Bills shake up their offensive line (1 Viewer)

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Bills do the offensive line shuffle

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Peters switches sides, Gandy bumps Reyes

By MARK GAUGHAN

News Sports Reporter

10/25/2006

Jason Peters' star continues to rise in the Buffalo Bills' organization.

The third-year offensive lineman got another promotion Tuesday when the team shifted him from starting right tackle to starting left tackle.

The move puts the most talented player on the Bills' line in the position protecting the blind side of quarterback J.P. Losman. Peters replaces Mike Gandy, who will shift inside and start at left guard. Rookie seventh-round draft pick Terrence Pennington will be thrust into the starting lineup at right tackle. Tutan Reyes goes from left guard to the bench.

The bye-week shake-up is an effort by the Bills to improve their beleaguered offense. Buffalo ranks 30th of 32 teams in yards gained, 28th in scoring, 23rd in rushing, 29th in passing and third worst in sacks allowed per pass play.

"Jason is a terrific player," Bills coach **** Jauron said. "He's playing really well at the right side. He's certainly athletic enough. This was a good time to do it. If we're going to do it during the season, we've got to do it now. We need to do something. It will give us two weeks to have them work together."

It was just two years ago that the 6-foot-4, 335-pound Peters became an offensive lineman. He was a freakishly big tight end prospect out of the University of Arkansas in 2004 who went undrafted partly because he was viewed as too large for the position. The Bills signed him as a free agent and converted him into an offensive tackle in the middle of the 2004 season.

He was promoted to starter at right tackle in place of Mike Williams for the final nine games of last season. He did so well that the Bills rewarded him with a five-year contract worth roughly $3 million a year in July.

Now after 16 pro starts, he moves over to the most important spot on the line.

"I feel good about it," Peters said. "Coach called me up last night and told me. I think I have the quickness and the ability to handle the blind side. I've just got to work on my techniques and get better this week."

Peters, 24, spent almost all of his practice time last year at left tackle before he took over for Williams in late October.

"I felt pretty comfortable today," he said. "On the right side you've got a bigger, stronger guy. On the left side you've got a quicker, smaller guy. You've got to make that transition to blocking a quicker guy."

The Bills are aiming for an upgrade over Gandy, who is in the last year of his contract. He allowed 31/2 sacks to Detroit Lions defensive end James Hall. He also allowed a sack against the Chicago Bears.

Gandy, 6-4 and 310, has a bigger frame than Reyes. He was drafted as a guard out of college by Chicago in 2002 during Jauron's tenure with the Bears.

"That's where we drafted him, and that's where we intended to play him in Chicago," Jauron said. "He has done a nice job for the most part. We just think he'll be a strong guard, give us more size and strength at that position, and next to Jason we should have a powerful left side."

Gandy becomes the seventh player to start at left guard in the 21/2 years since the Bills cut Ruben Brown.

Pennington, 23, played right tackle as a junior at New Mexico and left tackle as a senior. He was the second right tackle picked by the Bills this year, after Brad Butler in the fifth round.

Pennington has prototypical size, at 6-7 and 325 pounds. He has long arms (36 inches), and surprising upper-body strength. He lifted 225 pounds 28 times at the scouting combine workouts, which was tied for third best among offensive linemen this year.

"When you consider how long his arms are, that's pretty impressive," Bills scout Terry Wooden said.

Pennington was considered green coming out of college and someone who could use more lower-body strength. The Bills will find out quickly if he has mastered techniques well enough to handle pass rushers. He has filled in for Peters on only one play this year, in Detroit.

"He's done an outstanding job in developing," Jauron said. "He's got a knack, he's got a feel for the game. He's come along on stunts and playing stunts. He's got natural strength for a big man."

The Bills have seven full practices to get the three new pieces in their line working together effectively before their game against Green Bay on Nov. 5.

"Because it's the area where we've made the changes, it kind of points the finger at them," Jauron said. "But they're not alone in this thing. The players aren't alone. I've got to do a much better job than I've been doing getting them ready to play. But it was an area where we could make changes. So we think it will make us stronger."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20061025/1022828.asp

I don't know how Pennington will do at RT, but Peters should definitely upgrade the LT spot.

 

[BlueDredSo]

I'm looking forward to seeing this line perform. It has to be better than it was before. I didn't realize Pennington was that big and strong. Anything to help this team offensively...ugh.

 

[OldMilwaukee]

As a Bills fan the move of Peters is long over due! He can definitely handle the best pass rushers from opposing teams much better than Gandy. Gandy will provide mass in the middle and Pennington will be learning, but.....within the normal field of vision for Loseman.

I just wish they would insert Preston at the pivot, and this line could be very solid after paying some 'game time tuition'.

From a fantasy perspective, more line mass should be good news for Willis!

 

[BlueDredSo]

Fowler's doing a decent job I think. Preston will be there soon enough. Maybe next year or even later on this year if Fowler really starts to become a human turnstile.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I think Fowler has been their 2nd best lineman and Preston looked overmatched during the snaps he's received this year.

 

[diesel7982]

I still cant believe no NFL GM took a chance on drafting a 6'4 330lb TE with great feet.

 

[losgalacticos]

Potentially great for Evans- Give him time to get downfield. They have been using him on shorter routes based on what I have read in print.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

I still cant believe no NFL GM took a chance on drafting a 6'4 330lb TE with great feet.

From an SEC program no less, not like he's from some tiny school. Strange.

 

[-OZ-]

I like what I've seen from Peters so far at the RT, but is he a long term solution at LT? Or is this most likely a move for this year, with Buffalo drafting or signing a LT this off season and moving him back?

Certainly an upgrade for this year, what should the future hold?