The Bills like four of their five starters on the offensive line, but right tackle was a revolving door in 2010. Of course, a team can never have enough quality blockers and Buffalo will look to add several fresh faces via the draft or free agency, if there is free agency pending the outcome of labor talks.

"We need another tackle," general manager Buddy Nix said bluntly. "We'll need a tackle through the draft or through free agency if and when that happens. We're not big in free agency. We'll try to add some guys, but we'll try to build through the draft. We've got nine draft choices, and we 'gotta make 'em all count."

The Bills haven't always made their linemen draft picks count. In fact, after coming up empty on Mike Williams, the No. 4 overall pick in 2002, the team went seven years before pulling the trigger on another first-round lineman.

That pick has proven to be very good as Eric Wood (2009), along with Andy Levitre (second round that same year), have become the young anchors on an improving unit with a bright future.

Guards Wood and Levitre, along with veteran center Geoff Hangartner and project left tackle Demetrius Bell, give the Bills four legitimate starters with Mansfield Wrotto, Cordaro Howard and Erik Pears expected to compete for the starting right tackle job. All three proved to be capable replacements when injuries hit last season.

But the Bills will be adding to this mix and tinkering with their starting five before September rolls around.

Wood, who started a few games at center - his college position at Louisville - when Hangartner was out, could find himself at the pivot if the coaching staff determines that makes the overall unit stronger.

That would make Howard and Chad Rinehart candidates to play right guard.

As for the critical left tackle spot, it appears Bell will be given another shot at holding onto the job. The seventh-round pick in 2008 battled through knee and shoulder issues last year and the team sees tremendous upside in him.

"I think a year of strength and core development, I think will help him tremendously," coach Chan Gailey said. "He missed all of that because of a shoulder. He got no upper body work. He got no lower body work, he just gutted out the season. He and Eric (Wood) gutted out the season for us. You've got to like that about a guy that will do that, but I think his upside is tremendous."

Ed Wang, a fifth-round pick last year, is also in the mix. He missed a lot of valuable practice repetitions with a thumb injury but has come along.

As for college players with upside, the list is long.

With more pressing needs at quarterback, linebacker and defensive line, Buffalo won't take a tackle until rounds three or four at the earliest.

Candidates of interest would include Villanova's Ben Ijalana, UCF's massive Jah Reid or Clemson's Chris Hairston.

The top tackle prospects - USC's Tyron Smith, Boston College's Anthony Castonzo, Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi, Mississippi State's Derek Sherrod and Colorado's Nate Solder - have first-round grades and likely won't be around when Buffalo gets around to thinking about its line.

--The Bills are in need of run stoppers and pass rushers at this vital position. They ranked last against the run in 2010 and linebackers had just 9.0 sacks combined.

In fairness, injuries were a major factor with six players winding up on injured reserve. But there is a general lack of talent at both outside and inside linebacker here for a team that wishes to employ a 3-4 scheme at least half the time in 2011.

Much will determine where Buffalo is headed at linebacker.

They are hopeful that free-agent veteran Shawne Merriman, whose once dominating career has been sidetracked by a myriad of injuries, can regain the All-Pro form he had in San Diego. He signed a two-year deal with Buffalo.

What the team isn't hopeful for is 2009 first-round pick Aaron Maybin becoming an impact player. Maybin has yet to record a sack and has been placed on notice by coach Chan Gailey that he needs to show great improvement or he won't have a roster spot.

While Chris Kelsay wound up with decent numbers at strong-side linebacker after making the switch from defensive end (72 tackles, 3.5 sacks), he won't ever be a dominating pass rusher. Rookie Arthur Moats (2.5 sacks) showed promise and is in the mix for a starting outside linebacker job but is probably more suited for situational play.

That said, the Bills, who select No. 3 overall, are in great position to acquire the top outside linebacker prospect in the draft available in Texas A&M's dynamic Von Miller.

Miller's 17 sacks led the nation two years ago before he added 10.5 to go with 17.5 tackles for loss last fall as a senior. His game translates perfectly for an NFL 3-4 defense.

Buffalo is also high on Georgia's Justin Houston, who had 10 sacks and 44 quarterback hurries last fall. Houston doesn't have a top-five grade but would be a viable player for the Bills in a trade-down scenario.

But along with pass rushers, run stoppers are needed in the middle.

That will become a severe need if steady veteran Paul Posluszny is declared an unrestricted free agent pending labor talks and isn't re-signed. Andra Davis will return after a knee injury and the team did get a good season out of Akin Ayodele, who finished with 101 tackles.

Top inside linebacker prospects include Martez Wilson of Illinois, Quan Sturdivant of North Carolina and Kevin Sheppard of Louisiana State. Look for the Bills to definitely add linebacker candidates later in the draft.

"I feel like a pass rusher, an outside backer, there are a couple of those guys that can make a difference coming off the edge,: Gailey said when asked about the draft class.

"We hope we have one in the fold already in a Shawne Merriman. If we've got one and can get one on the other side to put some pressure on the passer that'll help us tremendously. If we end up trading out of the No. 3 pick, that might be something that would be a viable option for us."

--Ryan Fitzpatrick's career season (23 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 81.8 rating) provides a level of comfort for the Bills moving forward.

The question is whether they determine Auburn's Cam Newton or Missouri's Blaine Gabbert are "franchise" talents too good to pass up with the No. 3 overall pick.

Or is there a prospect they can take in the later rounds and develop over the next year or two as he sits and learns behind Fitzpatrick? Florida State's Christian Ponder is a candidate for that scenario.

"If there were to be a franchise guy, one we deem as a guy who can go eight-10 years and be the face of this organization and take us to the playoffs and win every year, you can't pass him up," said general manager Buddy Nix, warning reporters not to read too much into his words.

Nix, proudly so, is "old school" and knows Buffalo's 32nd-ranked run defense can't go unaddressed in a draft deep with defensive linemen and linebackers. But if all goes to plan, he and coach Chan Gailey won't have the opportunity to draft in the top five again, so if this is indeed an opportunity to land a franchise quarterback, they better do it.

Buffalo would still have eight picks left to address other needs, including the first pick in Round 2.

"You hope to never be picking three again, and it's your one opportunity to maybe make that pick if that's what you believe," Gailey said of the No. 3 spot. "But if you don't believe they are the franchise quarterback of the future, we have other needs. We understand that, but you're weighing what's best for the franchise."

With a less-than-inspiring lineup at quarterback behind Fitzpatrick - Brian Brohm and Levi Brown are the backups - Buffalo is doing its due diligence when it comes to scouting all quarterback prospects.

In for a visit has been Newton with Gabbert and Ponder scheduled right behind him.

"These visits have a big impact on what we think and what we do and what we believe about the guys we plan to draft," Gailey said.

Like many teams, the Bills are intrigued by the freakish Newton, the 6-5, 248-pound Heisman Trophy winner who led Auburn to the national title while wracking up 50 touchdowns running and passing.

He operated a spread offense, started just one season at the Division I level, and there are questions about how his game will translate to the pros. But Newton's athletic gifts are so special, he could be that once-in-a-lifetime player that falls into a team's lap and turns around their entire future.

Newton had a very positive visit with Bills personnel.

"He's a very impressive young man," Gailey said.

Gabbert (6-4, 234), another player with all the physical attributes, is the best quarterback prospect in many scouts' eyes. But he also ran a spread offense and will need transition time to the NFL. He threw for a modest 16 touchdown passes as a senior.

As for Ponder, Bills coaches have a very good feel for the Florida State product after coaching him for a week at the Senior Bowl. Ponder was game MVP, throwing for 132 yards and two touchdowns in the South's 24-10 win, boosting his draft stock after a series of elbow surgeries affected his senior season.

He was a three-year starter who threw for 29 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.

--The Buffalo Bills were beyond bad in stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback last season.

How bad was it?

So bad that the Bills' brain-trust is being forced to seriously consider using the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft on a defensive linemen during a year when two exceptional quarterback prospects are available.

What the Bills can't trust is their defense turning around a 4-12 team. Buffalo ranked No. 32 vs. the run, No. 28 in points allowed and No. 24 in yards allowed.

The club's switch to a 3-4 scheme was an abject failure with tackles becoming ends, ends becoming linebackers and a general state of being overmatched physically and mentally taking over. The Bills' 2,714 rushing yards allowed was second most in team history and they tied a team record by allowing eight 200-plus yard rushing games.

Buffalo released classy veteran defensive tackle Marcus Stroud, who was out of sorts playing end, a move that frees up playing time for second-year pro Alex Carrington, a third-round pick out of Arkansas State, and veteran Dwan Edwards. Spencer Johnson remains the other starter while former first-round pick John McCargo remains a candidate for being released.

At defensive tackle, fifth-year pro Kyle Williams enjoyed a breakout year and made the Pro Bowl. But he couldn't do it alone and needs help. Rookie Torell Troup showed promise and should be able to contribute more.

The bottom line is that Buffalo needs an infusion of talent in its front line, particularly now that Gailey wants to use a combination of both three- and four-man looks. And 2011 is a banner year for defensive linemen.

In fact, the top three players off the board could be any combination of Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley and Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus with Carolina, Denver and Buffalo all needing help in this area.

Bowers is rising up many mock draft boards into the No. 1 overall position. The 6-4, 275-pounder already has an NFL body, he's mature, a student of the game and unlike many young stud pass rushers can play the run. Last fall, he finished with 25 tackles for loss to go with 15.5 sacks and 17 pressures.

The Bills, who lost Aaron Schobel to retirement before last year, would take Bowers if the Panthers and Broncos pass.

As for run-pluggers Fairley and Dareus, they also have the ability to step right in and contribute.

Fairley, 6-4, 298, led Auburn to the national title on defense, finishing with 24 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks, huge numbers for an inside player. He's got a nasty streak, something Buffalo lacks.

Dareus, 6-3, 309, didn't have the same production (4.5 sacks) and there are character issues. But his power at the point of attack can't be ignored and there is a lot of room to grow in his game.

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.