Inside The Bills

Fan Friday 7-22

With everything else up in the air you can still count on Fan Friday. So here’s the latest installment and keep those questions coming at AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - Hi Chris,
I wanted to email you because a lot of mis-information at times permeates the message boards re: the Bills. With Coach Wannstedt on board, there is a contingent of Bills fans that feel he will be the de-facto Defensive Coodinator making Coach Edwards the DC in name only. I feel that Chan wouldn’t do something like that and would either fire coach Edwards or come out and say that Coach Wannstedt is the guy from day one.

Can you shed some light on this?
Thanks,
Rich in Pa
CB: As you know Chan Gailey is a straight shooter. His assistants are loyal to him for a reason because they trust him. Naturally every coach at the highest level of football has an ego of some size. I don’t know this, but it’s my belief that Coach Gailey would not have added Dave Wannstedt to his staff if he did not believe in the professionalism of both Wannstedt and defensive coordinator George Edwards.

I have to believe those two men met at length prior to the hiring of Wannstedt so Gailey could ensure that Wannstedt and Edwards would be able to work together in achieving the same goal, which is a much improved defense without letting job titles get in the way.

Wannstedt is the Assistant Head coach in addition to being the inside linebackers coach. Edwards is the defensive coordinator. It’s as simple as that.

Naturally those on the outside are going to speculate that Wannstedt will wield more power because his coaching history is more familiar to fans having been a head coach for two different NFL clubs.

Gailey, Edwards and Wannstedt do not look at it that way. Their commitment is to improving the performance of the team and getting more wins, not who has the best solutions in the meeting room. Gailey trusts that this can be a collaborative effort to make the defense better, but Edwards will be calling the plays on Sundays.

2 - Hey Chris,
Looking forward to the upcoming season!  2 questions for you:
1)  Not knowing the rules of free agency, it’s hard to know what QB’s will be available.   What are your thoughts on Tarvaris Jackson as a back-up/possible quarterback of the future?
2). Steve Johnson had quite the breakout year last year, and that caught most people off guard.   Do you have any thoughts on who may be this year’s breakout performers?
Thanks
Jim

CB: I think with Jackson having a strong background in the West Coast system that he’ll likely go to a team with that offensive system. Seattle is a likely destination for him since his former quarterbacks coach in Minnesota, Doug Bevell, is running the offense there now.

As for a breakout performer, I don’t know that anyone will have the kind of jump in production that we saw from Johnson last season, but players that I believe are on the rise this year for the Bills are Arthur Moats, David Nelson, Torell Troup and Kraig Urbik.

3 - Hey CB,

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions each week.  My question for you is: have the Bills announced a new color scheme for the end-zones after the new turf is installed?  I personally loved the red end-zones from the 90s.  I’m curious if they will change the color or not. 

Thanks a lot,

- Patrick

Sylvan Beach, NY

CB: For those of you that missed it this week, the end zones are royal blue with white lettering and red lining. Here’s a sample photo of it.

4 - Hey Chris,

First, just wanted to thank you for doing a great job keeping the passionate Buffalo Bills fans constantly updated! I know its way too early to have predictions and start looking at power rankings, but with  the lockout just about over, I started looking at some opinions of some “experts” and none have the Bills even in the top twenty teams.

They often refer to how the Bills only one four games but I don’t think they realize how many games we COULD have won if we could just close a game.

I am very optimistic and have a ton of faith in Gailey and Fitz and truly believe next year we will make a gigantic leap and make the playoffs! Granted were in a very competitive division but I still think we can do it! What are your thoughts for next season?

CB: I’ve withheld judgment on the Bills because in this unusual offseason the roster has yet to take shape. There’s a lot of personnel stuff to be settled in a very short period of time.

The fact remains however, that they do play in a very competitive division. Granted the Jets roster could change dramatically in light of their cap situation and number of marquee free agents, but this uphill climb in the AFC East will be challenging.

In addition the Bills have a very difficult schedule with the NFC East on the slate as well as a much improved AFC West. I’m not trying to dodge you, but I need to see where players like C.J. Spiller, Marcell Dareus, Torell Troup and others are at once they get back in.

Young players that are expected to contribute more in year two or as top flight rookies have been the most affected by this offseason in terms of their development. They can greatly impact the success or lack of success of the club this year.

5 – Hey Chris,

With the whole spring workout schedule lost what changes is Chan Gailey going to have to make in preparing for the season?

Thanks,
Jeff
Webster, NY

CB: In talking to some of Buffalo’s assistant coaches earlier this offseason, they already had put plans in place to simplify the installation of the playbook in training camp. That likely means less volume, fewer plays etc.

I think it’s also possible that play installation could be tied to the framework of preliminary game plans for the first few games of the season. The coaches want to ensure that they can get sound play from their players in the games that count despite the shortened time frame with respect to reps on the field.

So repping those plays that they’re likely to run against the likes of Kansas City, Oakland, New England and Cincinnati in the first month of the season seems advisable. And the coaches have had plenty of time to scout those teams off last year’s film. Granted there will be some changes, but I could see that being a part of what’s different in terms of preparation.

Gailey’s right hand man

Bills Assistant head coach Dave Wannstedt is going to have a pretty large role here at the NFL combine this week.

Head coach Chan Gailey shed some light on Wannstedt’s Assistant head coach role in addition to his inside linebacker duties. It sounds as if Wannstedt and Gailey will be side by side through almost any and all prospect reviews here this week.

“Really he helps in the overall evaluation,” Gailey told Buffalobills.com. ”He’s going to sit in on almost all the evaluation meetings while we’re at the combine here. Offense, defense. He’s going to be in almost all of those. He’s a guy that I can bounce things off of. He’s got a ton of experience. He can help me think of things I might not think of. Two brains are better than one most of the time. So I think that if we can continue to bounce things off each other hopefully we’ll be better. I know what a great person he is and how smart he is. He’ll have input in a lot of areas.”

With Wannstedt spending the last six years as a college head coach he’s seen as a valuable resource by Gailey and provide some inside knowledge on dozens of prospects here at the combine. Stay close to Buffalobills.com as we’ll have our exclusive one-on-one interview with Chan Gailey from the combine later today in the media center.

Wannstedt: transition easy

Bills Assistant Head and Inside Linebackers coach Dave Wannstedt in a one-on-one interview with Buffalobills.com addresses several topics now that he’s a member of Chan Gailey’s staff including his transition, which he labeled “easy.”

“I do feel settled,” he said. ”Even though it’s only been about a week and a half two weeks, everybody has been fantastic from the standpoint of being very gracious as far as getting me oriented to the job and the community. I’ve gotten out a few places and went to a Super Bowl party already. It’s been an easy transition.”

Wannstedt said he believes wholeheartedly in what Chan Gailey wants to get accomplished with this team and is “all in” no matter what he’s called upon to do in his new role.

Wannstedt a pre-draft asset

Bills Assistant Head and Inside LBs coach Dave Wannstedt may not be at the Senior Bowl this week with his new coaching staff, but he’s still going to be a valuable asset to the team’s pre-draft process.

Having been the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh the past six years, Wannstedt has been immersed in the college game on a day-to-day basis and been around several of the top collegiate prospects in this year’s draft class. Most NFL scouts like to talk to members of college coaching staffs about their players to get a better handle on a player’s character, work ethic and background. Wannstedt is such a resource.

“I’m very confident that I’ll be able to help in any way they want me to and not just with the Big East conference (players),” Wannstedt  told Buffalobills.com. ”My Pitt team played teams like Notre Dame and Utah. We played Kentucky in the bowl game. And when you play one team… if you’re playing Kentucky you’re spending a week watching Southeast Conference tape. So the familiarity with a lot of the college players in addition to Big East players will hopefully allow me to help answer some questions if they do come up.”

Pitt has some top flight talent entering this year’s draft pool including WR Jonathan Baldwin, OL Jason Pinkston and Big East Defensive Player of the Year DE Jaball Sheard. All three are forecast as second round picks. But even the players that Wannstedt recruited and did not land are players he has come to know well.
 
“Even if they didn’t come to your school, most of the kids at Penn State or Notre Dame or Ohio State, I was in their homes and we had a chance to recruit them,” he said. ”You might not end up signing them to your school, but you go through their whole process up to that point and get to know them pretty well.”

Wannstedt not at Sr. Bowl

Though he’s now a member of Chan Gailey’s coaching staff, new Assistant Head and Inside Linebackers coach Dave Wannstedt is not going to be at the Senior Bowl this week.

Wannstedt told Buffalobills.com that he will be getting settled in at his office at One Bills Drive this week while his colleagues coach up the South team in preparation for Saturday’s Senior Bowl.

“I’m going to be in the office this week myself and get settled with the whole change over and transition and get some things in around the office that I need to get done,” Wannstedt said. 

The Bills newest assistant coach will be pouring over Bills game tape from the 2010 season in an effort to get caught up on the defensive system, the team’s personnel, as well as Buffalo’s opponents particularly the schemes of their AFC East rivals.

As for what goes on this week at the Senior Bowl, Wannstedt knows he’ll have some of the best tape at his disposal with Buffalo’s staff coaching the South Team. 

“I’ll get caught up with all the Senior Bowl tape,” he said. ”Nowadays the Senior Bowl has changed so much. Everything from the minute they get off the buses is taped so I’ll definitely have a chance to get caught up on that. It won’t be a problem.”

Bills defensive staff loaded

With the addition of Dave Wannstedt to Buffalo’s defensive staff, the Bills will not be short on having answers at the ready on game day.

Head coach Chan Gailey now has defensive coordinator George Edwards and two other assistants that have been defensive coordinators at the NFL level on that side of the ball as well in Wannstedt and outside linebackers coach Bob Sanders, who previously served as a DC in Green Bay.

Formulating weekly game plans, making adjustments during the course of a game are all things that should be that much better moving forward. Granted players are the ones that make plays, but there will be no shortage of brain power on the sidelines for Buffalo’s defensive players to tap into next season.

Wannstedt meeting w/Browns

Former Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt is formally interviewing with the Browns for their defensive coordinator position today (Thursday).

That according to Adam Schefter per his twitter account.

AdamSchefter Browns interviewing former Cardinals DC Billy Davis and former University of Pitt HC Dave Wannstedt for their DC job today.

Wannstedt met with Buffalo’s defensive staff last week about possible joining the Bills staff, but no specific role was mentioned for Wannstedt by head coach Chan Gailey.

Wannstedt up for Browns DC

Former Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt, who met with the Bills coaching staff last week about a possible opening, will interview with the Cleveland Browns this week.

That according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. No word on when exactly Wannstedt will interview, though a meeting with new head coach Pat Shurmur is expected to happen some time this week. Eagles secondary coach Dick Jauron is also a candidate for the vacant defensive coordinator post for the Browns.

Fewer options for Wannstedt?

Dave Wannstedt, who resigned last month as head coach at Pitt and visited with the Bills on Thursday, was reportedly a coaching candidate for both the defensive coordinator positions in Cleveland and San Diego respectively. According to reports however, both of those jobs are being or close to being filled.

In San Diego, former 49ers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky met with Chargers officials Thursday and according to the San Diego Union-Tribune is going back there this morning presumably to sign on as DC. Manusky is a former Chargers linebackers coach and ran the same system in San Francisco the past two seasons.

Meanwhile in Cleveland with Pat Shurmur named head coach, the speculation is that Philadelphia secondary coach Dick Jauron could be named defensive coordinator. Browns Team President Mike Holmgren had Jauron as his secondary coach in Green Bay in the early 90′s.

This would seem to enhance Buffalo’s chances of landing Wannstedt in a defensive assistant role still to be determined. Wannstedt’s Thursday meeting with Buffalo’s defensive staff was likely held to see what kind of role could be carved out for the well-qualified veteran coach.

Wannstedt a proven def. mind

Bills fans might not be crazy about Dave Wannstedt, knowing he met with Buffalo’s defensive staff at One Bills Drive Thursday, because he used to be the head coach of the hated Miami Dolphins, but you can’t deny his defensive pedigree.

In talking with Chan Gailey about Wannstedt’s visit I found it interesting that he stressed that he didn’t need to meet with him as much as the defensive staff needed to. Buffalo’s head coach made it clear that he’s sold on Wannstedt having worked with him in the past, but the key is making sure there’s a way that Wannstedt and the current defensive staff can effectively blend together.

While some outside the organization might see this as a threat to defensive coordinator George Edwards, that’s not what is at work here.

Gailey made it sound premature to specify just what Wannstedt’s role would be, but a coach with his level of experience presumably would entail more than just the inside linebackers coaching job. Perhaps Assistant head coach?

Buffalo took that approach in the past when Dick LeBeau joined Buffalo’s coaching staff in 2003.

We should also note that while Gailey’s previous working history with Wannstedt helps, Chargers head coach Norv Turner also reportedly is interested in bringing Wannstedt in to talk about his vacant defensive coordinator position. Turner also coached with Wannstedt in Dallas under Jimmy Johnson.

Wannstedt on Gailey

Former Dolphins head coach and current Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt had some favorable comments for Bills new head coach Chan Gailey.

Though he’s out on the college recruiting trail Wannstedt took the time to comment on Gailey’s hire in Buffalo.

“I’ve known Chan Gailey for a very long time and he ranks among the finest people and professionals I’ve ever worked with,” said Wannstedt. ”He is a first-class individual who knows how to achieve success at the highest levels. Chan’s intelligence, experience and exceptional knowledge of the game will be major assets for the Buffalo Bills.”

Gailey ran Wannstedt’s offense for Miami in 2000 and 2001 as the Dolphins advanced to the playoffs both seasons with Jay Fiedler as their QB and Lamar Smith as their featured tailback. In those two seasons Miami finished 16th and 8th in points per game.