Buffalo Bills Year In Review: O-Line Hit Hard By Injuries

by MattRichWarren on Jan 7, 2011 11:15 AM EST in Buffalo Bills Opinion

The Buffalo Bills' offensive line lost a key member last February when right tackle Brad Butler unexpectedly called it a career. Despite several additions in the off-season, Buffalo was still forced to sign a number of new linemen during the year due to injuries.

Buffalo's starting offensive line for the season made it through just five weeks before the first starter succumbed to injury. The left side of Andy Levitre and Demetrius Bell both made all 16 starts at their positions; the last man to make 16 straight starts for the Bills at left tackle was Mike Gandy in 2005, while Levitre accomplished the feat at left guard just a year ago.

The right side of the offensive line in particular went through several players as both starters and reserves. When right tackle Cornell Green went down, the Bills simply plugged in undrafted free agent Cordaro Howard at right tackle. Howard, who had been the team's top reserve lineman, was himself beset by injury, and was replaced by mid-season signing Mansfield Wrotto. Right guard Eric Wood was injured in Week 11 and missed two weeks, replaced by waiver-wire claim Kraig Urbik.

Week 13 saw some epic offensive line movement as starting center Geoff Hangartner was injured. When his replacement, Urbik, went down to injury in the same game Andy Levitre slid over. When Wood returned the next week he replaced Hangartner at center and another mid-season signing, street free agent Chad Rinehart, stepped in to fill the right guard spot.

In the later part of the season street free agent Erik Pears saw time at right tackle replacing an ineffective and Wrotto. Just so he gets a mention, injuries didn't sideline Jamon Meredith but the tackle was released based on his poor performance.

In total 12 different linemen took snaps for the Bills this season.

Not only does adding new players take away supposedly more talented linemen, it messes with the chemistry of the line as a unit. Earlier this season we took a look at the first thirteen offensive line combinations the Bills used. In that article I predicted the 14th different combination that would be used in the Cleveland Browns game. That prediction was a little off as Chad Rinehart stepped in at right guard and not Ed Wang. When Ed Pears stepped in at right tackle to replace Mansfield Wrotto it gave Buffalo their fifteenth and final offensive line combination of 2010.

Week 14 Reserves
Week 15-17 Starters
Combination 14

Left Tackle	Left Guard	Center	Right Guard	Right Tackle
D. Bell	A. Levitre	E. Wood	C. Rinehart	M. Wrotto

Week 16-17 Reserves
Combination 15

Left Tackle	Left Guard	Center	Right Guard	Right Tackle
D. Bell	A. Levitre	E. Wood	C. Rinehart	E. Pears

The final chart we'll look at today is a compilation of all the starts and games played by Bills offensive linemen this year. Following the chart we'll discuss some things that stand out.

Player	Games	Starts	Year Acquired	How Acquired
D. Bell*	16	16	2008	NFL Draft
C. Green*	5	5	2010	Offseason Free Agent
G. Hangartner*	12	12	2009	Offseason Free Agent
C. Howard	10	4	2010	Undrafted Free Agent
A. Levitre*	16	16	2009	NFL Draft
J. Meredith	2	0	2009	Waivers
E. Pears	2	1	2010	Street Free Agent
C. Rinehart	4	3	2010	Street Free Agent
K. Ubrik	10	2	2010	Waivers
E. Wang	6	0	2010	NFL Draft
E. Wood*	14	14	2009	Draft
M. Wrotto	11	7	2010	Street Free Agent

Let's start with Levitre and Bell. The fact that both were able to stay healthy is truly remarkable. Bell was coming off a season-ending injury a year ago and received Wednesdays off during the entire season to help him build stamina from his lack of offseason training. Levitre is just consistent having started 32 of a possible 32 games.

Eric Wood also recovered from a severe leg injury to start 14 of 16 games in 2010. He received days off early in the year for the same reason as Bell.

In all, Buffalo's opening day starters, marked with an asterik in the table, combined for 63 starts. Only one other player who began the year on the Bills roster made any starts, Cord Howard, and he added just four. The Bills found 13 starts from players that were not on their roster at the beginning of the year.

The street free agents and waiver wire pickups that started games for the Bills is a troublingly high number. These players didn't get OTAs, training camp, or preseason games to learn the line calls let alone gel as a unit. It's remarkable Ryan Fitzpatrick only missed one game due to injury.

Players who began the season on the roster accounted for 81 of the 108 total games played by linemen this season. A full quarter of the games were played by mid-season acquisitions. That's not a recipce for offensive line success.

With that being said, many of these players will have a real shot of contributing going forward. Green is the only opening day starter that won't be in training camp. Kraig Urbik received a strong endorsement from Buddy Nix earlier in the year while Erik Pears earned kind words from Chan Gailey at the end of the season. The Bills may or may not address the offensive line in free agency and the draft but they have several players from 2010 to evaluate first.

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Buffalo's starting offensive line for the season made it through just five weeks before the first starter succumbed to injury.

18 games?

"War Memorial Stadium looks as if whatever war it was a memorial to had been fought within its confines."-Brock Yates

by Blo2Death on Jan 7, 2011 11:30 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Rec'd

Lets Go Buff a lo!!!

by bflo on Jan 7, 2011 11:46 AM EST up reply actions

Less Pre-season

Same number of games regardless.

And Buffalo selects "God only knows" in rd. 1 pick 3. Bank on it!

by buffalobacker on Jan 7, 2011 2:34 PM EST up reply actions

there it is in black and white

That’s not a recipe for offensive line success.

Your last chart completely contradicts the theory of the OL being the “#1 priority”. 4 drafted linemen since 2008 and how many did Nix draft? One in the 2010 5th round(Wang). Throughout the preseason, BRs review of depth charts showed glaring gaps in OL depth. Plus, Wood was coming off a devastating injury and Bell had a bad knee. The result?:

The street free agents and waiver wire pickups that started games for the Bills is a troublingly high number. These players didn’t get OTAs, training camp, or preseason games to learn the line calls let alone gel as a unit.

This is an abysmal fact and gross mismanagement of the team’s roster. The entire offense was set up to fail. That fact is compounded by the Spiller pick. Who did they think was going to block for him? Classic “cart before the horse” and classic draft ineptitude as well.

Now, the 2011 draft is woefully behind the OL quality of 2010. Nix appears to be a staunch contrarian with a hubris unmatched by many NFL GMs. Lord knows who he will draft. If he treats his #1 priority with the same devotion in 2011 as he did in 2010, the supposed “rebuild” will be nothing more than a sand castle.

What we call our despair is often only the painful eagerness of unfed hope.

by fansince60 on Jan 7, 2011 11:48 AM EST reply actions

This is an abysmal fact and gross mismanagement of the team’s roster.

Actually, even if the Bills had a full compliment of guys to play OL they would have has a waiver wire or street free agent start games for them with the injuries to Wood, Hang, Green, and Howard.

You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Jan 7, 2011 11:59 AM EST up reply actions

sure

but drafting 1 OL in a “build thru the draft” rebuild is ludicrous.

What we call our despair is often only the painful eagerness of unfed hope.

by fansince60 on Jan 7, 2011 1:11 PM EST up reply actions

not much of a point, but fact.

You have to look at who they could have drafted when they did pick. For example, Spiller was picked, but only A Davis was still on the board. He hasnt done well for SF.

Also Nix did pick Kyle Calloway in the 7th, but he got cut before the season starts.

It is always easy to say they should have done this, but you really have to look at some of the players that were available. The next tackle taken off the board was Saffold I believe with the 33rd pick.

Let the offseason begin

by Rudy916 on Jan 7, 2011 3:18 PM EST up reply actions

we need DE/DT in round one

LB in round two and RT in round 3, RG round 4, ILB round 4, resign poz and wilson

by wab2 on Jan 8, 2011 9:01 AM EST up reply actions

2011 Mock Draft

1) If Clemson DE/DT is available at pick 3 …. do it
2) If Mallett or comparable QB is there at pick 3 (2nd Round) …..do it
3) Best available TE/LB/RT …. do it
4A) Best available LB/RT/TE … do it
4B) (Lynch pick) Best available RT/LT/LB/TE

After the 4th round it is a crap shoot …. Bills need 1) a new monster DE (goodbye stroud)
2) a QB to groom under Fitzpatrick …. Mallet/Washington QB or Missouri QB
3/4/4A/ RT/TE/LB for The next 3 picks best available (as per board)

Come on Buddy … Put a draft together, I don’t want to pick 3rd for another 15 year. Go Bills

by gred79 on Jan 8, 2011 2:02 PM EST up reply actions

Evaluation Process

The Bills may or may not address the offensive line in free agency and the draft but they have several players from 2010 to evaluate first.

This is starting to be a perrenial problem as well. Chix may have started late but then jumped in with both feet. I am sure they wont want to do this again. The offseason should be interesting. Bell, Wood and LeVetrie were drafted by the team, Hangartner was brought in as an experienced OL with Center backround and minimal inury history. Its funny we need tackles, because we needed more of them on defense as well.

YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde

by VanScottM on Jan 7, 2011 11:52 AM EST reply actions

Just a RT

The only position we need to address on the o-line this offseason is RT. We are well-stocked with good players on the interior — as Chan said at his last press conference, he has so many it’s going to lead to some gut-wrenching decisions next year. Bell is set at LT, especially after he gets in a full offseason of conditioning this year. At RT Gailey had some nice things to say about Pears, but even if he does look like a keeper (and that’s still uncertain) we need at least one more really capable OT to serve either as a starter a RT or as the swing tackle.

by Macktruck on Jan 7, 2011 12:20 PM EST reply actions

we ar enot weel stocked at any position on the line

i am sure all those pick ups were nice guys, but they are not great players, we need atleast 3 draft picks towards the o line, 2 of the need to be in our top 4 picks, we need two starters unless we go out in FA and get the jets guard and gaither at Rt

by wab2 on Jan 8, 2011 9:03 AM EST up reply actions

Time will tell if the Bills address the OT positions in the off season. I can’t imagine Wrotto having earned a roster spot based on his 2010 performance. Howard looks to be a goner. Pears Bell and a new very physical OT seem the most likely candidates to join Levitre Wood Hang Rinehart and Urbik on the 53 man roster. I’m not saying that adding one OT will settle the issues on the line but it certainly would be a step in the right direction.

It can always get worse. Let me tell you how.

by Ron From NM on Jan 7, 2011 12:25 PM EST via mobile reply actions

I ask myself monthly/weekly

How much did Butler’s retirement hurt us going into 2010. We will never know but let me add this. Nix gets hired in January, he then prioritizes a interview list for HC and eventually selects Chan Gailey, then Butler retires, then Gailey has to field his coaching staff, then Nix brings in Doug Wahley and next thing you know the draft is here.

I know I am making excuses for them, but boy did it hurt by the end of the first month of the season. The quality play was not there. So much sense can be made for them to address this O-Line situation very early in the offseason, whether it is the draft, roster or FA. We need a unit in place by OTA’s but I am not sure that is going to happen. Still important though.

YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde

by VanScottM on Jan 7, 2011 12:41 PM EST up reply actions

butler was out best lineman

we should of made him unable to say no to playing

by wab2 on Jan 8, 2011 9:04 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t know about you, but I really like what Urbik brings.

You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Jan 7, 2011 1:39 PM EST up reply actions

It will be a good problem for Buffalo to have—more guys who can fill the three interior line positions than the number of starting interior line positions.

It can always get worse. Let me tell you how.

by Ron From NM on Jan 7, 2011 6:57 PM EST up reply actions

That’s what I mean. Ni said their top three interior guys in 2009 were Wood, Levitre, and Urbik and now they have all three of them. Add in Hangartner, who I think it very capable, and I think you’re set on the inside of the line.

You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Jan 7, 2011 8:49 PM EST up reply actions

*Nix

You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Jan 7, 2011 8:50 PM EST up reply actions

silver lining....

Demetrius Bell has to be the favorite to be most improved Bill in 2011…..2010: minimal mini-camp and training camp due to injuries, minimal upper body weight traing due to shoulder injury, and minimal lower body and core weight training due to injured leg. (chan gailey has just said these things). Plus, he had painful injuries! And, He is just now entering his prime….he has proved his toughness to me by making it through 2010 and I saw many acts of aggressivenesss, hustle and even leadership in 2010. I am very high on Bell for 2011.
More silver lining….you could say nearly the same thing about Eric Wood! I expect Eric Wood to vastly improve for 2011 as he becomes our best lineman again, surpassing the rock, Andy Levitre.
Big things man, big things…..I want to write a bigger post about this soon, I hope I do….

GO BILLS!

by podunkowego on Jan 7, 2011 12:26 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

2010: minimal mini-camp and training camp due to injuries, minimal upper body weight traing due to shoulder injury, and minimal lower body and core weight training due to injured leg

I’m bullish on Bell as well because of what you said – he seemed like a great candidate for development based off of his physical abilities and having a full off season with proper strength and conditioning and being able to focus on learning scheme instead of just trying to get healthy makes me want to let him continue his development

South Park showed us the benefit of Captain Hindsight

by J2 on Jan 7, 2011 12:34 PM EST up reply actions

Please do a post, but be patient.

There will be alot of activity regarding the O-Line only most of it may be behind the scenes leaving us all in doubt going into 2011.

YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde

by VanScottM on Jan 7, 2011 12:35 PM EST up reply actions

I think the left side is set, in my mind, with Bell, Levitre and Wood. The RG and RT are the positions that need shoring up – if there is a clear upgrade at LT then go for it but i’m not sure there is.

Take Carimi and plug him in a RT and that line looks much better

South Park showed us the benefit of Captain Hindsight

by J2 on Jan 7, 2011 12:37 PM EST up reply actions

silver lining con't.....

The keys will be if Bell and Wood can fully recover, and if they have the commitment and discipline to train like spartans. Two big keys, but that’s how we beat the boobacheats.

GO BILLS!

by podunkowego on Jan 7, 2011 1:19 PM EST up reply actions

i think they have fully recovered

the excitement is about seeing them after a full off season of trainging versus rehabbing

by wab2 on Jan 8, 2011 9:05 AM EST up reply actions

Strength and Conditioning Program

What happened to the lauded strength and conditioning program which Chan Gailey incorporated?

Injury a prevention has obviously been a huge issue in Buffalo, as the team’s conveyor belt toward Injured Reserve has been worn thin over the past three seasons. These hires (Cianon/Gamble) will be somewhat under the radar, but these two men have their work cut out for them simply in trying to diagnose an underlying cause to the massive amount of injuries the team has incurred.

I think many around here thought Gailey would cure the ills of the past, sure wasn’t the case this year.

"...You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game. You don't play it to just play it. That's the great thing about sports: you play to win, and I don't care if you don't have any wins. You go play to win. When you start tellin' me it doesn't matter, then retire. Get out! 'Cause it matters." ~ Herm Edwards

"Talk's cheap. We all know that. It's like I've always said: 'Don't tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby.' " ~ Buddy Nix

by Jason from OH-IO on Jan 7, 2011 12:36 PM EST reply actions

The Strength and Conditioning program was one of the reasons theorized as the cause. There were several others, including undersized players and plain old bad luck. It’s hard to diagnose any one cause because there are likely several factors at play in most injuries. I’m actually not sure where we stand as compared to the rest of the league in terms of injuries. Does anyone else know?

Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.

by WhyBillsWhy on Jan 7, 2011 12:42 PM EST up reply actions

Strength & Conditioning doesn’t happen over night. I would expect (hope) that any improvements would start to show in 2011. To expect them to show immediately in 2010 was IMO wishful thinking.

by Ehran on Jan 7, 2011 1:14 PM EST up reply actions

Point was, no better than under the Jauronian era.

"Talk's cheap. We all know that. It's like I've always said: 'Don't tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby.' " ~ Buddy Nix

by Jason from OH-IO on Jan 7, 2011 4:08 PM EST up reply actions

Juaronian Era

Sounds very old, was that before the Jurassic era? :)

And Buffalo selects "God only knows" in rd. 1 pick 3. Bank on it!

by buffalobacker on Jan 7, 2011 4:52 PM EST up reply actions

No, it was after the Julian era

It can always get worse. Let me tell you how.

by Ron From NM on Jan 7, 2011 6:58 PM EST up reply actions

injuries were way down

plus they were mostly back-ups street guys gettinginjured not starters like the last two years

by wab2 on Jan 8, 2011 9:06 AM EST up reply actions

Injuries

I don’t think we’re setting records league wide for injuries. Our problem is simply lack of talent including depth regarding O/L.

And Buffalo selects "God only knows" in rd. 1 pick 3. Bank on it!

by buffalobacker on Jan 7, 2011 2:37 PM EST up reply actions

what about gaither?

before i get dumped on, i am not suggesting we trade for him… if i remember right, he is a UFA this year… if he indeed is, we offer him good right tackle money… if he still says he wants to be left tackle, forget the offer… but if accepts our offer, i dont see what’s the problem…

2009 season, baltimore run offense was phenomenal in no small parts to gaither’s play… he got injured last season, but what do we have to lose? we gave money to merriman, why not gaither?

by statcruncher on Jan 7, 2011 1:15 PM EST reply actions

He hasn’t played in a year. I don’t want to offer him any guaranteed money.

You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Jan 7, 2011 1:44 PM EST up reply actions

neither has merriman…

i personally dont worry about money… its not mine and i think we are well below cap… and gaither would not be too expensive as he has no leverage… he didnt play for a year

by statcruncher on Jan 7, 2011 2:33 PM EST up reply actions

You can afford to not worry about money but in a small market like Buffalo if they give a guy “good money” and he stinks they are handcuffed.

Gaither needs to play somewhere on a prove it contract. He says he wants to stay in Baltimore.

You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Jan 7, 2011 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

i like gaither

he is a mac truck, he was just pissed to get moved to a lessor money position (RT vs LT) right before his FA year, cost him tens of millions, u would be pissed to. I would love to have him in Buffalo, he would instantly be our best OLman

by wab2 on Jan 8, 2011 9:08 AM EST up reply actions

O Linemen

I don’t know a ton about him but I heard because of the coaching change Robert Gallery may have reservations staying in Oakland. I know he has a high contract ($6 mil/yr) and currently plays LG but I believe he used to play LT. Does it make sense to consider him for a RT position?

by BuckeyeBillsFan on Jan 7, 2011 1:21 PM EST reply actions

If he played RT he would have been there instead of Cornell Green and Langston Walker.

You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Jan 7, 2011 1:44 PM EST up reply actions

Gallery was an enormous bust at LT. Unlke Buffalo’s approach (convert every recent first rounder in sight to a low round draft pick or simply cut him) the Raiders took a surprisingly sensible approach. They plugged him in at guard instead and, with some coaching, Gallery became a servicable starter.

It can always get worse. Let me tell you how.

by Ron From NM on Jan 7, 2011 7:00 PM EST up reply actions

we havent drafted a true tackle in almost a decade

i think ralphy is still steaming over big mike, him making a comeback saying he wanted to play again last year likely re-agravated the wound

by wab2 on Jan 8, 2011 9:09 AM EST up reply actions

It’s remarkable Ryan Fitzpatrick only missed one game due to injury.

I think that is in part due to the consistency (not perfection) from the left side of Bell and Levitre. For a long time i’ve been annoyed by the obsession with left tackles and their undue recognition as the defining piece of the oline. However, it is called the blind side for a reason and poor play there is how Adrian Wilson obliterated Edwards in Arizona two seasons ago. Fitz’s relatively good health was definitely helped by consistency out of Bell and Levitre, albeit with the occasional pressure or sack. I believe that with consistency you can predict outcomes and adjust accordingly and I think this was the case with Fitz.
I’m not going to start a debate about whether or not Bell is ever going to be a top tier tackle, but he should be commended for grinding out a full 16 games despite recovering from a torn ACL and limited experience. His potential and raw athleticism aside, his toughness this year warrants him staying on this team for the foreseeable future.

THAT is why i'm serious.

by Trashplate on Jan 7, 2011 2:37 PM EST reply actions

recovering from a torn ACL

He said it was microfracture surgery in December.

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by MattRichWarren on Jan 7, 2011 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

i think the adrain wilson hit

not only obliterated edwards on the play, but for a career. he was looking studly pre that hit, never made it back. He was getting mvp mentions.

by wab2 on Jan 8, 2011 9:10 AM EST up reply actions

I don't buy this argument

He played what is probably the best game of his career the week after that, against a San Diego team that had a pretty decent pass rush. I know that’s what did it, but I have a hard time thinking that the confidence got shaken up two weeks later.

by stetzwebs on Jan 8, 2011 9:38 AM EST up reply actions

Wilson's hit wasn't blindside from my recollection

It was from the right side. Edwards should have stepped up because it was visible coming from the right. Problem was he was looking left the whole way. And Adrian got there fast.

Anyone else remember it this way?

by DJ O on Jan 8, 2011 12:26 PM EST up reply actions

Ron, I know this is bad...

In all, Buffalo’s opening day starters, marked with an asterik in the table, combined for 63 starts.

but it is, a massive improvement from last year (50??), and subject to get even better next year IF, we have a god offseason of strength and conditioning… Without a CBA soon, all bets are off…

Went to my first "BB" meeting today... When I stood, introduced myself, and admitted I was a Billsaholic, the other members threw beer cans at me!!

by Cinga on Jan 7, 2011 8:57 PM EST reply actions

Bills reserves made 28 starts a year ago. The starters made 52. So yeah it’s better almost entirely thanks to Brad Butler, who went down in game two last year according to PFR.

Both years saw two starters make 16 starts. Levitre and Bell in 2010, Levitre and Hang in 2009.

Ideally that number should be in the 70s.

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by MattRichWarren on Jan 8, 2011 7:45 AM EST up reply actions

i know this is kind of cliche but good winning teams have good o-lines without a good offensive line its really hard to move the ball espically in the run game, an above average line is something i havn’t seen from the bills in a while. they had some good linemen like peters and walker, but they got rid of them, how are supposed to have a good offense when your offense depends on the offensive line and they are just letting good guys go?

by Mperk on Jan 7, 2011 10:05 PM EST reply actions