Buffalo Bills' Andy Levitre Appears Entrenched As Starter
by Brian Galliford on Aug 24, 2011 10:50 AM EDT
in Buffalo Bills News
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It's been a confusing week for Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Andy Levitre, but amidst the confusion, it appears that he's going to have a starting job somewhere along the Bills' offensive line. Chan Gailey confirmed as much on Tuesday when asked about his competition for the starting left tackle job.
"He’s the starting left guard," said Gailey. "If Demetrius (Bell) ends up being the guy at left tackle, he ends up going back to starting at left guard."
Between Saturday's pre-season game in Denver and Monday's practice, Levitre lined up at left tackle, left guard and center for the Bills. At first blush yesterday, it appeared that Levitre was fighting for two starting jobs - with Bell at left tackle, and with Chad Rinehart at left guard - with the possibility of losing both battles. That will not be the case, according to the head coach.
Gailey told reporters last week that he was giving Rinehart a shot at Levitre's job not because he was dissatisfied with Levitre's play, but because Rinehart had earned said shot. From the sound of it, however, it appears that the left guard competition is over, and that Levitre will definitely be starting somewhere for the Bills.
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Levitre - LT
Does anyone know how Levitre looked at LT?
http://twitter.com/#!/CLoSkills - Sports talk/opinions on Twitter, follow and I'll return the favor.
That I do not remember, but I’m talking about in practice the other day when he was moved there.
http://twitter.com/#!/CLoSkills - Sports talk/opinions on Twitter, follow and I'll return the favor.
Nobody could be at that practice. Camp is over, and they’re back at OBD. Reporters didn’t say anything. Make judgments based on the Jags game.
Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford
by Brian Galliford on Aug 24, 2011 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions
Well I plan on doing that. I’m not sure if Chris Brown was able to watch that practice and add his two cents, or Gailey touched on it in an interview. Figured someone would have some leaked opinions on whether he was suitable or abysmal. Just curious that’s all. Was wondering if it was a one day thing or he will be at LT against Jacksonville but I will shut up and just wait until the game to find out I guess.
http://twitter.com/#!/CLoSkills - Sports talk/opinions on Twitter, follow and I'll return the favor.
tough to answer.
He didn’t start the season at LT. I believe this was the no huddle season, where Langston said screw you guys, I aint doing it and was let go. D. Bell was thrusted into the fold and started like the first eight games before his injury sidelined him for the remaining part of the season. LeVetrie was first to replace Bell, we felt because of his time in College playing LT. He got us by but there was nothing outstanding. I can’t recall who what and when from that point. At that point it didn’t much matter as none of those players are available today. Kirk Chambers, Jonathan Scott, Jarmon Merideth was brought in.
The thing is that Andy has talent but is shorter than desired. He is young and eager but even he is out manned on the corner against the Dumervilles of the league. It isn’t a popular choice but some did suggest earlier in the preseason that Any could slide over if he had too. This is the clubs way of viewing what he can bring at LT. It is also a message to Bell that we need more from you and now is the time to show it. Eric Pears also, has had experience on the left side as well documented here on rumblings, but Chan obviously doesnot want to upset the Right side to answer questions about the left side at this point.
YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde
Wow, what a bad year...
And somehow Scott is a starter in Pittsburgh.
Hes the one who "hands to the face" aka mauling the Jets OLB
to take away a beautiful TD catch by Evans 2 years ago at NYJ.
Now attending the Univ. of Hockey.
OMG!!
was that the play where Fitz rolled out to his left, and threw that perfect laser pass to Lee for a 40-50 yard would be touch down? If it is….man I was so pissed at Scott!! Previous to that play, he would get lots of false start or holding calls, and skew everything up!! The most frustrating part of that play was, he didn’t need to hold the OLB. All he had to do was stand in his way and basically distact him. From what I saw, the backer wasent even close to Fitz, and would not have been able to catch him. Fitz ran so fast on that roll out, it was clearly a well practiced and designed play. Scott should have known this, and trust that Fitz would not have been caught on the play by the backer. Needless to say, I don’t miss Scott :)
He was one of the reasons I picked the Packers to win the Super Bowl
@sawyervanhorn
by Sawyer in Boston on Aug 24, 2011 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions
here you go
http://www.nfl.com/player/jonathanscott/2495943/profile
Y'all- There's a "D" in rebuild, but no "O"- The gospel according to Buddy Nix 4:12
Good
I know a lot of people are blasting Gailey over this but I love it. He truley is getting the 5 best players on the field in his opinion. But to me, Hangartner should be at RG, not Ubrick, especially if Levitre is LT. I think Andy wins the LT spot cause frankly he wont get beat technique wise like Bell. My line would be LT Levitre, LG Reinhart, C Wood, RG Hangartner RT Pears
Yeah
Yes, in principle it’s good but this is the last preseason game and we are still shuffling. Continuity plays a big part in O-Line performance. Feel for Chan, tricky Nix is not giving him a lot to work with.
Job security
It’s always good to have an O-lineman who can play multiple positions.
couldn’t agree with you more!! Same can be said for the D-Line. Obviously much less of a concern at the moment(well I can’t say that, because of how bad our run d and pass rush have been in recent history, but the talent is obviously there and upgraded), but it’s worth mentioning we have some very versatile defensive linemen. Dareus is the man and can play anywhere on the line, same with Williams, Carrington is a beast, and has versitility and upside.
How is Urbik not threatened?
Rhino is good enough to take first team reps from Andy but not unseat Urbik?
I prayed for patience and I'm STILL waiting for an answer
so the only starter really fighting for his job now is Bell?
This even grates my passive cheese - LeClaire Bill
This may be a stupid question...
But can Bell play RG?
Somehow it doesnt look like Hangman is going to start, which is beyond me, but Urbik looks bad. Could Bell play RG?
Now attending the Univ. of Hockey.
Has me wondering about Gailey
Jackson, Levitre, … A good coach will pull his players aside and explain the moves before they are made.
What the poop.
This is poop. Poop is flying and it’s a comedy of smelly paste.
Yes, this is where i’m at right now. LOL. It will pass, much quicker than a Trent Edwards throw into the wind, at least.
In the year two thousaaaaaaand.
In the year two thousAAAAAAND!
by TheAfghanTwilight on Aug 24, 2011 11:35 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
rec'd
but just barely, almost to much poop.
YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde
LOL.
In the year two thousaaaaaaand.
In the year two thousAAAAAAND!
by TheAfghanTwilight on Aug 24, 2011 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions
it is very possible that what we have here is a major urgency to see what our core group can offer through out a season.
We could all very well be speculating unneccessarily. We have players to work with, they may not be the players we want to work with but what we do have is what Chan needs to find out what he can accomplish moving forward. Sharing your dirty laundry in public is all. If Chan who is known for holding his players accountable in class room work is not working than maybe they need to be sought out in the eye of the league and pushed to put it all on the line. Let’s see where it takes us, something tells me that we will have some answers following Saturday’s game against the Jags. Attitudes should be high, for sure.
YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde
What???????
He’s the head coach. Whose way should he do things? Perhaps your way with your vast experience of coaching at the NFL level?
You do understand that Chan is the spokesman for the team but Joe D’Alessandris is the offensive line coach, right?
Gailey never said
He was given Chad a chance to compete for the left guard starting spot. He simply stated Chad had earned the right to compete for a starting spot. Andy always had the job, and Chad still might get the RG nod.
by Buffalo Mo on Aug 24, 2011 11:46 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Levitre at LT
Once again, I’m impressed with Gailey’s admitting a problem that the front office continues to ignore. Demetrius Bell has not earned the right to be handed a starting LT position on an NFL team and Gailey is trying to pick up the pieces. I get real tired of hearing about 5 year plans and the length of time it takes for a player to develop around here. While it’s true that a player shouldn’t be expected to be a finished product early in his career, if you’re going to keep marching them out there, they need to show enough positives to warrent such faith. Bell, has not shown enough to continue to be simply marched out there game after game. I don’t know if Levitre will be an upgrade, but I, like Gailey know one thing- Bell hasn’t shown enough given ample playing time.
"There's only one C.J. Spiller." -Buddy Nix
by Port Royal on Aug 24, 2011 11:52 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
D.Bell
Hasn’t shown enough in two preseason games in 2011 but he did show enough in 16 games coming off of injury in 2010. That is all this means. We all know the arguement from here. The sky is not falling after the Broncos game unless you chose to think it is. The superbowl is still a dream at this point not a reality. Just to prove my point, ESPN just reported that Peyton Manning is showing some progress in his rehab to start the season. See how rediculous this whole thing is!!!
YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde
unfortunately
if D. Bell showed enough in 2010 his coach wouldn’t open his job for competition based on two preseason games in 2011. Demetrius Bell has shown himself to be a poor pass protector throughout his career and the Bills – like you – supported him because they expected that to just be one end of his development that he would continue to grow and get better at. To say he showed enough in 2010 is not being fair, he wasnt where he needed to be but there was hope he would develop. Obviously, what has happened here is that Bell hasn’t taken the progressive developmental steps Chan was hoping for.
This is not to say he still can’t but Bell hasnt shown enough in his career and its always been accepted on the basis he is a developmental prospect. This year he was expected to make a major leap and looks like the same old Bell. That is why Chan is opening his job up for competition. What happens from here is entirely up to Bell.
This even grates my passive cheese - LeClaire Bill
by poz on Aug 24, 2011 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Exactly,
What happens from here is entirely up to Bell.
Exactly as it was left after last season. Which is what I stated in my reply.
Obviously, what has happened here is that Bell hasn’t taken the progressive developmental steps Chan was hoping for.
Which is exactly the reason why Chan is doing what he is doing. He is also doing it with our most consistent offensive lineman over the last two years, which also brings added experience equal to Bell. Makes sense doesn’t it.
Demetrius Bell has shown himself to be a poor pass protector throughout his career and the Bills
This is your arguement and an obvious one that the Bills felt was not the case after watching him for 16 games last season.
To say he showed enough in 2010 is not being fair, he wasnt where he needed to be but there was hope he would develop.
It was a fair assessment if you look at the entire season and not the last four games. But I am not going to make excuses for him, the potential is still there, but your arguement about competition is valid. Andy can be that competition for now. Personnally, I call it motivation more than competition for Bell. Still we all know that there is a gap. A gap that is currently unsettled, similiar to the gap on the right side last year.
Demetrice Bell is not the only player on the Bills offense that hasn’t shown the expected progression that the coaches would of liked. This is why they went all Base last week, so they could evaluate this. No one is clamoring all pro here for Bell, just progression, motivation and the opportunity for Gailey to expand his offense. Poz you could be right here and in a way I hope you are, what ever your point is, but let’s get past the Bronco game, let’s get past the last four games of last season and let’s have a fresh start going into this season with enough samples to truely evaluate. All Chan is doing is putting his final roster together for the season. Nothing wrong with that.
YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde
Nothing wrong with that.
I guess this is my point:
Giving first team reps to a guy other than Bell, who was stated in a Rumblings article mere weeks ago to be the lineman with the most secure starting job, just two weeks before the start of the season really means one of two things to me:
- Chan himself is overreacting to the Broncos game because you dont take reps away from your starting LT this close to the season to send a message.
OR
- Chan was not happy with Bell’s performance last year, Bell did not do enough to secure his job in the event of a rough pre-season, and in practice he hasn’t looked better to the point that Chan honestly has to see if he has any better option to protect Fitzpatrick just weeks before the season starts.
Im not sure how this can be painted in a positive light is all. When your first string LT gets benched this close to the season, even in practice, is not encouraging.
This even grates my passive cheese - LeClaire Bill
by poz on Aug 24, 2011 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Demetrice Bell...
Demetrius’ sister?
"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." – Abraham Lincoln
Hit the nail right on the head!
When is tricky Nix going to give Gailey something to work with!
Well
That question would be better answered by owner.
Baby steps are for babies. Step it up buffalo!
by buffalobacker on Aug 24, 2011 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions
The optimist might look at all this and think “Its good that players have to earn their spot.” I might agree if I had any reason to feel the slightest modicum of confidence that there is some stability along the O-line. Instead, the musical chairs stinks to me of desperation and improvisation.
As much as I liked MacGyver, I don’t want to be reminded of it when following my Bills. “Whoa – There is NO WAY that line can hold a rush with just two pieces of juicy fruit and a twist-tie!”
I had a drink the other day
Opinions were like kittens
I was giving them away
-Modest Mouse
by oompaloompa on Aug 24, 2011 12:42 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
This is what bothers me as well. I’m all for getting the best 5 on the line, but there is a lot to be said for continuity on the O-line. It seems that is being totally disregarded, and with the shortened offseason it makes even less sense to me. Not to mention that at this point it doesn’t seem like OBD even has a clue who the best 5 are by now. That is concerning.
Chan McGyver
There is NO WAY that line can hold a rush with just two pieces of juicy fruit and a twist-tie!
They also need a paper clip.
.
"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." – Abraham Lincoln
It's all part of the master plan
No one will know who our starting line is going into week one in Kansas City, so the Chiefs will have to spend more time studying multiple players. I guess I’m the glass half empty kind of person.
I hope you are correct
My prediction is a line of
Bell-Levitre-Wood-Rinehart-Pears because God knows we arent bringing in anyone else sadly
available o-line talent
I’m a little mystified at the constant posts about ‘go sign a quality o-lineman RIGHT NOW’. What o-lineman is out there who is without question a step up from Bell? Or even Urbik for that matter. Yes, there are currently available guys, such as McKinnie, but they are available for a reason. McKinnie is a perfect example, by most accounts the guy is woefully out of shape, and has not exactly had a reputation as someone with a great work ethic. Combine his conditioning, age, attitude, etc and is he going to be worth bringing in. Sure Baltimore signed him; so what?!?! They have their own o-line issues and are desperately taking a wild flyer on the guy. If he somehow ends up in the starting lineup they will have a revolving door at tackle. Should Nix be going out and signing guys who are at best extremely questionable, and give them valuable practice and game reps in the wild hope they have something left?
I’m disappointed they didn’t get Clabo (even though he most likely wasn’t really interested in leaving Atlanta; he wasn’t worth the extreme premium they would have had to pay to leave there) or sign another quality o-lineman before camp. That’s a valid concern. But at this point what they didn’t do previously is not something that can be ‘fixed’ by any of the retreads on the current waiver wire. The best move at this point is exactly what the FO and Chan are doing, moving a few guys around to explore their options with the current roster and scan the waiver wire as teams start making their cuts over the next couple of weeks.
according to Rotoworld
The Ravens have told Bryant McKinnie that he will play left tackle. Michael Oher, who struggled on the left side last season and racked up 13 penalties, will be moved back to the right side. Of course, this is contingent upon McKinnie being in reasonable shape. If he is, the Ravens’ have done a good job to kill two birds with one stone as Oher was a very solid right tackle as a rookie. Ray Rice’s arrow continues to point up.
The great and honored here at Rumblings GM Ozzie Newsome saw McKinnie as a potential LT upgrade over Michael Oher.
This even grates my passive cheese - LeClaire Bill
But.....
McKinnie was not good enough for Buddy but good enough for the Ravens astute front office. Hmmm……..
Kind of looks stupid that they let Gaither go no?
Gaither was upset about being moved to the RT position so that Oher could move to the LT spot (which was originally Gaither’s). Then Gaither had the attitude problems and they let him go, but now they’re looking for McKinnie to help out?
Kind of like the old “if it isn’t broke why fix it” quote. they had a good situation with Gaither at LT and Oher at RT and then they screwed it all up haha
"I promise you, ... When I come back, I'm going to be like a mad dog in a meat house." -Takeo Spikes
we'll see
Isn’t he the same one that cut Gaither, who so many people here were clamoring for last year and during the offseason? He is still taking a big flyer on McKinnie in my view, and is forced to do this only because he ignored the issues on his weak o-line and failed to build adequate depth.
Interesting.
This is exactly what I said after he was moved to LT — that he was still considered a starter by the coaching staff. I was immediately told this wasn’t the case. Interesting.
@sawyervanhorn
by Sawyer in Boston on Aug 24, 2011 1:26 PM EDT reply actions
Read between the lines
Rhinehart was not that good as a starter in the last game but Bell was worse. The lesser of two evils may be Levitre at left tackle. If Bell comes around, Levitre back to guard!
It's preseason
Preseason is should be most importantly an opportunity for the team to evaluate talent. And in order to do that, you need to put people against the opposing team’s starters so you can get a read for where they are in their development and how far they have to go. I think both Rinehart/Levitre and Spiller/Jackson situation are like that. I believe the coaches wanted to see what Rinehart and Spiller could/can do against the #1s. That said, if this is what they are doing, I also think the coaching staff could do a better job being upfront with Andy and Fred about it. (but Chan doesn’t strike me as the touchy/feely I care what you think type…)
Yes Levitre will be a starter on the Oline, at LT
Bell’s time is done
Goose22- "I have a quick first step, I’m so good just go an ask my rep
I look like Tarzan but play like Jane" Aaron May(have)bin
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