Crowell a Bill again?

by BuffaloBrewed on Dec 29, 2008 2:21 PM EST Comment 59 comments

According to a story that appeared on both the Bills' website and WGR, Angelo Crowell is still interested in resigning with Buffalo. Crowell was in town today cleaning out his locker and was taking questions from members of the media. According to Crowell himself, the supposed bad blood between himself and the Bills is just water under the bridge and he actually sat down with Russ Brandon today to talk about coming back.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I would be happy if we did resign him. Crowell was a solid tackler and brought some much needed intensity to our defense. Plus, it would save us a draft choice which we could then use for a position of bigger need.

This FanPost was written by a registered user of Buffalo Rumblings. Its views do not necessarily reflect the reviews of Rumblings' editorial staff, but are just as valued as our own.

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This report confuses me, if only because I couldn’t imagine a scenario in which Crowell would ever want to play for a coach who IR’d him again. I’ve been wrong before.

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by Brian Galliford on Dec 29, 2008 2:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree

I don’t know if this is Crowell being sincere or if he and Brandon are just trying to save face. I guess only time will tell.

by BuffaloBrewed on Dec 29, 2008 2:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, what if that coach is gone?

by Kurupt on Dec 29, 2008 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This is the point I was alluding to, K.

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by Brian Galliford on Dec 29, 2008 2:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe he’s letting the cat out of the bag!

by Kurupt on Dec 29, 2008 2:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't tease us!

Bills fan half way around the world

by moncheri on Dec 29, 2008 2:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

we can only hope

by billsstein on Dec 29, 2008 4:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

why is this such a suprise

Many here have been declaring it impossible for Crowell to come back but I really don’t know why. First of all, he was actually hurt and probably couldn’t have played at all at 100% this year anyway. Second, after getting all this surgery Crowell probably knows his best chance at getting starting time and a real deal is in Buffalo. Third, there never seemed to be as much bad blood as fans made it out to be. I can’t recall Crowell or the coaches saying anything that bad. Fourth, the Bills aren’t stupid, Crowell is our best linebacker. and the big and final fifth, it would be shocking at this point if Jauron isn’t fired.

Kawika Mitchell is a leader. He will help this young team develop.

by poz on Dec 29, 2008 2:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Crowell likes playing in 60mph winds.

by thefourwinds on Dec 29, 2008 2:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

What defender doesn't?

It makes the offense predictable…

by Ron From NM on Dec 29, 2008 2:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed,

I think it was Geronimo who said the Bills didn’t like Crowell’s work ethic. If the Bills are going to fire Jauron, they need to do it soon. What are they waiting for, Ralf to have a bowl movement!

"The Bills have no playoff aspirations"

by Joe P. on Dec 29, 2008 2:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I predict a bowel movement for Ralph before a bowl movement for the Bills…

by Ron From NM on Dec 29, 2008 2:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't Geronimo also say...

That Mitchell kicked him out of the work out room for showing up late? It apperars now Mitchell and Crowell are pretty okay with each other…

by krytime on Dec 29, 2008 3:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He never said he kicked him out, just told him to quit goofing off with other people in the middle of their workout. Not really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.

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by Brian Galliford on Dec 29, 2008 3:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You're right. But...

He did fan the flames getting this whole website to think the Bills hated Crowell. I even fell for it.

Can’t wait to see what his wonderful insider information is for next year.

by krytime on Dec 29, 2008 3:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Did we ever hate Crowell? I was just under the impression that he fell out of favor with the coaching staff.

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by Brian Galliford on Dec 29, 2008 3:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wasn't the coaching staff mad

because he elected to have surgery at the last minute before the start of the season, thus the Bills ticking off Crowell by putting him on IR.

"The Bills have no playoff aspirations"

by Joe P. on Dec 29, 2008 3:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes. Generalized, “fell out of favor with the coaching staff”.

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by Brian Galliford on Dec 29, 2008 3:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think Geronimo also reported

that the coaching staff liked Crowell’s toughness and field presence, however they felt that he was out of position too often.

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 3:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Correct. Crowell did not appear to play well in our system. Free lanced too much

Only way he returns is if DJ is gone and he shows he has had an attitude adjustment.

everything goes better with a BIG MACK

by keuka121 on Dec 29, 2008 4:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Would you really be shocked if Jauron isn't fired?

I won’t be overly surprised if Wilson keeps Jauron. He’s kind of like a well-worn pair of shoes. Sure, he’s not very stylish and he doesn’t do any one particular thing well but he’s comfortable, certain and dependable.

by Ron From NM on Dec 29, 2008 2:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

great analogy

Sweet home Orchard Park.

by thurman on Dec 30, 2008 1:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I must be the only blogger here that is a fan of Crowell.

If Crowell returns to his pre-injury form, I would rather see him starting at linebacker than Ellison at the right price. Hands down, no question about it. Then maybe more resources could be spent on bigger needs (see defensive line). This team needs playmakers, and Crowell has made big plays in his career. Plus he’s relatively young and has room to improve. Does anyone remember this:

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/crowells-game-approaching-elite-status/f1eae057-a07c-401d-b760-6e82ce2ac5bf

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 3:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Crowell over Ellison, I think we can all agree on that one….

by Kurupt on Dec 29, 2008 3:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Amen on that

by Ron From NM on Dec 29, 2008 4:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Are people here suddenly changing their mind?

Didn’t everyone here except me trash Crowell’s game and close the book on him after he went on IR?

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 4:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We closed the book on him because it was pretty apparent the front office and coaching staff was fed up with him. That’s all we knew and we expected them to move on.

Is Crowell a good player, yeah. Is he a great player? Hardly. He’s a solid LB that would be a good veteran re-signing in order to let a mid round rookie be groomed.

Maybe we all did trash his game, I don’t recall, but I’m pretty sure it was more due to the situation that anything…..

by Kurupt on Dec 29, 2008 4:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Your acknowledgement is appreciated.

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 4:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

“We certainly hope so,” said Bills head coach Dick Jauron when asked if Crowell’s play has reached elite status.

Classic DJ

Sweet home Orchard Park.

by thurman on Dec 30, 2008 1:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You are not alone

"The Bills have no playoff aspirations"

by Joe P. on Dec 29, 2008 3:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It seemed like everyone else here had closed the book on Crowell after the Bills put him on IR. However, I never say never when it comes to young talent (see Losman, J.P.). Boy, was I wrong about that one.

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 3:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If he comes back it would mean we would have 2 starting LB’s who like to freelance.

everything goes better with a BIG MACK

by keuka121 on Dec 29, 2008 4:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Makes sense resigning him as Crowell only 1 of 3 Starting 4-3 OLBs in FA

Leroy Hill Seattle and Nate Webster Denver the others per kffl site

And I would take him over those 2 dudes. Crowell is also a bigger LB than any other Bill save Mitchell.

Question to ponder though. Do we take Rey Mauluaga from USC and insert him at MLB and move Poz outside? If so, I would like to see Kawika on TE side as SLB and Poz at WLB. Mitchell seems slow on the open corner rollouts, reverses etc.

Personally, I feel we need to get bigger at DE and LB next year.

by freddyjj on Dec 29, 2008 3:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

no not BIGGER at DE......we need to be faster........someone who can get to the QB

12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.

by norcaliangelsfan on Dec 29, 2008 3:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We need to get bigger AND faster at DE. I think Bills’ fans don’t realize how big your average 4-3 DE is (265-270) considering the tiny guys on the Bills roster. Even Kelsay is a little undersized at 261. Schobel’s weight is a joke at 243. Robert Mathis is literally the only starting defensive end in the NFL within 15 pounds of Schobel.

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 3:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

What about Jason Taylor?

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 4:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ahhhh forgot about him. How about after Jason Taylor retires this year, then there will only be 1?

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 4:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Osi Umenyiora.

Leverage and strength are usually more important than weight.

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 5:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Osi is 260+, so while he is a little undersized he isn’t anywhere near the Schobel’s of the world. You are right about strength and technique being more important than size, but if you look around at every team’s roster, it is shocking how similiar everyone’s weight is at each position with only a few guys standing out as much bigger or smaller.

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 5:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Although I could find a few more,

I agree with your overall evaluation.

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 5:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I looked at Chicago’s and Tampa Bay’s rosters today. Both of Chicago’s DEs are listed at 260. tampa Bay has Gaines Adams at 260 and Kevin Carter at 305. There are a lot of DEs playing around 260.

everything goes better with a BIG MACK

by keuka121 on Dec 29, 2008 6:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sure there are a lot of DEs who play at 260 in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean the average size isn’t 265-270. Every DE in the NFL who plays at 260 is a little below average in terms of weight. You can’t argue that. And at 243 pounds, Aaron Schobel is at least 15 pounds lighter than all of those guys making him pathetically undersized. I love him anyways, but there is no denying it.

If you go down the list of 4-3 DEs by who has the most sacks this year, you realize pretty quick that bigger is typically better. Not always better, but usually better. Size does matter.

Here are the top 10 (11 since it was a tie) 4-3 DE sack getters from this past season.

John Abraham – 266
Jared Allen – 270
Julius Peppers – 283
Justin Tuck – 274
maybe we should draft someone who’s first name starts with J
Mario Williams – 291
Robert Mathis – 245
Dwight Freeney – 268
Darren Howard – 260
Trent Cole – 270
Aaron Kampman – 270
Mathias Kiwanuka – 265

6 of those guys fall into a 5 pound range. You have the super undersized Mathis and the freakishly athletic Mario Williams and Julius Peppers. You’ve got Darren Howard who is a case similiar to Schobel and Jason Taylor where an aging player has dropped a few pounds each year for a few years in a row in order to maintain his quickness (Howard weighed 272 when he was drafted in 2000). And Justin Tuck who is just a tad bigger than the average. It really is incredible the way most positions all fall into the same height and weight ranges. I would bet it is almost a perfect curve if you charted the weight of all the 4-3 DEs in the league. I remember when I did a fanpost on how Brad Butler was too tall to play center and all the starters at center fell into a perfectly symmetrical curve.

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 8:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Keuka, I wasn’t disagreeing with you, I was just elaborating on my previous points.

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 8:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can I say something without sounding racist?

We need more african american, big, athletic players. This good guy, high motor project is over. Give me an a-hole like Joey Porter any day.

by Buffalonian on Dec 29, 2008 4:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ooooohhhhh Racist.......... (just kidding)

But this kinda like when Paul Hornung said the same thing about the Notre Dame program…He said the program needed to “lower the standards” so the better athlete could come to the school and thus make a difference on the field……

12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.

by norcaliangelsfan on Dec 29, 2008 4:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree, race isn’t important though. I jackass push rusher like Jared Allen would look pretty good in a Bills uni too. Vanden Bosch or Kampman types that combine athleticism and motor would be ideal fits as well.

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 4:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good call.

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 5:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

push rusher is a typo, it should read pass rusher.

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 5:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but wouldn't it be nice to see a DE push an opposing lineman?

by Ron From NM on Dec 29, 2008 5:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

haha, yeah that is why I corrected the typo. Usually I just let them go because people can always understand what you mean, but the Bills actually could use someone who is an effective bull rusher (one of the reasons why Selvie and Brown won’t be as high on my draft board as most other Rumblers).

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 6:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Same here. Too light. The big boys will go first.

everything goes better with a BIG MACK

by keuka121 on Dec 29, 2008 6:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He knows

this was his year to become known nationally. Now the only team that really knows what he is capable of is Buffalo. In addition, coming off this kind of an injury he isn’t going to get paid big money. The Bills will probably pay him a bit more than an outside team, so he is in no position to break down relations with one of only a few teams that will pay him.

by Buffalonian on Dec 29, 2008 4:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

we have to

overpay for virtually anyone cuz its buffalo. I wanted news today on Black Monday….No news I don’t think is good. What the hell can the “INNER CIRCLE” be diong!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The thing is. Just be glad we didn’t draft Jarvis Moss or Vernon Gholston. What 2 complete wasted DE’s. Which is why drafting a DE scares me. It’s a tough position to get right. But then again every position besides RB is tough to get right

MARVelous

by MARVelous on Dec 29, 2008 5:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Even RBs can miss

Didn’t the Bengals have a horrendous run with picking RBs?

by Ron From NM on Dec 29, 2008 5:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not HAVE. Are CURRENTLY IN is a better way to describe it. Mostly it is just Chris Perry and Kenny Irons though. So if anything the Bengals are proof that injuries are the major derailer of running backs.

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 6:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking

miss on Ki-Jana Carter, hit on Corey Dillon.

Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.

by Fort Worth on Dec 29, 2008 6:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, Carter was another injury bust. He tore his ACL back before RBs could bounce back from the serious tears. Injuries are the big running back killers, the first round guys rarely bust due to other reasons.

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2008 6:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Did someone say Leroy Hill is going to be a FA?

Consider me on that wagon. That would be an upgrade, for sure. I don’t think he had the best year, but the entire proud seahawk team played down this year. Leroy is an exciting prospect for the Bills.

Sweet home Orchard Park.

by thurman on Dec 30, 2008 2:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs