Written by: Matthew Blunk
The Buffalo Bills are always one of my favorite teams to watch in the NFL because it seems like they play with so much heart. Sometimes they'll even start the season hot, like last year, before hitting the wall and falling apart. It's about time the Bills stop hitting that wall.
Not since the Music City Miracle in 2000 (for those keeping score at home, that's over 12 years ago) have the Bills qualified for the playoffs. And they've only been remotely close once since then. The Chan Gailey-Buddy Nix regime is in its third season now, and expectations are coming around. Do people expect Buffalo to win the AFC East over the New England Patriots? Probably not. But can the Bills finish ahead of the New York Jets and perhaps grab a wild-card spot in the postseason? That should be possible. It's time for the Bills to give their loyal fans something to really cheer about. Here are three positions Nix can start fortifying to make that possible.
Offensive Tackle
Demetrius
Bell is gone (he even went so far as to change his name), leaving a
black hole at left tackle for the Bills. Chris Hairston could make
something of himself one day, but that day is not likely in the 2012
calendar year. And Erik Pears has to be kept at right tackle, where he
is best suited. What Buffalo has to do is address left tackle in the
draft, with a Riley Reiff (reach?) in the first round or perhaps Jonathan Martin
on day two.
Guard
Andy Levitre is a versatile lineman and
should lock down a starting spot on the interior. The other spot is wide
open, and that's where Buffalo can draft a big ol' mauler come April
26. David DeCastro of Stanford might be ripe for the picking at their 10th overall slot. He might be just what the Bills need on the O-line.
Quarterback
Ryan Fitzpatrick has his pretty new
contract, but it's no more than a year-to-year commitment, really. If
the Bills ever find a signal caller they can call their franchise guy,
they can cut ties with Fitzpatrick rather easily. QB isn't necessarily a
burning need that must be taken care of right away, but it wouldn't
hurt Nix to keep an eye on the future. They won't get Andrew Luck or
Robert Griffin 3.0, but they might have a chance to select a Brandon
Weeden or Brock Osweiler.
2013 NFL Draft – Top Impact Players
This year’s National Football League draft gets underway on Thursday night (4/25) in New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall. The ceremony will begin at 8ET and be televised on ESPN. One can only wonder what the wild and crazy Jets fans will have to cheer (or jeer) about now that the N.Y. …
2013 NFL Draft Primer
The 78th edition of the National Football League draft will begin on Thursday night, April 25th at 8pm ET. The official description of this event is The NFL Player Selection Meeting. This gathering will take place at the famous Radio City Music Hall in New York City. …
Concussions, lawsuits and the NFL – How did we get here?
By Melissa Harder
Next week will mark a big moment in the ongoing concussion class action lawsuit brought by over 4,000 former players against the National Football League (NFL). Lawyers for the former players will argue the matter belongs in federal court while the NFL will push for the claim to be heard in arbitration. …
