Bills rightly seem content with their offensive line

By Connor Byrne  |   Wednesday, May 03, 2006  |  Comments( 11 )

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This past weekend's NFL Draft came and went, and the Buffalo Bills didn't do much to upgrade an offensive line that has been among the worst in the league for years. Why? Because GM Marv Levy seems content with his current cast of players, and he might be right in his beliefs. The Bills brought in some role players for the line this offseason, and they seem like the type of guys Levy wants starting on his team.

At the left tackle position, the Bills have the slightly above-average Mike Gandy. The 27-year-old started all 16 games at the position for the Bills last season, and he was surprisingly steady. Rarely did Gandy allow a sack or let himself get blown up by an elite defensive lineman. He held his own for the most part, so Levy didn't feel the need to bring in any form of upgrade. However, since right tackle Jason Peters is Buffalo's most promising lineman, there's a possibility he'll flip-flop positions with Gandy. Thus, it would be Peters at left tackle, and Gandy at right tackle. Still, that will be determined by offensive line coach Jim McNally.

In the draft, Levy brought in former University of Virginia right tackle Brad Butler in the fifth round. The 6'7" Butler started 26 games at his college career with the Cavaliers, serving as a bookend opposite No. 4 overall choice D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who will anchor the New York Jets' line beginning next season. Butler is a long shot to start next season, but he could be an impact player down the line for the Bills.

After bringing in Butler in through the draft, Levy and company drafted former University of New Mexico standout tackle Terrance Pennington in the seventh round. Like Butler, Pennington stands a whopping 6'7", and should be a long shot to make any sort of impact in the near future. However, with proper development, he could make a major impact on the Bills' line down the road.

Counting out late-round picks is never prudent, especially in these two situations. Butler and Pennington have a great deal of upside, and with the right coaching, they could be major contributors in Buffalo.

The left guard position is where Levy needed to get the most work done in free agency, and he did. Last Friday, the Bills agreed to terms with former Carolina Panthers guard Tutan Reyes. Although Reyes isn't necessarily anything special, he's a solid performer who much like Gandy, won't get his quarterback killed or his running back blown up by a hulking defensive lineman. Reyes will likely start over veteran Bennie Anderson, whose play was atrocious for the Bills last season. Undoubtedly, Reyes is a major upgrade at this position.

The center position was a place of activity this offseason for the Bills, as they said goodbye to veteran Trey Teague, and welcomed former Minnesota Vikings reserve Melvin Fowler. Teague started in 60 games at center for the Bills over the last four seasons, but he was never anything more than average. Fowler hasn't been anything more than average in his career, either, but McNally seems to think he's a good fit. The $7.2 million he's getting paid shows that he will indeed start at the position, not second-year man Duke Preston.

The right guard position was one that didn't need upgrading this offseason, since the Bills have one of the more under appreciated guards in the NFL, Chris Villarial. While it's true Villarial will take the occasional costly penalty, his steadiness can't be ignored. The 32-year-old is a good influence on the Bills' younger linemen, and he loved playing for Buffalo's new head coach, Dick Jauron, when the pair were employed by the Chicago Bears. Reuniting with Jauron as his head coach should make Villarial into an even better player.

Despite the constant criticism of their offensive line, the Buffalo Bills seem to feel it's good enough to get the job done. Frankly, it probably is. Although the line isn't among the elite by any means, it's better than the Bills' previous lines, which were catastrophic. With quarterback J.P. Losman's mobility, the line's shortcomings should be somewhat covered up. At least, that's what the Bills are hoping for.

--Connor Byrne can be reached at cbyrne@realfootball365.com

Get more Buffalo Bills offensive line analysis at Realfootball365.com
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CommentsComments: 11  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Mark		12:53 PM
05/03/2006
You have got to be kidding, Ashworth and Kevin Mauwe were available, but no we get a second stringer from Minnesota. The Center...
No.2
Joe		01:53 PM
05/03/2006
We will never win with Ralph as our owner. He needs to sell the team to someone who loves the Bills, but also wants to spend the...
No.3
Jim		03:19 PM
05/03/2006
It is interesting all the trash talk being made in the media about Marv's lack of experience when it came to drafting. Let us...
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