I keep waiting for the dust to settle, before blogging about the Buffalo Bills recent moves.

The problem is–the dust doesn’t settle.  The Bills kicked up more of it Monday, with the news that starting left tackle Langston Walker was cut.

It was another stunner, at least in terms of timing.  In that respect, it’s a lot like last Friday’s firing of  Turk Schonert. 

If you told me after last season that the Bills would replace Turk Schonert with Alex Van Pelt, and release Langston Walker, I could live with that.  But if you told me they’d make both moves just days before the season opener?   That’s a problem.

Replacing Walker with Demetrius Bell might work out for the Bills.  Bell has demonstrated flashes of talent in preseason and his combination of size and athleticism is rare at the NFL level.  But why not commit to Bell back in January or February, and get him all the reps?  Why trade away Jason Peters if you’re not sold on Walker as his replacement?

I can accept that the Bills were not happy with Walker’s preseason performance, and I can accept that salaries are a factor–they always are in professional sports.  But this is a move that needs to be made way in advance of preseason, let alone the regular season opener. 

I’m excited about putting the offense in the hands of Alex Van Pelt.  I think Van Pelt is an innovative thinker who is not afraid to take chances and has a healthy dose of self confidence about his offensive philosophy.  I also believe he has a good working relationship with Trent Edwards. 

But ideally, this move should have been made back in January or February.  Many in the Bills  organization, including the owner, expressed reservations about the Bills offensive struggles following the 2008 season.  Why not make the change then, put Van Pelt in place, and give him a fighting chance to develop a coherent offensive strategy for the team.

The upheaval at One Bills Drive in the past week can only foster a sense of uncertainty and doubt in the minds of Bills players, as they get set to start a  new season.  Their challenge, to open the season in Foxboro against a Patriots team favored by many to win the Super Bowl, has been made even greater by the recent moves.

I can’t wait to see how it plays out Monday night in New England.