Left Tackle Void Remains Unfilled for Bills

The Bills were in an untenable position with Jason Peters. The tight end-turned-Pro Bowl left tackle wanted a new contract, the team wasn't interested in renegotiating, and they wound up sending him to Philadelphia for a first-round pick a few weeks before the NFL Draft.

Armed with two first-rounders -- Nos. 11 and 28 -- it was only a question of when the Bills would draft Peters' replacement. The answer, it turns out, was never. With Michael Oher still on the board, Buffalo took Aaron Maybin and addressed another big need -- pass rusher.

Seventeen picks later, the Bills got an offensive lineman, just not a left tackle. Instead, they drafted Louisville's Eric Wood. He can play the three interior line positions and will likely replace departed left guard Derrick Dockery. Which still left a gaping hole at left tackle.

In the second round, the club selected Oregon St. tackle Andy Levitre. The only problem: nobody projects him as an NFL left tackle; he'll either move inside to guard or play right tackle. Again, Trent Edwards' blindside remains unprotected.

One solution: maybe Edwards should start throwing left-handed because the right side of the line is coming together nicely. Via PFW.com:

The Bills are loaded with options at right tackle, but that's not necessarily a good thing. Word we're hearing is that as many as three players - Kirk Chambers, Brad Butler and rookie Andy Levitre - have a legitimate shot of winning the job. None has established himself as a strong option, and Butler's winning the job would mean the Bills find a new starter at right guard. 2008 ORG starter Langston Walker is switching to the OLT post vacated by Jason Peters.

To recap: after not using either first-round pick on Peters' successor, the plan is to relocate right guard tackle Langtson Walker to left tackle, and pray Edwards doesn't get maimed. Got it.

Look, I understand that the Bills and Peters couldn't work things out. But a backup plan would have been nice. As it stands, the club is loaded with right-side-of-the-line talent and that's it. Training camp is three months off, and maybe Buffalo will come up with a solution by then. In the meantime, Terrell Owens must be very happy about his prospects for setting career lows in pass receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.