'Awesome!' New Bills OT Brandon Shell Scouting Report by Dolphins Coaches
The Buffalo Bills will have a new face present for the start of Round 3 of OTAs Tuesday, as offensive tackle Brandon Shell is set to make his debut.
Shell, who signed with the Bills on Monday, spent the majority of this past season as a member of the Miami Dolphins and provides depth to Buffalo's offensive line room.
But what does Shell's skill set encompass? During the midst of last season, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel spoke highly of the 31-year-old Shell in regard to both his individual ability and impact on the team.
“He continues to impress,” McDaniel said, via the Palm Beach Post. “I’ve been very proud of him. He’s fitting right into the culture, continues to get better and is a real strong dude that understands angles and how to block people. So, it’s been fun to watch him develop, and he’s making our offensive line group as a whole better by his good play.”
Shell, who stands 6-5, 324 pounds, was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft; he started 40 games and appeared in nine others across four seasons in New York.
At the end of his rookie contract, Shell signed with the Seattle Seahawks, where he started all 21 games in which he played during the two years he was in the Pacific Northwest.
The South Carolina alum remained unsigned last offseason before signing with Miami after Week 2 and was on the field just three weeks later, seeing significant time at left tackle after starter Terron Armstead went down with an injury.
Shell's willingness to play left tackle was dubbed "super impressive" by Dolphins offensive line coach Matt Applebaum, as much for his willingness as his production in the role.
Once Armstead returned to full health, Shell shifted over to right tackle, ultimately starting 11 of the Dolphins' final 12 regular season games, all but one coming on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's blindside.
From in-season pickup to steady starter, Shell's 2022 season was a whirlwind ... but one that netted plenty of praise from Miami's coaching staff, including Applebaum.
"B-Shell has been awesome," Applebaum said. "He had good tape at Seattle, so we were fortunate to be able to get him when we did. He needed to get into shape, and he's done everything we've asked - he got into shape quickly. He's really smart and works at it and picked up our offense quickly.
"I've got nothing but good things to say about that guy."
Applebaum added that Shell is "certainly more comfortable" playing right tackle than left, but he's capable of doing either, giving him value as a swing tackle.
Everywhere Shell has been, he's started - will the trend continue in Buffalo?
That much remains to be seen ... but if nothing else, his status as a battle-tested veteran capable of playing at a high level in a pinch could prove important as the Bills look to get over the playoff hump and make a run at Super Bowl LVIII.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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