Unfortunately…….games arent won on paper….

This guy is much-maligned in these parts. That’s fine – every blogger every fan Kurupt is entitled to his opinions.

And while I’ll usually agree with K that we need to get rid of this guy, I think that as long as he doesn’t have to take more then 50% of the snaps all season long, he may be productive for us this season. Not very productive, but still productive. I’m more counting on the one thing we can’t complain about when it comes to Kelsey: his work ethic. I’m hoping that it will rub off on Maybin.

I think Maybin will become a star in this league faster then we think he will; especially if he trains as hard as Schobel and Kelsey do. If those two vets can keep him in the gym and in the film room, which shouldn’t be hard seeing as how he’s already a gym rat, then Maybin should learn very rapidly what it takes to be a great DE at the NFL level. Watch for Maybin to be our starter by the end of the year.

Because he won’t be asked to be something he’s not – a prominent defensive end. Sure, he’s paid like one, but that’s irrelevant at this point – as long as he’s helping the defense out, who cares?

The move to keep Kelsay is extremely puzzling to me. I think the Bills made a fantastic move this offseason in their salary purge of players like Royals and Dockery. What was the rationale for releasing these players? They might not be horrible, but they were simply not living up to the parameters of their respective contracts. The retention of Kelsay who clearly is not living up to his large contract is extremely puzzling. Can anyone provide me rationale as to why he is still with the team? I would argue he should be released and subsequently resigned for a fair market contract.

I’ll continue to remain skeptical until I see Ellis and Maybin out there for a few snaps. We already know what we have in Denney, Kelsay, Schobel and Bryan. If Ellis and Maybin can contribute 15-20 good snaps a game this position might actually make an impact.

Lot’s of if’s on this position – have to wait it out and see what Ellis and Maybin can do – because quite frankly – we’ve seen what the other 4 can do

Another issue I take exception to is the automatic assumption that Kelsay starts, based on last years performance I beleive Denney deserves the opportunity to start opposite of Schobel. Denney provides more disruptive opportunities than Kelsay (deflected passes and sacks). He also has proven to be a stout DE in the run game. Last year, I have to admit I came around on this guy. I was never a fan (and I am not really now), but he played well and I have to give credit where credit is due. His height is definately an asset on the line, it sure seemed like he was capable during passing downs when he was unable to get to the QB, he would step back and at least get his big mitts up in there air.

Weren’t the bills trying to work Spencer Johnson into the rotation at DE last year? Somehow, I remember this. I apologize in advance if I am completely off my rocker.

As much as I liked the Maybin pick, there’s still a ways to go with this unit. A long ways to go. Expecting a rookie, in Maybin, to magically solve our pass rush ills is a way to be set up for disappointment. Will he help? You bet! Will we become a good passing rush team? No, probably not yet.

Regarding Schobel, how is having no help recently any different than the no help he was receiving 3-5 years ago? We haven’t had a threat opposite him his entire career. I don’t think his poor stats recently have anything to do with that. He’s quickly declining and is no longer a top pass rush threat (not that he was a great one to begin with). He’s another that needs to have reduced to snaps. Hopefully, that will give him the opportunity to be more productive again. I still can’t believe he didn’t have his foot operated on. He had a Lisfranc injury, which is not a minor injury! I fully expect his foot to be an issue all season.

I’m glad we have Maybin. I really like him as a player, and a person. Seems like a great kid. I just hope he can become the player we need him to be. He should provide a jolt in the arm of our pass rush, but I don’t think it’ll be enough. We’ve needed more than one pass rusher for a long time now, so don’t call out Maybin when our pass rush is still poor next year!

Sure, he’s paid like one, but that’s irrelevant at this point – as long as he’s helping the defense out, who cares? He’ll teach Maybin how to prepare like a pro; he’ll cede a strong percentage of his reps to the rook; he’ll be a starter only in name.

How is it irrelevant? Irrelevant because the team won’t be cutting him? Yes in that case, but it’s not irrelevant otherwise.

And what exactly will he be helping our D with? He isn’t good against the run and we all know about his “struggles” rushing the passer. So maybe his best role is allowing the other guys to get a rest? I wish we could have gone out and signed a cheaper vet that would have done just as well or just as bad as Kelsay, though it’d probably have been much better.

I think it’s kind funny, Brian, how it appears you are saying that he’ll be helping out the D by showing Maybin how to prepare and by taking less snaps. If that is his role, what in the world is he doing on the team!??!?!!?!

I like Denney as our potential other starter. He’s much more disruptive than Kelsay and also provides some semblance of a pass rush. It’s not much, but it’s more than Kelsay. I think he deserves at least twice as many snaps as Kelsay sees, but I doubt the coaches will see it that way.

Hopefully, Ellis’ new bulk will allow him to take snaps at LDE. He was really a disappointment last year, but it was obvious that he wasn’t ready to contribute. Now is the time he needs to step it up. He was supposedly a situational pass rusher coming in, so we need that impact this year. And if he really is up to 270-275 lbs now, he could really become an every down option for us at LDE. If that happens, I would be tickled pink.

There are a few question marks that OBD seems convinced will fall in the team’s favor. What happens if Schobel’s foot acts up again? We’re pretty much right back in the position we were in the last two years then. That’s pretty risky, and it’s also a lot to expect Schobel to be productive again.

And will Chris Ellis take that next step and become a contributor? I suppose the answer is no, right now. Another “wait and see” approach is in order. I think if the staff felt Ellis would definitely be a contributor this year, they’d have dumped one of the other DE’s.

Finally, did they do enough? Hardly! Maybin is just one man! We needed more help than just him….I guess I just don’t see us as significantly improved “on paper”, though I think Maybin is a significant upgrade/addition. I just don’t think he was enough.

I think this is still the WEAKEST part of the entire roster. Maybin will take awhile to break in and learn the naunces of the game.

Kelsay is flat out NOT GOOD. He literally gets taken right out of the play on every snap. He isn’t a viable run defender because he takes off on the snap and immediately targets the outside shoulder of the tackle, creating a huge lane where he is supposed to be filling instead of vacating. How they keep this guy on the field, let alone paying him is beyond me.

I hope Schobel can come back and perform, because if he cannot the Bills are in for another long season of Tom Brady to Randy Moss and so on throughout the entire season. The Bills must bring the QB down in 2009 to be successful. If you see the opposing QB’s getting rid of the ball on Sunday make sure to cringe because our pass defense isn’t that good.

Denney is getting older very fast and this will probably be the last season he has in a Bills uni. That being said, I think he still has more to offer than Kelsay on any day of the week. (Very sad)

Kelsay is now a role player, folks – and he’s perfectly cut out for that niche.

Brian, what “role” would that be? Below average, over-paid DE?

when they face a no-huddle attack. The ability to sub in guys who fit a down better will be negated. Schobel is this team’s only true every down player right now.

Well adding two early picks in two years should begin seeing dividends this year. Ellis and/or Maybin really needs to get some QB pressure this year. If they can do that, the unit as a whole will be improved over last year, period.