State of the Bills Roster: Outside Linebackers

Regarding Poz our head coach should have a heart to heart with him. The conversation would go something like this. DJ – Poz, you have ben playing MLB now for two years like we asked you to do. In college you played OLB and seemed to do very well there. We were thinking that OLB might be a more comfortable/natural position for you. If that were to happen we would ask you to play on the strong side. Everyone has a most natural fit so don’t tell us anywhere is ok. Think about it and let’s talk again.

If he said he would like to move, then by all means do it. If he says he is fine at MLB, then we go looking for an OLB. Let him be a big part of the decision. Now this may seem like common sense (to me it does) but you never know whether such communication is actually practiced. Another way of looking at it is to say – don’t just impose a scheme, put a scheme together that takes into account your players natural abilities. Get the most out of the scheme.

I do believe OBD will target a LB in free agency. Be interesting to see which way they go.

on Crowell. I really have no reason to believe he can’t return to form and be the sideline to sideline guy making plays that we have seen. I think for the price, its hard to argue with Crowell. He knows the system. Its just is he a bad “egg” or what’s the real story? I think for the quickest fix a FA LB is needed because it shortens our needs list when they enter the draft. You don’t want to “COUNT” on any of your rookies. However, the more I study and read of Everette Brown, he does have some great talent and I see why Kurupt loves him. I love Brandon Spikes and of course Gresham. But this is an OLB story, so in summary having Mitchell, Crowell, Ellison as a backup with Bowen, I think you are in good shape. You can’t count on Corto or Costanzo to actually ever see the field.

We can certainly do better than Angelo Crowell, folks.

Oh, really? Why? Because we have so few holes at other positions that we can just let a relatively cost effective and by far most productive linebacker statistically walk? Or is it because we have so much money that we can afford to bring in talent at DE, LB, C, WR, TE, FB, and FS all in one off-season?

I simply don’t understand this line of thinking Brian. At the most we can get 2 starters out of our draft picks, at the most. That leaves five other positions of need, four if you like Bryan Scott which I do. Everyone here knows we are not going to bring in four starting caliber free agents.

If we keep Crowell we can at least sign a veteran center or defensive end and a fullback and draft starting caliber defensive end or center and tight end. Without Crowell our 1st round selection debate and our free agent signing debate become a four horse race between LB, TE, C, and DE. I’d rather have less needs as opposed to more to fill.

I too think that the FO is open to bringing Crowell back, and he really hit a sour note with the coaching staff with his actions at the beginning of the year. It’ll be interesting to see which side has more pull with Jauron on the hot seat now. In reality, Crowell will be a bargain because he won’t likely get much money coming off of surgery. He’s a veteran presence and would take one more need off of the list.

Since I missed out on the discussion yesturday…

Put me in the camp that believes Poz would be a much better outside linebacker (not to say that he isn’t a good inside linebacker). I make this assumption for a number of reasons. First, Poz played all of his college ball at WLB at Penn State, with the exception of his senior year, where personnel dictated his need to move inside. In the NFL draft he was projected at outside linebacker, and after Buffalo drafted him in the second round, many thought that’s where he’d play. However, because of his versatility, intelligence and leadership ability, the coaching staff asked Poz to play in the middle. Of course, two seasons later, that’s where he is today. Second, Poz is a natural fit at outside linebacker. He moves very well side-to-side, has great instincts, and is strong in run support. His weaknesses (if you can call them that), are his range in pass coverage and his tendency to be engulfed by larger linemen (because of his size). As a middle linebacker in the cover-2 defense, these weaknesses can be exploited; not only is Poz responsible for covering the deep middle of the field, he is also required to take on multiple blockers in the run game. On the outside, especially on the weak side, the negative effects of these weaknesses would me minimized. He would have much less of the field to cover in the passing game, and for the large part, would be free to use his stellar instincts to make plays in the run game.

All that said, when I look at the available talent in free agency and the state of the Bills roster, I think it may be wise keeping Poz in the middle. By no means is he as bad MLB, in fact, he has the potential to be very good there. He’s had a year of starting experience at the position and is entrenched as the play-caller or “quarterback” of the defense. A move to a different position may stunt his growth. In addition, aside from Ray Lewis and Jonathan Vilma (and most likely not even them), there is slim pickings in the market for middle linebackers. In contrast, there are handful of guys out there that can make an immediate impact on the outside.

Using Bobby April’s stats, Costanzo is the second-best player on kick coverage, just after Wendling. That’s a good reason to think he will stick around.

i don’t care if its inside or outside; just get the best LB available, through the draft or otherwise.
If we go outside, keep Poz inside. Or if we are able to get an awesome inside guy, throw poz outside, but only if said LB is of elite status. We need an upgrade. I think Mitchell is good, but he should not be a team’s best LB if we are to have a real top 10 defense, something that will be hard to come by given our schedule.

OLB on the strong side also needs to be an above average pass rusher/blitzer. I know we don’t run a 4-3, but having versatility of Mitchell or strongside backer of both being able to attack the QB is something we desperately need.

A three horse race for our starting OLB spot between the following:
Leroy Hill
Angelo Crowell
Micheal Boley

• Full disclosure, I voted to keep Poz in the middle since FA for LBers is heavy in OLBs and NOT MLBs.*

All three guys are about the same as far as playing ability, and price. If Crowell comes back it will be for 2 reasons:
1- The FO thinks he is healthy and the most reasonable expense and it may be a 2 year “prove it” deal.
2- The Coaching staff bites it’s collective tongue to keep a guy who knows the team and scheme to reduce the amount of training a new FA would require.

If we see Boley or Hill brought in, who should cost about the same as Crowell would season to season over a contract this offseason, we know then that either DJ still has a ton of pull, or that the FO is concerned as well.

Overall though, I think LBer will be all FA, with maybe a late round draftee brought in to bolster depth and STs. I think our LB depth chart looks like so this fall:
SLB- Crowell/Hill/Boley
MLB- Poz
WLB- Mitchell
Guranteed Backups- DiGi, Ellison, Bowen
Maybes- Costanzo, Corto or Draftee will be the last man onto the roster
PS- Buggs (probably)