Jauron pumps up Bell at OT

Per Mark Gaughan:

"Bills coach Dick Jauron did not dismiss the idea that second-year tackle Demetrius Bell could push starting left tackle Langston Walker for a starting job when asked about the issue Monday."

over 2 years ago south123 31 comments 0 recs |

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Sounds like someone wants Bell to win the job. At the very least, he (like many of us) has very little confidence that Walker can handle the job.

Again, why did they not just have a competition for the job all along? It’s getting a little late to be rotating them both in to see who deserves to start…..

~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."

by Kurupt on Aug 31, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

it not being an open competition, but I do have issues if they don’t play the best man for the job. And if this results in A reshuffling on the right side of the line (Butler to RG, Walker to RT and Wood to LG) that would be a huge step back. But I can’t imagine that’s a thought as the season is just 2 weeks away

MARVelous - "I went from America's team to North America's Team" Terrell Owens

by MARVelous on Aug 31, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I think we see the switch come the bye week, and with Bell getting serious rotation time on the Oline before that

If we will be running no huddle constantly, Walker out of all our lineman is in the least shape to do it for a long period of time, he will need time out for breathers.

(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

by WABillsfan on Aug 31, 2009 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Personally, I think Walker is the starter, on 31 AUG, at 11:47 PM. He’s done nothing to cede the job, and Bell has done nothing to beat him out. But Bell gets a shot a some point.

My inner draftnik wants Bell to play significantly, though, so we know what we have going into next season. Bell playing well would let us draft another needed pass rusher.

by Der Jaeger on Aug 31, 2009 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I doubt that it will be reshuffled two weeks before the season, but that very sift may happen somewhere throw the season after working it in practise for a few weeks.

Captain of the "Promote Bob Sanders to Deffensive Coordinator" band wagon.

by CanadianBillsFan on Aug 31, 2009 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m not exactly advocating it, but, why would that reshuffling be such a huge step back? Only two players would be in places they haven’t been before: Bell and Wood. They both are very athletic. If they can figure their sh*t out quick then everything is peaches and cream. :)

The other option is to sit Walker as the backup swing tackle and start Bell.

I want to see movies of my dreams. - Built to Spill

by jj24 on Sep 1, 2009 2:23 AM EDT up reply actions

It’s getting a little late to be rotating them both in to see who deserves to start…..

Maybe… but maybe not. Take a look at the scheduling quick that the Bills have going for them. Buffalo’s played their normal 4 allocations of pre-season games. The fifth game, normally a look at the 2nd and 3rd teamers before cut down, should have been the Pittsburgh game. So the staff had one extra game worth of tape to evaluate the starters.

What if the team made any change to starting personnel on September 4th? They now get 11 days to practice due to the Monday night game. Let’s assume that Jauron sits Walker for Bell. Bell gets 11 days of practice before his first game. That’s essentially what he would get during the bye week.

So, the team has two windows to make significant changes: now, and the bye week.

by Der Jaeger on Aug 31, 2009 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m talking about splitting reps though. That’s what Jauron mentioned in the article.

We wanted to see him work in there with our first unit in this last game and had planned to split time (between Walker and Bell).

It’s too late to be doing that. Either go with one or the other, but you can’t be splitting reps at this point. If they are going to make a move, they can’t keep waiting. Since they haven’t done anything, I’m guessing it’s probably not going to happen any time soon…

So the staff had one extra game worth of tape to evaluate the starters.

Well the starters played a total of what, 5 plays against Tennessee? That’s not exactly a ton of tape to be looking at….

~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."

by Kurupt on Aug 31, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Edwards, Evans, Owens, and Lynch played nine plays. Everyone else played significantly more time versus Tennessee.

Other than that, all I said was that we had plenty of time to make changes. Hence, the emphasis on “any change.”

by Der Jaeger on Aug 31, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Der Jaeger makes an interesting point, but I would extend the season-opening window even further. It is possible that Walker might start against the Pats and, if he struggles, Bell might start against Tampa the following week. They could even make it a point to give some playing time during the New England game to see how he holds up under regular season conditions.

by Macktruck on Sep 1, 2009 12:41 AM EDT up reply actions

I have no problem with this

Ok i would put bell right next to Walker on the left side that would be a great left side i would think for Lynch, Jackson, and Rhodes to run on but that is just me

GO BUFFALO

by kooldude on Aug 31, 2009 3:42 PM EDT reply actions

IF (and that’s a big if), IF Jauron planned it this way, he might just have wanted the pressure to fall on Walker rather than on Bell.

By doing it this way, the pressure has fallen to Walker this entire offseason and preseason, and there has been virtually no pressure on Bell. Doing it any other way might have put more pressure on Bell than he was ready to handle at the time.

"I wish we could convince our opponents to play their 2nd and 3rd stringers against ours for the whole game – when it counts." - TEMSON

by thefourwinds on Aug 31, 2009 3:44 PM EDT reply actions

So why not let Bell get used to the pressure during camp? That would be better than MNF, opening weekend as the surprise starter. But I do see your point, assuming this could have been the plan all along.

Sweet home Orchard Park.

by Undee on Aug 31, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Why wouldn’t they want to see if Bell could handle the pressure? If he couldn’t, then he obviously wouldn’t be ready for the hostile environment at the MNF opener. The kid needed (needs) reps and to get used to the pressure. Having him getting all second team reps isn’t exactly preparing him for a starting role….

~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."

by Kurupt on Aug 31, 2009 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions

… So I could never say there’s no way you could see. You could probably name about anybody likely to be on our roster and I’d say the same thing."

This DJ quote explains his not denying Bell could start vs. NE…

Why is “Jauron pumps up Bell at OT” the title? (…question to Gaughan.) Is Jauron indicating anything that says it’s NOW clear that Walker won’t do? Or is the media stirring it up?

Sweet home Orchard Park.

by Undee on Aug 31, 2009 3:48 PM EDT reply actions

Hey, if Walker isn't performing

find somebody who will. This is 12 years of crappy OL play. If very young guys are the best we have, then so be. Hopefully, the Bills are getting rid of the fat slobs who don’t get the job done.

by ccthemovieman on Aug 31, 2009 3:48 PM EDT reply actions

Bell and other news

hopefully this will push walker a litlte, i wouldn’t mind seeing bell in there, but I don’t want his first start to be MNF against the Pats

but in other NFL news, Mike Williams (yes our former tackle) is a lock to make the Redskins roster and may start at some point this year.

per rotoworld Beat writer Jason Reid considers former first-round rehab project Mike Williams a “lock” to make the Redskins’ final roster.
There is reportedly feeling in the organization that Williams could become a starter “early in the year,” despite an up-and-down training camp at best. Despite Jason Campbell having avoided preseason sacks, this says a lot about Washington’s woeful line. Williams has been out of the NFL since 2005.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=NFL&id=2294

by jwest529 on Aug 31, 2009 3:58 PM EDT reply actions

The best player should start. It’s that simple. I just haven’t seen where Walker has looked that bad. It’s not a bad thing, a little competition, but if Bell starting at LT means Walker goes to the bench, it’s not a good thing. Walker still has value playing somewhere on the line.

The only issue is gelling across the line. I’m not sure you wanna mix positions right now, although Bell, Wood, Hang, Butler, and Walker across the line doesn’t sound bad.

by billsct11 on Aug 31, 2009 4:00 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Prefer Bell-Levitre-Hang-Wood-Buttler

I say throw the young guys in there and let them work it out. Reshuffling the entire line is a bad idea, just swap Bell for Walker. Everyone else has been getting comfortable with their positions so lets not mess with that. Plus Ron’s write-up showed that Levitre played a pretty solid game, i’m starting to like what i see from him.
With a line consisting of Bell-Levitre-Hang-Wood-Buttler you could potentially have a good line for at least the next 5 years. I say let the young guys lead the charge!

by LuBAR on Aug 31, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions

I know this is going to be unpopular, but I’d like Langston to go back to RT, a position he was actually good at, and see Butler come off the bench with Chambers and McKinney. It just doesn’t make any sense to bench Langston Walker.

by Dyl on Aug 31, 2009 4:13 PM EDT reply actions

I am with you

I can’t understand how Walker is good enough to be our LT but not good enough to be our RT???

"When troops flee, are insubordinate, collapse, or are routed in battle, it is the fault of the general." – Sun Tzu. Yes Jauron, I am talking to you.

by Joe P. on Aug 31, 2009 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I’d rather Levitre come off the bench instead of Butler. It was Butler’s job to lose at RG coming into this season before Peters screwed that up. Butler got a new contract for a reason. I doubt he would pull a Kelsay on us(for you, K) and he deserves to be a starter at RG over Levitre.

I want to see movies of my dreams. - Built to Spill

by jj24 on Sep 1, 2009 2:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Ugh…headache maybe so, but at what price? This would involve reshuffling the offensive line again. That’s four OL moving again. Maybe it’s just a cop out, but I have a feeling the shuffling takes a much larger toll than we think it does.

by Dyl on Sep 1, 2009 8:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Well I don’t know. I just have a feeling Bell isn’t going to be ready. Langston was actually an above average right tackle for us. If anything Butler has had some problems at that position. Whoever we play at LT this year is going to struggle and have problems. Kirk Chambers played the position well last year in spurts. He held some of the best pass rushers we faced ineffectual. I just don’t know.

by Dyl on Aug 31, 2009 4:16 PM EDT reply actions

LOL - I think the headline is a little misleading

pumps up Bell?

No I didn’t flat out say he couldn’t. I hardly ever flat out say anything. (There were laughs among the media corps.) The reason why I generally say things like that is we’ve all seen things happen. … So I could never say there’s no way you could see. You could probably name about anybody likely to be on our roster and I’d say the same thing."

seems like a generic response – I don’t expect much to happen here. At least not for a few weeks.

I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying

by J2 on Aug 31, 2009 4:24 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, I was a bit dissapointed when I read the actual article. I’m really hoping that Bell proves me wrong by finding his way onto the field and excelling. I don’t think he’s ready and if he ever starts over a healthy Walker, I’ll say it’s because Walker is being benched for poor play and not because Bell is too good to keep off the field.

by kaisertown on Aug 31, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Chris Brown has a more detailed article on the Bills site now

and I agree the Buffalo News title seems misleading. Chris Brown indicates that while ‘possible’ its ‘unlikely’ and is more an indication that Bell has won the Swing Tackle job. Jauron even mentions that Bell’s inexperience is a big factor.

by south123 on Aug 31, 2009 6:06 PM EDT reply actions

ummmm

Did I mention that I don’t like Walker at LT…

"It's that time of the year where all teams are involved in making some, to a degree, painful decisions." - Marv Levy

by Jason from OH-IO on Aug 31, 2009 10:04 PM EDT reply actions

I think Walker is an interesting Dude

From what we see of him he’s very likeable and he’s not a bad football player, but it’s always bothered me that he’s not the BEST football player he can be. My guess is that it bothers Jauron and Co. that Walker isn’t 40 pounds lighter. How hard would it be for him to be in better shape??? For this reason, I think Jauron is willing to hang him out and not feel compelled to move Butler.

by MrFurious1 on Aug 31, 2009 10:06 PM EDT reply actions

The thing with Walker

he does not seem to be aggressive. Walker is clearly the more experienced LT but Bell would be the better fit athletically. Walker will never be more athletic, Bell can only get more experience. I think if they have to even ask themselves if they should replace Walker it is an obvious answer

"Hold ya chin up...nuh nuh nuh...gone"
-Marshawn Lynch-

by billsoferie on Sep 1, 2009 8:58 AM EDT reply actions