OTA lineups
Rookie linemen Eric Wood and Andy Levitre did not start with the first unit to open the first organized team activity practice. The starting offensive line was, left to right, Langston Walker, Kirk Chambers, Geoff Hangartner, Seth McKinney and Brad Butler. Derek Fine and Derek Schouman started in a two-tight end set. However, Wood and Levitre both were mixed in with the first-teamers for several snaps during each portion of the practice. Gibran Hamdan, not free agent signee Ryan Fitzpatrick, served as quarterback for the second-team offense. The second-team tackles were Demetrius Bell on the left and Chris Denman on the right. The second-team center was Brandon Rodd.
On defense, Spencer Johnson took the place of Marcus Stroud at defensive tackle. Stroud watched from the sidelines. Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay started at ends. Kyle Williams was the other tackle. At linebacker was Kawika Mitchell, Paul Posluszny and Keith Ellison. At cornerback were Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin. At safety were Donte Whitner and Bryan Scott. Reggie Corner was the nickel cornerback. The second team defense included Copeland Bryan, John McCargo, Marcus Smith and Chris Ellis on the line (rookie Aaron Maybin got some snaps with the second teamers). It was Pat Thomas at middle linebacker with rookies Ashlee Palmer and Nic Harris on the outsides. In the secondary were Drayton Florence and Cary Harris (some of the time) at corner, with George Wilson and Ko Simpson at safety.
The Bills sprinkled some no-huddle mode into the offense throughout the 11 on 11 drills. The two best catches of the day were by Terrell Owens on a sideline bomb and by Stevie Johnson deep down the right sideline (from Hamdan). Lee Evans caught a deep left sideline throw from Edwards vs. McKelvin. McKelvin got a good jam on Owens one time to disrupt a pattern. Justin Jenkins also caught a long one from Fitzpatrick that went through the hands of rookie Ellis Lankster. But Lankster came back a little later and picked off an out-pattern throw by Hamdan intended for Roscoe Parrish. It was a pick-six touchdown play if it had been a live scrimmage.
---Mark Gaughan
I agree about the Bills biggest weaknesses. If the O-line is average this year, it will be a small miracle. 2 rookies, 1 career back-up, and 2 veterans playing new positions. Even if the Bills nailed their decision-making on all these guys (which is highly unlikely) it will take 2-3 years for them to gain experience and gel like a quality OL. Linebackers were average last year and we did nothing to improve. If signing a guy who was RELEASED from a 3-13 KC team is an upgrade, then Jauron has great game management skills!
Pass rush was awful last year and the Bills are counting on 1 rookie to make a dramatic improvement. Dream on. I personally don’t like the Mabin pick at #11. He’s a situational pass rusher who’s known to be weak against the run. I don’t see a potential dominate. Pro Bowl caliber DE.
Posted by: Tim | May 19, 2009 at 07:57 AM
Matt,
I'm still slightly more concerned with the D line and Ellison as a starting LB. O Line has me very worried too.
Assuming you saw/heard the comments of David Faherty in the 'D Magazine' about Pelosi?
Posted by: Chris | May 18, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Gee - No comments so far on the Bills weakest unit. Yes this unit is even worse than the awful TEs. No excitement about 2 backups from other teams (McKinney and Hangartner), a back up last year's awful Bills' line (Chambers), a slow RT moving to LT and an OK RG moving to RT which he hasn't played since college.....sounds like a great recipe for success to me. 3-13 in 2009!
And just for fun, when is Pelosi going to produce her evidence to back up her gutless acqusations (lies)against the brilliant people in the CIA who help protect this country? She should resign!
Posted by: matt | May 18, 2009 at 10:12 PM