Grantland: Aaron Maybin One of NFL's 25 Worst Players

by Brian Galliford on Jul 14, 2011 2:30 PM EDT in Buffalo Bills News

Earlier this week, Bill Barnwell (Grantland) wrote an article in which he attempted to identify the 25 least valuable players in the NFL. Unsurprisingly, Buffalo Bills player (linebacker? end? pass rusher?) Aaron Maybin made the list. That's something any Bills fan could've seen coming, for reasons that we have identified and discussed to the point of aggravation in this space. In fact, we've discussed it so thoroughly that it's barely worth mentioning.

However, ESPN.com inadvertently elevated this thing to another level entirely when they dragged Keith Ellison into the picture (literally, it seems). Keith Ellison has two career sacks, ESPN.com. Leave the man alone.

In fairness, it's also possible that Ellison was mistaken for Akin Ayodele, who also made Barnwell's list (and ranked higher than Maybin, for some inexplicable reason). Maybe someone here wants to make that argument. I'll stick to my guns and insist that Ellison is Maybin's de facto understudy in this photo.

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Don’t forget Jimmy Clausen @ 13 – because from a lot of accounts he should have been our 1st or 2nd round pick – depending on who you ask.

When you innovate, you've got to be prepared for everyone telling you you're nuts.

by J2 on Jul 14, 2011 2:35 PM EDT reply actions

I believe a lot of fans were calling for anthony davis as well

by bizarro bills on Jul 14, 2011 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I remember some wanting #1 Delhomme.

by billskk69 on Jul 14, 2011 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Absolutely agree

Man I can’t stand thinking of the guys we could’ve drafted over him, I hope there isn’t one person left on the staff who wasn’t willing to lay down in front of the train that picked a kid who played 12 games in college 11th overall

by badnewsBills on Jul 14, 2011 2:41 PM EDT reply actions

What a shocker

That Maybin made this list~~~Not!

It is hard to believe he is a total googootz~can’t rush the passer, can’t stop the run and can’t play special teams! Worst yet I can’t believe I fell for the hype of this guy and his imagined quick first step-now that is embarrassing!

"Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP."
- Joe Namath

by Goose22 on Jul 14, 2011 3:37 PM EDT reply actions

Aw c’mon! Maybin just needs time to adjust to the speed of the game and learn his position and he’ll be………..a bum.

by The Adam Bomb on Jul 14, 2011 3:37 PM EDT reply actions

………… with pretty hair!

"There is not a loser in this room." Marv Levy.

by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Jul 14, 2011 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

No one wants to comment on Keith Ellison, eh? That guy got shafted.

Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford

by Brian Galliford on Jul 14, 2011 3:39 PM EDT reply actions

Your correct

It is Ellison in the picture, if you look at the larger picture on ESPN.com you can see it is a 6 instead of an 8 on the sleeve.

"Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP."
- Joe Namath

by Goose22 on Jul 14, 2011 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed.

He was solid depth that was forced into a starting role. For this, he was insulted by many in the Bills community, though the object of anger should have been the previous FO for failing to fix this. To play devil’s advocate, the FO did try when they acquired Mitchell, but it was just bad luck that Crowell became injured at the same time.

Inaugural winner of "The Buffalo Kid’s wittiest post of the year award"

by NordicBillsfan on Jul 14, 2011 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Libel!

"It’s like I’ve always said, don’t tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby."
- Buddy Nix

"How can a guy with a name like Melo be such a pain in the ass?"
- George Lopez

by dnvrBillsfan on Jul 14, 2011 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s really him? What a joke ESPN can be.

In the year two thousaaaaaaand.
In the year two thousAAAAAAND!

by TheAfghanTwilight on Jul 14, 2011 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn’t doubt someone at ESPN thinks that is Maybin.

“Is that Maybin?”
“Who cares, Bills players all look alike.”

by zipper on Jul 14, 2011 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I saw somewhere that Ellison was leading the league in tackles at some point last season unitl he got hurt.

by Mperk on Jul 15, 2011 7:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Whoa! I didn’t catch that at first. He’s on the picture but not on the list. Yeah, I’d be pissed if I were him.

Although, maybe it’s the list that’s wrong and not the picture, just puttin that in there.

by The Adam Bomb on Jul 14, 2011 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

oops, meant to be a reply to Brian's post.

by The Adam Bomb on Jul 14, 2011 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Only a Bills fan might notice the error...

"Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP."
- Joe Namath

by Goose22 on Jul 14, 2011 3:54 PM EDT reply actions

As someone who admittedly wanted Maybin in the 2009 draft, it’s amazing how bad he is.

Inaugural winner of "The Buffalo Kid’s wittiest post of the year award"

by NordicBillsfan on Jul 14, 2011 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

Agggghhhh---Me Too!

"Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP."
- Joe Namath

by Goose22 on Jul 14, 2011 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybin should make a sweet rap video on being the most overpaid bum in the league. Will the Bills please get this bust off the roster?

"It’s like I’ve always said, don’t tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby."
- Buddy Nix

"How can a guy with a name like Melo be such a pain in the ass?"
- George Lopez

by dnvrBillsfan on Jul 14, 2011 4:26 PM EDT reply actions

I think he already did make one about all that.

In the year two thousaaaaaaand.
In the year two thousAAAAAAND!

by TheAfghanTwilight on Jul 14, 2011 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Training Camp

I can’t wait for training camp — hopefully its not just Eric Wood who asks him during practice to give all that money back… maybe Nix or Gailey or Russ Brandon can ask him too.

by JjR in TO on Jul 14, 2011 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

Do people really think Ayodele is worse than Maybin? I really, really don’t.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Jul 14, 2011 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

Maybin sucks, but he rode the pine most of the year. Ayodele, on the other hand, was terrible and got significant playing time.

They can kill you, but the legalities of eating you are quite a bit dicier.

by cjf4 on Jul 15, 2011 8:23 AM EDT up reply actions

In what way does that make him worse than Maybin? Maybin couldn’t even suit up for a few games…Ayodele, despite minimal contribution, is at least contributing.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Jul 15, 2011 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions

There was more than one criteria. Like I said in the comment below, a list of the 25 actual worst players would be boring and filled with names no one has ever heard of.

They can kill you, but the legalities of eating you are quite a bit dicier.

by cjf4 on Jul 15, 2011 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, but Ayodele is what you would call one of the “boring” names…whereas a former high first round draft pick with almost no playing time or stats since being drafted is much “sexier”, so why would they rank Ayodele higher?

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Jul 15, 2011 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions

He had more shitty play last year. Trying to make a science out of these lists is a waste of time, its just a mechanism for writing a column.

They can kill you, but the legalities of eating you are quite a bit dicier.

by cjf4 on Jul 15, 2011 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions

I’m not making a science out of anything, I’m presenting a dissenting opinion, which is, Ayodele is not good, but he, by any measurable standard that makes any sense at all to me, is not worse than Aaron Maybin.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Jul 15, 2011 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions

I’m not making a science out of anything

but he, by any measurable standard

whatever you say dude.

They can kill you, but the legalities of eating you are quite a bit dicier.

by cjf4 on Jul 15, 2011 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Trying to make a science out of these lists is a waste of time

There was more than one criteria

Maybin sucks, but he rode the pine most of the year. Ayodele, on the other hand, was terrible and got significant playing time.

Playing time is a measurable standard. You can’t use measurable standards as your argument, then say you can’t make a science out of it, then accuse me of being contradictory when I said I wasn’t making a science out of it and saying I don’t think that Ayodele is better by any measurable standard.

Or, in your very elegant and informative terms, “whatever you say, dude”.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Jul 15, 2011 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

really?

I’m not a Maybin supporter due to his lack of impact…but one of the 25 worst? When I think of the worst players in the league I tend to think of the Jamarcus Russell type of guys—me-first attitude, always in trouble, questionable talent.

Maybin may have a me-first mindset but he’s not blatant about it. As far as I know he’s avoided any legal entanglements. (Isn’t he married with a kid or two?) I don’t know that many of us question his talent given that we’ve come to realize that he doesn’t have much. At some point I came to accept that Maybin isn’t to blame for his lack of football acumen. He’s not the dolt who made him a high first round pick—Jauron and/or the former front office did that.

He’s holding down a roster spot that could be put to greater use but one of the 25 worst players in the league? I don’t buy that. There are at least a couple of non-entities on every roster.

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

by Ron From NM on Jul 14, 2011 7:23 PM EDT reply actions