LB Posey at DE? (1 Viewer)

[Pick]

BuffaloBills.com

 

[Weiner Dog]

I would think Posey will have a tough time replacing the dynamic rotation duo of Kelsay and Denney.

 

[Rovers]

Yeah. I think Vilma might be a good DE too. This guy sounds like a typical message board poster.... "what if....?" He doesnt talk about the Bill's "new defensive scheme" at all, and doesn't talk about the DE's already on the roster. He's a pro witer? I'd fire him.

 

[Pick]

Yeah. I think Vilma might be a good DE too. This guy sounds like a typical message board poster.... "what if....?" He doesnt talk about the Bill's "new defensive scheme" at all, and doesn't talk about the DE's already on the roster. He's a pro witer? I'd fire him.

I seriously debated whether to post it or not.

 

[Weiner Dog]

Yeah. I think Vilma might be a good DE too. This guy sounds like a typical message board poster.... "what if....?" He doesnt talk about the Bill's "new defensive scheme" at all, and doesn't talk about the DE's already on the roster. He's a pro witer? I'd fire him.

I seriously debated whether to post it or not.

Keep 'em coming. It's better than nothing.Like all football message boards, the crickets are chirping post-draft.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Yeah. I think Vilma might be a good DE too. This guy sounds like a typical message board poster.... "what if....?" He doesnt talk about the Bill's "new defensive scheme" at all, and doesn't talk about the DE's already on the roster. He's a pro witer? I'd fire him.

I seriously debated whether to post it or not.

Keep 'em coming. It's better than nothing.Like all football message boards, the crickets are chirping post-draft.

Well, the machine is about to wake up.The magazine has been sent to the publisher. Our full team defense previews and over 100 player pages for individual players are in the can and should be posted soon. We are also preparing 50 plus player faceoffs to go live in stages throughout June. And we'll spotlight a number of specific team issues and position groups after that. Some killer strategy and scouting articles, too.

No specific deadlines yet, but good times ahead very soon.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

As I look at what the Bills defensive scheme is designed to do, in part have 11 men running full boar to the football. I wonder if Jeff Posey is a better fit at defensive end. That's not to say that Posey can't play linebacker in this scheme, but Angelo Crowell is the prototype size and speed combination for this kind of defense and I believe he will get some time at Posey's strong side linebacker spot to see if he can fit there, provided Takeo Spikes makes a successful return to the weak side. In this defense the SAM linebacker doesn't have to be 6'4" 241 like Posey. He can be 6'1" 230 like Crowell and still be very successful. Can I explain exactly how? No, I'm not a coach. But it's been proven in other places like Tampa and Indy where their linebackers are smaller and faster. Perhaps on passing downs Posey could play end and Crowell and Fletcher or Crowell and Spikes can play in the nickel package behind him as the two linebackers on the field. Perry Fewell and his defensive staff are considering Posey at end. I know it's early in the process and one of the rookie free agents or Mark Word or Eric Powell could surprise me, but I think Posey should be just as much a consideration as those guys. Posey is obviously interested having played there in college and his first couple of seasons in the league. He's also probably smart enough to know that if he's a pass rushing specialist he's no longer a two-down player and on the field a whole lot more which should mean increased production numbers (tackles, sacks, pressures). And players know how important that can be when entering a contract year which Posey is doing here in 2006. It's the last year of his four-year deal. Showing some versatility won't hurt him on the open market next spring.

I think Chris Brown is usually pretty solid and I can't really disagree with anything he wrote here. Kelsay/Denney have been disappointing as pass rushers and Posey has already lined up at DE in passing situations for the Bills. I don't see a full-time position change for him, but I do think he could be their 2nd best pass rusher and fill the role of a pass rush specialist pretty well if Crowell takes over the starting SLB job.

 

[Rovers]

As I look at what the Bills defensive scheme is designed to do, in part have 11 men running full boar to the football. I wonder if Jeff Posey is a better fit at defensive end.

That's not to say that Posey can't play linebacker in this scheme, but Angelo Crowell is the prototype size and speed combination for this kind of defense and I believe he will get some time at Posey's strong side linebacker spot to see if he can fit there, provided Takeo Spikes makes a successful return to the weak side.

In this defense the SAM linebacker doesn't have to be 6'4" 241 like Posey. He can be 6'1" 230 like Crowell and still be very successful. Can I explain exactly how? No, I'm not a coach. But it's been proven in other places like Tampa and Indy where their linebackers are smaller and faster.

Perhaps on passing downs Posey could play end and Crowell and Fletcher or Crowell and Spikes can play in the nickel package behind him as the two linebackers on the field. Perry Fewell and his defensive staff are considering Posey at end.

I know it's early in the process and one of the rookie free agents or Mark Word or Eric Powell could surprise me, but I think Posey should be just as much a consideration as those guys.

Posey is obviously interested having played there in college and his first couple of seasons in the league. He's also probably smart enough to know that if he's a pass rushing specialist he's no longer a two-down player and on the field a whole lot more which should mean increased production numbers (tackles, sacks, pressures).

And players know how important that can be when entering a contract year which Posey is doing here in 2006. It's the last year of his four-year deal.

Showing some versatility won't hurt him on the open market next spring.

I think Chris Brown is usually pretty solid and I can't really disagree with anything he wrote here. Kelsay/Denney have been disappointing as pass rushers and Posey has already lined up at DE in passing situations for the Bills. I don't see a full-time position change for him, but I do think he could be their 2nd best pass rusher and fill the role of a pass rush specialist pretty well if Crowell takes over the starting SLB job.

I am not familiar with Brown's work, and in fairness, this may be just one in a series of articles he may have written that set this one up.... but on it's own.... it's pretty bad, IMO. He made a whole bunch of unsupported conclusions (as far as this article goes), and simply didn't set the story up at all. To make a call like this, he should have said something about the "new" D scheme, and said something about the existing personnel at DE for the Bills. On it's own, it looks like a lot of posts I've seen on Jets message boards... sort of aimless thoughts backed up by... nothing of substance. Madden-esque, if you will.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I am not familiar with Brown's work, and in fairness, this may be just one in a series of articles he may have written that set this one up.... but on it's own.... it's pretty bad, IMO. He made a whole bunch of unsupported conclusions (as far as this article goes), and simply didn't set the story up at all.

To make a call like this, he should have said something about the "new" D scheme, and said something about the existing personnel at DE for the Bills. On it's own, it looks like a lot of posts I've seen on Jets message boards... sort of aimless thoughts backed up by... nothing of substance. Madden-esque, if you will.

#1 It's a blog. He's just writing down his thoughts. You're correct that it is like a message board post, but so what? That's the whole point of a blog. It doesn't make his thoughts any less valid or reasonable here.#2 He does mention the system:

In this defense the SAM linebacker doesn't have to be 6'4" 241 like Posey. He can be 6'1" 230 like Crowell and still be very successful. Can I explain exactly how? No, I'm not a coach. But it's been proven in other places like Tampa and Indy where their linebackers are smaller and faster.

he also mentions that the team has very little depth behind the top-3 DEs. I think Mark Word will wind up as the #4 DE but he's been out of the league for 2 years. The point is that Posey isn't a great fit at LB in the new scheme which puts a heavy emphasis on speed, but Crowell is. Kelsay and Denney aren't exactly explosive either, so moving a LB up to DE would likely present a significant upgrade in speed at that spot on passing downs. Playing him at DE on passing downs might allow the team to take better advantage of Posey's skills. I'm sure this is something the Bills are considering doing.

 

[Rovers]

I am not familiar with Brown's work, and in fairness, this may be just one in a series of articles he may have written that set this one up.... but on it's own.... it's pretty bad, IMO. He made a whole bunch of unsupported conclusions (as far as this article goes), and simply didn't set the story up at all.

To make a call like this, he should have said something about the "new" D scheme, and said something about the existing personnel at DE for the Bills. On it's own, it looks like a lot of posts I've seen on Jets message boards... sort of aimless thoughts backed up by... nothing of substance. Madden-esque, if you will.

#1 It's a blog. He's just writing down his thoughts. You're correct that it is like a message board post, but so what? That's the whole point of a blog. It doesn't make his thoughts any less valid or reasonable here.#2 He does mention the system:

In this defense the SAM linebacker doesn't have to be 6'4" 241 like Posey. He can be 6'1" 230 like Crowell and still be very successful. Can I explain exactly how? No, I'm not a coach. But it's been proven in other places like Tampa and Indy where their linebackers are smaller and faster.

he also mentions that the team has very little depth behind the top-3 DEs. I think Mark Word will wind up as the #4 DE but he's been out of the league for 2 years. The point is that Posey isn't a great fit at LB in the new scheme which puts a heavy emphasis on speed, but Crowell is. Kelsay and Denney aren't exactly explosive either, so moving a LB up to DE would likely present a significant upgrade in speed at that spot on passing downs. Playing him at DE on passing downs might allow the team to take better advantage of Posey's skills. I'm sure this is something the Bills are considering doing.

Being that it's a blog.... he gets amnesty! It really isn't a stand alone article in that format. Aaron, your comments are what I would expect to see in a stand alone article, which is what it appeared to be... but I did say he gets a break if it's a series.... like a blog. That is an entirely different animal, which makes my comments pretty much.... off base.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Being that it's a blog.... he gets amnesty! It really isn't a stand alone article in that format. Aaron, your comments are what I would expect to see in a stand alone article, which is what it appeared to be... but I did say he gets a break if it's a series.... like a blog. That is an entirely different animal, which makes my comments pretty much.... off base.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I posted this in the Shark Pool, but this is probably a better article to link here on this topic.

Posey More Than a Linebacker for Bills?

by Chris Brown, Lead Journalist Last Updated: 5/23/2006 9:59 AM ET

The subject has been raised before in his time with the Bills, and now in year four with Buffalo Jeff Posey could return to his positional roots at times again.

Excelling in college as a defensive end at Southern Mississippi, Posey was moved to linebacker in his third NFL season while still with San Francisco. Since then the closest he's come to playing a role similar to that of a pass rushing defensive end was as an outside linebacker in Houston's 3-4 defensive scheme back in 2002. That year he led the Texans with eight sacks.

In his three seasons with the Bills he's lined up at defensive end on a few rare occasions, and actually finished second on the team in sacks behind Aaron Schobel in 2003. But since he arrived in Buffalo he has predominantly been holding the point of attack as the SAM linebacker.

With a new defensive scheme however, and a new defensive coaching staff, the possibility of seeing time at defensive end, even part time, is a possibility.

"We've talked about it several times," said Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. "We've addressed whether we think he can be a specialist for us in a third down situation. He would be a consideration on passing downs, yes."

Getting the nod as a situational pass rusher would be great news for Posey to hear, but he knows right now it's early in the process with respect to the defensive staff evaluating where players fit best in their scheme.

"I don't know what the coaching staff's opinion is of me yet and whether I can be a pass rusher for them," said Posey. "I know what I'm capable of, but right now I'm just focusing on the linebacker responsibilities in this defense because it is a new scheme. That's what I'm trying to get down. In the past when I've been on the field I've been more of a linebacker than a pass rusher."

Posey who is mild-mannered off the field and not one to boast did confirm his belief that he can still get down in a three-point stance if it was called for.

"I think I am capable of rushing the passer," Posey said. "I have no doubt about that."

And with an open fourth defensive end spot and no true pass rushing specialist for passing downs emerging yet, it serves to wonder whether Posey could become a leading candidate for the job. Aside from Posey are veteran end Mark Word, first-year end Eric Powell and three rookie free agents in Jason Hall, Ryan Neill and Matthew Rice.

But Fewell and his defensive staff have to discuss everybody playing on the defensive side of the ball, not just Posey. And so the evaluations will continue through the spring and likely into the first week or so of training camp. But Fewell made it clear that Posey is a consideration.

"We've definitely discussed different ways to use him to best take advantage of his talents on the field," said Fewell.

For now Posey will focus on the position where his bread has been buttered the past six seasons.

"Right now with the new defense and all I'm just taking it day by day learning it as a linebacker," said Posey. "After I'm comfortable with it I might even voice my opinion and offer my services at defensive end as well and say, 'I can do this too.' I'm sure they know, but until I get the word I'm going to focus on linebacker."

Of course it's hard for Posey to forget playing at a position where he enjoyed some of his greatest on field success even if it was at the college level.

"After getting the defense down (at linebacker) I would love to make the transition to end to be a pass rusher," said Posey. "Obviously that's something I still love doing."

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=3783

 

[Pick]

More on Posey at DE.

 

[Weiner Dog]

IMO, moving Posey to DE is more about getting Crowell on the field and less about expectations of Posey contributing as an end. If Posey is indeed move to DE, he will be lucky to see 10 snaps a game.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

IMO, moving Posey to DE is more about getting Crowell on the field and less about expectations of Posey contributing as an end. If Posey is indeed move to DE, he will be lucky to see 10 snaps a game.

absolutely. as the #4 DE, he probably wouldn't see much time.