Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 3/13

by MattRichWarren on Mar 13, 2010 8:28 AM EST in Buffalo Bills News

DT Kennedy visits Bills - BuffaloBills.com
"I’m definitely capable of handling the [nose tackle] position," he said. "I played nose last year in Minnesota. I played every position along the line. So it’s just about following the scheme and understanding the scheme and just going out there and executing."

Fan Friday 3-12 – Inside The Bills
Chris Brown's weekly feature includes questions on Roscoe Parrish, explaining the 3-4 defense, compensatory picks, trading down in the draft, and Penn State DL Jared Odrick.

Final rankings update finished - Mocking The Draft
MTD's positional rankings and overall top 150 have been finalized for the 2010 NFL Draft. Mocking Dan has them listed by position as well as overall 150 prospects. I bookmarked it already.

Free Agency
Kennedy has the size – Inside The Bills
"Free agent visitor Jimmy Kennedy has the size to man the nose tackle spot in a 3-4. At 6′5″ and 320 pounds he’s got the body to do it. The question is does Buffalo’s coaching staff see it the same way? I would think they do because they’ve got some veteran players to man the ends in this 3-4 scheme in Marcus Stroud and Spencer Johnson."

Bills Focus: Jimmy Kennedy 1-on-1 (3:08) - BuffaloBills.com Video
BuffaloBills.com talks with free agent DT Jimmy Kennedy during his visit.

2010 NFL Draft
NFL Mock 2.0 - WGR550.com
With both top QBs off the board and Russell Okung the only OT not available, Joe Buscaglia joins the growing list of people putting Tennessee's Dan Williams at the number nine pick. His rationale revolves around Cornell Brown as a stopgap until 2011.

Vote for the greatest draft pick - ESPN.com AFC East blog
NFL.com is compiling a list of the greatest draft picks of all time in celebration of the 75th NFL draft. Bills in the running are: Gary Anderson (seventh round, 1982); Ruben Brown (first round, 1995); Joe DeLamielleure (first round, 1973); Jim Kelly (first round, 1983); Reggie McKenzie (second round, 1972); Andre Reed (fourth round, 1985); O.J. Simpson (first round, 1969); Fred Smerlas (second round, 1979); Bruce Smith (first round, 1985); Thurman Thomas (second round, 1998).

BUST-O-METER: Dan Williams - Mocking The Draft
"Dan Williams is benefiting from the draft process; his stock is on a continuous rise. Williams has the size and ability to play the coveted nose tackle position. While Williams shows ability he has no experience playing the nose tackle position. Williams should have a good career but is he worthy of a top 10 pick? The high expectations are what will be Williams’s demise."

Sleeper of the Week: Rodger Saffold - Mocking The Draft
Saffold played OT at Indiana, where it just so happens new Bills Assistant OL coach Bobby Johnson was the offensive line coach. He could be had in the second or third round and could remain at left tackle, a position he started at for four years in college.

Bradford's workout moved to March 29 - Mocking The Draft
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford has moved his workout day to March 29.

Other Bills News
Poz on his haircut – Inside The Bills
Bills LB Paul Posluszny decided to chop his long locks from the 2009 season. "It was time for a change, nothing more than that," said Posluszny. "Plus long hair is a lot of maintenance."

Talking Bills vs. dirty shoes - WGR550.com
"The only point I set out to make was that for a team in the Bills that most outsiders thought needed a house-cleaning, there's been barely a dusting... I'd run out of ways to make this point and the next thing you know I'm saying some dumb thing about how I'd rather be talking about the dirt on my shoes than the Bills. I exaggerate."

The What Coulda Been (WCB) Tournament: the at-large selections and seeding - PFR.com
Pro Football Reference is running a "What It" tournament featuring a bracket of the 64 NFL teams in the Super Bowl era that came up just short. The Bills have four automatic qualifiers in the tourney from their four conference champions that did not win the big prize. We might win this one guys!

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MTD final rankings is outstanding, I love they way they set that up. Bookmarked as well.

by TJJ on Mar 13, 2010 8:59 AM EST reply actions

RE: Mocking the Draft- Dan Williams Potential Bust

I have a similar feeling that if Dan Williams is selected in the Top 10, he may have a really tough time living up to that. I think Williams is a decent, solid player, but may be nothing more than that. Let me tell you my reasons:

1.) According to Dan at Mocking the Draft, Williams really only had 1 great year at Tennessee, his Senior year. People say that he really took to the NFL coaching of Monte Kiffin. Either way, I am always leary of a guy who has only produced at a high level for one year.

2.) According to Phil Steele’s 2009 College Football Preview, prior to this year, Dan Williams was considered the 16th best draft eligible DT. Put another way, Steele thought there were 16 better Senior and Junior DTs than Williams, not counting any Sophomes or Freshmen.

3.) Also, according to Steele, Dan Williams wasn’t a highly ranked recruit coming out of high school. Steele ranks Williams as the 97th best DT coming out of high school his year. Similarly, Steele ranks Ndamukong Suh the 7th best recruit his year, and Gerald McCoy the overall best (#1) DT recruit his year. Please note, Steele’s rankings are a combination of all the different ranking services, not his opinion.

4.) I feel his draft stock is raising because of the position he plays. There is an immense need for nose tackles in the 3-4 defense.

5.) Plain and simple, I get uncomfortable when I don’t hear much about a guy all year, and then suddenly he’s a projected top ten pick. Look, I admit I’m not a huge college football fan, but I at least know the majority of good players. It worries me that I have not heard of Williams during the season, because I feel like maybe it’s not his play in the games that is elevating him.

In conclusion, I just get nervous when I hear that he only had one good season. Then, I go back to see if maybe he was at least a top recruit that had some early struggles but maybe now he is putting it all together…..not the case here. I’m def not saying that a guy who wasn’t a highly recruited player coming out of high school can’t be a great Pro player….because that is not the case, but it would help me get over my fears if his potential and play were at least evident to others coming out of high school. I feel the Bills may be better served picking someone like Terrence Cody in the second round, and addressing other needs with the first rounder.

Thoughts?

by StroudFanClub on Mar 13, 2010 2:11 PM EST reply actions

I agree...

But then again we have been proven wrong from time to time. I remember thinking the same things about Dominique Rodgers Cromartie too… the Senior Bowl wonder. With that said I would rather shoot for Cody in the second. He is kind of the opposite. His play makes him a good pick while his combine makes him a bad one.

"I lost my mind three months ago when I woke up married to a pineapple, an ugly pineapple... I still love her though."

by Seattlite on Mar 13, 2010 2:23 PM EST up reply actions

Yep, agree on Cody and him being opposite with good play, poor combine.

I wish I would track this stuff each year to see who rose or fell because of good combines and how they did in the NFL so I could have some concrete stats. Or who was drafted higher because of need and how they did in the NFL. ECT.

by StroudFanClub on Mar 13, 2010 2:51 PM EST up reply actions