Bills Training Camp Battles: Nickel Cornerback
by Brian Galliford on Jul 16, 2009 11:30 AM EDT
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The Buffalo Bills like defensive backs. Under head coach Dick Jauron, the team has drafted defensive backs with nearly thirty percent of their picks, selecting a total of ten over the past four seasons. In a league where passing attacks are constantly becoming further diversified, speed is at a premium and the spread offense is on the way, the idea that you can never have enough good defensive backs is a sound one. (That is particularly true this year, with several potent passing attacks on Buffalo's schedule. Tom Brady is back from injury, after all.)
Unfortunately, the Bills have also had to endure a rash of injuries in the defensive backfield, particularly at cornerback. Terrence McGee is perpetually banged up, it seems, and has missed a game here and there. Now-departed Jabari Greer missed six games in 2008. Ashton Youboty has only appeared in 19 games through three seasons, ending two of those on IR. The lineup shuffling has been so frequent that strong safety Donte Whitner has often been relied on to handle nickel duties for the team.
Right now, however, everyone is healthy at the corner position - including Youboty, who was limited during spring mini-camps but is expected to be a full participant when training camp opens next Saturday. With great health comes great competition - and with the team's starting corners all but officially set, the major battle taking place in Buffalo's defensive backfield this summer will be for the nickel corner role. Your contenders are after the jump.
The Front-Runner: Ashton Youboty. Yeah, I know he's hurt all the time, but no one can deny that Youboty has had an impact in the little time he's been on the field. After winning the nickel job last season - rendering veteran corner Will James a roster casualty - Youboty started the season with 8 tackles in a win over Seattle. He played in just five games before ending up on IR, but was on pace for a 64-tackle season - excellent production from a sub-package corner. He's shown solid ball skills and a knack to make plays on the blitz as well (he registered a sack on David Garrard in a Week 2 win over Jacksonville last year). If he's healthy, there's no reason not to think that he won't out-play the competition again.
The Challenger: Drayton Florence. There is an outside shot that Florence will start. Leodis McKelvin is the clear front-runner, but if the NFL sophomore struggles, Florence could see time next to McGee on the outside. That said, Florence has been concentrating mostly on the nickel position, an area at which he excelled in San Diego (10 interceptions over four seasons). However, Florence is coming off of a disastrous stay in Jacksonville, and many are quickly writing him off as the "next Will James" - i.e., the veteran corner that gets the axe. His two-year, $6 million deal says otherwise. Florence will be a factor in Buffalo next season.
The Dark Horse: Reggie Corner. A lot of folks weren't fond of the Bills when they selected the 5'9", 171-pound, moving-toward-25-year-old Corner in the fourth round of the 2008 Draft. Corner flew so far under the radar that he wasn't even invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. Yet his performance last season, while a tad erratic, justified the selection: Corner saw a solid amount of playing time in sub-package roles in the second half of the season while the Bills were dealing with injuries, and he even made some plays here and there (he had four pass break-ups in a win over Denver, including a tip in the end zone that could have tied the game late in the fourth quarter). Corner was impressive this spring, routinely intercepting passes, forcing fumbles and taking nearly every rep as the first-team nickel corner. He'll have a hard time beating out both Youboty and Florence for the job in July, but he'll be given an opportunity. The Bills may have found a diamond in the rough with this player.
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Show yourselves Corner voters!!!!
It’s still Youboty’s job to lose. Florence has a strong chance to take it but there is a 5% chance Corner gets it.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 16, 2009 11:36 AM EDT reply actions
Yeah I voted Youboty – if he stays healthy he’s solid. That’s a pretty big “if” at this point though.
And yes Brian – I do see Florence as the next Will James – but whatever is best for the team – if that means he stays then i’m fine – if corner or someone else is better then thats fine – who ever is the best player!
I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying
I voted for Youboty, but there’s a reasonable question about whether he’ll remain healthy. I could see Corner winning the job if Youboty goes down again.
"I know I'm a true receiver..." Roscoe Parrish, Buffalo Bills - May 2009
"In my heart, I know I'm funny." Lt Steven Hauk, Good Morning Vietnam - 1987
by thefourwinds on Jul 16, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Corner's corner
I’m in…I think the kid has the talent to man the position…If I were placing bets, my money would be on Florence though…Why else would the ink Florence for $6M if they didn’t think last year was a fluke…
I bet they give Reggie another year as a sub to groom his skills before taking on the full time Nickel role.
I love me some DB's...I might just be Dick Jauron's long lost twin!
Im in your corner
He has a great ability to fly around and be in the right spot
i really noticed him in the Denver game
he’s quick to, reminds me of the departed Greer.
Youboty was good last year but missed alot of time and is coming off of a foot injury…i just think he will be back in the same form
"Hold ya chin up...nuh nuh nuh...gone"
-Marshawn Lynch-
by billsoferie on Jul 16, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions
O.K., I voted Corner
Youboty is good, but he never seems to be healthy for long when the pads go on. There is a good chance he gets nicked up in one of the preseason games, so I think Reggie has a chance. Drayton Florence may go the way Will James did last year.
Get the Bills back to the big game!
Drayton Florence may go the way Will James did last year.
Bah, I cannot understand this! :)
James signed a two-year deal for basically the vet minimum.
Florence is getting $3 million per year!
He’s here to stay, folks. And don’t let one down year fool you – he was one of the league’s BEST nickel corners while he was in San Diego – that’s why he got the big deal from the Jags in the first place.
I voted Florence.
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by Brian Galliford on Jul 16, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Exactly why I voted for him too.
I just don’t understand the Corner love out there either. He had some good practices in OTA’s this year, big deal. I thought he was a step slow last year and I’m not about to expect big things out of him this year because of some offseason workouts!!!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Well, he’s a late round kid that stood up well when put under fire…I know it was only the one game, but he sure made himself look good vs Denver…What’s not to root for here? It’s the underdog thing…
Like I said above though, Florence will probably get the Nickel role…
I love me some DB's...I might just be Dick Jauron's long lost twin!
Boy did I hit a nerve! :D
I hope Florence lives up to the billing he’s getting.
Regardless of who the starting nickel back is, the Bills could use someone who can shut down Welker and the other slot receivers they will face.
Get the Bills back to the big game!
Am I the only one who didn’t think Corner played all that well against Denver? On that last drive, he got beat on consecutive plays, but was lucky the back of the end zone saved him. He wasn’t a guy who impressed me last year because he just seemed slow to react and was a step behind. I’ll chalk that up to being a rookie from a MAC school, but I’m not about to believe he’s going to win the nickel job until he isn’t getting beat on every other route.
It’s gotta be Florence right now, especially if Youboty is slow to return to practice 100%….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
4 days later
“Am I the only one who didn’t think Corner played all that well against Denver? "
I think the lack of additional comments says it all…
I love me some DB's...I might just be Dick Jauron's long lost twin!
Well I guess being a step late and getting beat by Brandon Stokely often is a good thing!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Man, you can be harsh on rookies sometimes, K…
Name me one NFL Starting DB that has NEVER been beat by anyone, ever and I’ll concede that Corner is no good…
My point is the kid did give up some plays, but he didn’t give up any points…Isn’t that a positive? Isn’t that the bottom line?
I love me some DB's...I might just be Dick Jauron's long lost twin!
Not at all. I was surprised he contributed at all last year coming in from a MAC program and being very, very unheralded.
I just don’t agree that he played great and proved he should be the starting nickel this year. He was mediocre for a nickel back, but solid enough for a mid-round, smaller school player.
I never said he shouldn’t get beat or that it wasn’t a surprise. It’s the people that are hyping him into the next great thing that I just don’t agree on.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Brian...(regarding Florence)
With Jauron roasting over the flame next year, dont you think that he’ll he keep the best players? I understand the investment in Florence and it how it shows what OBD thinks of his play, but the best players will probably make the team. With McGee, McKelvin, Youboty, all probably safe; it may (and probably will) come down to Corner, Florence, & Lankster vying for two spots. Corner is probably safe with his progress so far. Florence was sidelined for much of the spring practices. With the OTAs (I know their just OTAs) Lankster has had so far, he won’t make it through waivers and onto the PS. That might leave a very tough decision for OBD, keep Florence a known commidity bought with a higher price tag already or keep a young talented playmaker who has yet to be tested or invested in (making it that much easier not to sign him)? Solid consistency (maybe last year was a fluke?) and salary-owed are the two main points in regards to Florence, while playmaking ability and inexperience are Lanksters main points. Who do they choose?
BTY- I voted Youboty
by NorCal BillsFan on Jul 16, 2009 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions
A) I wouldn’t necessarily call Youboty “safe.” If the team feels that his health is unreliable, I don’t think they’d hesitate to reach an injury settlement or simply cut him loose. I’d call both Florence and Corner “safer” than Youboty, though I obviously think all three will make the roster.
B) Yes, the team will keep the best players – they always do. Florence will be one of those players. As I mentioned, he’s been one of the best nickel corners in the league for essentially his entire career.
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"Our style is simple but not that easy. Roll up your sleeves and play good, solid football." -- Marv Levy
by Brian Galliford on Jul 17, 2009 6:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Geez Brian settle:
I voted for Youboty but I’d like to see Corner make it too. Because their mid level draft picks and I like the Bills to get some return on their draft picks, the last few years we haven’t.
Some draft picks that make me sad:
JP Losman 1st round
John McCargo 1st round
James Hardy 2nd round
Ashton Youboty 3rd round
Chris Ellis 3rd round
Dwayne Wright 4th round
This doesn’t even count guys who are getting alot of playing time but haven’t been spectacular.
Since Buffalo can’t afford most of the time to bring high price free agents you better get the most from your draft. If you get drafted in the first 4 rounds most people expect you to be a contributor in about 2 years, If your any drafted player from 1-4 and you get shelved it’s just salt in the wound of a wasted draft pick. So I can understand why some people voted for Corner
by MichiganBillsFan84 on Jul 17, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Wait a second
James Hardy? The kid barely played last year and he makes you sad? WRs take longer to develop in the NFL; it’s a little early to give up on him yet. Don’t you remember Josh Reed’s first year?
Youboty's to lose!!
Hasn’t played that much because of injury, but he is the one with the Derrick Bourroughs look. Despite the low number of games in his short carrer, you can remember him because he will make a play. Key phrase in the article—— played the first five games last year. We did pretty well during that time.
Youboty was so good before getting hurt last year that I need to see that Corner is that good before I can even imagine him winning. Chris Brown’s reporting doesn’t compare to what I saw with my own eyes last year.
Why did you not mention Florence, though?
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"Our style is simple but not that easy. Roll up your sleeves and play good, solid football." -- Marv Levy
by Brian Galliford on Jul 16, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I voted Florence. The Bills signed him and to the deal they gave him for a reason. He’s been a very good nickel back in his career, and that’s the role he’ll be asked to play here. I’d throw out last year in Jax because he’s more of a nickel player than a guy who should be starting on the outside. I think it comes down to him and Youboty, and as much as I hope Youboty wins it, I’m not sure he’ll be able to go at it 100% right away.
I’d have Corner a distant 3rd.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I know this is a little away from the point of the article....
…but I have to respectfully disagree with the soundness of the DB stockpiling strategy. I mean 30% of draft picks? That’s bonkers. I can’t believe we’re able to have a conversation about 3 potential starters at nickel corner (one who makes $3mil/yr), when we have backup caliber guys playing linebacker, rookies being counted on to save this team with gamebreaking performances, and a pass rush that could be confused for a light breeze. I’d have to think our past success wouldn’t be much different if we didn’t have draft picks battling to move up the depth chart at nickel corner. Cornerbacks by definition are reactive, and a reactive philosophy is a major reason for this team’s less-than mediocre results.
(i voted Youboty)
GoBills.
a pass rush that could be confused for a light breeze
Classic!
"I know I'm a true receiver..." Roscoe Parrish, Buffalo Bills - May 2009
"In my heart, I know I'm funny." Lt Steven Hauk, Good Morning Vietnam - 1987
by thefourwinds on Jul 16, 2009 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions
What worse is...
…Stroud’s gas had more effect on opposing QB’s than the the Bills pass rush last year.
I have to agree
I believe the team’s tendency to draft DBs is directly related to their tendency to allow them to walk away in free agency. I’d say the the current front office seems to think that it’s a position that can be cheaply filled at the draft. I don’t believe they’ll make any attempt to re-sign McGee and I think McKelvin was drafted specifically with the intent of letting McGee walk.
I don’t believe they’ll make any attempt to re-sign McGee
Just like they didn’t try to re-sign Greer…. oh wait they did.
McKelvin was drafted to replace Greer, not McGee.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed
They’ll need to resign McGee or will be looking for a starting CB again next year. I really can’t see a guy like Lankster or C. Harris or Corner or Youboty having much of a chance to be a successful starting CB in the league. Youboty would obviously be closest, and it’s no guarantee the team re-signs him anyhow.
Florence could replace McGee if necessary, I suppose, but it’s hardly ideal. I hope we re-sign McGee early.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Plus....
re-signing McGee would allow us to avoid taking another dang CB early….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
There’s no doubt in my mind that re-signing McGee should be the team’s top priority (yes, over Trent), but I think that if he asks for #1 CB money, they’ll let him walk away. I honestly can’t remember the last time the team paid top dollar to keep a CB.
I truly hope I’m wrong, but I can see the team going with McKelvin as the top guy next year and some combination of Florence/Youboty/Corner/2010 2nd round guy at the #2 and nickel spots.
But...But....But
we didn’t draft a CB early this year so we have to next year don’t we????
"I BET YOU IF WE PUT A 12 DOZEN GLAZE DONUTS AT THE OTHER END ON KICK RETURN JAIME DUKES WILL BE OUR NUM # 1 RETURNER …… HOW YOU LIKE THEM APPLES DUKE APPLE PIE PUNKEN EATER DWINKE SMASHER DING DONG FLABER" - abayarde
I’ll give you Greer if you give me Clements and Winfield. And I would argue that Florence was signed to replace Greer.
Florence was signed to replace McKelvin
McKelvin was supposed to replace Greer.
Nate Clements is clearly not worth the money the Niners paid for him. Antoine Winfield was let go when we had Clements and McGee so what is the need to keep him? They both played well for Buffalo but Minnesota is running into the contract problem with Winfield now and Clements has severely underperformed his contract. So the Bills made the right decision in both cases so far.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Come on Matt
How many years has it been since Winfield was allowed to walk, 3-4???? And he was just voted to the Pro Bowl last year, right? Yeah, we don’t need anyone like that on our team!!!!
"I BET YOU IF WE PUT A 12 DOZEN GLAZE DONUTS AT THE OTHER END ON KICK RETURN JAIME DUKES WILL BE OUR NUM # 1 RETURNER …… HOW YOU LIKE THEM APPLES DUKE APPLE PIE PUNKEN EATER DWINKE SMASHER DING DONG FLABER" - abayarde
I loved Winfield...
and I still like the way he plays. But with two cheaper and very good corners they let him walk. That is the problem with the salary cap. In the early 90s the Bills would have paid for him.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Florence was signed to replace McKelvin
Huh????
Florence was signed as a nickel. Unless he beats out Leo for the starting job, I don’t see how he’s replacing him.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
McKelvin 2008. Florence was signed to replace what McKelvin was last year so Greer could step up and replace what Greer was. The math isn’t subtract Greer and add Florence. The math is subtract Greer, add McKelvin hopefully being ready to start, subtract the less seasoned version of McKelvin and replace him with Florence.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions
I am going to need George Bush to explain that "fuzzy math" to me :-)
"I BET YOU IF WE PUT A 12 DOZEN GLAZE DONUTS AT THE OTHER END ON KICK RETURN JAIME DUKES WILL BE OUR NUM # 1 RETURNER …… HOW YOU LIKE THEM APPLES DUKE APPLE PIE PUNKEN EATER DWINKE SMASHER DING DONG FLABER" - abayarde
McKelvin wasn’t really the nickel last year though….Youboty won that job and played their for a while, Leo had a few games there before Greer got hurt.
Leo was a starter by the end of the year. The Bills tried to resign Greer, so to me it seems that Florence was signed as a result of Greer leaving…
I agree with Joe, fuzzy math and whatnot!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
But wasn’t McKelvin selected to eventually start, thus replacing Greer? They may have attempted to re-sign Greer but McKelvin was meant to start whereas Florence was not. Therefore McKelvin the starter replaces Greer the starter and Florence the backup replaces McKelvin the backup.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 20, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
I think that's a little shortsighted...
When you look at the expiration dates of the contracts, it looks to me like McKelvin was drafted with the knowledge that the team wouldn’t re-sign McGee:
Year 1: McKelvin plays nickel. Starters are McGee and Greer.
Year 2: Greer doesn’t re-sign. Starters are McGee and McKelvin.
Year 3. McGee doesn’t re-sign. Starters are McKelvin and Florence. 2010 rookie CB plays nickel… and the whole cycle starts over.
Of course, McKelvin sped things up by playing well enough to keep a starting role in his rookie year, but that may only convince OBD that they don’t need to pay for McGee if he continues to develop.
by Mark Parisi on Jul 20, 2009 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions
They need to pay McGee because Florence isn’t really a starting CB. I don’t want to use another 1st round pick on a DB….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I agree with K. I don’t think Florence was signed to start.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 21, 2009 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Nate Clements is clearly not worth the money the Niners paid for him.
But, I think this is exactly my point. This team does not pay top dollar for good DBs. They didn’t set the market value, but they also refuse to meet it. If McGee asks to be paid like the #1 guy he is, history shows the team will let him walk.
by Mark Parisi on Jul 20, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree with that.
The Bills would likely offer him a below market contract for a top flight CB but he’s not a top flight CB. He is a good one.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 20, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
No argument here.
I would also put Clements in the “good” category and he got $10M a year. The market sets the price, and Clements was the best CB available, so he got the paycheck. The same thing may well happen with McGee.
by Mark Parisi on Jul 20, 2009 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Well here's the thing...
There are a lot more DBs than DEs on the field at any given time. You are counting safeties and corners and sometimes they go 7 deep on a play whereas there will only be 3 pass rushers max on the field at once. So by a simple numbers game you need more of them. Secondly, looking strictly at the first three rounds, the Bills have spent a third and a first on DEs in the last two years and a first and second on DBs in the same time frame. It appears that Buffalo values both positions but when yo0u count late draft DBs the same as top picks it skews the numbers.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
The Buffalo Bills like defensive backs. Under head coach Dick Jauron, the team has drafted defensive backs with nearly thirty percent of their picks, selecting a total of ten over the past four seasons.
And this is partially why this team was just forced to reshuffle the OL completely and why we haven’t had a pass rush….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Positional rankings by quantity:
DB (10) – Whitner, Youboty, Simpson, Wendling, McKelvin, Corner, Cox, Byrd, Harris, Lankster
OL (6) – Butler, Pennington, Merz, Bell, Wood, Levitre
DL (5) – McCargo, Williams, Ah You, Ellis, Maybin
LB (4) – Ellison, Posluszny, Bowen, Harris
RB (3) – Lynch, Wright, Omon
TE (3) – Schouman, Fine, Nelson
WR (2) – Hardy, Johnson
QB (1) – Edwards
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"Our style is simple but not that easy. Roll up your sleeves and play good, solid football." -- Marv Levy
by Brian Galliford on Jul 16, 2009 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Is there a point to this Brian?!?!?! Hahaha…
OL (6) – Butler, Pennington, Merz, Bell, Wood, Levitre
5th rounder, 7th, 7th, 7th, 1st, 2nd…..Kind of my point. We’ve been spending so many high picks on DB’s that we haven’t gone after the trenches as thoroughly as we should have considering the troubles we’ve had for years there. Not that high picks result in good players, but the odds are probably much higher. Imagine if we didn’t get lucky with Butler and Williams?
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
To be fair...
Like you said, draft round doesn’t guarantee talent. Just compare Mike Williams and Jason Peters.
That said, I agree with you. I would even be fine with DJ’s love affair with DBs if the lines were filled with solid players first and not always in flux.
LOL, no, no point, just wanted to put the whole thing out there.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"Our style is simple but not that easy. Roll up your sleeves and play good, solid football." -- Marv Levy
by Brian Galliford on Jul 16, 2009 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, K...
most of those DBs were later round picks, too.
And there are more DBs on the field than most of those other position groupins, too, except O Line.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm gonna say
Florence wins out…but not for the conventional reasons. Dicky J will bench Youboty for his blatant disregard of the coachs banning of the Pelvic Bump (see pic in Brian’s post).
…And Corner isn’t good enough to yet.
We should have done the quotes game for that pick....
Mine would have been: “’Scuse me Egon? You said crossing the streams was bad!”
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I choose Youbuty, and its because he was showing the skills that Florence flashed as a nickel in San Diego
The issue for Youbuty is that he can’t seem to stay healthy, and Florence has been a horse while in the NFL in that regard. Needless to say regardless of who wins of those two, I think we are in great shape at Nickel and I think our Dime back will be a beast as well since it will be either of the losers in the Nickel job. If ALL of our CBs can stay healthy we will have a great defensive backfield.
I really hope Youbuty wins it though, I like the kid and his effort, especially his tackling, he is our surest guy out there at DB it seemed last year, nothing got by him.
(443): My mom came into my room and told me to flip off the tv. I gave it the middle finger. Note to self: STOP SMOKING THIS S#!T
-textsfromlastnight.com
I voted for Corner
I think Corner has been getting the speed at NFL level and with his skills he could be a good surprise as nickel.
I didn’t vote for Youboty because his physical status is very unclear.
Florence did such a poor job at that horrible Jaguars defense, that I want to see how he could fit on Bills defense before put him as favorite for the position.
Besides what I think, I really hope all of them stay healthy and make our defense better.
Based on what?
I think Corner has been getting the speed at NFL level and with his skills he could be a good surprise as nickel.
OTAs in shorts?
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I voted Youboty, but
I think Florence gets the nod over him in the first couple of games. I also think Brady will torch our secondary if we dont get pressure.
Which also brings me to my next point. If the Bills fail to get Nic Harris into the starting lineup next to Poz, I really don’t see this team stopping the run. This is what concerns me even more than who wins the starting nickle job.
The time to deliver is now and if you fail to do so you will no doubt witness the consequences first hand.
How does Nic Harris magically solve our run stopping woes? A rookie converted safety is our savior at LB this year? I’m not buying that one!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Ellison v Harris
If the Bills loose the rights to Harris, he will be picked up by the Steelers and become NFL Defensive MVP, as an outside linebacker. Maybe.
Sweet home Orchard Park.
This is a nice problem to have
I don’t recall the background of Florence like the rest of you but despite Ashton’s short playing carreer he has performed very well. Reggie’s OTA’s are very encouraging and will be something to watch during camp. Regardless who wins the nickle package it should make us very strong in the dime as well. This is a nice problem to have. I still favor Ashton, but Florence has to earn his money somehow.
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