Buffalo Bills 2006 Offseason (1 Viewer)

[thayman]

Well at least a positive thought....hopefully Levy is putting the team in a position, where enough cap room will be made available, that next year the Bills will be able to target the specific impact players that he wants.

I'm a Skins fan and the first year back with Gibbs was full of "Oh Dear God what is he doing?? is he senile and lost his mind????" But it seems everything had a plan to it. I for one am hoping Levy has the same kind of plan in mind. Not just trying to win it all for one year, but build a team that will compete for many years to come.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I cannot recall a Bills offseason that filled me with this much dread. I'm sure there have been some, but none that I'm aware of or was alive for.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Bills find that the Price is still right

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Receiver returns as a free agent

By ALLEN WILSON

News Sports Reporter

4/11/2006

One week after trading away one of their top wide receivers, the Buffalo Bills brought in another one you might be familiar with.

Peerless Price is back in Buffalo after signing a four-year contract with the team he spent his first four seasons.

Price's deal is worth over $10 million plus incentives, according to NFL sources. His signing is in response to losing Eric Moulds, who was traded to Houston.

Price, 29, gives the Bills another established receiver to help replace Moulds. A 1999 second-round draft pick, Price has played in 103 games and started 83 in his seven-year career.

He adds more depth to a receiving corps that already added free agent Andre Davis and re-signed Josh Reed. Price will compete with them for the No. 2 receiver spot behind Lee Evans.

There was little indication the Bills were working on a deal for Price, who quietly visited One Bills Drive last week. Price's agent, Tim McGee, contacted the Bills after Moulds was traded.

"I felt that if Moulds was being moved, it would be a good opportunity to come in and bridge the gap," said McGee. "When you've got a player of Eric Moulds' caliber leaving, and you have a player of Peerless Price's caliber coming back, I thought it would be a wonderful fit for the team, the player and the community."

Price is tentatively scheduled to be in town next week to speak to the media.

In returning to the Bills, Price is trying to revive a career that stalled considerably since he left the team in 2003. He had his most productive years in Buffalo, catching 232 passes for 3,302 yards and 22 touchdowns in 64 games.

Price's breakout year occurred in 2002 when he and Moulds became one of the NFL's most prolific tandems. Price finished that season with career highs of 94 catches, 1,252 yards and nine touchdowns.

Those numbers came in the final year of Price's contract, but the Bills initially prevented him from becoming a free agent by placing the franchise tag on him. Buffalo eventually traded Price to Atlanta for the Falcons' 2003 first-round draft pick, which was used to select running back Willis McGahee.

Price had grown frustrated with playing a secondary role to Moulds and wanted a chance to be the go-to guy. The Falcons paid Price like a No. 1 wideout, signing him to a $37 million contract that included a $10 million signing bonus.

But Price never became the big-play threat the Falcons thought they were getting, catching 109 passes and only six touchdowns in two seasons. He struggled to find his niche in a run-dominated offense and failed to establish any chemistry with quarterback Michael Vick.

Atlanta showed its displeasure by drafting a wide receiver in the first round in the last two drafts. That cleared the way for Price's release following the 2004 season.

Price hooked on with Dallas, where he reunited with former Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe. But Price didn't see much action with the Cowboys and was waived after playing in just seven games.

Now Price is back in football and back with the Bills, who hope his breakaway speed and playmaking skills have not diminished.

McGee compared Price returning to his own NFL playing career as a wide receiver from 1986-94. He began with the Cincinnati Bengals, then signed a contract with the Washington Redskins before returning to Cincinnati.

"I guess like myself he's come full circle in his career, McGee said. "When I told him what I was trying to do he kind of chuckled because I don't think he took me that seriously. Things heated up last week to where we got to the point where we got a deal done. He's very excited about coming back to Buffalo. He's a young talented player with a lot more to give."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060411/1046007.asp

 

[Thorpe]

If Bills do not trade pick, why not draft Michael Huff from texas to play Safety?

1. It would not be a reach.

2. He can play safety and corner, which makes him pretty valuable against offenses that use 3 WRs.

3. I think safety is a position of need for the Bills. Coy Wire is a good special teamer but he is not an NFL caliber starter.

4. Offensive line is a position of need for the Bills, but there is no way that Brick falls to 8. Justice looks good, but he may not be better than lower ranked players. I think that this is a deep position and that there will be good options. I think there are 7 or tackles that are 1st round quality plus Mangold at. I think the Bills will get a shot at at least 3 of these guys in the second round. Ryan O Callaghan is the type of player who would be available in round 2.

5. QB is a position of need too. The Bills would need to move Losman to take a QB in the first round, and I don't see that happening.

6. Ngata was the obvious pick, but everyone is shying away from him.

If you look at the safeties taken in the first round in the last few years, you have:

Thomas Davis #14 to Carolina

Sean Taylor #6 to Washington

Polamalue #16 to Pitt

Roy Williams #8 to Dallas

Ed Reed #24 to Baltimore

which is a good track record

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I'd be fine with any of the following picks at #8:

TE Vernon Davis

OT Winston Justice

DT Haloti Ngata

DB Michael Huff

as long as they get a stud, I don't care what position he plays. This team is more than 1 player away from competing so get a guy who you think can be a difference maker. My preference would be Justice since he fills a need and seems to no longer be a reach at the 8 spot, but I could see Huff or someone else working out nicely too.

 

[Portis 26]

Can we change the title of this thread to:

Buffalo Bills Trainwreck 2006 Offseason

*** Warning: trainwreck in progress ***

 

[Tommy Collins]

They should've given Marv the coaching job and hired a different GM :-/

 

[Joseph]

I'd be fine with any of the following picks at #8:

TE Vernon Davis

OT Winston Justice

DT Haloti Ngata

DB Michael Huff

as long as they get a stud, I don't care what position he plays. This team is more than 1 player away from competing so get a guy who you think can be a difference maker. My preference would be Justice since he fills a need and seems to no longer be a reach at the 8 spot, but I could see Huff or someone else working out nicely too.

I'm hoping for Justice at 8 and Lutui in the 2nd. Put the defense aside for now, this team has 3 QB's and doesn't know if any of them are any good. Put a line out there that can protect them and they'll be that much closer to finding out. The team has a long way to go, so make this season about finding out what you have at QB and see what happens from there.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

I'd be fine with any of the following picks at #8:

TE Vernon Davis

OT Winston Justice

DT Haloti Ngata

DB Michael Huff

as long as they get a stud, I don't care what position he plays. This team is more than 1 player away from competing so get a guy who you think can be a difference maker. My preference would be Justice since he fills a need and seems to no longer be a reach at the 8 spot, but I could see Huff or someone else working out nicely too.

I'm hoping for Justice at 8 and Lutui in the 2nd. Put the defense aside for now, this team has 3 QB's and doesn't know if any of them are any good. Put a line out there that can protect them and they'll be that much closer to finding out. The team has a long way to go, so make this season about finding out what you have at QB and see what happens from there.

That's exactly what I was thinking! Get the 2 USC lineman and see what happens.

 

[Joseph]

I'd be fine with any of the following picks at #8:

TE Vernon Davis

OT Winston Justice

DT Haloti Ngata

DB Michael Huff

as long as they get a stud, I don't care what position he plays. This team is more than 1 player away from competing so get a guy who you think can be a difference maker. My preference would be Justice since he fills a need and seems to no longer be a reach at the 8 spot, but I could see Huff or someone else working out nicely too.

I'm hoping for Justice at 8 and Lutui in the 2nd. Put the defense aside for now, this team has 3 QB's and doesn't know if any of them are any good. Put a line out there that can protect them and they'll be that much closer to finding out. The team has a long way to go, so make this season about finding out what you have at QB and see what happens from there.

That's exactly what I was thinking! Get the 2 USC lineman and see what happens.

I just realized, I've been thinking that way for a week now, and wasn't even considering that I have the Bills DE in a Dynasty league... Maybe I should change my tune. Nagata here we come!

 

[Gargoylez]

I'd be fine with any of the following picks at #8:

TE Vernon Davis

OT Winston Justice

DT Haloti Ngata

DB Michael Huff

as long as they get a stud, I don't care what position he plays. This team is more than 1 player away from competing so get a guy who you think can be a difference maker. My preference would be Justice since he fills a need and seems to no longer be a reach at the 8 spot, but I could see Huff or someone else working out nicely too.

I'm hoping for Justice at 8 and Lutui in the 2nd. Put the defense aside for now, this team has 3 QB's and doesn't know if any of them are any good. Put a line out there that can protect them and they'll be that much closer to finding out. The team has a long way to go, so make this season about finding out what you have at QB and see what happens from there.

That's exactly what I was thinking! Get the 2 USC lineman and see what happens.

I just realized, I've been thinking that way for a week now, and wasn't even considering that I have the Bills DE in a Dynasty league... Maybe I should change my tune. Nagata here we come!

That wouldnt be there choice per Buffalo Camp. He is not a cover 2 DT.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

I'd be fine with any of the following picks at #8:

TE Vernon Davis

OT Winston Justice

DT Haloti Ngata

DB Michael Huff

as long as they get a stud, I don't care what position he plays. This team is more than 1 player away from competing so get a guy who you think can be a difference maker. My preference would be Justice since he fills a need and seems to no longer be a reach at the 8 spot, but I could see Huff or someone else working out nicely too.

I'm hoping for Justice at 8 and Lutui in the 2nd. Put the defense aside for now, this team has 3 QB's and doesn't know if any of them are any good. Put a line out there that can protect them and they'll be that much closer to finding out. The team has a long way to go, so make this season about finding out what you have at QB and see what happens from there.

That's exactly what I was thinking! Get the 2 USC lineman and see what happens.

I just realized, I've been thinking that way for a week now, and wasn't even considering that I have the Bills DE in a Dynasty league... Maybe I should change my tune. Nagata here we come!

I have Schobel and Denney in Z30!

 

[Joseph]

I'd be fine with any of the following picks at #8:

TE Vernon Davis

OT Winston Justice

DT Haloti Ngata

DB Michael Huff

as long as they get a stud, I don't care what position he plays. This team is more than 1 player away from competing so get a guy who you think can be a difference maker. My preference would be Justice since he fills a need and seems to no longer be a reach at the 8 spot, but I could see Huff or someone else working out nicely too.

I'm hoping for Justice at 8 and Lutui in the 2nd. Put the defense aside for now, this team has 3 QB's and doesn't know if any of them are any good. Put a line out there that can protect them and they'll be that much closer to finding out. The team has a long way to go, so make this season about finding out what you have at QB and see what happens from there.

That's exactly what I was thinking! Get the 2 USC lineman and see what happens.

I just realized, I've been thinking that way for a week now, and wasn't even considering that I have the Bills DE in a Dynasty league... Maybe I should change my tune. Nagata here we come!

That wouldnt be there choice per Buffalo Camp. He is not a cover 2 DT.

I hear that Nagata doesn't fit their defense, but it seems Bunkley is a similar player to Tripplett, smaller, penetrating DT's. If those two were manning the middle for Buffalo I'd be even less than excited about the team's run de.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

It's inevitable the Bills will eventually go

4/14/2006

By BUCKY GLEASON

They've been dropping hints for years as younger, absurdly wealthy owners began assuming power and the old guard died off. We can read between the lines. We know the NFL could do without poor little Buffalo and its economic problems while a potential gold mine in Los Angeles sits empty.

Hey, we get it.

Sports aren't really sports to the people that control them. Games are played under the guise of competition, but they're a means of stuffing pockets of people who don't need the money. There's so much dough involved in sports these days that the average person can't possibly keep up.

No matter how confusing revenue sharing, television contracts and collective bargaining agreements have become, you can take this to the bank: The next owner who provides an accurate account of his profits will be the first. Every time an owner claims he's losing money, I'm convinced he's actually making less.

It's what made Ralph Wilson's latest argument impossible to accept. The NFL salary cap for the upcoming season is expected to be about $102 million. Each team will collect more than $100 million from television revenue alone. Obviously, there are other costs, but Wilson is either grossly exaggerating his expenses or he has a terrible business plan.

Jeffrey Littmann, Wilson's ace bean counter, is too intelligent for the latter. The Bills have sold out nearly every game for the past three years. NFL stadiums are 90 percent full every week. Owners have only become richer. But this one is worried about losing money? Please.

The rhetoric coming from One Bills Drive sure sounds like a franchise that's striking fear into the community and laying the groundwork to split town. If the Bills are worth $600 million in Orchard Park, imagine their value if L.A. ever gets its act together and corporate sponsors start getting involved. It would certainly take the sting out of whatever inheritance costs are incurred by Wilson's family.

And to think fans walk into The Ralph without sweating the money. Sundays in autumn are an escape from everyday problems, the one day Western New York is united. It doesn't matter if you're a politician, cop, laborer or garbage collector. On Sunday, you're a Bills fan. I've said it a thousand times. Buffalo isn't just a snowy city along Lake Erie. It's a state of mind. It's what makes it so charming.

Owners care about one thing: money. It's what makes the Bills' departure seem inevitable. They can increase ticket prices and draw closer to the saturation point. Wilson could sell the stadium naming rights, but you can't help but think we're on borrowed time with this franchise.

If the Colts moved from Baltimore and the Browns moved from Cleveland, the Bills could leave Buffalo. The lease certainly isn't going to keep the Bills here. It could be bought out today for $14 million, pocket change for today's owners who are devoid of emotion about the Bills and their value to the community.

Nineteen new stadiums have been built since 1989, when Paul Tagliabue took over as commissioner. Fourteen have been built since 1999. Suite costs have skyrocketed across the league, which generates more revenue. The Bills aren't building a new stadium. The local and state governments couldn't afford it, the owner isn't about to build one and he couldn't get comparable suite money if he did.

At this point, not much seems in the way. Wilson's credibility in NFL meetings has all but vanished. His cronies have died or settled into retirement. Newer owners ignored him while he contested the new CBA. They're already looking beyond his arguments and toward where sports have been headed for years.

I can't say it more subtly than this: The average male lives into his mid-70s. Wilson is 87. It no longer seems a question of if the Bills leave, but when. And that leads us to the most important question: What will you do when they're gone?

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060414/1038154.asp

 

[Thorpe]

It's inevitable the Bills will eventually go

4/14/2006

By BUCKY GLEASON

They've been dropping hints for years as younger, absurdly wealthy owners began assuming power and the old guard died off. We can read between the lines. We know the NFL could do without poor little Buffalo and its economic problems while a potential gold mine in Los Angeles sits empty.

Hey, we get it.

Sports aren't really sports to the people that control them. Games are played under the guise of competition, but they're a means of stuffing pockets of people who don't need the money. There's so much dough involved in sports these days that the average person can't possibly keep up.

No matter how confusing revenue sharing, television contracts and collective bargaining agreements have become, you can take this to the bank: The next owner who provides an accurate account of his profits will be the first. Every time an owner claims he's losing money, I'm convinced he's actually making less.

It's what made Ralph Wilson's latest argument impossible to accept. The NFL salary cap for the upcoming season is expected to be about $102 million. Each team will collect more than $100 million from television revenue alone. Obviously, there are other costs, but Wilson is either grossly exaggerating his expenses or he has a terrible business plan.

Jeffrey Littmann, Wilson's ace bean counter, is too intelligent for the latter. The Bills have sold out nearly every game for the past three years. NFL stadiums are 90 percent full every week. Owners have only become richer. But this one is worried about losing money? Please.

The rhetoric coming from One Bills Drive sure sounds like a franchise that's striking fear into the community and laying the groundwork to split town. If the Bills are worth $600 million in Orchard Park, imagine their value if L.A. ever gets its act together and corporate sponsors start getting involved. It would certainly take the sting out of whatever inheritance costs are incurred by Wilson's family.

And to think fans walk into The Ralph without sweating the money. Sundays in autumn are an escape from everyday problems, the one day Western New York is united. It doesn't matter if you're a politician, cop, laborer or garbage collector. On Sunday, you're a Bills fan. I've said it a thousand times. Buffalo isn't just a snowy city along Lake Erie. It's a state of mind. It's what makes it so charming.

Owners care about one thing: money. It's what makes the Bills' departure seem inevitable. They can increase ticket prices and draw closer to the saturation point. Wilson could sell the stadium naming rights, but you can't help but think we're on borrowed time with this franchise.

If the Colts moved from Baltimore and the Browns moved from Cleveland, the Bills could leave Buffalo. The lease certainly isn't going to keep the Bills here. It could be bought out today for $14 million, pocket change for today's owners who are devoid of emotion about the Bills and their value to the community.

Nineteen new stadiums have been built since 1989, when Paul Tagliabue took over as commissioner. Fourteen have been built since 1999. Suite costs have skyrocketed across the league, which generates more revenue. The Bills aren't building a new stadium. The local and state governments couldn't afford it, the owner isn't about to build one and he couldn't get comparable suite money if he did.

At this point, not much seems in the way. Wilson's credibility in NFL meetings has all but vanished. His cronies have died or settled into retirement. Newer owners ignored him while he contested the new CBA. They're already looking beyond his arguments and toward where sports have been headed for years.

I can't say it more subtly than this: The average male lives into his mid-70s. Wilson is 87. It no longer seems a question of if the Bills leave, but when. And that leads us to the most important question: What will you do when they're gone?

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060414/1038154.asp

LA doesn't want a team. And there is no way the Bills extract any money from NY State.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Peerless returns, ego intact

4/21/2006

By JERRY SULLIVAN

Humility was never Peerless Price's strong suit. In his early days in Buffalo, Price carried himself with a swaggering superiority, far beyond his modest achievements as an NFL receiver. Eric Moulds, an early mentor, sometimes urged the kid to tone it down until he'd done something in the league.

So it was no surprise to hear Price begin his second tour as a Bill by insisting he has not been humbled by three successive seasons of struggle and decline.

"I wouldn't say humbling," Price said Thursday in his re-introduction to the local media. "But it has been a learning experience for me."

Well, if Price isn't humbled, he ought to be. Three years ago, Atlanta, desperate for an elite wide receiver to play with Michael Vick, gave the Bills a first-round draft pick for the privilege of signing Price to a $37 million contract with a $10 million signing bonus.

Price never came close to living up to the deal, or approaching the 94 catches he had for the Bills in 2002. The Falcons soon discovered what Tom Donahoe knew when he traded Price: He wasn't a No. 1 receiver. He was a speedy No. 2 who had profited from playing alongside Moulds in Kevin Gilbride's pass-oriented attack.

His catches dropped to 64 in his first year with the Falcons, and to 45 in 2004. Atlanta drafted a receiver in the first round two straight years after acquiring Price, then parted ways before the 2005 season. Dallas picked him up, thinking he might click again with Drew Bledsoe. Price caught six passes in seven games and got waived.

So he's back in Buffalo, enriched by a four-year, $10 million deal with an estimated $1.8 million bonus. It's a generous contract for a guy who was practically out of the league, and a sign of how thin the free-agent market was for receivers.

Price is the perceived front-runner for the No. 2 receiver job. But if he's the Bills' second-best wideout, it's not a good sign. The Falcons gave up on him. Bill Parcells cut him with the Cowboys battling for a playoff berth. I put more stock in Parcells' judgment than Marv Levy's or **** Jauron's.

The fact is, Price is on his third team in three years. He has a lot to prove in his second go-round in Buffalo, and even he admits it. Sort of.

"I think every year in this league you have something to prove," Price said, "something you set your sights on, some goals you set for yourself and your team. So yeah, I feel like I have something to prove and everybody on our team should feel that way."

Not everyone is trying to justify his existence in the league, though. Price is playing for his career now. He rationalizes his failure in Atlanta, pointing out that the Falcons led the NFL in rushing and had no need for a pricy receiver.

"I honestly felt it was a bad fit," he said. "I know if I was the GM or owner, I wouldn't pay a receiver that much money if he's not going to have the opportunity to make plays."

Yeah, but an elite wideout finds a way to make plays. No coach or system can hold back a truly great player. Price wasn't the star the Falcons expected. He was one of the biggest busts in recent NFL history, a waste of money. Dan Reeves, the Falcons' coach at the time, is still reminding people that he tried to talk owner Arthur Blank out of pursuing Price.

Maybe Price will resurrect his career. He says he'd older and wiser. He understands the game better. He believes he can be a factor in Steve Fairchild's offense.

"I think there will be a lot of opportunities for guys to make plays," Price said. "Wide receivers, tight ends, running backs - we've got some talent here. Hopefully, all of us will get to use it and make some plays and win some games."

At this point, Price is another uncertainty at a muddled position. The Bills have an unproven No. 1 in Lee Evans, and no clear favorite for No. 2. Price could solve a lot of problems if he returns to his form of '02. I'll believe it when I see it, just like old times.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060421/1031072.asp

 

[Baracuda]

The Bills must stay in Buffalo.

First Moulds leaves, then Price comes back, now everyone is saying Ralph Wilson's almost dead, and his kids are going to sell the team and move the Bills out of Buffalo. Okay, I'm officially depressed.

Worst offseason ever.

Thank goodness the Bills are only my 2nd favorite team.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Bills could go big with Bunkley

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Defensive tackle appears to be good fit

By MARK GAUGHAN

News Sports Reporter

4/22/2006

Broderick Bunkley could be the Bills' top pick.

The Buffalo Bills recognize the need to go for big men in the NFL Draft, and the evidence is pointing toward Florida State defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley as their likeliest first-round pick.

Bunkley is a 6-foot-21/2, 305-pounder who can play nose tackle, and he looks like a great fit for the Tampa-style defense the Bills are adopting under new coach **** Jauron.

The Bills would not tip their hand Friday on what they will do with the eighth overall pick during their annual predraft news briefing. However, they offered some nuggets of information and plenty of general assessments of players available when the draft is held next weekend.

"We do need to address the offensive and defensive line, yes," acknowledged Bills assistant general manager Tom Modrak, referring to the draft as a whole, not necessarily the first round.

The nose tackle position on the four-man defensive line is either No. 1A or No. 1B on the Bills' list of needs. Left tackle is the other top priority position.

However, there is not an offensive tackle worth taking in the top 10 picks after Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who is expected to go in the top four.

Southern California's Winston Justice is the next best offensive tackle behind Ferguson. But Modrak said Ferguson is the only lineman the Bills have rated in the top 10.

Safety Michael Huff of Texas is widely regarded as a top-10 talent, and some scouts think he can start at cornerback because he ran a time of 4.34 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

The Bills, however, don't sound like they consider Huff a guy who could replace Nate Clements as a starting corner (Clements is tied to the Bills only for 2006).

"I think on some boards he probably is a corner," Modrak said of Huff. "On our board he's a safety, but that doesn't mean he couldn't play corner. At the very least he could from the safety position step up and play third wideout. That keeps you from making a substitution, and he can play man."

Huff is considered a strong candidate to go ninth to Detroit, if not before.

He's probably not the guy if one believes the answer general manager Marv Levy gave in response to the question of whether the Bills would be willing to trade down from No. 8.

"In fact, the guy we sort of like right now, my strong guess would be he'll be there four spaces below," Levy said.

So that appears to rule out Huff. But it rules in Bunkley, and perhaps Justice in the somewhat unlikely event they found a trade-down deal.

The Bills are set at one defensive tackle spot with free-agent signee Larry Tripplett, a quick, 285-pounder who penetrates the backfield. Tripplett plays the "three technique," which means he lines up opposite the outside shoulder of a guard. The other defensive tackle, who likes up over the center, ideally is a guy who is bigger than Tripplett but still can attack the line of scrimmage. A two-gap nose tackle, like behemoths Ted Washington or Tony Siragusa, is not a perfect fit for the Tampa-style defense, popularized by current Colts coach Tony Dungy.

Asked to assess Bunkley, Modrak said: "He's a high-motor guy. That term gets overly used now but it's for real. He's a high motor guy. . . . He had great workouts. He had a very good Senior Bowl. . . . He's had a good career at Florida State. He's athletic. He's got size. He's quick enough to be a three technique. That's the guy who has to have some quickness off the ball. But he's stout enough that he can hold up as a one (nose tackle). That's an advantage for him."

Bunkley is chiseled. He has just 12 percent body fat, remarkably low for a defensive lineman. He has freakish strength. He bench-pressed 225 pounds 44 times this spring. Only two players at any postion in the last seven years have done more at the scouting combine. They both did 45.

Bunkley had 25 tackles for loss as a senior, the most in the nation, and had nine sacks.

"He's a strong guy," Modrak said. "I know the bench press is an indicator but even better than that is he's strong through the lower (body), and he can play with leverage. So he's got kind of a power pack that can help him come off the ball. He'll be able to separate from people. He's strong."

Some scouts have Oregon's Haloti Ngata as the No. 1 defensive tackle. Modrak said Friday Ngata would fit the Bills' defense. But Ngata is a 345-pounder. Detroit coach Rod Marinelli, formerly Tampa's defensive line coach, said at the scouting combine that Bunkley is clearly a better fit for the Tampa defense than Ngata.

All indications are the Bills will not even consider a quarterback at No. 8, even if Texas' Vince Young falls that far, because they just invested two No. 1s in J.P. Losman and have a three-way competition going among Losman, Kelly Holcomb and Craig Nall.

"We feel good about our quarterback situation," Levy said. "I don't want to say what we are or aren't going to do because it affects to a degree your posture when it comes to potential trades."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060422/1021607.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

COMEBACKER

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BILL'S TAKEO SPIKES IS DETERMINED TO REGAIN HIS PRO BOWL FORM AFTER TEARING HIS ACHILLES TENDON

By ALLEN WILSON

NEWS SPORTS REPORTER

4/24/2006

Talking to Takeo Spikes, you get the feeling that he's ready to suit up for the Buffalo Bills today. But now is not the time.

The season opener at New England is the target date for the veteran linebacker, who expects to be fully recovered from his Achilles injury by then.

Spikes is seven months into his rehabilitation, which usually takes up to 10 months. A torn Achilles tendon is not an easy injury for a mobile player to overcome.

But for those who wonder if Spikes can recapture his Pro Bowl form, he has this response: Don't bet against me.

"I was always told this, and I know it's true, once a dog knows how to bite he doesn't forget," Spikes said by phone from his offseason home in Atlanta. "I don't care if that dog has jaw surgery he's still going to know how to bite when he gets healthy because that's in his instincts.

"I'm a football player. That's what I do. I'll be back. Not only that, I'll be better than I was before the injury. I promise you that."

Spikes' optimism comes from the progress he's made since Dr. James Andrews, the noted Birmingham, Ala.-based orthopedic surgeon, repaired his tendon.

Spikes has drawn inspiration from the number of calls he gets from teammates and from others who have resumed careers after suffering the same injury, including Seattle linebacker Julian Peterson and basketball Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins.

Spikes even started a campaign called "The Comeback 2006" to hype his return. On his web site, takeospikes51.com, he is selling a T-shirt with the slogan "I'll be back: BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER, BETTER," emblazoned on the front.

Spikes and his agent, Todd France, came up with the concept during the early stages of Spikes' rehab.

"We did a sample and I liked it," Spikes said. "Ever since then, that's the goal, and I've been pushing for it."

Spikes has a great passion for the game and a drive to be the best. So it should come as no surprise that he's determined to make a full recovery.

"Takeo is the kind of guy that is relentless," France said. "He doesn't accept anything but perfection from himself. He is doing everything, and then some, to get himself not only to where he was before but better than he was before. And if there's anyone who can do that, it's Takeo. I won't bet against him for all the money in the world."

Spikes spends long hours working with his trainer and physical therapist. His daily regimen consists of weight lifting, stretching and light running. He takes a kick boxing class twice a week to improve his flexibility. He does plyometrics, an exercise designed to increase power and explosiveness in the muscles. He works on functional drills that simulate his movements on the field.

"It's been a long, tiresome, tedious process," Spikes said. "For the first three or four months it was hard just because from a physical standpoint I couldn't do anything. I had to just let it heal. Mentally it was tough because you're always trying to meet new challenges. When I got used to doing certain drills and thought I had it mastered, my physical rehab guy would throw something else at me. So as soon as you think you have it, he would come in there and humble you back down. It was a good strategy.

"It was hard sometimes to be patient, but what helped keep me in check was I had to realize, "It's only March. You have to be ready in September, not April. So don't do something stupid.' "

Spikes is doing his rehab in Atlanta, but the Bills' medical staff has been able to monitor him. The Bills are pleased with Spikes' progress but are in no rush to get him on the field.

"Our plan now is to take it very slow with him obviously through the offseason and then right into training camp," coach **** Jauron said. "We'll proceed cautiously and slowly. We sat down and talked about it a great deal. We'll see how he's doing it. He's doing really well on his rehab. We think he's right on course and we're counting on him to play. But we do have a plan, and we intend to take it pretty slowly."

As for Spikes, he can't suit up fast enough. He had only brief conversations with Jauron, but he's excited about the new defense and his role in it.

Will Spikes be the player he was? Will he have the same explosiveness?

"One my favorite quotes of all time is, "A man can't have vision if his imagination is out of focus,' " Spikes answered. "You've got to imagine yourself doing it. That's why I'm so sure I'm going to be OK because I've seen myself making the big play. I've seen myself making cuts like I use to but doing it even better. I've seen myself making hard hits.

"I love what I do, and I can't wait for the day I can walk out of that tunnel at Ralph Wilson Stadium and hear the fans chant "TKO.' It's going to be an emotional moment, man. I've got so much built up inside me that when I get on the field that team better get ready because somebody is going to get dropped."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060424/1013390.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Busy Bills got younger

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Question is whether player signings made them better

By MARK GAUGHAN

News Sports Reporter

4/26/2006

The Buffalo Bills might have done some fantastic value shopping the past six weeks. They have acquired a bunch of young players at reasonable prices who could be ready to blossom into key contributors.

It's also possible that the Bills have been furiously spinning their wheels and not gaining much ground. Despite a flurry of offseason activity, it's hard to say for sure if they have made much of a net gain in their overall talent level.

How much better are the Bills than when they ended last season with a 5-11 record? That's the question facing the team now that the free-agent shopping season has wound down.

Two things are certain:

The Bills have done more shopping this offseason than in any other year since free agency began in 1993.

They have made their roster younger by spending their money on twenty-somethings, not aging veterans.

"That's the kind of players we targeted," said coach **** Jauron. "There's no law that says we can't or won't bring in older players here. But we were looking for guys who, if we're right about them, will be with us for three to five to seven years."

"We've brought in players," General Manager Marv Levy said. "It isn't we're saying to the guys who are here, "OK he's replacing you.' It really isn't. I think all of them will play better if there's a sense of true competition for the spot."

The Bills have signed 11 unrestricted free agents from other teams, re-signed six of their own free agents and tried but failed to add two other restricted free agents who wound up staying put.

The Bills also lost seven noteworthy players from last year's roster. Four were cut or traded - receiver Eric Moulds, safety Lawyer Milloy, defensive tackle Sam Adams and tight end Mark Campbell. Three left via free agency - center Trey Teague, and backup defensive tackles Ron Edwards and Justin Bannan.

The Bills did not go the big-splash route, as rival Miami did in trading for quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Of the Bills' 11 newcomers, only tight end Robert Royal started more than 10 games last year, and he wasn't even the No. 1 tight end for the Washington Redskins.

Nevertheless, there's a good chance the starting lineup will include five imported free agents - Royal, defensive tackle Larry Tripplett, receiver Peerless Price, center Melvin Fowler and safety Matt Bowen.

Here's a rundown on the additions to the roster:

Larry Tripplett. The defensive tackle from Indianapolis has the best reputation of any of the Bills' additions. He's a lock to start at one DT spot.

"He's a high-character guy, a high-motor guy," Jauron said. "He's a young guy with an upside. He's starting to play really good football. He's got athletic ability to make plays out of the three technique [lining up opposite the outside shoulder of a guard]."

Tripplett, 27, is a smaller, quicker, penetrating lineman suited to the one-gap style used in the Bills' new defense. He was the Colts' No. 3 tackle last year, playing behind Corey Simon and Montae Reagor. He got a lot of playing time, and the Colts liked him. But he was not going to beat out Simon, and they could not afford to keep him. The move to Buffalo should not be a hard adjustment for Tripplett. He will be playing exactly the same position and techniques he played with the Colts. He looks like a good fit.

Peerless Price: The signing of Price at least slightly softened the blow of losing Moulds via trade. The question is: Can Price recapture the form that saw him catch 94 passes from Drew Bledsoe in Buffalo in 2002? Price never found his groove as a No. 1 receiver in Atlanta, catching 65 passes in '03 and 45 in '04. Falcons coach Jim Mora grumbled about Price's blocking in the Falcons' run-oriented offense, and Price was cut before last season. He signed with Dallas but managed only six catches before being cut by the Cowboys.

Price is only 29. The St. Louis-style, downfield-passing offense would seem to be a good fit for him. With Lee Evans on the other side of the field, he should not be the focus of the defense's attention. Price also should be plenty motivated to re-establish himself in the NFL.

Robert Royal: The Bills are counting on Royal to help their offensive line in the run game.

"We love the way he plays the game," Jauron said. "We're looking for somebody who can knock people off the ball for us and that can also stretch the field a little bit. He's very athletic for a big guy. He's got that speed, and that will keep some people honest. Primarily we liked how he knocked people off the ball."

Royal did not stretch the field last year. He caught 18 passes for a 7.3-yard average. The 'Skins used No. 1 tight end Chris Cooley as their pass catcher. Cooley caught 71 passes. With veteran Chris Villarrial at right guard, Jason Peters at right tackle and Royal next to Peters at tight end, the Bills think they have a convoy for Willis McGahee.

"With Willis and our young right tackle Jason, we feel like we can help our quarterbacks mature, make the game a little easier for them, if we can run the ball successfully, play-action pass, keep some people really honest and fearful of what we're going to do running the football," Jauron said.

Craig Nall: The Bills hope they have found a steal in the former Green Bay Packers backup. The dream scenario for the Bills is he turns out to be another Jake Delhomme. Of course, for every Delhomme, who comes out of nowhere to star, there are dozens of Travis Browns, who don't.

Nall has played only two seasons in the last eight years - his senior year of college and a year in NFL Europe, where he was the top-rated passer. Green Bay didn't think he was too special, because the Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round last year after having Nall in the fold for three years. Nevertheless, Nall has good size and has shown some glimpses of being good in preseason. The Bills hope he's ready to blossom now that he has a chance to win a job for the first time.

Andre' Davis: Davis will be trying to win regular playing time after managing limited spot duty in New England last year. Davis has superb straight-line speed and is a former second-round pick, but he has not been able to stay healthy in his career.

"We really liked his downfield speed," Jauron said of Davis. "He's a tough guy who will come inside and block and compete for the ball. We thought he was a high-character guy. We thought he'd come in and compete hard for that second or the third wide receiver position. We hope there's a lot of upside to him and he's just going to get better. I like that speed down the field."

Davis never met expectations with the Browns, partly because he has been hampered by nagging foot and leg injuries. Davis' best year for the Browns was in 2003 when he caught 40 passes for 576 yards. But that was his only fully healthy season. In four years, he has 102 catches for 1,602 yards and a 15.7-yard average. He caught nine passes for the Pats last year.

Davis could push Price for a starting job opposite Evans. More likely, he will try to prove he can be the fourth or fifth wideout on the roster.

Melvin Fowler: A 6-3, 295-pounder, Fowler started 10 games for Cleveland in 2003 but lost his starting spot to top pick Jeff Faine in 2004. The Vikings acquired him last year after their starting center, Matt Birk, got hurt. Fowler started nine games for Minnesota and received fairly good reviews. His credentials thus far in the NFL don't suggest he's an upgrade on Teague, however he was much more highly regarded coming out of college. Fowler was a third-round pick.

Fowler is penciled in as the Bills' starter but he will have to hold off challenger Duke Preston.

"He's very athletic," Jauron said. "He's been a starter in the NFL. We had Trey [Teague] out on free agency so we had a spot there where we really wanted to get a guy there who had started. We really like the guy."

Matt Bowen: Bowen is the likely man to replace Lawyer Milloy at strong safety, although he will have to beat out incumbent reserve Coy Wire to do it. Bowen got decent reviews as a starter for Washington in 2003, then lost his job due to injury in 2004 and never reclaimed it.

"A very tough guy, hard working guy, loves the game, studies the game," Jauron said. "He's very, very into football. It's important to him."

The Bills also like Bowen's special-teams ability.

"When I came in I went to (special teams coach) Bobby April and I said, "Every day when that waiver wire comes in, look it over and if there's a special teamer that blows you away in there, let me know.' So I never heard from Bobby until Matt Bowen came out," Jauron said.

The Bills added four other lower-profile free agents in recent weeks.

Offensive tackle Aaron Gibson is a 360-pound giant who was a bust as a first-round pick in Detroit. But he has starting experience, and if he is in shape he could be an upgrade as a backup to either Peters or Villarrial on the right side of the line.

Cornerback Kiwaukee Thomas has played in 85 NFL games and has lots of experience playing in the nickel and dime defenses in passing situations. He spent his first five years in Jacksonville and was with Miami last year. He's no lock to get playing time because the Bills' third and fourth corners (Eric King and Jabari Greer) have done well.

Also signed were cornerback James Bethea, an NFL Europe product, and offensive tackle Matt Morgan, a former Rams practice squad player.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060426/1054907.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Bills fill big need at guard

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Former Panther Reyes provides flexibility

By MARK GAUGHAN

News Sports Reporter

4/28/2006

The Buffalo Bills signed a starting caliber guard Thursday and gave themselves more flexibility in Saturday's NFL Draft.

Tutan Reyes, who started the past two years for the Carolina Panthers, agreed to terms with the Bills.

Reyes, 28, immediately becomes the top candidate to start at left guard, ahead of incumbent Bennie Anderson. Reyes is the 12th unrestricted free agent from another team signed by the Bills this offseason and the second offensive lineman. Melvin Fowler, formerly of Cleveland and Minnesota, is expected to be the Bills' new starting center.

The signing of Reyes takes guard off the Bills' list of prime draft needs. When the Bills make the 42nd overall pick early in the second round, they would have the chance to draft the first- or second-best guard available, perhaps USC road grader Deuce Lutui. That's not likely now.

If the Bills go with their primary need in the first round, defensive tackle, they would be free to address offensive tackle in the second round. Or they could go in another direction if a player they like falls on the draft board to No. 42.

Florida State's Brodrick Bunkley is the top defensive tackle on the Bills' radar screen. Philadelphia, which picks 14th, also covets Bunkley and is interested in trading up to try to get him, according to a league source.

In 2004, the 6-foot-3, 310-pound Reyes started four games at left guard and eight at right guard. In 2005, Reyes started all 16 games at right guard. Carolina ranked third in total yards and fourth in rushing yards last year.

The Panthers drafted guard Evan Mathis in the third round of last year's draft and believe he's ready to take over as a starter, so they did not pursue re-signing Reyes. Carolina thinks Mathis has more potential than Reyes.

"He's a young yet experienced offensive lineman who functioned in an offense that worked well last year," Bills General Manager Marv Levy said.

Detroit and Houston also showed interest in Reyes, originally a fifth-round pick of New Orleans in 2000.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060428/1043283.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

For Bills, Bunkley may be there for the taking

By MARK GAUGHAN

News Sports Reporter

4/29/2006

The Buffalo Bills will get the chance to become a bigger, tougher football team this weekend.

The Bills enter today's NFL Draft with needs at defensive tackle and offensive tackle. The top-rated defensive tackle in the draft, Florida State's Brodrick Bunkley, is virtually certain to be available to Buffalo in the first round, and there should be some respectable offensive tackles on the board for the Bills in the second, third or fourth rounds.

It all gets started at noon when the Houston Texans make Maryland's Mario Williams the No. 1 pick. There figures to be a scramble to draft USC's Reggie Bush and the top three quarterbacks - Vince Young (Texas), Matt Leinart (USC) and Jay Cutler (Vanderbilt).

The Bills' selection should come some time between 1:15 and 2:15 p.m. if they stay in the eighth overall spot.

Besides reinforcements in the trenches, the Bills may look for better depth at cornerback, safety and linebacker. The need for depth at running back was lessened Friday by the signing of former Bears back Anthony Thomas, who adds more security behind starter Willis McGahee.

At No. 8, the Bills could be staring at a choice between Bunkley and Texas safety Michael Huff. The Bills love tight end Vernon Davis and have a high grade on linebacker A.J. Hawk, but neither are expected to last past the first six picks. Defensive tackle is more of a need for the Bills than safety. A few teams have 340-pound Haloti Ngata rated above the 305-pound Bunkley, but Bunkley appears to be a better fit for the Tampa-style defense the Bills are running.

What if Leinart slips to No. 8? All the Bills' comments since February indicate they will pass on a QB. The Bills might be tempted to move down from No. 8 (tackle Winston Justice is a mid-first-round talent), but it probably would take a second-round pick to move. St. Louis (No. 11) and Philadelphia (No. 14) may want to move on.

The Bills pick 42nd overall in the second round. Miami's Eric Winston, the third-best offensive tackle, may go in the 30-to-40 range. Auburn tackle Marcus McNeill is highly rated but there are concerns about his back. If a defensive end like Penn State's Tamba Hali fell to 42, he might be attractive to Buffalo, as might cornerback Richard Marshall (Fresno) or linebackers Rocky McIntosh (Miami) or Thomas Howard (UTEP).

More offensive linemen may be viable targets in the third round, when the Bills pick 70th and 73rd. They include Charles Spencer (Pitt), Andrew Whitworth (LSU), Jeremy Trueblood (Boston College) and Ryan O'Callaghan (California).

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060429/1020192.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Donahoe drafts get average grade

By ALLEN WILSON

News Sports Reporter

4/29/2006

Tom Donahoe refused to take credit for the Buffalo Bills' drafts. The team's former president and general manager always said the selection process was a group effort.

He did get plenty of input from the coaches and the club's college scouting department, headed by assistant GM Tom Modrak. But the final decision was Donahoe's call. And right or wrong, the success or failure of any draft falls at the feet of the man in charge.

Donahoe's overall draft numbers reflect a passing grade, but just barely. Of the 43 players drafted by the Bills during his five-year tenure, 26 are still on the roster but only seven are listed as starters. Three have gone to the Pro Bowl, but only one was voted in. The other two were injury replacements.

Those aren't great results, worthy of no better than a C. However, most Bills fans would prefer a lower grade because of Donahoe's inability to bolster the offensive line through the draft. None of the starters at the end of last season was drafted by the Bills.

The final grade on Donahoe's drafts is yet to be written. His record will take a significant bump up if quarterback J.P. Losman, who cost the Bills their 2005 first-round pick, turns out to be good. But if Losman busts, Donahoe's overall grade will drop to a D or maybe an F. Why? Because he will have failed on decisions involving four of his six No. 1 picks (Mike Williams in 2002, the 2003 pick given away in the '02 Drew Bledsoe trade and Losman in '04 and '05).

No NFL executive likes being second-guessed, but it comes with the territory. So here's one view of the best and worst draft picks of the Donahoe era:

Hits

CB Nate Clements (2001 first round, 21st overall): A starter since his rookie year, he's one of the best in the NFL at his position. He has 20 career interceptions and a club record six return touchdowns (four interceptions, two punts).

RB Willis McGahee (2003 first round, 23rd overall): Donahoe's biggest draft-day gamble paid off as McGahee overcame a severe knee injury to become one of the NFL's best backs with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

DE Aaron Schobel (2001 second round, 46th overall): Nine defensive linemen were taken before Schobel, including seven in the first round. He's had a better career than most of them, becoming one of the league's best pass rushers. He had a career-high 12 sacks last season and has 461/2 for his career.

RB Travis Henry (2001 second round, 58th overall): Had two of the most productive years for a running back in Bills history, rushing for 1,438 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2002 and 1,356 yards and 10 TDs in 2003. Injuries and the emergence of McGahee ended Henry's run. He was traded to Tennessee before the '05 season.

WR Lee Evans (2004 first round, 13th overall): Of the seven receivers taken in the first round, only Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald and Detroit's Roy Williams can match Evans' production. A deep threat with blazing speed, Evans enters his third season as the Bills' No. 1 receiving option.

CB Terrence McGee (2003 fourth round, 111th overall): A great second-day find. He has been a player on the rise since becoming a starter in his second year. He's arguably the NFL's best kickoff returner as well.

OT Jonas Jennings (2001 third round, 95th overall): When healthy, he was an effective - and sometimes outstanding - blocker who started games at right and left tackle. He joined San Francisco via free agency last year.

LB Angelo Crowell (2003 third round, 94th overall): A backup who showed he could excel as a starter last season when Takeo Spikes went down with an Achilles injury.

Misses

OT Mike Williams (2002 first round, fourth overall): Few questioned this pick at the time, but Williams became one of the worst draft busts in Bills history. The 6-foot-6, 360-pound Williams never became the dominant blocker he was expected to be. If respected line coach Jim McNally couldn't get the best out of Williams, who can?

Who they could have had: Many debated whether Williams or OT Bryant McKinnie was the better pick. Now we know. Pro Bowl mainstays like safeties Roy Williams and Ed Reed, DE Dwight Freeney and TE Jeremy Shockey were also available when the Bills took Williams.

WR Josh Reed (2002 second round, 36th overall): He still has a chance to remove himself from this list, but dropped passes and shaken confidence have resulted in unfulfilled expectations during his first four seasons.

Who they could have had: C LeCharles Bentley, RB Clinton Portis and SS Michael Lewis are Pro Bowlers. WR Antwaan Randle-El helped lead Pittsburgh to the Super Bowl XL title. WR Deion Branch, the last pick in Round Two, was MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX. Bills passed over DT Larry Tripplett and WR Andre Davis, but acquired them as free agents last month.

DT Ron Edwards (2001 third round, 76th overall): Started in his second and fifth seasons, but never reached full potential because of injuries and inconsistent play.

Who they could have had: OT Kareem McKenzie has been a starter for the Jets and Giants. DE Reggie Hayward is a pass-rushing specialist for Jacksonville. S Dwight Smith, a solid starter for Tampa Bay and New Orleans, returned two interceptions for touchdowns in Tampa Bay's Super Bowl XXXVII win.

LB Brandon Spoon (2001 fourth round, 110th overall): Was injury prone for most of his brief career.

Who they could have had: RT Ryan Diem has become a solid starter for the Colts. RT Floyd Womack has been a key contributor in Seattle.

Middle of the road

DE Ryan Denney (2002 second round, 61st overall): The Bills traded up to get him, but he needs to be more productive to justify the move.

SS Coy Wire (2002 third round, 97th overall): Hasn't done enough to be labeled a hit, but he isn't a miss either. A starter as a rookie, he may be relegated to a career reserve role unless he beats out newcomer Matt Bowen in training camp.

DT Justin Bannan (2002 fifth round, 139th overall): Wasn't more than a serviceable backup. Signed with Baltimore this spring.

Jury still out

DE Chris Kelsay (2003 second round, 48th overall): Two-year starter has been a solid contributor, but can still be better.

QB J.P. Losman (2004 first round, 22nd overall): Must rebound from erratic first season as starter to avoid being labeled a disappointment.

DT Tim Anderson (2004 third round, 74th overall): Coming off decent first year as a starter, but needs to do more to be a difference maker.

TE Tim Euhus (2004 fourth round, 109th overall): Development slowed by injuries and lack of involvement in offense.

WR Roscoe Parrish (2005 second round, 55th overall): Many questioned pick given team's other needs. After missing first six games with wrist injury, the speedy 5-9, 168-pounder hopes to get more chances to flash his big-play ability.

TE Kevin Everett (2005 third round, 88th overall): Knee injury robbed him of rookie year, but he has the athletic skills to be a player. With Euhus and free agent signee Robert Royal on roster, Everett will be pushed for playing time in 2006.

C Duke Preston (2005 fourth round, 122nd overall): Impressed in limited action at guard. He'll have to unseat veteran free agent Melvin Fowler to start at his natural position.

CB Eric King (2005 fifth round, 156th overall): Played better than expected as a rookie, but it's uncertain if he'll be anything more than a backup.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060429/1055189.asp

 

[Tommy Collins]

Worst off-season I can remember. The team did terrible last year. The QB situation isn't the greatest. I have faith in Losman but there are always chances he is a bust. They traded alot away to get him. They have no clear cut QB, no o-line, no d-line and draft a guy they clearly could've gotten in the teens. They passed on Ngata, Bunkley and Leinart? Jesus if you're going to blow a pick at least let it be on someone like Leinart who has a shot at being a top QB. If you aren't going to address your OL or DL needs, at least the QB needs. Nall isn't the answer, he hasn't done anything in the NFL to this point. Or trade Leinart to someone who obviously wants/needs the guy. We could've easily traded down to get this guy who was a starter for 1 season and definitely not a top 10 pick. There is no way he's in the elite class. I love Levy as a coach but I think he's in way over his head as a GM.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Bills pull the safety trigger[/SIZE]

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NFL draft: Levy's selections throw the experts some curves; Buffalo trades for second first-rounder

By MARK GAUGHAN

News Sports Reporter

4/30/2006 

The Buffalo Bills got their big defensive tackle and filled a glaring need at strong safety in the NFL draft Saturday.

They did not, however, do it in a way that anyone was expecting.

The Bills went for the safety first, drafting Ohio State's Donte Whitner with the eighth overall pick. Then they traded into the first round to take North Carolina State defensive tackle John McCargo with the 26th overall pick.

Both players were taken at least a little higher than projected. Whitner was rated about 15th by most draft services. McCargo was rated by draft gurus anywhere from the early second round to the fourth round (by ESPN's Mel Kiper). Many teams, however, had McCargo third among defensive tackles.

"We don't really go a lot by what the experts say," Bills General Manager Marv Levy said. "If it's interpreted as a reach, that's fine."

The Bills believe they have two high-character players who are going to contribute right away and help their 29th-ranked defense.

Whitner has phenomenal speed for a safety, at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Bills receiver Lee Evans runs 4.37 seconds. Whitner, a junior, also is a big hitter. He figures to start at the strong safety spot vacated by Lawyer Milloy, but he also has the versatility to cover slot receivers.

"He has the attitude of a Lawyer Milloy, and he's faster, and he plays with a mean streak," said Bills linebacker London Fletcher, who has worked out with Whitner in the offseason.

In picking McCargo, the Bills gave the Chicago Bears their second-round pick, 42nd overall, plus the second of two third-round picks, 73rd overall. With their other third-round pick, No. 70 overall, they took another defensive player, Ohio State cornerback Ashton Youboty. He ran a 4.44 time in the 40 and was rated as a first-round pick by Kiper.

McCargo, 6-foot-11/2 and 302 pounds, plays the same position as the Bills' biggest free-agent pickup, Larry Tripplett. They line up opposite the outside shoulder of the guard, known as the "three technique."

But McCargo figures to be on the field plenty as a rookie. Coach **** Jauron said he has penciled him in playing next to Tripplett right away on all passing situations. And McCargo will have to spell Tripplett at times on first down. Tripplett is 285 pounds and doesn't figure to be on the field for all 65 defensive plays in a game.

The Bills think McCargo eventually can grow into the nose tackle spot. The starter there is Tim Anderson, and his only backups are former street free agents Jason Jefferson and LaWaylon Brown.

"The No. 1 thing that comes to your mind is he's very quick," said Tom Modrak, Bills assistant general manager. "To me it's hard to coach quickness, and it's hard to develop quickness."

The Bills could have had the No. 1 penetrating defensive tackle at No. 8, but they passed on Florida State's Brodrick Bunkley.

Sources in Philadelphia (which had the 14th pick), Denver (at No. 15) and Minnesota (at No. 17) said each of those teams had some interest in swapping first-round positions with the Bills. However, the Bills didn't think they offered enough.

And the Bills were worried Whitner was not going to be around if they moved down. Detroit needed a safety and was expected to take Texas' Michael Huff, who went seventh to Oakland. Were the Bills thinking the Lions would take Whitner?

"That came up," Modrak said with a smile.

"There were phone calls all over the place," Levy said, "but you have to weigh if we move down six places, is the guy we want still going to be there despite getting an extra fourth or whatever?"

The Bills think Whitner is a rare talent. He is only the fourth safety taken among the top 10 picks in the last 10 years. The others were Huff, Dallas' Roy Williams (eighth in 2002) and Washington's Sean Taylor (fifth in 2004).

"The game is evolving and changing to a degree," Modrak said. "Safeties that can do a couple things for you are valuable. Safeties have to get into the coverage. They're not just the old walk down into the box safety. He has coverability."

Levy emphasized the importance of the strong safety position by reciting the starters at the position on the last six Super Bowl winners: Baltimore's Rod Woodson in 2000, New England's Lawyer Milloy in 2001, Tampa Bay's John Lynch in 2002, New England's Rodney Harrison in '03 and '04, and Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu in '05.

"He's going to be that John Lynch-type hitter for us in the secondary," Fletcher said.

McCargo is a junior who showed flashes of brilliance but played only six of 11 games last fall due to a stress fracture injury in his left foot.

Why were the Bills aggressive in going after McCargo?

"This was a player at a position which is a dire need and which there isn't for quite awhile anyone available at that defensive tackle spot," Levy said.

The Bills did not think McCargo would last until the 42nd pick.

"There was some interest from the Bears, but the team we had a lot of dialogue with was the Giants," said McCargo's agent, Hadley Engelhard. "We really thought the Giants had a strong interest in him with the 32nd pick, and the only way the Bills were going to get him was to move ahead of them.

"I talked to 20 general managers, and everyone had him rated at least No. 3 among defensive tackles, which is where he went," Engelhard said.

McCargo was an academic all-conference player in college, with a 3.1 grade-point average in sports management. Bills Southeastern scout Joe Haering has a close relationship with N.C. State's defensive line coach (Todd Stroud) and says the Bills have a good read on McCargo.

"He hasn't played as many games as you would like in college, but he has a lot of upside," Haering said. "He can be the three (technique) penetrator, but I think in time he also can be the nose tackle. I think he'll be in the rotation right away."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060430/1072300.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Critics are taking aim, but Marv stuck to his guns[/SIZE]

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Levy and Tom Modrak left themselves wide open to criticism with two first-round picks that were seen as reaches by NFL draft experts

4/30/2006 

By JERRY SULLIVAN

A lot of eyebrows were raised around the NFL when the Bills made Marv Levy a first-time general manager at age 80. No doubt, the skepticism was heightened even further Saturday when Levy presided over his first draft as a rookie GM.

Levy and Assistant General Manager Tom Modrak left themselves wide open to criticism with two first-round picks that were seen as reaches by the NFL draft experts. Neither of the Bills' choices - safety Donte Whitner with the eighth overall pick and defensive tackle John McCargo at No. 26 - was expected to go quite that high.

You have to admire Levy for his conviction. The people who have turned the draft into the most overhyped event in sports act as if it's an exact science. It's not. It's a crapshoot. Draft guru Mel Kiper had McCargo as a third- or fourth-rounder. Kiper had Ashton Youboty as a first-rounder. The Bills got him with the 70th pick.

The Bills refused to bow to conventional thinking. They identified the players they liked and went after them. Rather than take one of the acknowledged top defensive tackles - Haloti Ngata and Brodrick Bunkley - with the eighth overall choice, they grabbed Whitner, a fast, hard-hitting strong safety.

Later, they traded back into the first round, moving up 16 spots to get McCargo, a defensive tackle who was the third-best player on his own defensive line at North Carolina State. The Buffalo scouts claim McCargo has great upside. They'd better be right because Levy and Modrak are banking their reputations on it.

Under Tom Donahoe, the Bills drafted a succession of offensive skill players - creating a big splash on draft day while allowing their lines of scrimmage to deteriorate. They finished 31st against the run last year. They needed to go big with their first pick. But they decided a great safety was more important than a defensive tackle.

You win with big people in the NFL. Houston confirmed that with the very first pick, taking defensive end Mario Williams over Reggie Bush. One of these years, the Bills will catch on. Until this year, they had never taken a defensive tackle (Phil Dokes was an end) in the first round of an NFL draft.

The Bills could have taken Bunkley or Ngata with the eighth overall pick and traded up to take a safety later. Apparently, they believe McCargo will be the best player of the three. I'll reserve judgment. Remember, they told us J.P. Losman was the equal of the three quarterbacks taken ahead of him two years ago.

Andy Reid, the Eagles' head coach, was desperate to get Bunkley. Reid believes in drafting big people. He's not one for outthinking himself. Reid got the Eagles to four straight NFC title games, so it's hard to argue with his reasoning. Philadelphia, which was thinking of moving up to get Bunkley, wound up getting him at No. 14.

McCargo might become a star some day. But as of now, he's not even projected to start. Coach **** Jauron sees McCargo as a "three" technique guy, rather than a pure nose tackle. That means he plays the same spot as Larry Tripplett, the team's top free-agent acquisition. There's been a lot of talk about the need for penetrating defensive linemen in Jauron's system, but it helps to have someone to stuff the run.

Jauron said McCargo and Tripplett will play together in passing situations. Eventually, McCargo could play on the nose, too. He's only 21. He missed six games last season. Joe Haering, the Bills' Southeastern scout, said there were times when McCargo looked better than Mario Williams.

Levy saw something special in McCargo, Whitner and Youboty. He's impressed by their intelligence and character, their will to get better. Owner Ralph Wilson gave Levy the GM job because he felt Levy was still capable of identifying the qualities that distinguish the great players - what Levy calls "football temperament."

We'll find out. It takes years to judge a draft. Levy says he's impatient and wants to win now. He has to sell tickets, after all. But the Bills drafted a 20-year-old (Whitner) and two 21-year-olds (McCargo and Youboty), all of them juniors. Yes, they want to win now, but they're also looking two or three years down the road.

Donahoe spent five years creating this mess. It's not going to turn around overnight, or with a single draft. My eyebrows are properly elevated, but for now, Levy and Modrak get the benefit of the doubt.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060430/1041547.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Top pick Whitner likes to keep it reel[/SIZE]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ohio State star coming to a film room near you

By ALLEN WILSON

News Sports Reporter

4/30/2006 

It takes more than talent to play in the National Football League. It takes preparation, too. Lots of it.

Donte Whitner already has that down pat. His attention to every detail helped make the Ohio State star one of the best strong safeties in college football last season. It also played a role in the Buffalo Bills' decision to take him with the eighth overall pick in the draft.

"He's kind of like a football junkie," said Doug Majeski, the Bills' coordinator of college scouting. "He has been putting together his own scouting reports on opposing players in college. He likes to study the game and he likes to know about his competition and who he is going to play against. He's a very bright kid."

Whitner's focus on preparation began midway through his sophomore year on the advice of Mel Tucker, Ohio State's co-defensive coordinator at the time. Tucker told Whitner if he wanted to be a great player he had to be more of a student of the game.

"He showed me how to cut a film up, how to watch film, what tendencies to look for," Whitner said of Tucker, who is now the Cleveland Browns' defensive backs coach. "During game week, I try to put in at least seven, eight, nine hours to watch film and just take what I see on film to the football field. Football is a mental game. It's a lot more mental than physical."

But Whitner has the brawn to go with the brains. He's coming off an outstanding junior year in which he was the Buckeyes' third-leading tackler (73 total, 55 solo). He also had four sacks and returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

The Bills added Matt Bowen in free agency to help make up for the loss of Lawyer Milloy, who was released. But Whitner expects to be the opening-day starter.

"I'm going to come in and compete for the job from Day One," he said. "I want to get in the defense and learn the defense as soon as possible so I can go out there and play fast. I know that if they drafted me for that position, they obviously need some help there."

One person who has no doubts about Whitner's NFL readiness is Bills middle linebacker and fellow Cleveland native London Fletcher. The two share the same personal trainers and are frequent workout partners during the offseason.

From their first workout together, Fletcher noticed that Whitner took the game more seriously than most young players.

"When a lot of the other college kids were out there working out he wasn't getting involved in a lot of the joking and conversations that were taking place," Fletcher said. "He was very focused in the weight room, very focused with the training that we were doing. He's a very mature kid. He's a guy you can ink in the starting lineup for the Buffalo Bills organization for a number of years to come."

At 5-foot-10 and 204 pounds, Whitner is not the big, strong safety some teams look for. But keep in mind that he's 14 pounds heavier than Milloy's listed weight last season. Whitner also is just as big or bigger than Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu (5-10, 212) and Indianapolis' Bob Sanders (5-8, 206).

Polamalu and Sanders went to the Pro Bowl last season.

"A lot of people might say, "Why would they take a 5-10 safety?' " Whitner said. "Well in the past year, a lot these safeties that are 5-10, 5-11 and 6-foot are all Pro Bowl players. You go from Bob Sanders to Troy Polamalu and [baltimore's] Ed Reed. These guys aren't the prototypical type safeties, and they are all making plays and helping their football teams.

"I think I fit high up there. I hope when it's all said and done I'll rank as, if not the top safety, one of the top safeties."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060430/1061442.asp

 

[ConstruxBoy]

The Whitner pick is defensible. The McCargo pick was ridiculous.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Worst off-season I can remember. The team did terrible last year. The QB situation isn't the greatest. I have faith in Losman but there are always chances he is a bust. They traded alot away to get him. They have no clear cut QB, no o-line, no d-line and draft a guy they clearly could've gotten in the teens. They passed on Ngata, Bunkley and Leinart? Jesus if you're going to blow a pick at least let it be on someone like Leinart who has a shot at being a top QB. If you aren't going to address your OL or DL needs, at least the QB needs. Nall isn't the answer, he hasn't done anything in the NFL to this point. Or trade Leinart to someone who obviously wants/needs the guy. We could've easily traded down to get this guy who was a starter for 1 season and definitely not a top 10 pick. There is no way he's in the elite class. I love Levy as a coach but I think he's in way over his head as a GM.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You don't like Brady Quinn?

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=12pt]Spotlight finally on McCargo[/SIZE]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ohio State DBs latest in long line

By ALLEN WILSON

News Sports Reporter

4/30/2006 

John McCargo did not get as much attention as his more heralded teammates, but the North Carolina State defensive tackle will get a chance to break out of their shadow with the Buffalo Bills, who drafted him with their second pick in the first

round.

McCargo left school as a junior despite missing the last six games with a stress fracture in his left foot. But he joined defensive ends Mario Williams and Manny Lawson on one of the finest defensive lines in college football.

Some observers thought McCargo benefited from playing between Williams and Lawson, who combined for 39 sacks the last two years. But McCargo's presence in the middle also helped Williams and Lawson.

"When I went in there the first of the year and watched film on him, every once in a while you would think that McCargo was the best of the three just because he's big and he would flash that quickness," said Joe Haering, the Bills' Southeastern region scout.

"I feel like we all benefited from each other," McCargo said. "I don't think one man just completely made the other guys better."

Williams and Lawson were first-round picks, as expected, with Williams going No. 1 overall to Houston. McCargo wasn't a first-rounder on most projections, which is why some draft analysts consider the Bills' pick as a reach.

But McCargo is only concerned with how the Bills see him.

"Everybody has their different opinions about a player," he said. "I feel confident in what I can do, and I'm glad that the Buffalo Bills felt strongly about me. I'm excited and ready to play football."

Even though he missed several games, the Bills believe he was worth trading up to get.

"Does he need to continue to get better and grow? Of course," said Bills Assistant General Manager Tom Modrak. "Probably everyone in the draft to some degree or another is in that case. He's an underclassman, so he's young. He's going to continue to get stronger. We think he will work at everything he has to do, which will help him get to that glass half full on some things."

The Bills have a thing for defensive backs from Ohio State. Safety Donte Whitner is the third player from the Buckeyes' secondary chosen in the first round since 1999, joining Antoine Winfield and Nate Clements.

In the third round, the Bills added another Buckeyes DB, cornerback Ashton Youboty.

"Obviously, we've had a lot of success with Antoine and Nate," said Bills college scouting director Doug Majeski, who has been around for each of the picks. "Ohio State is one of the top programs in this country, and these guys really play well. It's easier for us to look at them and evaluate them because they are playing against the best players and they are playing so well together."

Ohio State has a great tradition of producing defensive backs. In the past 12 years, 16 have been drafted. Whitner is the seventh first-rounder.

"We take big pride in it," Youboty said. "The Big Ten is known for its linebackers, but at Ohio State somehow we keep producing corners and putting them in the league. I think if you look around, all of them are producing in the league. I hope to follow that tradition."

Some Bills fans might have gotten excited to see Matt Leinart available at the eighth spot in the first round. But the Bills' brass gave no consideration to taking the USC quarterback.

"We feel good about what we have at quarterback," said General Manager Marv Levy. "We're going to get better at quarterback not by getting some glamour guy out of the draft, but by making our team better around the quarterback."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060430/1059899.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Bills may be doing QB Shuffle in fall[/SIZE]

4/30/2006 

By LARRY FELSER

No matter how much the Bills may have helped themselves in some priority areas as a result of the weekend draft, the fact is that in a sport where the name of the game is quarterback what they have are three backups.

The aim of the new head coach, **** Jauron, is to identify his eventual starter by the time training camp opens in four months. That means one of the three must forge ahead of the others in the minicamps conducted in the field house, without the sturm und drang of actual football taking place.

There are a great many things that can be accomplished in minicamps, but deciding which one of the Bills' two young quarterbacks has developed to the point of making sound decisions while opposing defenses are attempting to draw and quarter him is not possible.

Since Kelly Holcomb will be 33 by the time he is welcomed to the leafy campus of St. John Fisher, the quarterback battle will essentially be a two-man show - J.P. Losman vs. Craig Nall.

My guess is that the quarterback contest will extend into the preseason schedule and sometimes the pretend games aren't much of a true indicator either.

Some of the top talent appraisers in the NFL think that Nall will be a Frank Reich type, in other words a quality backup. But even Reich did not shine in the summer games since he was, as Bill Polian pointed out here on a recent visit, a different quarterback operating with a game plan than without one. Few teams use game plans in preseason games.

Losman lost the starting job he was awarded early last season mainly on the basis of his decision making, for which he was graded about D-minus. The NFL skeptics think he'll never progress beyond backup status.

Losman or Nall or both may prove the skeptics wrong, but if they don't the Bills' new offensive thinkers may have to veer away from the strong passing game that they would like to operate, to a system where strong running and refurbished defense are expected to carry the team, the plan that never materialized under Mike Mularkey last season.

Even there the Bills have a need that will not be filled by the draft, an A-plus feature back who consistently moves the chains behind an improved offensive line. Willis McGahee identified himself as "the best running back in the league" last year but more discerning observers aren't even sure he makes the NFL's top 10. He moved the chains but not consistently enough.

The feeling around the league is that McGahee made an admirable comeback from the horrific knee injury he suffered in the final game of his college career, but this season he needs to make a quantum leap to cause the Bills to rely on him the way the Seattle Seahawks rely on Shaun Alexander. So far he hasn't been the player he was at the University of Miami.

Just how important is it for the Bills to have McGahee make that leap? Consider that sleigh bells will be ringing while the team plays the last half of its home season in Orchard Park. Even if the quarterback scenario turns rosy, Buffalo needs McGahee to be a more consistently productive back than he has been up to now.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060430/1071670.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Though not in the class of ex-general manager Tom Donahoe's selection of injured Miami running back Willis McGahee in the first round in 2003, the Whitner and McCargo picks surprised many analysts.

Whitner, 5-10, 203, was projected as a late first- to second-round pick, and McCargo graded out anywhere from the late first round to the second.

"You're looking at a middle to late second-rounder," ESPN's Mel Kiper said of McCargo. "You're going to trade up? Great move for Chicago."

The Bills disagreed with suggestions that they panicked to make their top two picks.

Whitner, who recorded 73 tackles and added 2 interceptions and 4 sacks last year, was the second-best player on Ohio State's fifth-ranked defense next to linebacker A.J. Hawk, who was taken three spots earlier by Green Bay. Buffalo felt Detroit, picking No. 9, would take Whitner so any offers to trade down never materialized.

Meanwhile, Levy didn't want to risk waiting until the 42nd pick to get a coveted defensive tackle after Haloti Ngata (12th to Baltimore) and Brodrick Bunkley (14th to Philadelphia) went off the board.

"It was calculated," Levy said of the McCargo trade. "It would've been 15 picks further and we didn't see many other people on the board rated (higher), and it's a primary need for a lot of teams. We felt the risk was more than we wanted to take, because we did have him targeted. ... If it's interpreted as a reach, that's fine."

Whitner, a fierce hitter, is a strong safety with cornerback skills, meaning he's strong enough to support against the run but fast enough to cover wide receivers and tight ends. That versatility was a strong selling point for Buffalo, along with Whitner's reputation as a student of the game.

"I'm very happy to crack the Top 10," said Whitner, who joins cornerbacks Antoine Winfield (1999) and Nate Clements (2001) as recent Bills first-round picks from Ohio State. "Watching ESPN the last two months, I've been hearing Matt Leinart, Vince Young and Reggie Bush. I didn't think I'd go ahead of any of those guys, but I beat Leinart. I'm just happy to be a Buffalo Bill."

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/p.../604300321/1021

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Buffalo's defensive soft spots addressed[/SIZE]

Bills use six of their nine picks to strengthen weakest link

Leo Roth

Staff writer

(May 1, 2006) — ORCHARD PARK — On Day 1 of the NFL draft, the Buffalo Bills spent their first two picks on a safety and a defensive tackle.

On Day 2, the Bills spent their first two picks on a safety and a defensive tackle.

On day three, well, there isn't a day three. But if there were, it's quite likely the Bills would take a safety and a defensive tackle to shore up the doughy middle of their 29th-ranked defense.

After turning the page on veteran strong safety Lawyer Milloy and defensive tackle Sam Adams, and with veteran free safety Troy Vincent entering his 15th season, the Bills put reinforcements in place with a vengeance in the NFL's 71st draft that concluded with four more rounds on Sunday.

Buffalo started the day by selecting South Carolina free safety Ko Simpson (105th overall) in the fourth round followed by LSU defensive tackle Kyle Williams (134th), using the first pick in the fifth round obtained from Houston in the trade for Eric Moulds.

Simpson and Williams (6-1, 295), along with Ohio State strong safety Donte Whitner and North Carolina State defensive tackle John McCargo (6-2, 301), Buffalo's two first-round picks on Saturday, represent a serious influx of talent between the hash marks where the Bills lost many a physical battle last season in falling to 5-11.

All four are expected to contribute as rookies with Whitner and McCargo expected to start in Buffalo's new attack-style scheme being improvised by coach **** Jauron.

Not only did Buffalo allow 55 runs of 10 yards or more last year, it also gave up 48 passes of 20 yards or more.

"We knew what we needed to do, that's build the middle of our defense," said general manager Marv Levy, the team's Pro Football Hall of Fame coach who was conducting his first draft for the Bills in his new role. "That's where our slant went early on."

Buffalo's first five picks and six of nine overall were spent on defense, swinging the pendulum back in sync after 10 of the team's last 12 picks landed offensive players (eight of them at skilled positions) the past two years under ex-GM Tom Donahoe.

Selected in the sixth round was Oregon State outside linebacker Keith Ellison. The first offensive player chosen was Virginia tackle Brad Butler (6-7, 309) with the second of two fifth-round picks. Buffalo closed its draft by taking two more giant-sized offensive linemen in Terrence Pennington (6-7, 325) of New Mexico and Aaron Merz (6-4, 340) of California.

"Today we went out and got the ingredients, now we've got to bake the cake, that's the tough part," said Levy, summing up the weekend.

Five of Buffalo's first picks are underclassmen so Buffalo not only got quicker this weekend, but also younger.

"I don't think it precludes them from coming in and playing," Levy said.

Particularly for a team as bad as the Bills were last season.

Combining Buffalo's draft picks with free agent defensive tackle Larry Tripplett and safety Matt Bowen, the Bills suddenly look very different on defense.

"We're a lot closer to what we're looking for in terms of a style of player," Jauron said. "Our defense plays a certain style and these players fit that style more (than what was here). We feel good about these guys that we drafted. They're all high-motor, quick players."

The selection of Simpson on Sunday morning set a very good mood in Buffalo's war room. The 6-1, 201-pounder was an All-SEC first-team pick who made 164 tackles and seven interceptions in his college career. He was regarded as a first- or second-round pick by analysts but some teams were apparently frightened away by his inexperience (he's a red-shirt sophomore).

With great speed, size and range, Simpson has the potential to win Buffalo's starting free safety job sooner than later from Vincent.

"I felt I made the right decision (to come out early) and I'm going to prove it," Simpson said. "I was watching players get drafted in front of me that I feel I'm better than. I'm going to come in with a chip on my shoulder."

Whereas Whitner may have been a slight reach at No. 8 overall, the selection of Simpson at 105 is a steal.

"We thought he'd go the first day," scout Joe Haering said. "To find him in the fourth round, yes we are really surprised."

Williams, meanwhile, complements McCargo in that he's more suited to play on the nose in Buffalo's "Tampa Bay" defense. He also was first-team All-SEC after making 61 tackles with 4.5 sacks last fall.

Bills picks

[SIZE=14pt]Ko Simpson[/SIZE]

Selected: Fourth round, 105th overall.

Position/school: Free safety/South Carolina.

Height/weight: 6-feet-1, 201 pounds.

Background: Was best player on college roster, earning All-American and All-SEC honors. ... Entered NFL draft as red-shirt sophomore. In just 23 games, all starts, recorded 164 tackles, 7 interceptions, 15 pass deflections and 5 fumble recoveries ... Great speed (4.47 in the 40) and strength ... Native of Rock Hill, S.C., hometown of former Bill Jeff Burris.

The skinny: Was considered a late first-round or second-round pick. ... Speed allows him to cover lot of ground in center field and is a sure tackler. ... May need a year or two to develop, but Bills see him contributing immediately on special teams and as the heir apparent to Troy Vincent at free safety.

[SIZE=14pt]Kyle Williams[/SIZE]

Selected: Fifth round, 134th overall.

Position/school: Defensive tackle/Louisiana State.

Height/weight: 6-1, 295.

Background: Powerfully built anchor in the middle of LSU’s nationally ranked defense ... Was described as “rolling ball of butcher knives” by Pro Football Weekly ... Four-year player, was All-SEC as senior with 61 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 21 quarterback pressures and five batted passes. ... Powerful lower body. Has squatted 705 pounds. ... Native of Ruston, La., is married, teaches Sunday school, and could’ve played collegiate golf, carrying a single-digit handicap.

The skinny: Extremely determined, “old school” competitor who fits Bills new penetrating, attacking defense. ... Marv Levy compared his temperament to that of Phil Hansen’s. ... Short arms could pose a problem at next level and isn’t fluid in his movement. But he fills a big need at the nose position where his great leg strength should allow him to hold his ground.

[SIZE=14pt]Brad Butler[/SIZE]

Selected: Fifth round, 143rd overall.

Position/school: Offensive tackle/Virginia.

Height/weight: 6-7, 310 pounds.

Background: Started at right tackle opposite D’Brickashaw Ferguson, third overall pick to the Jets, for Virginia. ... Is NFL-ready having played for ex-Jets coach Al Groh.

The skinny: Tall, tenacious blocker who adds some needed depth on the offensive line. Needs to add weight and strength to challenge for a starting job. ... Great wingspan but one report said he’d always have trouble vs. speed pass rushers.

[SIZE=14pt]Keith Ellison[/SIZE]

Selected: Sixth round, 178th overall.

Position/school: Outside linebacker/Oregon State.

Height/weight: 6-0, 228 pounds.

Background: Began college career as a strong safety at San Diego State before transferring to Oregon State and switching to linebacker. ... First-team All-Pac 10 last season. Ranked second on team with 99 tackles, 5 sacks, 15 tackles for losses and 1 interception. ... Native of Los Angeles.

The skinny: Versatile athlete with great speed (4.57), he adds depth at both inside and outside linebacker. ... Lack of size could be a problem fending off blocks in traffic, but ideal for single-gap defense.

[SIZE=14pt]Terrance Pennington[/SIZE]

Selected: Seventh round, 216th overall.

Position/school: Offensive tackle/New Mexico.

Height/weight: 6-7, 325 pounds.

Background: Earned 23 starts in college, switching to demanding left tackle position as a senior to replace All-American Claude Terrell (Rams). ... Big and powerful, registered 63 pancake blocks last year for top rushing team. Father Henry was offensive tackle for Dallas Cowboys (1978-81).

The skinny: Developmental prospect at left tackle. ... Solid football pedigree, good worker. ... Could be a sleeper with the right coaching.

[SIZE=14pt]Aaron Merz[/SIZE]

Selected: Seventh round, 248th overall.

Position/school: Offensive guard/California.

Height/weight: 6-4, 340 pounds.

Background: Started past two seasons. ... Solidly built, recorded 10.5 pancake blocks vs. Texas Tech in Holiday Bowl.

The skinny: Developmental prospect as a guard or center. Bills love his size as they need to get bigger inside.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/p.../605010327/1021

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Draft accelerates Bills' defensive makeover[/SIZE]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three late picks add O-line candidates

By ALLEN WILSON

News Sports Reporter

5/1/2006 

The Buffalo Bills made it clear during the NFL draft that defense will be the foundation of their rebuilding project.

After targeting mostly offensive players the last two years, the Bills focused heavily on the defensive side of the ball over the weekend. They used their first five picks on defensive players, a first in franchise history, and six of their nine overall selections were defenders.

"I think we made a statement that we want to play some solid defense," said defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.

Coming off two straight seasons in which they ranked second in the NFL, the Bills plummeted to 29th in yards allowed last season and had the league's second-worst run defense.

It remains to be seen how much the Bills improved defensively in this draft, but they believe this was a start in the right direction.

"We felt that with [defensive tackle] Sam Adams not being here and [strong safety] Lawyer Milloy not being here and with the defense that had not been successful at all, the core of what we needed to do was build the middle of our defense," General Manager Marv Levy said during the post-draft news conference. "That's where most of the slant went."

Defensive tackle was thought to be the Bills' first priority. Brodrick Bunkley or Haloti Ngata were the top two on the board, but the Bills felt strong safety Donte Whitner was too good to pass up with the eighth pick.

Whitner began a run on defensive backs with cornerback Ashton Youboty coming in the third round and free safety Ko Simpson added in Round Four. Whitner is expected to challenge for the starting spot vacated by Milloy, who was released. Youboty might eventually replace Nate Clements if the Bills can't sign him to a long-term contract. Simpson figures to be groomed as Troy Vincent's successor.

"Really we'd like to build it from the front to the back," Fewell said. "In our evaluations, some of the guys up front did not necessarily fit the philosophy of what we'd like to do. So we had to look at other areas, and we started in the back with Donte, with Ashton and now with Ko."

The Bills did address their need at defensive tackle, maneuvering their way back into the first round to get John McCargo and adding more depth in the fifth round with Kyle Williams. The Bills used their sixth-round pick on linebacker Keith Ellison, who will vie for a backup spot.

With McCargo and Williams joining top free agent signee Larry Tripplett, the Bills believe they have taken steps to improve a position that suffered from the loss of Pat Williams last year and was further weakened by the release of Adams this spring.

"We're a lot closer to what we're looking for in terms of players," head coach **** Jauron said. "Obviously our defense plays a certain style and these players fit that style more. It's not a reflection at all on who played before. It's a different style of play. We clearly needed those guys inside and we feel good about those people we drafted."

The Bills didn't totally ignore the offense, adding a pair of huge tackles in Brad Butler (fifth round) and Terrance Pennington (seventh round) and using their final pick on guard Aaron Merz. The team obviously didn't feel the need to use many picks on offense because it addressed needs at wide receiver, guard, center and running back in free agency.

"We had gone heavily in the other direction," Levy said of the early run on defense. "[Late in the draft], there were still fellows on the board rated well on the defensive side of the ball. But there were also those offensive linemen. We had said coming into the draft that secondary, defensive line and offensive line are probably the main focus of areas we had to improve."

The Bills still have a number of holes on their roster, and the draft can only fill so many of them. They hope the choices they made will ultimately make the team better.

"We went out and got the ingredients," Levy said. "Now we've got to bake the cake. That's the tough part."

Here's a closer look at each of the Bills' draft choices and what their roles might be this season:

First round: SS Donte Whitner, Ohio State (8th overall), 5-10, 204: A tough, intense safety who is a physical tackler in the run game. He has good instincts, range and lateral quickness to play in deep coverage and the speed, athleticism and ball skills to match up against wide receivers. His recognition skills need some polish, but he's smart enough to learn quickly. He has all the tools to become a starter as a rookie.

Second round: DT John McCargo, N.C. State (26th overall) 6-11/2, 302: The kind of quick, penetrating lineman the team wants up front. He is strong, plays with good technique and leverage at the point of attack. He also can fight off blocks and make plays in the backfield. He missed the final five games last season with a stress fracture in his left foot, but has recovered. An intriguing prospect because of his upside and should develop into a starter.

Third round: CB Ashton Youboty, Ohio State (70th overall) 5-111/2, 189: A talented underclassman expected to go much higher. He is a fluid athlete with good speed and uses his height and leaping ability to challenge receivers and fight for balls in the air. He's good in coverage and a willing tackler in run support. He needs to develop more consistency and polish his technique, but he's got the potential to compete for a starting job in the future.

Fourth round: FS Ko Simpson, South Carolina (105th overall) 6-1, 209: A ball-hawking defender who had a first- or second-round grade on some draft projections. He has the ideal combination of size, speed and intelligence. Possesses the good range in coverage, the ability to make plays deep in the zone and should be a force on special teams. He's not a finished product yet, but he has the talent to earn a starting job down the road and may end up being one of the steals of the entire draft.

Fifth round: DT Kyle Williams, LSU (134th overall) 6-1, 299: A classic high-motor guy who plays from whistle to whistle. He's a technically sound defender with the lateral movement, toughness and desire to play the one gap or "three" technique. Though undersized, he has the lower-body strength to anchor and take on bigger blockers. Williams reminds Levy of former Bills DE Phil Hansen in terms of football temperament.

OT Brad Butler, Virginia (143rd overall) 6-7, 310: Butler has limited athleticism, but the Bills believe he can do everything they ask of their offensive tackles. He has long-range potential because of his size, toughness, footwork, technical skills and competitiveness.

Sixth round: LB Keith Ellison, Oregon State (178th overall) 6-11/2, 235: A former strong safety with the instincts, range, athleticism and versatility provides depth at all three 'backer spots. He could earn a roster spot with his play on special teams.

Seventh round: OT Terrance Pennington, New Mexico (216th overall) 6-7, 325: A raw prospect with tremendous size and athletic ability, but needs more coaching to develop into more than a backup.

OG Aaron Merz, California (248th overall) 6-31/2, 340: A physical mauler with the size and strength to drive defenders off the ball. He'll have to impress in training camp to earn a backup spot.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060501/1058871.asp

 

[Obie Wan]

The picks weren't sexy but the Bills drafted football "players".

Smart players that were productive on the field and expected to improve with experience.

Time will tell, but I think Marv did good in getting players with upside that fit the system being used.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Long wait puts chip on shoulder of fourth-round pick[/SIZE]

By ALLEN WILSON

News Sports Reporter

5/1/2006 

When you're rated as one of the top players at your position, it's not easy seeing so many teams pass you by. Ko Simpson experienced that disappointment this weekend.

The South Carolina free safety was expected to be at least a first-day pick in the draft, and some projections had him going as high as the middle part of the first round.

But he remained undrafted until the Buffalo Bills picked him in the fourth round Sunday.

"It was a very long day for me and my family," Simpson said. "It's been kind of hard. But I'm coming now with a chip on my shoulder and ready to prove myself."

He'll get that chance. The Bills believe the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Simpson has the size, speed and range to make plays in deep coverage as well as the toughness and instincts to stand out in run support. His tackling skills also will be an asset on special teams.

"We had him rated as a good player who would go in the first day," said Bills scout Joe Haering. "To be there in the fourth round we were surprised. He's got size and speed, a very productive college player."

Simpson played only two years at South Carolina, but he started every game. He was a freshman All-American in 2004 after recording 61 tackles (49 solos), and his six interceptions led the Southeastern Conference and tied for third best in the nation. He led the Gamecocks with 102 tackles last season to earn All-America and All-SEC honors.

His sure tackling skills are intriguing to the Bills.

"When the ball breaks the line of scrimmage and comes right between the hashes, can you go and wrap the guy up and tackle him and get him down?" said defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. "You don't have to be Ronnie Lott and knock him out. But can you tackle a guy and face him up and not let him get additional yards after contact? That's what I like about Ko Simpson."

"Just watching all those safeties get drafted in front of me, and I felt like I'm better than them," Simpson said. "I'm just ready to get started and prove that I should have been the first guy taken. This pick is going to be like a first-round pick."

• • •

A rolling ball of butcher knives.

That's how one draft analyst described LSU defensive tackle Kyle Williams, the first of two fifth-round picks by the Bills.

"The best thing that I have is playing hard, being tenacious and never stopping and really having the will where I want to compete and I want to win no matter what it is," he said.

The 6-foot-1, 295-pound Williams is not your prototype defensive tackle, but the Bills believe he has the talent and lower-body strength (he can squat more than 700 pounds) to overcome his lack of size.

"He's got a 100 percent motor on every play," said Bills scout Shawn Heinlen. "Despite being an undersized tackle he plays with great leverage. He's able to stick his feet in the ground and hold his place and not get washed out even by bigger offensive lineman."

Williams is more than a football player. He has taught Sunday school and served in his church's youth ministry the past four years. He's also an avid golfer, who carries a single-digit handicap.

"Being down at LSU on Saturday nights playing in a big-time program I got a lot of exposure and played in a lot of big games, so I'm used to pretty stiff competition," said Williams, who had 161/2 career sacks. "I'm excited about the opportunity to play in the NFL and play for the Bills."

• • •

Brad Butler spent his career as the "other" offensive tackle at the University of Virginia. While D'Brickashaw Ferguson gained all the notoriety, Butler is looking to make a name for himself with the Bills.

"I'm just happy to have a chance to play at the next level," said Butler, a fifth-round pick. "Any kid that plays football in high school always dreams of this day and I'm no exception. I think the Buffalo Bills have a great coaching staff. It was great to meet them at the combine and get to know them a little bit. I look forward to the chance to play for him."

Butler, who attended the same high school as former Bills guard Ruben Brown, is looking forward to working with Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally. Butler is represented by Integrity First Management, an agency whose president is Hall of Fame offensive tackle and McNally protege Anthony Munoz.

"Anthony said some great things about just how good of a coach he is," said Butler, who started 37 games in four years at Virginia. "I look forward to having the opportunity to work with him and have him teach me lot of new things that I haven't been taught before."

One thing McNally won't have to teach Butler is toughness. He's a guy who plays with a mean streak. Although he got into some trouble last season after an illegal chop block on Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, the Bills like Butler's feistiness.

"He's not cheap, he's not dirty," said Doug Majeski, the Bills' college scouting coordinator. "He's just going to get after you."

• • •

When you're a late-round draft pick, it never hurts to do a little bit of everything. Keith Ellison's versatility may earn him a spot on the Bills' roster.

The Bills took the Oregon State star in the sixth round because of his ability to play all three linebacker spots.

"You like it when you get a guy at this point in the draft that can give you a lot of help in different ways," said Bills scout Brad Forsythe. "He's going to be able to do that with no problem mentally."

Versatility is nothing new to Ellison. He played quarterback, linebacker and safety in high school. He played exclusively at strong safety in junior college before making the switch to outside linebacker after transferring to Oregon State.

He adapted very well to the new position, recording 251/2 tackles behind the line of scrimmage in 23 games with the Beavers.

"Starting at safety helped me to play outside linebacker," he said. "I was able to play out in space and I was able to cover running backs and tight ends. Just the experience of playing safety I think it's going to translate well to the skills I need at linebacker."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060501/1059159.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Brain trust goes for smarts[/SIZE]

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Intelligence, character were major considerations in Levy's draft

5/1/2006 

By JERRY SULLIVAN

Doug Majeski, the Bills' coordinator of college scouting, has been around since Marv Levy's early days as Buffalo's coach. He has never lost sight of Levy's most fundamental belief in evaluating players.

"With Marv, we always knew the philosophy," Majeski said Sunday on the second day of the NFL draft. "Smart guys get better."

When the exhaustive, two-day draft process was complete, it was clear that Levy's philosophy still rang true. The Bills drafted for their pressing needs - defensive line and secondary - but intelligence and character were major considerations in Levy's first draft as an NFL general manager.

Levy and his new coach, **** Jauron, are a couple of former Ivy Leaguers with a common football vision, an understanding that while talent generally prevails, it's good to be smart. That philosophy was evident throughout the draft, as the Bills favored bright, younger players with upside and avoided those with perceived character flaws.

"It wasn't the only compelling thing," Levy said. "But yes, I do believe smart players respond to coaching better. They understand it better. They grasp it better, and it is certainly a factor. Now, they better be able to run fast, too, if they're playing wide receiver. But if they're smart, that helps."

Safety Donte Whitner, their top pick, is a football junkie who watches more film than Roger Ebert and fills notebooks with his observations. John McCargo, the other first-rounder, was an all-academic pick in college. Third-rounder Ashton Youboty, a 21-year-old native of war-torn Liberia, is still learning to play cornerback and grateful for the opportunity.

Ko Simpson, a free safety taken in round four, got high marks for his "football intelligence." Fifth-rounder Kyle Williams, a defensive tackle from LSU, is a youth ministry intern who teaches Sunday school. Keith Ellison, the linebacker taken in the sixth round, scored a 36 on the Wonderlic intelligence test, which was "off the charts."

It still comes down to talent. You'll never hear a scout tell the media a draft pick was dumb as a bag of rocks but too good to pass up. Plenty of NFL titles have been won by teams with dubious characters. Levy's Super Bowl teams weren't a bunch of Cub Scouts. Bruce Smith was no angel. Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas didn't need to be coaxed onto a bar stool.

But they were smart players who got better, who understood what it took to survive in the NFL. They all had that football temperament Levy talks about. Those guys had their fun, but they were fierce competitors who were good teammates and prodded each other to a higher standard.

Levy is the man in charge, but this is Jauron's team. He is the head coach and it's his vision of football that is driving the operation. And it's clear from this draft that Jauron, a former defensive back and defensive coordinator, believes that fortifying the defense was the smart way to go.

In two years under coach Mike Mularkey, the Bills picked 10 offensive players with their 12 draft picks. So this year, Jauron addressed the diminished "D." For the first time, the Bills used their first five picks on defense. Jauron said it doesn't reflect a defensive bias on his part. But he says you can't have enough defensive backs in the modern NFL, and the Bills backed it up by using three of their first four picks on the secondary.

"Offenses are spreading you out all over the field today," Jauron said. "You see four and sometimes even five receivers on the field. The game is a little bit different - a lot different - than it was a number of years ago."

If this trend continues, we'll see a lot of low-scoring defensive struggles in the coming years - the sort that Jauron's teams played when he was with the Bears. The Bills did not help their woeful offense with this draft, and it's hard to imagine their free-agent signings making a dramatic difference.

They have an unsettled quarterback situation, no proven No. 1 receiver, a shaky offensive line and a running back (Willis McGahee) who regressed last year. The offense won't turn it around any time soon. In the short run, the Bills might get worse while waiting for a young crop of defensive players to adapt to the NFL.

It would be great if the Bills defied expectations next season, as the Sabres have. But it's not likely. Fans will probably have to suffer a little longer and watch a young team grow. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Would you rather go 7-9 or 3-13? which would get them an even higher pick in next year's draft?

Smart guys do get better, but it'll take time before we find out if Levy's philosophy paid off, or if the Bills are putting together the nicest, smartest bunch of losers in the NFL.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060501/1015679.asp

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Bills' draft, IMO, was a roller-coaster. They blew it in the first-round, not trading down from #8. The Eagles wanted the spot, and Whitner definitely would have been there at #14. Denver likewise at #15 was looking to move up to get Cutler. Either way, Buffalo gets their guy for less $$ and adds a pick in the process. Then, they trade UP to get a guy that they could have traded DOWN in round 2 and still gotten. Brutal.

However, from that point on, they made up for with a couple of steals (Youboty and Simpson in particular.) Wild draft - they REALLY wanted to upgrade the secondary, eh?

 

[Pat Patriot]

Bills' draft, IMO, was a roller-coaster.  They blew it in the first-round, not trading down from #8.  The Eagles wanted the spot, and Whitner definitely would have been there at #14.  Denver likewise at #15 was looking to move up to get Cutler.  Either way, Buffalo gets their guy for less $$ and adds a pick in the process.  Then, they trade UP to get a guy that they could have traded DOWN in round 2 and still gotten.  Brutal.

However, from that point on, they made up for with a couple of steals (Youboty and Simpson in particular.)  Wild draft - they REALLY wanted to upgrade the secondary, eh?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed. And signing Martin Nance as a UDFA helps their "draft" grade a bit too.

 

[Tommy Collins]

Bills' draft, IMO, was a roller-coaster.  They blew it in the first-round, not trading down from #8.  The Eagles wanted the spot, and Whitner definitely would have been there at #14.  Denver likewise at #15 was looking to move up to get Cutler.  Either way, Buffalo gets their guy for less $$ and adds a pick in the process.  Then, they trade UP to get a guy that they could have traded DOWN in round 2 and still gotten.  Brutal.

However, from that point on, they made up for with a couple of steals (Youboty and Simpson in particular.)  Wild draft - they REALLY wanted to upgrade the secondary, eh?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed. And signing Martin Nance as a UDFA helps their "draft" grade a bit too.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/sports?ch=396337&cl=400841Nothing spectacular but definitely helped Big Ben out in college and a very good possession type receiver. Possible Moulds replacement?

 

[Tommy Collins]

I see the Ravens are in the works of acquiring McNair. I'd love to have him, give Losman some more time but it seems like the Bills are content with Losman and Nall competing for the job. Any idea what the Titans have been asking in return for McNair?

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Bills' top three ready for some football[/SIZE]

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Minicamp lets rookies take first pro steps

By ALLEN WILSON

News Sports Reporter

5/5/2006 

In college, they were the best of the best on their teams because of their physical ability.

In the NFL, they are the young and the clueless because, in spite of their talent, they don't know what they don't know.

But rookies have to start somewhere, and for safety Donte Whitner, defensive tackle John McCargo and cornerback Ashton Youboty, it begins today with the start of the Buffalo Bills' three-day minicamp.

"I'm just ready to play football," Whitner, one of the Bills' two first-round draft picks, said during his introductory news conference Thursday. "I haven't played football since the beginning of January, playing [for Ohio State against] Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. I'm not nervous or anything. I'm just ready to play football and learn the defense."

The four practices (one today, two Saturday and one Sunday) are closed to the public.

This weekend's camp is voluntary, so a lot of veterans won't be in attendance. That's fine because the rookies need all the work they can get.

"It's a big step compared to what you do in college," said McCargo, the Bills' second pick and 26th overall selection. "The playbook, just learning the defense and things just going a little faster. I think it will be a little bit challenging at first to pick up things. But I feel it's like coming into college. You have that time period where you have to learn the defense, you have to learn the speed of the game. It might be a little challenging, but it's nothing I can't handle."

Whitner and Youboty aren't your average wide-eyed rookies heading into their first minicamp. They come from football powerhouse Ohio State, which plays in front of 105,000 fans and faces the best competition college football can offer.

They also have spoken to some former Buckeyes now in the NFL and Bills teammates London Fletcher and Troy Vincent about what to expect.

"This season I practiced against two of the top receivers in the NCAA [Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn Jr.]," Youboty said. "Going back to my freshman year, I played against [Atlanta Falcon and former Buckeye] Mike Jenkins, [ex-Michigan star and current Cleveland Browns receiver] Braylon Edwards, all the guys that are playing in the league right now. I think Ohio State has prepared me for [the NFL] and I'm looking forward to getting better and helping the team."

It would be natural for rookies to want to make an immediate impression. Especially top draft picks trying to justify their selections.

But in this minicamp, learning comes before performing.

"If you don't know what to do you can't play fast, show your athletic ability and show the things that you can do," Whitner said. "I don't have an urge to get in and play right now. I need to know what to do first. And once I learn what to do then I'll be able to show the things that I can do on the football field."

Whitner, McCargo and Youboty did a lot on the field last season, yet their efforts weren't universally appreciated on draft day. Several so-called draft experts said Whitner and McCargo were taken too early. Youboty fell to the third round despite some first-round projections.

While the slights provide extra motivation for the players, it's more about proving the Bills were right than proving the critics wrong.

"It really doesn't bother me," Whitner said of the criticism. "But after the season we'll see what guys they're saying are reaches and what guys are busts."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060505/1037853.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Clements gets a no-haggle deal[/SIZE]

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Bills sign cornerback, promise no more 'tags'

By MARK GAUGHAN

News Sports Reporter

5/6/2006 

Buffalo Bills cornerback Nate Clements skipped a vacation to Disney World this weekend to participate in the team's voluntary minicamp. But he feels just as happy as if he had gone on vacation.

Clements officially signed his one-year tender offer Friday to play the 2006 season under the terms of the NFL's franchise tag. That means he's guaranteed to make $7.2 million this year, which is the average of the top five cornerback salaries in the NFL from last season.

That's good news for Clements, but that's not why he was wearing his No. 22 at the Bills Fieldhouse as minicamp opened.

Clements got an added perk because the Bills have promised him they will not put the franchise tag on him again next year, league sources told The News.

"I took my family out to Disney World, and we got in yesterday," Clements said. "But I had to come back this morning [Friday]. So I didn't get a chance to go there. That's OK."

Bills General Manager Marv Levy declined to comment on the promise, and Clements wouldn't talk about it, either.

But the Bills have told him they will limit the tag to this season as an apparent show of good faith. Under the new terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players, a team can put the tag on a player a maximum of two years in a row. In the past, a player could get the tag unlimited seasons.

The Seattle Seahawks made the same promise to star running back Shaun Alexander before last season because they wanted him to have a clear mind entering the season and be motivated to have a great year. Alexander did, and in March he and the Seahawks struck a deal on a big contract extension.

The Bills still could sign Clements to an extension but the realistic deadline to do it is July 15. If they do so by that date, then they can use the tag on another player in a subsequent season. If they do so after July 15 then they do not have use of the tag for the life of the extension.

An extension figures to be tough to reach. Fair market value for one of the top five cornerbacks in the league means a signing bonus in excess of $12 million. Denver's Champ Bailey got the top bonus for a corner - $18 million.

Regardless of whether he strikes a long-term deal or not, Clements now knows that even if no long-term deal is struck, he will be free to test his value on the open market next March. That's why he showed good faith to the Bills and postponed his Orlando vacation.

"Everybody understands how a franchise tag works," Clements said. "A player doesn't have to show up until training camp. But I wanted to get out here and show my face and see the guys."

Clements said he would like to stay to strike an extension with the Bills.

"I'm definitely interested in it," he said. "This is where I started my career and I would love to finish my career here. But I don't really have control of the numbers. All I can control is the way I perform on the field."

Even though franchise tags guarantee a huge salary, players generally don't like them because they would rather have long-term security.

Clements says he understands the Bills' position.

"I tried to put myself in their shoes and see how I would manage a player of that caliber," he said. "I take it as a compliment. I'm definitely excited to be back."

Clements, 26, has created 30 turnovers - 20 interceptions and 10 forced fumbles - in his five-year career.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060506/1064911.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=12pt]Bills add Miami's Nance[/SIZE]

By MARK GAUGHAN

News Sports Reporter

5/6/2006 

Ben Roethlisberger's favorite receiver at Miami (Ohio) was among the rookie free agents signed by the Bills.

Martin Nance, a 6-foot-4, 213-pounder who put up huge numbers during Roethlisberger's senior season, was among eight rookies signed. Nance caught 90 passes for 1,498 yards with 11 touchdowns in 2003. Roethlisberger then went on to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nance suffered a knee injury in 2004 that limited him to just five starts. But in 2005 he rebounded with 81 catches for 1,107 yards.

Tennessee defensive end Jason Hall was one of three defensive ends signed, all of whom are in the 260-pound range.

Hall, 6-3 and 260, had seven sacks and 13.5 tackles for losses and was an All-Southeastern Conference pick. Ryan Neill, 6-3 and 265, had 10 sacks and 21.5 tackles for losses as a senior at Rutgers. Penn State's Matthew Rice, 6-4 and 256, was a three-year starter and had five sacks as a senior.

The Bills have three veteran returnees at defensive end - Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney. So there figures to be an opportunity for a rookie to earn a fourth spot at the position.

Other rookie free agents signed by the Bills were cornerback Eric Bassey of Oklahoma, receiver Chris Denney of Nebraska-Omaha, linebacker John DiGiorgio of Saginaw Valley State and fullback Derrick Ming of Missouri.

The Bills had 81 out of 85 roster players in attendance at Friday afternoon's first minicamp workout, even though attendance is voluntary. Absent were four veterans - safety and NFL Players Association president Troy Vincent, running back Willis McGahee, linebacker London Fletcher and receiver Peerless Price.

"We've had a terrific response in our offseason workouts," said Bills coach **** Jauron. "Our offseason workouts started eight weeks ago, and in our two voluntary minicamps for veterans it's been tremendous."

The Bills have two practices scheduled today and one for Sunday. All are closed to

the public.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060506/1064933.asp

 

[ChampBailey24]

Bills' draft, IMO, was a roller-coaster.  They blew it in the first-round, not trading down from #8.  The Eagles wanted the spot, and Whitner definitely would have been there at #14.  Denver likewise at #15 was looking to move up to get Cutler.  Either way, Buffalo gets their guy for less $$ and adds a pick in the process.  Then, they trade UP to get a guy that they could have traded DOWN in round 2 and still gotten.  Brutal.

However, from that point on, they made up for with a couple of steals (Youboty and Simpson in particular.)  Wild draft - they REALLY wanted to upgrade the secondary, eh?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How do you know the Lions weren't interested in Whitner? The Bills wanted him and they didn't take the risk to lose him. It's not because someone is ranked 10 picks lower than where he was taken that the pick's a reach.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]New Bills stir up camp competition[/SIZE]

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Objective is to raise level of performance

By MARK GAUGHAN

News Sports Reporter

5/7/2006 

Added incentive, a wake-up call or a swift kick in the behind.

Call it what you will, the Buffalo Bills' many acquisitions this offseason have sent a message to the roster that there will be more intense fighting for positions in training camp.

"Competition, competition, competition," says Bills general manager Marv Levy on the rationale for many of his signings.

Last season there were 12 new faces on the 53-man Opening Day roster. It's apparent there are going to be more new faces - perhaps a lot more - when the Bills open their season at New England Sept. 10.

The Bills have added 13 unrestricted free agents from other teams - their most ever - and they drafted nine players last weekend. They already had 49 players back who saw time on the 53-man roster last year.

"We've brought in players," Levy said. "It isn't that we're saying to the guys who are here, "OK, he's replacing you.' It really isn't. I think all of them will play better if there's sense of true competition for the spot."

The push to improve may be felt most by some of the prominent young players drafted by former general manager Tom Donahoe. They face big challenges to raise their level of play.

Quarterback J.P. Losman, a No. 1 pick from 2004, is challenged by the presence of veteran Kelly Holcomb and free-agent pickup Craig Nall.

Roscoe Parrish, who can only play the No. 3 slot receiver spot and in whom the Bills invested a second-round pick in 2005, will be challenged for playing time by veteran Josh Reed, who the Bills re-signed to a four-year deal. Reed might wind up winning time on the outside, but his best role is in the slot.

Kevin Everett, drafted in the third round in 2005, is not being handed the starting tight end job, as many expected. He will contend with Robert Royal, who signed for starter money and who brings a reputation as a strong blocker.

Duke Preston, drafted in the fourth round in 2005 as the presumed center of the future, saw the Bills sign starting-caliber veterans at center (Melvin Fowler) and guard (Tutan Reyes). Preston is seeing about 70 percent of his action as a backup guard and only 30 percent at center.

"Like everybody we need to have quality depth and we need to have competition," coach **** Jauron said. "Probably the area where that may show the most is at the quarterback position. We have three guys. J.P.'s the youngest of the group, going into his third year. We didn't bring in a young guy. We wanted three guys who could compete for the job, hoping that the three-way competition spurs them all to up their level of performance and one of them hopefully takes off. We'd like to do that at every position."

It's plausible to suggest that if Donahoe had not been fired, both Everett and Preston would have entered spring practices penciled in as starters at their spots. And it's questionable whether Reed would have been re-signed, too. Parrish may have had a clearer run at the slot-receiver job.

"You've got to go in prepared to fight to win the job," said Preston. "Nothing great or worthwhile is just given away. You've got to earn it. That's what I came in prepared to do."

Preston says he never thought he would be handed the starting center job.

"I never expected that," he said. "especially with the coaching change and with Mr. Donahoe leaving. I didn't expect that at all."

Preston says he didn't spend the offseason monitoring who the Bills were bringing in for visits or who they might draft.

"You start worrying about that kind of stuff and it'll drive you crazy," he said."

Left guard is one of the more competitive positions. Incumbent Bennie Anderson is at the top of the depth chart and will be pushed by Reyes and Preston. Reyes may have an edge based on his production in Carolina.

Receiver is a heated position, too. The Bills have eight receivers who were on an NFL 53-man roster last year. They are Lee Evans, Peerless Price, Reed, Parrish, Sam Aiken, Jonathan Smith, George Wilson and Andre' Davis. Key questions: Who will make the final five or six roster spots? Can anyone step up as a quality No. 2 man? (Price is the favorite.) And how will playing time between Reed and Parrish be split?

Cornerback and both safety spots figure to be hotly contested as well.

"There's always going to be new faces, new people coming in competing every year," said Jabari Greer, who has won a backup corner role the last two seasons. "If you focus on that, you mess yourself up and you'll lower your productivity.

"Once you're on that roster you want to keep your job. It's football. Everybody who loves playing the game prides himself on being a part of a team. That's what we all strive for."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060507/2037677.asp

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Wild card in Bills' QB derby ready to prove himself[/SIZE]

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For all we know, Levy liked Nall because he played his best game against Chicago, where Levy was an analyst

5/7/2006 

By JERRY SULLIVAN

Craig Nall says he didn't watch the NFL draft last weekend. Nall was more worried about his living room than what was going on in the Bills' draft room. Nall and his wife, Amanda, had just moved into a new house in Hamburg. They spent most of the day shopping for furniture.

"We didn't even have the cable in yet," Buffalo's new quarterback said Friday during minicamp. "But I did turn on the radio at one point when they were doing the rundown. For a second there, I was having flashbacks to last year."

A year earlier, Nall had seen a big-name quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, slide through the draft to his old team, the Packers. So when Nall heard the list of players who had been picked high and didn't hear Matt Leinart's name among them, he began to fear the worst. It couldn't be happening again, could it?

But when Nall and his wife found out that the Bills had taken Donte Whitner with their first pick, they sighed and went back to opening boxes.

You can't blame Nall for wondering. All his career, he's competed with higher profile guys. As an LSU sophomore, he won a three-way battle with Rohan Davey and Josh Booty for the starting job. Nall struggled in the opener and they took his job away.

Nall never started another game at LSU. After his junior year, he transferred to Northwestern State, a I-AA school in his native Louisiana. Nall had a big senior year and was drafted by the Packers in the fifth round in 2002. Then he sat for four years behind Brett Favre, a certified NFL legend.

The Packers kept bringing in former top draft picks to challenge Nall for the backup job. Akili Smith failed, then Tim Couch. Last year, the Packers brought in Rodgers, who became the backup and Favre's presumed heir as starter. Nall, who had played well in limited duty as the backup in 2004, was inactive for all 16 games.

Nall didn't feel he'd gotten a fair shake. He felt he had been the victim of political considerations, same as at LSU, but he kept quiet and waited.

"In hindsight, I see God put me in that situation (at LSU) to prepare me for the years in Green Bay," Nall said. "Each year it was kind of the same thing. But from LSU, I knew what to do and what not to do. It taught me to concentrate on what I can control and not worry about what other people are doing."

He knew his time would come in free agency. The Bills made him a dream offer - a three-year deal with a $1.3 million signing bonus. More than the money, it was the show of faith, the belief that he really is good enough to compete for a starting job.

"When I came for my visit, I sat with Coach (****) Jauron and told him I wanted a situation where I'm wanted, not looked on as a confident backup," Nall said. "I wanted someone who would say, "We want this kid to come in here and compete, let's see what he's got.' "

Nall, 27, has the mature, direct bearing of an athlete who has been through a lot, and who knows what it's like to play in a football-crazed community. Nall was Favre's close friend. When he left Green Bay in free agency, people assumed he knew that Favre intended to play another year.

At any rate, Nall has a lot to prove. Bills GM Marv Levy thinks highly of him, but there isn't a lot of solid evidence that he can be an NFL starter. Nall was 23 of 33 passing for 314 yards and four TDs as Favre's caddy in 2004. In 2003, he was the highest-rated QB in NFL Europe.

But that's it. Nall didn't see the field in his other three NFL seasons. He started one game in major college. For all we know, Levy liked Nall because he played his best game against Chicago, where Levy was an analyst. But people with little faith in J.P. Losman or Kelly Holcomb feel Nall could emerge as the Bills' quarterback of the immediate future.

All Nall wants is a chance.

"The competition is nothing new," he said. "It's wide open. I was in the West Coast offense for four years, and now I'm trying to learn Coach (Steve) Fairchild's offense. It's like trying to learn a foreign language. It's going to take time. But once I get the jitters out and know exactly what I'm doing on every play, I think I can let my athletic talents show."

Nall has the size. He's listed at 6-3, 230 pounds. He has a powerful arm, too.

"It's not like Favre," Nall said, "a guy who can put it anywhere he wants. But I'm capable of making any throw on the field. I have pretty good feet. I'm not a runner. I'll run if I have to. But from my high school days, I was taught to stay in the pocket, to feel the rush and still get the ball out."

Levy and Jauron are high on him. The signing bonus was a surprise in NFL circles, like so much that has taken place at One Bills Drive in recent months.

Nall has a three-year deal, but he knows his NFL career is on the line. He says he's ready.

"In the past, I tried to be perfect instead of being good on every play, which leads to greatness," Nall said. "I'm impatient at times. I want that greatness now. I want to be MVP now, instead of taking baby steps and working through the process to get there. So this is the first step, coming to Buffalo and getting an opportunity to show what I'm capable of doing.

"I'm confident I will make a good showing."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060507/1064020.asp

 

[ConstruxBoy]

[SIZE=14pt]Wild card in Bills' QB derby ready to prove himself[/SIZE]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For all we know, Levy liked Nall because he played his best game against Chicago, where Levy was an analyst

5/7/2006 

By JERRY SULLIVAN

Craig Nall says he didn't watch the NFL draft last weekend. Nall was more worried about his living room than what was going on in the Bills' draft room. Nall and his wife, Amanda, had just moved into a new house in Hamburg. They spent most of the day shopping for furniture.

"We didn't even have the cable in yet," Buffalo's new quarterback said Friday during minicamp. "But I did turn on the radio at one point when they were doing the rundown. For a second there, I was having flashbacks to last year."

A year earlier, Nall had seen a big-name quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, slide through the draft to his old team, the Packers. So when Nall heard the list of players who had been picked high and didn't hear Matt Leinart's name among them, he began to fear the worst. It couldn't be happening again, could it?

But when Nall and his wife found out that the Bills had taken Donte Whitner with their first pick, they sighed and went back to opening boxes.

You can't blame Nall for wondering. All his career, he's competed with higher profile guys. As an LSU sophomore, he won a three-way battle with Rohan Davey and Josh Booty for the starting job. Nall struggled in the opener and they took his job away.

Nall never started another game at LSU. After his junior year, he transferred to Northwestern State, a I-AA school in his native Louisiana. Nall had a big senior year and was drafted by the Packers in the fifth round in 2002. Then he sat for four years behind Brett Favre, a certified NFL legend.

The Packers kept bringing in former top draft picks to challenge Nall for the backup job. Akili Smith failed, then Tim Couch. Last year, the Packers brought in Rodgers, who became the backup and Favre's presumed heir as starter. Nall, who had played well in limited duty as the backup in 2004, was inactive for all 16 games.

Nall didn't feel he'd gotten a fair shake. He felt he had been the victim of political considerations, same as at LSU, but he kept quiet and waited.

"In hindsight, I see God put me in that situation (at LSU) to prepare me for the years in Green Bay," Nall said. "Each year it was kind of the same thing. But from LSU, I knew what to do and what not to do. It taught me to concentrate on what I can control and not worry about what other people are doing."

He knew his time would come in free agency. The Bills made him a dream offer - a three-year deal with a $1.3 million signing bonus. More than the money, it was the show of faith, the belief that he really is good enough to compete for a starting job.

"When I came for my visit, I sat with Coach (****) Jauron and told him I wanted a situation where I'm wanted, not looked on as a confident backup," Nall said. "I wanted someone who would say, "We want this kid to come in here and compete, let's see what he's got.' "

Nall, 27, has the mature, direct bearing of an athlete who has been through a lot, and who knows what it's like to play in a football-crazed community. Nall was Favre's close friend. When he left Green Bay in free agency, people assumed he knew that Favre intended to play another year.

At any rate, Nall has a lot to prove. Bills GM Marv Levy thinks highly of him, but there isn't a lot of solid evidence that he can be an NFL starter. Nall was 23 of 33 passing for 314 yards and four TDs as Favre's caddy in 2004. In 2003, he was the highest-rated QB in NFL Europe.

But that's it. Nall didn't see the field in his other three NFL seasons. He started one game in major college. For all we know, Levy liked Nall because he played his best game against Chicago, where Levy was an analyst. But people with little faith in J.P. Losman or Kelly Holcomb feel Nall could emerge as the Bills' quarterback of the immediate future.

All Nall wants is a chance.

"The competition is nothing new," he said. "It's wide open. I was in the West Coast offense for four years, and now I'm trying to learn Coach (Steve) Fairchild's offense. It's like trying to learn a foreign language. It's going to take time. But once I get the jitters out and know exactly what I'm doing on every play, I think I can let my athletic talents show."

Nall has the size. He's listed at 6-3, 230 pounds. He has a powerful arm, too.

"It's not like Favre," Nall said, "a guy who can put it anywhere he wants. But I'm capable of making any throw on the field. I have pretty good feet. I'm not a runner. I'll run if I have to. But from my high school days, I was taught to stay in the pocket, to feel the rush and still get the ball out."

Levy and Jauron are high on him. The signing bonus was a surprise in NFL circles, like so much that has taken place at One Bills Drive in recent months.

Nall has a three-year deal, but he knows his NFL career is on the line. He says he's ready.

"In the past, I tried to be perfect instead of being good on every play, which leads to greatness," Nall said. "I'm impatient at times. I want that greatness now. I want to be MVP now, instead of taking baby steps and working through the process to get there. So this is the first step, coming to Buffalo and getting an opportunity to show what I'm capable of doing.

"I'm confident I will make a good showing."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060507/1064020.asp
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Thorpe]

I like the draft quite a bit. I don't care where the media has players ranked. They don't know as much as the NFL guys. Bills had big wholes to fill at o line, safety, and DT. They addressed all of those spots in the draft and with free agents.

Bills fans should be excited about Whitner. It seems like every team that had success last year had a playmaker at the safety position. Whitner runs 4.38 and plays the run with a mean streak. What is not to like about this guy?

If McCargo had been healthy all year, I am sure he would have been rated much higher. If the Bills are confident that he is healthy and not going to be injury prone, then that is enough for me. Quick 300 pounders are not too common.

I give levy credit for sticking to his guns and not making safe picks. He got the players he wanted even if it meant having all the talking heads say he reached. Half of the players in the top 10 are going to be busts anyways, regardless of where they are ranked by Kiper.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

[SIZE=14pt]Where They’re Lining Up[/SIZE]

by Chris Brown, Lead Journalist 

5/6/2006

With a lot of new faces on the roster since the last set of workouts, below we bring you up to speed as to just where all the newest faces from veteran free agents to draft picks are getting their reps.

It must be kept in mind that the coaching staff is making a point to rotate players through at certain positions in order to give equal opportunity to each of the players over the course of the four practices this weekend.

Veteran free agent acquisition Peerless Price is not listed below because he did not attend the camp which is voluntary to veteran players.

VETERAN FREE AGENTS

SS Matt Bowen ran with the first team defense on Friday and then was rotated to the third team Saturday at strong safety. The coaching staff appears to be trying to give Bowen and Coy Wire even looks with the first unit.

WR Andre Davis has been rotated in mainly for second team reps in these practices at receiver.

C Melvin Fowler has been the team's number one center since he arrived, and continues to get reps in the top spot.

OL Aaron Gibson is getting playing time at right tackle only. He is currently getting reps on the second and third line units.

QB Craig Nall continues to be part of an intentional rotation at the quarterback position between himself, J.P. Losman and Kelly Holcomb.

OL Tutan Reyes is seeing a lot of time at left guard. He was working with the second unit on Friday, but got reps with the starting unit Saturday as Bennie Anderson was absent from the morning workout.

TE Robert Royal has been given a lot of reps with the first unit, and has been involved in the passing game. He's been rotated out at time, but Royal has seen the most time with the first group at tight end.

RB Anthony Thomas was running as the second team running back on Friday behind Lionel Gates (Willis McGahee is not in attendance). Saturday morning he appeared to get more reps with the third unit as Shaud Williams got bumped up in the rotation.

DT Larry Tripplett has been the team's starting three-technique defensive tackle since he signed with the Bills and that hasn't changed.

DRAFT PICKS

SS Donte Whitner has exclusively been the second team strong safety throughout the first two days of camp.

DT John McCargo through the first two workouts has lined up with the second team defense and played the three-technique primarily.

CB Ashton Youboty has been playing left cornerback with the second teamers on defense much like Whitner this weekend.

FS Ko Simpson has been running with the third team defense at the free safety spot.

DT Kyle Williams has been playing alongside McCargo on the interior of the second team defense. He has played the nose tackle spot for the most part.

OT Brad Butler hasn't seen a whole lot of reps at tackle thus far through the first couple of practices.

LB Keith Ellison has played the strong side linebacker spot with the third team defensive unit.

OT Terrance Pennington has seen time at the left tackle spot with the third unit over the first couple of days.

C/G Aaron Merz has been playing mostly at center through the first couple of practices with the third offensive line group.

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=3751