually improved their already successful running game to 6th in the league.
With talented running backs Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, Bills fans should be excited about the success Gailey has had in the past running the ball.
Despite playoff appearances, Gailey was fired after only two seasons with Dallas as the impatient owner Jerry Jones didn't feel Gailey could get the Cowboys past the first round. Jones later went on to say that he was probably wrong in firing Gailey as quickly as he did.
Chan certainly has his work cut out for him if he wants to succeed in Buffalo. With question marks at quarterback, the most important position of them all, and a weaker quarterback class than recent years don't expect the Bills to be much of a threat in the air.
The offensive line isn't much better. Demetrius Bell's potential is still something to look forward to but who knows how he will recover from his injured knee. Plus, it's never good to enter a season not sure if your left tackle, the cornerstone of the offensive line, is healthy or not.
And those are just the offensive issues. Buffalo ranked dead last in stopping the run last season. This draft class does feature one of the most promising Defensive Tackle prospects in recent history in Ndamukong Suh but he is expected to be off the board far before Buffalo selects.
That means the Bills have gaping holes at three positions, Quarterback, Left Tackle, and Defensive Tackle. Maybe they should steal a page out of the division rival New England Patriot's playbook and trade down multiple times in the draft as it's known that it's a crapshoot and usually quantity of picks beats quality.
While it would be nice to have immediate success, General Manager Buddy Nix and Ralph Wilson should be realistic. Gailey can be a successful coach in the NFL but he isn't exactly inheriting a team close to really competing. Even if fans are screaming for Gailey's head after 2 seasons they should give him time. The last thing this franchise needs is more instability and firing Gailey would create just that.
While Bill Cowher certainly would be nice, the Bills are going to have to accept that Chan Gailey is the man running the show and the fans should be behind him 100%. Hopefully with his traditional football methods, the Bills will be back and playing in January before too long.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Head Coaching Hunt
Following the firing of head coach Dick Jauron, Bill's defensive coordinator Perry Fewell stepped in as the team's interim head coach. With him now heading to run the defense for the New York Giants, the Bills have a vacancy at the Head Coaching position. Here are some of the top candidates to fill in for this position, in order of likelihood (from least to most likely):
Brian Schottenheimer: The son of Marty, who formerly coached the Browns, Chiefs, Redskins, and Chargers with a lifetime record of 200-126-1, Brian Schottenheimer is the current offensive coordinator of New York Jets. Because of his father's success and the pedigree his name comes with (along with having a great mind for football in his own right), people throughout the league feel that it's simply a matter of time before Brian Schottenheimer is given a shot to be a head coach.
Prior to becoming the Offensive Coordinator for the Jets, Brian worked under his father as the Quarterbacks Coach for the San Diego Chargers and had a lot to do with the success Charger's quarterback Philip Rivers is having in his 6th year at the professional level.
While Schottenheimer could one day end up becoming an amazing coach, his career won't be launching in Buffalo as last Thursday in an interview he stated, "It’s not about the Buffalo Bills, it’s about the New York Jets and how I feel about this organization. The biggest thing for me is the fact I’m happy. I haven’t always been happy.” Likelihood? Not going to happen.
Bill Cowher: In 1992, Bill Cowher was named head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The previous year they had finished 7-9. In his very first season as a head coach, Cowher improved the Steelers to an impressive 11-5 season and a playoff appearance.
Cowher remained in Pittsburgh until the conclusion of the 2006 season. Under his run, the Pittsburgh Steelers had only three losing seasons, Ten playoff appearances, and one Vince Lombardi trophy.
For the Buffalo Bills, who haven't made the playoffs in a decade, Cowher would make an immediate impact and get the franchise back on the right track.
The problem however isn't a lack of interest on the Front Office's part, Cowher seems content with his current position as a sports analyst with CBS and has announced that if he does in fact return to being a head coach for next season it would be to a team with a capable quarterback. Criteria that Buffalo doesn't seem to have at this time.
Overall, Cowher should be on the top of every Bills' fan's wish list heading into the off season but don't hold your breath. Likelihood? Don't hold your breath. There have been conflicting reports on whether or not he is interested in coaching the 2010-2011 season and right now it's simply a giant question mark.
Mike Martz: Mike Martz is an interesting idea as a possible head coaching candidate for next season. The high point in his coaching career was from 2000-2003 when Martz was the man behind the "Greatest Show on Turf." The nickname for the explosive offense that contained future Hall-of-Famers Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, and Marshall Faulk.
Martz never again saw any of the glory he had during his stint with the Rams. After a messy break-up with the St. Louis front office, Martz went on to be an offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions and then the San Fransisco 49ers. Martz was let go by both organizations as they felt he was too, "Pass-Happy," and never had a top running attack at any of the teams he coached for.
Martz is currently available and actually has voiced that he would like to fill the head coaching vacancy the Bills currently have. Despite this, General Manager Buddy Nix and Owner Ralph Wilson haven't expressed the same enthusiasm and it doesn't seem like it's going to happen.
Likelihood? Only if nobody else wants the job. Again, there needs to be mutual interest and while Martz would like the job, Wilson doesn't seem to want him. At the same time, candidates are turning down opportunities to interview for the vacancy left and right. Martz only ends in Buffalo if nobody else wants the job.
Russ Grimm: Grimm is an interesting candidate. Russ has been coaching in the NFL since 1992 and, while getting close, has never had the opportunity to become a head coach.
Grimm was a top candidate for the Chicago Bears head coaching position in 2004 after firing Dick Jauron but they instead chose to go with Lovie Smith. Three years later, Bill Cowher resigned as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Grimm was again, a top candidate for the job but they instead elected to promote Mike Tomlin to head coach over Grimm.
Now, Grimm is the assistant head coach for the Arizona Cardinals. Everywhere Grimm has gone he has had success but his roles there have been minuscule. He has been around some brilliant minds so it's tough to guess how he would do given complete control over organization but the potential is definitely attractive.
Likelihood? Possible. After coming so close as many times as he has, Grimm will probably jump at any chance to be a Head Coach he gets. He is respected throughout the league and should be on Wilson's list of candidates if he's not already.
Leslie Frazier: Frazier was formerly the Defensive Coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and is currently the same position for the Minnesota Vikings. While with the Bengals the defense saw some slight improvements and last year the Vikings were ranked #1 in rush defense, an area the Bills desperately need improvement.
Some knocks on Frazier is that he's always been a solid defensive coordinator but has never created an elite defense. With Cincinnati he never got the defense ranked higher than 19th overall and, while the Vikings defense has been great, it's mainly due to the star studded roster (including All-Pro players Pat and Kevin Williams, Jared Allen, and Antoine Winfield) and not his scheming.
Frazier also would need to hire a great offensive coordinator to make up for his lack of experience in that department.
Despite the setbacks, Frazier may actually be the top candidate for the job. He's the only coach (besides Shanahan and Cowher, Shanahan is now with the Washington Redskins) the Bills have interviewed and he would come relatively cheap. Also, at the end of the day, being the leader of the 6th ranked total defense in the NFL is quite the feat.
Likelihood? Higher than the other candidates, at least. Really, it's too early to tell for sure. At the moment he seems like the front runner but until playoffs are over and teams are able to interview who they want as they please it will all be no more than rumors and smoke screens.
Brian Schottenheimer: The son of Marty, who formerly coached the Browns, Chiefs, Redskins, and Chargers with a lifetime record of 200-126-1, Brian Schottenheimer is the current offensive coordinator of New York Jets. Because of his father's success and the pedigree his name comes with (along with having a great mind for football in his own right), people throughout the league feel that it's simply a matter of time before Brian Schottenheimer is given a shot to be a head coach.
Prior to becoming the Offensive Coordinator for the Jets, Brian worked under his father as the Quarterbacks Coach for the San Diego Chargers and had a lot to do with the success Charger's quarterback Philip Rivers is having in his 6th year at the professional level.
While Schottenheimer could one day end up becoming an amazing coach, his career won't be launching in Buffalo as last Thursday in an interview he stated, "It’s not about the Buffalo Bills, it’s about the New York Jets and how I feel about this organization. The biggest thing for me is the fact I’m happy. I haven’t always been happy.” Likelihood? Not going to happen.
Bill Cowher: In 1992, Bill Cowher was named head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The previous year they had finished 7-9. In his very first season as a head coach, Cowher improved the Steelers to an impressive 11-5 season and a playoff appearance.
Cowher remained in Pittsburgh until the conclusion of the 2006 season. Under his run, the Pittsburgh Steelers had only three losing seasons, Ten playoff appearances, and one Vince Lombardi trophy.
For the Buffalo Bills, who haven't made the playoffs in a decade, Cowher would make an immediate impact and get the franchise back on the right track.
The problem however isn't a lack of interest on the Front Office's part, Cowher seems content with his current position as a sports analyst with CBS and has announced that if he does in fact return to being a head coach for next season it would be to a team with a capable quarterback. Criteria that Buffalo doesn't seem to have at this time.
Overall, Cowher should be on the top of every Bills' fan's wish list heading into the off season but don't hold your breath. Likelihood? Don't hold your breath. There have been conflicting reports on whether or not he is interested in coaching the 2010-2011 season and right now it's simply a giant question mark.
Mike Martz: Mike Martz is an interesting idea as a possible head coaching candidate for next season. The high point in his coaching career was from 2000-2003 when Martz was the man behind the "Greatest Show on Turf." The nickname for the explosive offense that contained future Hall-of-Famers Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, and Marshall Faulk.
Martz never again saw any of the glory he had during his stint with the Rams. After a messy break-up with the St. Louis front office, Martz went on to be an offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions and then the San Fransisco 49ers. Martz was let go by both organizations as they felt he was too, "Pass-Happy," and never had a top running attack at any of the teams he coached for.
Martz is currently available and actually has voiced that he would like to fill the head coaching vacancy the Bills currently have. Despite this, General Manager Buddy Nix and Owner Ralph Wilson haven't expressed the same enthusiasm and it doesn't seem like it's going to happen.
Likelihood? Only if nobody else wants the job. Again, there needs to be mutual interest and while Martz would like the job, Wilson doesn't seem to want him. At the same time, candidates are turning down opportunities to interview for the vacancy left and right. Martz only ends in Buffalo if nobody else wants the job.
Russ Grimm: Grimm is an interesting candidate. Russ has been coaching in the NFL since 1992 and, while getting close, has never had the opportunity to become a head coach.
Grimm was a top candidate for the Chicago Bears head coaching position in 2004 after firing Dick Jauron but they instead chose to go with Lovie Smith. Three years later, Bill Cowher resigned as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Grimm was again, a top candidate for the job but they instead elected to promote Mike Tomlin to head coach over Grimm.
Now, Grimm is the assistant head coach for the Arizona Cardinals. Everywhere Grimm has gone he has had success but his roles there have been minuscule. He has been around some brilliant minds so it's tough to guess how he would do given complete control over organization but the potential is definitely attractive.
Likelihood? Possible. After coming so close as many times as he has, Grimm will probably jump at any chance to be a Head Coach he gets. He is respected throughout the league and should be on Wilson's list of candidates if he's not already.
Leslie Frazier: Frazier was formerly the Defensive Coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and is currently the same position for the Minnesota Vikings. While with the Bengals the defense saw some slight improvements and last year the Vikings were ranked #1 in rush defense, an area the Bills desperately need improvement.
Some knocks on Frazier is that he's always been a solid defensive coordinator but has never created an elite defense. With Cincinnati he never got the defense ranked higher than 19th overall and, while the Vikings defense has been great, it's mainly due to the star studded roster (including All-Pro players Pat and Kevin Williams, Jared Allen, and Antoine Winfield) and not his scheming.
Frazier also would need to hire a great offensive coordinator to make up for his lack of experience in that department.
Despite the setbacks, Frazier may actually be the top candidate for the job. He's the only coach (besides Shanahan and Cowher, Shanahan is now with the Washington Redskins) the Bills have interviewed and he would come relatively cheap. Also, at the end of the day, being the leader of the 6th ranked total defense in the NFL is quite the feat.
Likelihood? Higher than the other candidates, at least. Really, it's too early to tell for sure. At the moment he seems like the front runner but until playoffs are over and teams are able to interview who they want as they please it will all be no more than rumors and smoke screens.
Monday, January 11, 2010
About this Blog
Hello, my name is Louis Traino and I'm a junior at Rush-Henrietta. This blog will be focused on all things Buffalo Bills.
Coming off of a disappointing 6-10 season, the Bills missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive year and officially haven't made it to the post-season in a decade. Despite the hype the Bills received after making the flashy move of bringing in future hall of fame wide receiver Terrell Owens, it was another season full of heartbreaks; none worse than the Monday Night opener in which a last minute collapse cost the Bills a long overdue victory against the rival Patriots.
The season wasn't all bad though. Victories over the Dolphins and the Jets made Buffalo's division record this year 2-4. While there is still room for plenty of improvement, this is undoubtedly far better than going winless in your division as they did last year.
Buffalo also fired their disappointing head coach Dick Jauron on November 17th after a loss to the Tennessee Titans which officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Now, with big names in the coaching world like Bill Cowher and Tony Dungy, who knows who will takeover as the head coach of the Bills.
While the season ended on a high note with a 30-7 victory over the 14-2 Indianapolis Colts, it ultimately may have set the Bills back as they now have the 9th selection in the NFL Draft this April when they could have been drafting as high as 6th with a loss to the Colts. While it may not seem like a big deal, this means it will be another year of missing out on the elite draft prospects and instead getting the 2nd tier rookies.
Where should the Bills go in the draft? Should they chase top LB prospect Orlando McClain in an effort to sharpen up their dead last ranking in rush defense?
Look into trading up for one of the most promising prospect in years in DT Ndamukong Suh?
Try to sharpen up the offensive-line by drafting the top LT prospect Russell Okung?
Get some stability at the Quarterback position by going after top prospects Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clauson?
In due time all of our questions will be answered and I'll be there along the way looking to keep you informed.
Now it's the offseason and I'll be here to keep you in the know about the head-coaching search, any notable Free Agents the Bills are pursuing, and college prospects I feel the Bills should look into drafting so the 2010-2011 season can be a better one than the 2009-2010 season was.
Coming off of a disappointing 6-10 season, the Bills missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive year and officially haven't made it to the post-season in a decade. Despite the hype the Bills received after making the flashy move of bringing in future hall of fame wide receiver Terrell Owens, it was another season full of heartbreaks; none worse than the Monday Night opener in which a last minute collapse cost the Bills a long overdue victory against the rival Patriots.
The season wasn't all bad though. Victories over the Dolphins and the Jets made Buffalo's division record this year 2-4. While there is still room for plenty of improvement, this is undoubtedly far better than going winless in your division as they did last year.
Buffalo also fired their disappointing head coach Dick Jauron on November 17th after a loss to the Tennessee Titans which officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Now, with big names in the coaching world like Bill Cowher and Tony Dungy, who knows who will takeover as the head coach of the Bills.
While the season ended on a high note with a 30-7 victory over the 14-2 Indianapolis Colts, it ultimately may have set the Bills back as they now have the 9th selection in the NFL Draft this April when they could have been drafting as high as 6th with a loss to the Colts. While it may not seem like a big deal, this means it will be another year of missing out on the elite draft prospects and instead getting the 2nd tier rookies.
Where should the Bills go in the draft? Should they chase top LB prospect Orlando McClain in an effort to sharpen up their dead last ranking in rush defense?
Look into trading up for one of the most promising prospect in years in DT Ndamukong Suh?
Try to sharpen up the offensive-line by drafting the top LT prospect Russell Okung?
Get some stability at the Quarterback position by going after top prospects Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clauson?
In due time all of our questions will be answered and I'll be there along the way looking to keep you informed.
Now it's the offseason and I'll be here to keep you in the know about the head-coaching search, any notable Free Agents the Bills are pursuing, and college prospects I feel the Bills should look into drafting so the 2010-2011 season can be a better one than the 2009-2010 season was.
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