Inside The Bills

Fan Friday 2-11

Into the offseason we go. Let’s hope things get resolved in short order with regard to a new deal and the 2011 season. In the meantime to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 – With Nick Fairley saying that he doesn’t want a cold weather team do you see the Bills staying away from him even if he is available. Also do you see DaQuan Bowers or Marcell Dareus fitting our scheme better. I also understand that Fitz is our starter next year, but if Locker is there in the second could we really pass him up?
Russell from Idaho

CB: I think in all fairness to Fairley, being from Mobile and playing his entire career in the south cold weather is just something he doesn’t know about. Besides he doesn’t get to choose where he goes anyway. The Bills won’t ever shy away from drafting someone just because they might not be a fan of the cold. As much as Fairley might not like cold, I think in the grand scheme of things it’s a minor issue.

As for Bowers, there’s a question as to where he fits in a 3-4 scheme, which the Bills play. His ideal fit is as a 4-3 end. To his credit he does play the run well and at 6’4” 275 pounds he has a freakishly strong upper body. It’ll be interesting to see if the Bills or any other 3-4 team believes he could handle end in a 3-4 scheme. I don’t know if playing OLB in a 3-4 is in the cards for him.

Dareus would be a fit in any system. He could be a DT in a 4-3 or a 3-4 and he could be an end in a 3-4 as I see it.

With respect to Jake Locker, I just don’t see it. Great physical tools, but consistency in his game is an issue.

2 - Do you think the Bills can get two quality ILB’s through the draft and free agency…then move Paul Posluszny to an OLB role? Were that to happen…how do you think he stacks up against someone like Clay Matthews..or Bryce Paup? At least capable of a 10 sack season..playing opposite Merriman?
 
CB: The draft unfortunately is a bit thin at inside linebacker, but Buddy Nix told me that they need to add two this offseason either via draft, free agency or some combination therein. Even if they do add two I still believe Posluszny stays inside. I don’t see them moving Poz, whose best fit in my opinion is at ILB. He’s good at rushing through the gaps inside. I don’t see him as a 10 sack guy at OLB and as you mentioned they don’t need to make Poz that with Merriman out there.

3 – All the talk about drafting a DT/DE with the 3rd pick makes me wonder, did Torell Troup and Alex Carrington not pan out as the staff had hoped? I haven’t heard much about them heading into the offseason. Any updates from 1 Bills Dr. regarding those two?
Josh
Buffalo, NY

CB: I’ll let GM Buddy Nix explain the Bills position on this in his own words.

“Obviously you’ve got to have a big nose tackle,” said Nix in reference to the 3-4 scheme. “We drafted one last year. We’re happy with Troup. We’re happy with Carrington, we just need a couple of more now.”

Buffalo does have enough of a veteran presence on the defensive line with Dwan Edwards and Spencer Johnson. Marcus Stroud is going into his 11th season and John McCargo is unlikely to be back as I see it. So there will need to be new blood on that defensive line this year.

4 - Hey Chris,
 
How come we never see any Bills head coach on ESPN or NFL Network with a post game speech.  It seems like we see every team but Buffalo.  Do the Bills not allow NFL Films or any other media sources in the locker room immediately after the game? 

D Fischer
Rochester, NY

CB: First, I believe NFL Films has the right to be in any postgame locker room by authority of the league. Second, the Bills haven’t had too many landmark wins that ESPN or NFL Network has felt are worthy to air. Once Gailey and his staff get this thing turned around there will hopefully be more notable victories that are worth publicizing on the major networks.

5 - Chris

The offensive line seems to have gained depth this year with much of it in the middle.  Any chance of one of the starters moving out to right tackle?  Also, Brad Butler has had a year to recover and rest.  Any signs that he may want to return to football?  Thanks.  

Mark in Prospect, KY

CB: The Bills have assembled some depth on the interior thanks in large part to Asst. GM Doug Whaley and his pro scouting staff. That’s why I think there’s a real chance that Eric Wood and Geoff Hangartner compete for the starting center role with Kraig Urbik the likely starter at right guard. At right tackle I believe the odds on favorite to start there is Erik Pears.

I haven’t spoken to Brad, but I did see him recently and all indications I’ve gotten from those close to him is that he’s happy with his decision to retire. I think he’s just got other irons in the fire so to speak.

Rinehart to play G/C role

Chad Rinehart, who was elevated to the active roster, to fill the hole left by the I-R’d Kraig Urbik is expected to play primarily a guard role, with reserve center also a possibility.

Rinehart, who played mainly tackle in college at Northern Iowa, has transitioned inside. He has been doing some center work on the side of late in the practice setting and could possibly serve as a reserve center this week, though most of his reps have been at guard.

Head coach Chan Gailey has yet to determine who would start at right guard, presuming that Eric Wood starts at center while Geoff Hangartner is out (knee).

Cordaro Howard played there last week when Urbik moved inside to center to replace Hangartner. And then Ed Wang stepped in at left guard when Andy Levitre had to move to center to replace Urbik.

Bills will add a lineman

Bills head coach Chan Gailey doesn’t know from where a new addition will originate, but he does know with Geoff Hangartner and Kraig Urbik down for at least two weeks that they will need to add reinforcements to the active roster for their offensive line.

“We’ll have to get somebody up and running for this week whether it’s a guy off our present practice squad, or whether we bring somebody in or both,” he said Monday.

Buffalo has three linemen on their practice squad in G Marc Dile, G/T Chad Rhinehart and G/T Jason Watkins. None of them have experience at the center spot.

But even if the Bills sign a center in free agency, there’s a good chance he would not know Buffalo’s offensive system well enough to step in right away, leaving Wood as the most obvious answer at center.

The centers that were in training camp for the Bills in the summer that are no longer with the team are undrafted rookie Sean Allen and free agent Christian Gaddis. They would at least have knowledge of Buffalo’s system, but three months have passed since the end of camp so it’s hard to determine if there would be interest there.

Urbik, Hangartner update

Both Geoff Hangartner and Kraig Urbik sustained knee injuries in Sunday’s game and did not return. Head coach Chan Gailey provided an update.

“Not good,” said Gailey when asked about the severity of their injuries. “(We’ve) probably lost both of them.”

Urbik replaced Hangartner at center in the first half before getting injured himself in the fourth quarter.

If both cannot go next week against Cleveland the Bills are hoping to have Eric Wood back from his ankle injury next week to play center with Cordaro Howard the likely right guard in such a scenario.

Wood’s status

Bills RG Eric Wood missed last week’s game after suffering a sprained knee at Cincinnati. He did not practice Wednesday and head coach Chan Gailey provided an outlook for the offensive lineman regarding Sunday’s game.

“Eric, it will be touch and go on him this week,” Gailey said. “We’ll see what we can get out of him later in the week and see if he’s going to be able to go or not.”

Kraig Urbik would make his second straight start at right guard Sunday if Wood is not ready to play.

Wood won’t practice

Bills RG Eric Wood left last week’s game after getting rolled up on a run play against the Bengals. Head coach Chan Gailey outlined his status for Sunday’s game.

“He’ll miss practice today, probably tomorrow,” said Gailey. ”We’ll see if we can get him back on the field Friday, but he’s questionable.”

If Wood cannot play on Sunday, Kraig Urbik is expected to start in his place.

Eric Wood injury update

The news was good considering what could have been on Eric Wood, who left Sunday’s game with a leg injury. Head coach Chan Gailey provided an update Monday.

When asked if Wood had a chance to be back in the lineup on Sunday, Gailey offered the following.

“It’ll be close on him,” said Gailey. ”He may not make it this week. We’ll just have to see. He just got banged up on the same leg. It’s kind of a sprain, bruise all that.”

Initially it appeared as though it was his right leg that got rolled up on the play in the Cincinnati game Sunday, but Gailey said it was his surgically repaired leg from last offseason. Kraig Urbik stepped in for Wood Sunday and would presumable start in his place this week if Wood is unable to go.

Knowing how careful they’ve been in handling Wood’s return from that long offseason rehabilitation, it wouldn’t be surprising if they gave him a week to recover. And if Urbik starts he’ll be motivated since the Steelers waived him earlier this season.

Why Wood is being spelled

Bills RG Eric Wood is still being subbed out for a series or two here and there through the course of football games, and that was again the case on Sunday against the Jaguars. Wood explained the situation.

“They just want to keep me fresh for the fourth quarter is what I’m told,” said Wood. ”It’ll be a lot better looking plan if we are leading in the fourth quarter trying to run out a victory. But at times like this it’s tough to see how exactly it’s paying off.  We don’t envision being in two-minute drills every fourth quarter.  We’re taking a little bit of a rest on it.  Like with any injury it’s going to be fatigue more when you miss practice reps and need a little time off.”

Kraig Urbik was the reserve lineman that stepped in for Wood for a couple of series against the Jaguars. Demetrius Bell, who is also coming off a major offseason surgery was spelled for a couple of series by Cordaro Howard. Howard also played right tackle after the game was out of reach.

Urbik active

For the first time this season the recently signed Kraig Urbik is active and Jamon Meredith is not, which could mean some changes among the O-line reserves today.

The swing tackle is probably rookie Cordaro Howard. Kraig Urbik has played tackle, but not since his freshman year at Wisconsin.

Urbik has been taking snaps in practice mainly at guard and center. He’s actually been taking extra reps at center because I believe they envision Urbik as the team’s backup center in the near future.

Howard has lined up at both tackle and guard in the preseason. He’d be the first lineman off the bench if there were an injury.

Jersey numbers

Here are the new jersey numbers for newly signed TE David Martin and G Kraig Urbik.

Martin will wear 80 while Urbik will wear 60.