Bills release RT/LG La’el Collins (Merged) (2 Viewers)

[Tulsa Saint]

Maybe we could have drafted a Tight end to play tackle... but we should have drafted more Oline since we don't have money to bring in more than one "talent" a year.

Should have drafted someone instead of Jaylan Ford tbh. I still don’t get that pick as they had tough cuts at LBer for the final 53.

As for Collins: not a fan at all and he’s almost certainly washed. He’s always been more of a name(especially with the saga that happened during and after the 2015 draft) than a stud OL. There’s better guys out there if you’re desperate.

 

[ShortFuzed9]

No. He didnt want us then we shouldnt want him now

 

[webster]

Have any good tightends been released

 

[Clintonrebel]

I wonder if Collins is physically ready. He tore multiple knee ligaments in December 2022 and missed all of 2023. Might be worth checking out, recognizing that he’s in his 30s now. OL can play well into their 30s — just have to see if he’s healed up enough and hasn’t lost too much to the injury.

As much enormous talent that he had pre-injury, you have to wonder what he has in the tank if they cut him.

 

[SonOfNOLA]

Sure glad we addressed the Oline this offseason...

We did address OL in the offseason. We drafted a 1st round OT with long term star ceiling at LT. We also signed 2 veteran Offensive Linemen with lengthy starting experience at G and C. 3 quality additions were made on the OL. 1st team RG and C were already filled. Saldiveri appears to be a decent G for this scheme if he stays healthy.

It wasn’t likely to give up on former 1st round OT Penning in year 3 (essentially year 2) before seeing him get starter snaps in the new offensive system.

 

[St. Widge]

No. He didnt want us then we shouldnt want him now

Meh. It wasn't about "us". Dude got questioned and accused of murdering his girlfriend and wanted to get out of Louisiana to put that behind him. I can see why he might feel that way.

 

[PuddinheadSr]

If there's a sliver of hope: What Collins is trying to do has been done before.

All-Decade OT Jason Peters tore the same Achilles tendon twice in the 2012 offseason at age 30. He missed all of 2012, and the came back in 2013-16 to make two All-Pro teams and four straight Pro Bowls.

Peters was still in the league last season, starting two games for the Seahawks at age 41.

Peters' play never fell off the cliff that Collins' nosedived (nosedove?) Over.

 

[dennisrwood]

I'd bring in Jason Peters for a conversation and physical.

 

[fanoftheyear7]

Can’t say I have spent any time whatsoever watching Lael Collins tape, but the anecdotal evidence suggests that he’s likely beyond washed.

Given our situation though…

At this point, is Ryan Ramczyk a better option!?!? Can he give it a go and at least see how the knees hold up??

 

[Infoman]

But it'd be about LT and RT. No man crush TE can catch balls when the QB is almost instantly on their back.

Just so I am clear - I am fine with us taking Fuaga in the 1st round... My point is - If we were not going to actually go all out to fix the Oline... there was no point in taking him, and we should have gone all in on skill positions to surround Carr with weapons...

In case you haven't noticed (just like I said when we picked Fuaga) - A rookie OT was not going to fix the Oline now or in the near future... It was going to take a lot more than that... And here we are 2 weeks from the opener, and every other thread/post is about how 2/5 of the Oline is still garbage... and how we need to look at every scrub every team cuts...

So here we are... No man crush TE... and 2/5th of the Oline that still can't keep the QB off his back... and a coach that won't do what's necessary to truly address either...

You could see this coming a mile away before the draft if you were paying attention... that's why I was like "screw it"... do whatever it takes to get as many blue chip skill guys as possible... because our Oline is going to be an issue no matter what we do there because so many bad decisions and drafts picks are already made there.

Had they brought in 2 serious FA Olinemen this offseason... and drafted 2 high pick Olinemen this offseason... I would not have said a word... that's at least being serious about it.

And don't tell me "quality additions were made on the OL" outside of a rookie LT.... that's like peeing on my head and telling me it's rain... if we had done that.... there wouldn't be 6000 posts here by some of the smartest football fans and local analysts I know - pointing out how we still have serious issues there, and that's it's pretty much Armageddon if we lose McCoy or Ruiz... Or if Fuaga doesn't become a stud on day 1.

 

[kjun3724]

At this point, is Ryan Ramczyk a better option!?!? Can he give it a go and at least see how the knees hold up??

Even in a wheel chair Ram is less of a turnstile than Penning is. I actually still have faith in Penning and just think he is over thinking it instead of just playing. At this point I just want him to get nasty flags be damned. What is the old saying, "They wont call holding on every play". Rather tag a flag than see our QB or Rbs get hurt.

 

[HamsterDances]

I read off a blurb that he has lost all speed. He doesn't have the nimbleness necessary to play tackle and when pulling as a guard, he falls behind the play. Yikes.

 

[KYSaintsFan]

Have any good tightends been released

I think Parnham from the Chargers would be a nice pickup. Dude is a big red zone target

 

[TribuneUK]

Just so I am clear - I am fine with us taking Fuaga in the 1st round... My point is - If we were not going to actually go all out to fix the Oline... there was no point in taking him, and we should have gone all in on skill positions to surround Carr with weapons...

In case you have noticed (just like I said when we picked Fuaga) - A rookie OT was not going to fix the Oline now or in the near future... It was going to take a lot more than that... And here we are 2 weeks from the opener, and every other thread/post is about how 2/5 of the Oline is still garbage... and how we need to look at every scrub every team cuts...

So here we are... No man crush TE... and 2/5th of the Oline that still can't keep the QB off his back... and a coach that won't do what's necessary to truly address either...

You could see this coming a mile away before the draft if you were paying attention... that's why I was like "screw it"... do whatever it takes to get as many blue chip skill guys as possible... because our Oline is going to be an issue no matter what we do there because so many bad decisions and drafts picks are already made there.

Had they brought in 2 serious FA Olinemen this offseason... and drafted 2 high pick Olinemen this offseason... I would not have said a word... that's at least being serious about it.

And don't tell me "quality additions were made on the OL" outside of a rookie LT.... that's like peeing on my head and telling me it's rain... if we had done that.... there wouldn't be 6000 posts here by some of the smartest football fans and local analysts I know - pointing out how we still have serious issues there, and that's it's pretty much Armageddon if we lose McCoy or Ruiz... Or if Fuaga doesn't become a stud on day 1.

Your argument reminds me a bit of our old pal NOfalcon10, who'd argue endlessly that there was zero point trying to fix our 32nd ranked defense at all, and that we should instead plow almost all resources into boosting our offensive prowess. (Of course, it didn't help that he thought the answer was receivers like Denzel Mims, Andy Isabella and Kelvin Benjamin )

Adding 'blue chip' skill position players to a team with holes at OL would be a bit like being lost in the desert with no food or water, but getting the Red Cross to airlift you a LayzeeBoy, so you'd at least be relatively comfortable while you died of thirst.

To be fair, you spent a lot of time pre-draft saying we didn't need to spend high picks on OL. Practically everyone disagreed with you IIRC. But I notice you now say:-

I am fine with us taking Fuaga in the 1st round...

Had they ... drafted 2 high pick Olinemen this offseason.

You can't have it both ways. You can't demand spending the high pick on your man crush TE (who wasn't even available at the pick), but also that the team should have spent multiple high picks on OL. As well as signing some 'serious FA o linemen", which as we all know are in such plentiful supply.

The team got the best OL it could in the first round. It then used it's meagre options to try to fix the rest of the unit. Just to be clear, I haven't tried to tell you that the team did enough to cover the problem, but I am comfortable saying that what they did was a hell of a lot more responsible than just not trying.

The idea that if they didn't get more 'serious' OL, they should just not have bothered at all is pretty ludicrous.

 

[sammymvpknight]

Even in a wheel chair Ram is less of a turnstile than Penning is. I actually still have faith in Penning and just think he is over thinking it instead of just playing. At this point I just want him to get nasty flags be damned. What is the old saying, "They wont call holding on every play". Rather tag a flag than see our QB or Rbs get hurt.

Heck…the wheelchair could be a selling point. Anyone with a disabled family member knows how hard they are to get around.