Bills coach Chan Gailey said he plans to use LB Aaron Maybin in third down and second-and-long situations at the start of this season.
Bills coach Chan Gailey finally revealed how he plans to use LB Aaron Maybin in the team’s defensive scheme this year, continuing to ease the second-year pro into life in the NFL by limiting him to third down and second-and-long situations.
“He can be a third down and second and long presence for us on the field,” Gailey said in a radio interview on Wednesday, according to the team’s official website. “That’s how I see him starting initially this season and then hopefully as time goes on he can continue to work himself into that outside backer mentality and size and everything to be able to play down in and down out.”
Gailey added that he has no doubts about Maybins’s potential, but that the 22-year-old needs to continue to work to become a feared pass rusher. “He’s adjusting to the 3-4 down in and down out, first, second and third,” he said of the team’s 11th overall pick in 2009. “We all know what an excellent pass rusher he is and he can be even better. If he’ll continue to work at it he can be a very, very good pass rusher.
While at Penn State, Maybin terrorized quarterbacks, finishing his college career with 16 sacks in 2 seasons. The NFL has been a different story for Maybin, however. He played in all 16 games in his rookie season last year, but never earned a start, finishing with 18 tackles and a forced fumble.
Gailey is still confident that, with time, Maybin will bring the dominating presence he enjoyed in college to the pros. “I hope that in pass rush situations that Maybin becomes that guy. That’s what you hope,’ Gailey said. ”He certainly has that kind of speed and quickness. But I don’t have that crystal ball to tell you that’s going to happen. He’s got some talent in that area and I think if he’ll continue to work at it he’ll have the chance to do that.”
Buffalo will take on the Lions on Thursday night in their last preseason game before their regular season kicks off Sept. 12.