Bills’ Harris settles down

By Anthony Bialy  |   Thursday, May 21, 2009  |  Comments( 72 )

Buffalo Bills
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The Buffalo Bills' Nic Harris hasn’t played on the line. Yet. He worked as a safety, cornerback, and linebacker at Oklahoma; the only reason he presumably never aligned as a fullback or punted is because nobody asked. While he was mostly a safety, Harris -- a fifth-round pick in April's NFL draft -- is now completely a linebacker for the Bills; it’s a transition that could prove thorny for a defender with nomadic tendencies.

His playing time this season will be proportional to his ability to adjust to his permanence at one position. The plus for the Bills is that he’s competitive wherever he is.

Using Harris belligerently is the best way to get a fine performance from him. He plays best when he’s allowed to be instinctual because it allows him to roam, target and collide. In pass rushing situations, he’d offer a near-equivalent to a safety blitz. The hope is that he’ll be capable of consistently stopping rushers thanks to his innate hunting talents.

The downside to his instinctive approach is that it doesn’t lend well to pass coverage. If the Bills plan to continue to deploy linebackers in a cautious mode, it means Paul Posluszny will remain in the middle even if Harris gets into the first string. The rookie is destined for the weak side.

That could present a challenge, at least this season. With Harris’ need for learning in mind, it’s uncertain whether he can top Keith Ellison and a pool of fellow hungry youngsters for playing time in 2009. The 6-foot-2, 234-pound Louisiana native will have to pick up pass coverages to outshine the group’s other members. In addition to being a necessary talent to possess in itself, successfully covering throws would show the coaches that he’s a quick learner.

His toughest obstacle to playing time is time itself. Can he grow enough both as a linebacker and in terms of bulk by the Sept. 14 opener against the New England Patriots? It’s fair to wonder whether he may emerge as an exciting college player who struggles in the more structured pro environment. His general skills might not be adaptable to a specific position.

Mediocre speed kept other teams from adding Harris and keeping him at safety. On the other hand, he’s a gamer; one can surmise that Harris possesses good football sense just by the sheer number of places he’s manned.

He’s another player Buffalo drafted who will have to impress to get on the field as a rookie. But that’s not his fault. Frustrated fans may worry about his learning curve in terms of how it affects the team; that should be tempered by the fact that Harris’ style is easy to admire.

His gung-ho outlook made him a successful collegian, one who was talented enough to play as a true freshman for the Sooners and make an impact over the next four years. That quality is hopefully a greater asset than the barrier presented by his raw technique.

The best case for his career is that zealous enthusiasm wins out over physical limitations -- think Coy Wire, only successful. Harris’ greatest asset is that he’s a football player regardless of where he aligns.
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