Bills LB Harris surprising in pre-season play

I can’t help but feel like wendling gets the axe, and the bills seek one of the veteran LB’s waiting by the phone. Got to love Harris’ nose for the ball though, and the thought of Posluszny and Harris in a year or so is encouraging. Along with a deeply talented and youthful secondary, promises promises.

I completely agree with you on all of your points. He really does have great instincts and I definitely think next season he will have or at least will challange Ellison for the starting job (does anyone know how long Ellison is under contract?)

I remember one play where you can see Harris forgetting his coverage role though. In the Bears game the QB was flushed out of the pocket and Harris let his man go to come in for a sack (and up to the point of the QB throwing the ball I thought he was making a great play). But then the QB threw to the man Harris was supposed to be covering and it was a TD.

Like most rookies though, he just needs some experience to improve – and sorry for the lack of names.

I’d love to see him get a few reps with the 1s against the Pittsburgh first team offense….if it happens who knows….but otherwise, I have certainly liked him

START HIM!!!

As compared to Ellison, Harris actually has that LOOK of a LB.

Harris was definitely an impact player in the Green Bay game, I like him. On another note, anyone notice Angelo Crowell is out for another season with a bicep tear? Guess letting him slip away turned out to be the right move.

Did he sign with anyone yet?

I know he is an older vet and maybe lost a step but he would give us much more reliable first or second option at LB. Chances are that at some point during the season one of the starters are going to go down for a game or two and I would rather have an experienced vet than a rookie in a new position.

next year

Harris should start for MITCHELL. The guy flat out can not pursue against the run, and his “physicality” is yet to be seen in a pass rush- I might be the only one, but this guy disgusts me more than Ellison.

Harris got game. Yeah, he’s a rookie. But you gotta like the kid. We need a couple dozen more like him.

a guy like this, that was hyped for his football instincts, just go out and make plays. I love drafting guys like this that are productive collegians, hard workers and have a nose for the football. In the first pre-season game he looked so quick and active and around the ball. He should develop into a nice piece for the Bills over the course of the season

only semi related but did you hear he’s out for the season again? I was sort of for getting him but I’m glad I’m not in charge of making decisions.

Most likley Harris will be another Ellison (slightly more suited for the position). Buffalo never seems to recognize a weakness in the team until at least two years after it should have been fixed and in the meantime fills it in with a stopgap solution. Case in point the Defensive line, how do you let Pat Williams go in 2005, and keep Sam Adams and over the next three years use guys like Tim Anderson, Larry Tripplett, and Justin Bannan to try to fill the gap. And on top of that, pass on Haloti Ngata in 2006

Let’s face it the Bills have alot of players that are and would be feel good stories, doesn’t mean they should be starters. Personally I hope that the Bills nip this LB issue in the bud with by actually taking an LB early in their draft next year.

is because it wasn’t like he was a full-time safety in college. The guy started the second half of the season at linebacker after Ryan Reynolds got hurt last year. I’m actually really surprised they had him listed as a safety prior to the draft.

Good to see another rookie playing well.

I’m not sure about his instincts as I haven’t watched him react or diagnose plays, but he is freakin’ active and all over the field. Our 3 starters can take a cue from him on that. I’m interested in paying attention to how he sheds blocks. That may get him on the field sooner because of how poor the starters are at that.

Our LB depth is extremely worrisome. Instead of trying to find experienced depth, we’re going to see Corto make the team because he’s an above average ST player. I’m hardly comfortable with rookie Harris as the main backup if Thomas is cut. Harris, Buggs and Corto is just asking for an injury or two.

Good to see Palmer back. Would love to see him take Corto’s roster spot.

I strongly believe we should sign brooks. We should bring him in for a work out and see what he has left in the tank. He is a smart experienced player who I think could be effective splitting time with elison. He could also provide to be a good mentor to harris.

Unfortunately, if we are playing a true Cover 2, Mitchell and Posluzsny are both out of position (and Kelsay and Denney, who don’t fit a Cover 2 scheme at all).

The Cover 2 need three WLB’s starting, with the fastest at MLB. Look at Tampa’s defense earlier in the decade for an example. Brooks played at 220 lbs. most of the time. Shelton Quarles played at 230 lbs., but was a faster runner than Brooks, and played MLB. The SLB can be more of a traditional-sized LB.

Both Posluszny and Mitchell are great fits for SLB in the Cover 2. The SLB is responsible for the strong-side zone from 10 yards off the ball and in. That would really allow Posluszny to be ultra aggressive.

Harris is the perfect for any LB spot in our defense.

Who else thinks that there will be a battle for the SAM backer spot in next year’s training camp?

I really do, the kid just needs to pack on a couple more pounds of muscle (without losing his speed) and just work on getting off blocks and he’ll have a starters spot before end of season. I mean, this kid could become our poor man’s version of Brian Urlacher, yet another converted Safety now playing LBer….

He’s fast, has great ball skills and he’s a pretty good tackler, better then Ellisson anyways.

And is anyone else as impressed by our draft class as I am so far? I mean there is a legitimate shot at 6 of our rookies either starting by year’s end or seeing significant playing time this year as a top backup (starters: Wood, Levitre, Byrd and Harris. Great backups: Maybin and Nelson). A great draft for the Bills, how fantastic is that?

for some reason i was under the impression that nic harris was a former usc safety. but i was reminded he was in fact from oklah.