July 31, 2007

Bills plan to launch Roscoe

PITTSFORD — Each of the three touchdowns Roscoe Parrish scored last year were among the most exciting plays of the season for the Buffalo Bills. The Bills’ coaches are determined to find a way for him to create more fireworks this year.

Pads practice ratchets up intensity

The first full pads practice got underway late Monday morning and there was some spirited play throughout the session. Heach coach Dick Jauron and his coaching staff, however, had to push a little at times to maintain the tempo under a blazing sun.

July 30, 2007

Today in Buffalo Bills History

July 30, 1960 -- FIRST PRESEASON GAME
The Bills' first-ever preseason game was played before 16,000 fans at Buffalo's War Memorial Stadium. They lost to the Boston Patriots, 28-7 in the first game ever played in the American Football League.

July 30, 1970 - NFLPA GOES ON STRIKE
The NFLPA officially went on strike over the issue of pension benefits.

Bills Inside Slant

The Bills spent roughly $75 million to land free agent linemen Derrick Dockery, Langston Walker and Jason Whittle. Upgrading their line is viewed as step one in improving an offense that ranked 30th in yards last season.........

Bills trade Darwin Walker

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (July 29, 2007) -- The Chicago Bears acquired defensive tackle Darwin Walker in a trade with Buffalo, landing a veteran to replace Tank Johnson.

Bills up to 10 draft picks in 08' NFL draft

10 DRAFT PICKS IN '08: While some may not be thrilled that the Bills weren't able to add to their talent on the defensive interior now, having 10 draft picks in '08 (by my count) means help is on the way

July 28, 2007

BillsZone Training Camp Report 7/28/2007 AM Session

 Bills Training Camp Gallery Saturday, July 28 2007

Here we go! Day 3 of Buffalo Bills Training camp. This is the final day of double practice sessions.  After three days of two-a-days, Coach Dick Jauron has the team scheduled for only one practice each day, starting Monday.  It also will be the beginning of the faster paced, hard hitting practices when the players will start wearing pads.  Today was another great day outside, so the Buffalo Bills were able to get all their drills done without any problems.  The only difference was that they practiced on the Growney Stadium turf due to the grass fields being wet from last night's rain.  Other than that, it was business as usual.  The Bills spent a lot of time on special teams and did some no huddle and the usual individual drills, along with the full team 11-on-11 drills, plus some 7-on-7 drills.

Just like yesterday, the team started off right away with some special teams work. Bobby April spent time explaining the kickoff coverage and trying to get everybody into position. He also focused on the wedge for the kick returners to run with. Terrence McGee was the main player downfield for kick returns. After a little while, the horn went off and then the players worked on a goal-line formations without helmets and no contact. They basically just used this as a warmup drill, but the running backs practiced taking the handoff and running to the outside and to the end zone. After a little bit of this, the players did their usual stretches and loosened up for the beginning of practice.

The hard work began right away as the team worked on the no-huddle drill in the 11-on-11. Marshawn Lynch was a big focus here and got all the carries. He started it off with a run around the right tackle for 4-yards, then he went the same way again and showed his speed as he got about 7-yards. Lynch then ran up the middle for 5-yards. JP Losman decided to pass on the next play and found Lee Evans for 9-yards. He then handed the ball back off to Marshawn Lynch who ran left guard for 6-yards. JP finished this drill off by hitting Lee Evans for a 7-yard gain.

The players then went back to their individual units and worked on some drills. I watched the linebackers for a bit and saw Paul Posluszny make some good plays, he showed good hands when the assistant threw the ball to the LB's. Angelo Crowell also did a nice job hauling the ball in. The players then started to merge like they always do and I spent some time watching the receivers catch the balls from the quarterbacks and the running backs get their shot. JP Losman showed some nice zip on the ball when he threw it to the receivers downfield. Marshawn Lynch also made a great catch when they used him out wide and showed that the Bills finally have a back with some good hands.

The Special Teams unit got some more work following the individual drills. This time the special teams players worked individually. The gunners were on one side of the field and trying to separate from eachother. On the other side, the linemen and blockers were working on different blocking techniques. The kickers and punters spent time taking snaps from the long snappers.

After the horn sounded, the players went to work on the 7-on-7 drill as the linemen worked on some blocking drills. Right away Marshawn Lynch showed he can catch, when JP Losman found him for 13-yards, near the sideline. Losman overthrew Lee Evans on the next play. He then went back to Marshawn Lynch, who made a nice cut and ran for about 8-yards. JP finished the set off with an 11-yard pass to Josh Reed. Craig Nall came in and dumped it off to Anthony Thomas for 6-yards. However, he overthrew Donovan Morgan on the following play. Trent Edwards was up next and hit Sam Aiken for 7-yards. He then threw a screen to Fred Jackson, who took it for about 8-yards. JP Losman came back in and saw Lee Evans open, but Keith Ellison leaped in front of the pass and just missed an interception. Losman made up for that on the next play when he found Kevin Everett downfield for 22-yards. He then threw a pass to Josh Reed, who made a great catch near the sidelines before going out of bounds. Craig Nall came back in and overthrew Shaud Williams. He recovered with two consecutive completions, one to Jonathan "Fast Freddie" Smith and the other to Shaud Williams. Trent Edwards came back in and hit Lee Evans, who made a great catch with his hands for an 11-yard gain. JP Losman then came back one last time and completed passes to Peerless Price and Josh Reed for about 6-yards a piece. Craig Nall had one last shot and he threw a screen to Dwayne Wright for 6-yards. Trent Edwards finished the drill off with a 12-yard pass to Justin Jenkins and a nice 15-yarder to Matt Murphy.

Next up was another 11-on-11 drill. Anthony Thomas started it off with a nice run up the middle for 10-yards, showing his power off. JP Losman threw a pass to Lee Evans for 20-yards. He then completed one to Marshawn Lynch, this time Lynch showed off his speed and got about 14-yards. Craig Nall came in and found Roscoe Parrish for 16-yards. He went back to Parrish on the next play, but Kiwaukee Thomas made a great defensive play to force the incompletion. Nall then finished this set by overthrowing Parrish. Fred Jackson got a shot to carry the ball and ran around the left tackle for 6-yards. Jackson was also the target on the next play, but Losman overthrew him. Josh Scobey had his first chance to run the ball and ran around the left tackle for about 4-yards. He really has to impress the coaches on special teams or he will likely be a camp casualty. JP Losman found Peerless Price downfield on the next play for 21-yards. Price made a nice catch and got a few cheers from the fans.

Trent Edwards came in and dumped the ball off to Matt Murphy for 4-yards. Dwayne Wright then was handed the ball twice in a row and was stuffed first, but squeezed thru for about 5-yards on the second try. Shaud Williams was stopped for a short gain right after that, as he faced the starting defense. JP Losman came back in and threaded the needle to Roscoe Parrish for a nice 28-yard gain. JP then hit Roscoe with a screen, and he gained about 6-yards. Craig Nall came back and saw Marshawn Lynch near the sidelines, but he overthrew him a bit as Lynch couldn't get the ball inbounds. Dwayne Wright got the rock next and ran up the middle, showing his power and gaining 10-yards. Trent Edwards finished the drill off with a beauty to Kevin Everett for at least 35-yards.

Bobby April got one more chance with the special teams and this time he decided to put all the stuff that they worked on together. The players practiced on kick returns and kick return coverage. The returners were Terrence McGee, Fred Jackson, Jonathan Smith, and Josh Scobey. McGee looked the best out of all of them, but Jackson showed some good moves too. Scobey dropped the ball on his first try.

Following the special teams work, the Buffalo Bills then went back to the 11-on-11 drills one last time. Jason Webster started it off with a great defensive play. JP Losman saw Lee Evans downfield, but Webster kept up with him all the way and batted the ball down. Evans did get another chance right after that and made a nice leaping catch for an 11-yard gain. JP Losman then found Peerless Price downfield for 22-yards. Marshawn Lynch carried the ball next and got about 8-yards. JP Losman then hit Josh Reed for a 20-yard gain. He finished the drill off with another long ball, this time to Kevin Everett for 23-yards. Craig Nall came in and hit Roscoe Parrish for 6-yards. Trent Edwards then came on the field and found Donovan Morgan, who slipped, but still held onto the ball for a 17-yard gain. Dwayne Wright finished the drill off with a nice run up the middle for 8-yards.

The team ended the day with some light drills. One one side the defensive players were working on interception drills. On the other side, the offense was just lining up at the line and handing the ball off. After a few minutes of this, the horn went off and the players did their stretches. They then had their usual team huddle in midfield and went to the locker room. Robert Royal and Craig Nall stayed on the field and were working on some passing drills afterwards.

Extra Points:

1. After getting weaned into practice yesterday, the coaches threw Marshawn Lynch in full force today. He was getting most of the reps with the starts and showed some great hands, along with the homerun threat that we all want to see. I have a feeling that Lynch will finally be the running back we have been missing since Thurman Thomas left.

2. Just like Lynch, Paul Posluszny has also started getting more reps with the starters. He's not getting them as fast as Marshawn, but is starting to be included in a bunch of drills as the starting middle linebacker. He has surprised me so far with his speed. I knew he was a big guy and very tough, but I had no idea how fast he really was.

2. Kevin Everett might finally be ready to be the tight end that Tom Donahoe thought he would be. He's was getting more reps this morning and showed nice hands. I also liked seeing his run after the catch ability. He has some good speed.

4. Yesterday, Terrence McGee caught my eye in the secondary. Today, I watched Jason Webster. I have a feeling that he is going to be a steal. He is showing great coverage ability downfield and also made a couple nice plays to knock the ball down.

5. Keith Ellison had another good day. He looked good yesterday on the field and stopped the backs a couple times, but today he showed good coverage and made a great play when he got in front of the pass intended for Lee Evans. The only negative is that he didn't get the interception. He has to learn how to hold onto that ball.

6. Roscoe Parrish is going to be a big part of this offense. He showed his speed downfield on a couple plays and also juked a coupled defenders at the line. Parrish was getting many chances and was mixed in with all the receiver sets. JP Losman also seems to be getting more comfortable with him as he found him quite a few times.

7. Props go to JP Losman, Melvin Fowler, Duke Preston, Aaron Merz, Brad Butler and some other linemen. They all came to the fence to sign autographs for the fans. Aaron Merz stayed out there for a while and was signing autographs for everyone who wanted them. He was even chatting with the fans and seemed like a really nice guy.

Overall, it was another good day at camp. Marshawn Lynch was a big part of the day and showed how much of a factor that he will be in the offense this year. As for the practice, it continues to be slow paced, but that should pick up Monday afternoon as the team finally puts on the pads.

July 27, 2007

Lynch In; Losman Off PUP

As Bills top pick Marshawn Lynch stepped out onto the practice field at St. John Fisher Friday, Bills running backs coach Eric Studesville was right on his shoulder. He remained there for the next 15 minutes as he tried to give Lynch a quick refresher course on the offense.

Glen champ Harvick takes time for a pit stop with Bills

The opening of Bills training camp brought a first-time visitor to the St. John Fisher College practice facility — NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick, who came to Rochester to promote the Aug. 9-12 Nextel Cup series race at Watkins Glen.

DiGiorgio feeling the heat

When John DiGiorgio arrived at training camp a year ago, you needed a shovel to dig down to find his name on the Buffalo Bills' depth chart. Undrafted out of NCAA Division II Saginaw Valley State, his name wasn't exactly written with a Sharpie on the roster at linebacker

Bills' on-the-job training

Heat, humidity and a midweek work day for many fans kept attendance down Thursday as the Buffalo Bills opened their eighth training camp at St. John Fisher College.

Bills QB Losman returns to camp

His back feeling limber, quarterback J.P. Losman practiced for the first time this morning, a day after the Buffalo Bills opened training camp. "There was no pain out there today, pretty much zero," said Losman, who was activated off the physically-unable-to-perform list after straining his lower back while working out earlier this week. The second-year starter missed the team's first two practices on Thursday.

BillsZone Training Camp Report 7/27/2007 AM Session

 Bills Training Camp Gallery Friday, July 27 2007

Here we go! Day 2 of Buffalo Bills Training camp. There are two practices today, as it is the 2nd of 3 double session practices. Here is what I caught from this morning's practice. The biggest news of the day was that JP Losman was back on the field practicing as it appears his back is not bothering him anymore. Also, Marshawn Lynch was on the field and was getting weaned into the drills, as he missed the first day. The players worked on a bunch of special teams drills, individual drills with their own units, 7-on-7 , 11-on-11 and even some no huddle drills. The main focus thing morning seemed to be special teams as Head Coach Jauron gave Bobby April a lot of practice time. But they did do many other things too!

The special teams spent the first part of the day working on punt coverage. They also did some practice punting the ball, Moorman didn't see much action as DJ Fitzpatrick took a lot of the reps to give Brian Moorman some rest. While they were doing this, the quarterbacks were working on some throwing drills and taking the ball from the center. Once the horn sounded, all of the players got together and worked on some 11-on-11 no huddle style drills, where they left their helmets on the ground and practiced running the ball. The Bills then did their stretching and loosened up to get ready for the real action.

The offense worked on some no-huddle again, this time with the helmets on. On the first play, Fred Jackson took the ball and ran to the left for about 6-yards. JP Losman then threw a 10-yard pass to Lee Evans, who made a nice leaping grab. Fred Jackson got the ball again and was stopped for a short gain. There was then some communication problems as JP Losman tried to hook up with Lee Evans, but he wasn't there. They made up for it on the next play when JP threw a nice bullet pass to Evans for about 8-yards.

Following that short drill, the players went back to their individual units and spent time working together on catching drills, blocking drills, throwing drills, etc. I was on the side where the receivers were working on their routes, so I watched that. Lee Evans couldn't make the sweet fingertip catch, but it was hard to get to on his first try. He did make a great catch later on. Roscoe Parrish did haul one of those passes in and made the fingertip grab. Donovan Morgan and Josh Reed also made some sweet catches, along with Peerless Price who made a leaping grab. The units then started to work together as JP Losman and the rest of the Quarterbacks worked with the wide receivers and tight ends. Losman threw a couple nice bombs to his receivers, and so did Trent Edwards as he appears to have a great arm also. The running backs then merged into the groups and Anthony Thomas caught a couple passes, along with Dwayne Wright who has some good speed.

Next up was the Special Teams practice again, as Bobby April continues to get a lot of practice time. Special Teams will definitely be a big focus this year. It's nice to see. This time the long snappers and holders worked with the punters and kickers on one side of the field. There were 3 players that were long snapping and they were the usual Mike Schneck who had some good snaps, along with Duke Preston and Ryan Neill. On the other side of the field, the gunners were working on blocking and trying to get away from the defender. April had each player paired up with another player for the whole practice. I watched Paul Posluszny, who was matched up against Ryan Neufeld. Poz put a nice move on Neufeld a few times and showed good toughness when trying to block him. Josh Stamer and Coy Wire were matched up right next to them and both of them seemed to be having a good time and it was a good matchup for both.

Following the special teams drill, the players worked on the 7-on-7 drill, while the linemen worked one some blocking drills. Terrence McGee started it out right away by batting down JP Losman's pass to Lee Evans. Losman then hit Peerless Price for about 6-yards. JP then found Josh Reed right in the hands, but Reed dropped it and it was tipped and intercepted by Keith Ellison. Losman went right back to him on the next play, this time finding him downfield for 22-yards and he made a nice leaping catch. Roscoe Parrish dropped a pass from JP Losman. Losman then went right back to him to give him another shot and Kiwaukee Thomas was all over him and he knew it. It was definitely pass interference. Next up was Craig Nall, who started out lousy by throwing a pass that was right in Mario Haggan's hands. Luckily Haggan couldn't hang on. Nall then decided to dump it off a couple times to Shaud Williams. Trent Edwards got his shot and overthrew Josh Reed right away. He then checked off to Donovan Morgan for about 6-yards.

JP Losman came back out and threw a quick pass to Sam Aiken for 7-yards. He then hit Jonathan "Fast Freddie" Smith for 5-yards. Next he found Lee Evans for about 8-yards. Losman then threw a nice looking pass to Sam Aiken for 14-yards. Josh Reed made a great catch when Losman threw a nice floater downfield for 23-yards. Craig Nall had one more crack at it and hit Lee Evans for 14-yards. But he overthrew Jemalle Cornelius right after that. Edwards had one final shot and dumped the ball off to Fred Jackson for a short gain. He finished it off by finding Felton Huggins for 8-yards, who lost his footing and was falling down, but still made a great catch.

After the horn sounded, the linemen came back over and the team worked on the 11-on-11 drill again. Anthony Thomas was stopped for a short gain on the first play. Losman then found Lee Evans for a 7-yard pass. Next he threw a screen to A-Train for about 5-yards. Marshawn Lynch was running with the 2nd and 3rd teams and saw limited action. But he did had a nice run to the outside for 6 or 7 yards. JP Losman then found Roscoe Parrish who made a great catch, keeping him feet inbounds at the sidelines for 24-yards. Dwayne Wright got his chance to run and showed some nice moves as he he gained 8-yards. Terrence McGee continued to shine as he stripped Lee Evans of the ball. JP Losman then dumped it off to Brad Cieslak for 4-yards. Fred Jackson then got the ball a couple times and ran up the middle for about 5 yards each time. Shaud Williams ran around the left tackle for 7-yards. JP Losman then overthrew Peerless Price. Trent Edwards came back in and threw a dumpoff pass to Robert Royal for 4-yards. He then found again, this time for 11-yards. Losman came back in and found Jemalle Cornelius for 25-yards. Marshawn Lynch had another chance to carry the ball and showed some nice burst as he ran around the left tackle for 12-yards. Craig Nall finished the drill by hitting Justin Jenkins, who made a nice catch downfield for 23-yards.

The special teams then went back to work again. This time they worked on punt returns and trying to get to the returner. They had 4 returners on each side of the field. On one side was Roscoe Parrish, Fred Jackson, Jim Leonhard and Josh Scobey. On the other side was Shaud Williams, Jonathan Smith, Scott Mayle, and Donovan Morgan. During this drill, Leonard had problems fielding the ball as they didn't catch punts, the players caught a ball that was tossed to them from the side. Also, Roscoe Parrish showed his great return ability as he had one play where he ran around to the left side and was gone. He outran everyone for a touchdown.

The team finished the day with some more 11-on-11 drills. Terrence McGee continued to shine as he made a great defensive play to force the incompletion to Peerless Price. JP Losman then found Lee Evans for 15-yards. Sam Aiken was the next target and made a nice leaping grab to get Losman's 8-yard pass. JP then went back to Lee Evans for 18-yards, near the sideline. He finished off with a couple bombs. His first one was a sweet bomb to Peerless Price for 50-yards. Then he finished it off by gunning it to Josh Reed for 27-yards. Craig Nall then threw a nice 30-yarder to Roscoe Parrish. Trent Edwards ended the drill by finding Sam Aiken downfield for 28-yards, followed by a pass to Jonathan Smith for 13-yards. To finish the day off, the team went back to individual groups and worked on some drills. This was probably used as a cooling off period and the players only did light stuff and talked with the coaches, then they did their stretched and left.

Extra Points:

1. Terrence McGee was the star of the day. He was all over the field and made some great plays, batting down a couple balls and also showed some great coverage downfield.

2. It was great to see JP Losman back out there. He continued to show why he's the leader of this team, as he seemed to have some nice interaction with the players and was taking charge at the line of scrimmage, including changing players from behind center and working on the no huddle drill quite a few times. They have definitely taken the training wheels off.

3. Dick Jauron is definitely serious about special teams. I have never seen a couple allow his team to spend as much time on special teams as he does. Bobby April sure must be excited. Roscoe Parrish was the star during these drills as he took one to the house.

4. Peerless Price participated in all drills with a bandaged pinkie and still did a good job catching the ball. He did make the play of the day when he caught that long bomb from JP Losman for about 50-yards.

5. Both of the rookie runningbacks were weaned into action. Each one had about 4-5 carries. Marshawn Lynch showed his speed and he seems to have that homerun threat that we are all looking for in a running back. Dwayne Wright showed good moves when he ran up the middle and made a couple fakes, including a big cut on Josh Stamer that made him look bad.

6. Paul Posluszny saw some action with the starting unit in a few drills, but was mainly with the 2nd team as they slowing work him in. He did get to the ballcarrier quickly on the plays I saw him.

7. Jason Webster seems to have the starting Cornerback job locked up, unless the others really shine. He showed great coverage ability downfield and was also good at getting to the running back.

8. Props go to Marshawn Lynch for coming to the fence and signing a bunch of autographs for the fans. He was there for about 20-minutes or so and kept signing when many players were gone. Derek Schouman did the same thing. Also, props go to JP Losman for coming to the fence after doing a few interviews. He was very personal with everyone and even took a couple photos with some fans.

Overall, it was a pretty good day at camp. Seeing how it was only the second day and the players still aren't wearing pads, it was a bit light and slow paced. But that should definitely pick up by next week.

All Eyes on Marshawn, the Lynchpin of the Offense

Bills Reach Deal With Top Pick Lynch

Drafted 12th overall out of California, Lynch will earn $10.285 million in guaranteed money including bonuses, with the entire contract worth $18.935 million.

Bills Get Deal Done With Lynch

The Buffalo Bills made a flurry of signings in the final days before training camp inking three draft picks, but top pick Marshawn Lynch took just a little bit longer. Lynch agreed to terms with the club late Thursday.

Thomas helped put Buffalo on the football map

“People can say what they want to say, write what they want to write about the Buffalo Bills,” Thomas said last week during a teleconference. “We put Buffalo on the map. Whether you want to label us losers or winners, there have been a lot of other teams that never been to the Super Bowl. There have been a lot of other great players that have never won a championship.

Bills' Losman Sidelined By Back Strain

Quarterback J.P. Losman was held out for the start of Buffalo Bills training camp Thursday after straining his lower back working out this week.

Lynch agrees to deal with Bills

First-round draft pick Marshawn Lynch reached a contract agreement with the Buffalo Bills late Thursday, league sources told The Buffalo News.

July 26, 2007

Posluszny Gets First Team Reps

It only took two practices, but during the afternoon session of day one of Bills training camp, second-round pick Paul Posluszny got a handful of reps with the first unit at middle linebacker. "It was good to get a feel for what that's like to be with the starters and go against the starting offense," said Posluszny. "That's a little bit different level up there between the ones and the twos. Those are NFL starters so there's definitely at a different level. Everything is just a little bit quicker."

Nall Already Getting Dry Run For Backup Role

Craig Nall got his first opportunity Thursday to show he could step in if the unfortunate happens. "It is a little different," said Nall of assuming the starters role in training camp. "But I might be in situations like that during the season where something happens to J.P. and I am called on last minute to perform."

Losman Injury Headlines Day One

"He was just training and getting ready to come to camp and strained a low back during one of his workouts," said Jauron. "It was lifting. My understanding was it happened on Tuesday." "It was a leg lift, it was a squat to be honest," said Losman who suffered the injury in a local gym near his Buffalo home.

Losman sits out first practice with back muscle strain

A strained back muscle kept Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman on the sideline today as the team opened training camp at St. John Fisher College. Losman was an unexpected non-participant but both he and Bills coach Dick Jauron said the injury was a minor one. Losman tweaked his back while lifting weights on his own on Tuesday.

Buffalo QB Losman sidelined by back strain as Bills camp opens

Coach Dick Jauron listed Losman as day to day, but noted the quarterback will be placed on the physically unable to perform list. Losman can be activated off the list at any time. "It won't have a lot of impact. Hopefully, it'll be very short-lived and he'll be right back on the field," Jauron said after the team held its first practice in suburban Rochester. "I don't know if deflating is a good term. I don't feel deflated. But it wasn't expected, that's for sure. These things, as we know, happen."

Losman Suffers Lower Back Strain

WGR's Brian Koziol is reporting that Bills quarterback J.P. Losman is on the sidelines on the first day of training camp, but not participating in practice. Losman suffered a lower back strain prior to the start of camp, and Dick Jauron said the team will treat him day-to-day, erring on the conservative side, according to Koziol.

Difference in Perspectives on "Close Games Lost"

The expectations for the Bills this season are as varied as they ever have been prior to the season beginning. This is where good analysts and poor ones get separated however. One of the biggest if not the single biggest point of note that fans have read about in previews for the Bills that predict forward movement from last season’s 7-9 mark, often insisting that the team will challenge for the playoffs, is the notion that the Bills lost five games by three points or less. Is this relevant? Is there more to it than simply expressing that single fact in a vacuum?

Posluszny excited to join Bills’ fold

The race is on for Paul Posluszny. The Buffalo Bills’ rookie linebacker joined the fold Wednesday by signing a contract. Now he has six weeks to see if he can get ready to crack the Bills’ starting lineup in time for the season opener Sept. 9 against Denver.

Posluszny signs on with Bills

"You've got to be in camp on time, especially being a rookie, if you want to start things off right and start learning right away," said the former Penn State linebacker after signing a four-year deal worth an estimated $4.75 million that includes about $2.5 million in guaranteed money plus the opportunity to earn $325,000 more in incentive bonuses. "You can't show up late and expect to be on the same page with the older guys. So I wanted to make sure I was here on time and be with my teammates and start when they start."

Bills' defensive success will rely on the middle

Right now, the team seems to be working under the assumption that Kyle Williams will improve on a promising rookie season, Larry Tripplett will have nowhere to go but up after a wretched first campaign as a Bill, and, most urgently, that John McCargo will heal and contribute. It's not comforting to merely hope that the team's solution to the troubles of last season is to bank that the guys who were in Buffalo will get better, but that's why they hold training camp.

Humidity in Store for Training Camp Kickoff

Heat and humidity is expected to return to the Rochester area just in time for the start of Buffalo Bills Training Camp.

High temperatures are expected to be in the mid-80s the next few days, with just a slight chance of a shower or passing thunderstorm.

July 25, 2007

Bills Arrive at Fisher

"I enjoy being around here. I enjoy bieing around my teammates, my coaching staff, having all other distractions out the window. Of course, I miss my family and my friends but this is roughly a month out of the year and it's well needed and the coaching staff feels that way," said defensive end Chris Kelsay.

Talks Continue With Lynch And Walker

"Right now, neogotiations are on-going,"said Vice President of Football Administration Jim Overdorf. "We've had a good dialogue over the last couple of days. We continue to work towards a deal. "Obviously, we'd like to get Marshawn into camp - and I'm sure he'd like to be there," said Overdorf.

Lynch and Walker: Negotiations Continue

With the first practice of Bills training camp closing in Thursday morning, negotiations are progressing with top pick Marshawn Lynch. "We are continuing our negotiations," said Bills Vice President of Football Administration Jim Overdorf. "They've been very positive and we've really been talking a lot through the weekend and into this week."

#1: Will The Bills Make The Playoffs?

"In terms of ability we're significantly better," said Jauron. "We're bigger and faster and stronger, but it has to translate somehow. We've got to take those assets and translate it into wins and we know our division is a tough one. We've just got to keep working to get better and better and find ways to win games against good opponents."

Bills sign Posluszny, Wright

The Buffalo Bills reached an agreement with second-round draft pick Paul Posluszny today. The linebacker from Penn State University agreed to a four-year contract worth a total value of a little over $5 million. Posluszny will be on the field when the Bills open training camp practices at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. His deal includes $2.55 million in guaranteed money.

Bills sign Posluszny

No. 1 pick Marshawn Lynch remains the only unsigned rookie as the Buffalo Bills began to report to training at St. John Fisher College today. Linebacker Paul Posluszny, the club’s second-round pick out of Penn State, signed his deal , the team announced at mid-afternoon.

Posluszny Deal Done

The Buffalo Bills have announced that they have reached a deal with second round pick Paul Posluszny. The contract for the linebacker out of Penn State comes the day before training camp begins. A source tells 2 On Your Side that Posluszny agreed to a four year deal worth just over $5 million with incentives. That includes a $2.5 million signing bonus.

Posluszny Signs In Time For First Practice

The defensive linchpin of Buffalo's 2007 draft will be at training camp on time for the team's first practice Thursday as Paul Posluszny has signed with the club that made him the 34th pick overall last April.

Levy Looking Forward To Bills Training Camp

What's moving in day like? "Chaos," says Bills General Manager Marv Levy jokingly. " The players come in, it's a matter of getting from the airport, getting to their rooms, getting the information to them, knowing what the schedule will be."

Bills sign running back Wright

The Buffalo Bills announced the signing of running back Dwayne Wright, their fourth-round pick in April's NFL draft today. The signing of Wright, who rushed for 1,462 yards and 11 touchdowns for Fresno State last season, means top picks Marshawn Lynch and Paul Posluszny are the only unsigned draft picks.

Five Draft Picks Signed, Two To Go

The Bills today announced the signing of fourth round draft selection (111th overall) Dwayne Wright. In accordance with team policy terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Wright Signs Contract With Bills

One of the players expected to solidify the Bills offensive backfield is under contract as fourth-round pick Dwayne Wright signed his rookie agreement with the Bills. Negotiations between the two sides came closer to completion last week weekend before Wright and the Bills came to an accord Wednesday.

Levy On WGR: New Offer To Walker

"(Jim Overdorf) has made a proposal," Levy said. "We're waiting to hear back from the agent. We'd like to have Darwin in. If he doesn't, he will revert to the Eagles, who I think are just going to put him on 'did not report' also, and we will get a draft choice."

May the best man win

“We’re not going to wait too long to make that decision,” said offensive line coach Jim McNally. “We want to get somebody established next to [right tackle] Langston Walker to work with him all the time. It might take a week, but we’re going to move quickly so we can get our best five on the field together.” Preston is the early favorite.

Bills’ top picks still unsigned

The Buffalo Bills will go down to the wire — or beyond it — in signing their top draft choices. First-round pick Marshawn Lynch and second-round pick Paul Posluszny remained unsigned as of Tuesday night. All Bills players are scheduled to report to training camp by midnight tonight, and the first practice of camp will be held at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

Bills not parading into town this year

For the first time since 2001, residents won't be able to cheer the Bills arriving into town with a parade. Pittsford town officials and the Buffalo Bills decided to cancel a parade and pep rally and begin a new event called Youth Day. On Friday, children and youth with special needs will view practices, followed by an opportunity to talk with players and get autographs.

Dream job makes Bills camp click

Bills coaches and players have come and gone but the behind-the-scenes people that make camp run like clockwork have remained fairly steady on both sides. Since this is year two working with Bills coach Dick Jauron, a comfort level has been restored. "Last year, you're not sure what the camp schedule will look like, not sure what the coach would like for meals," said Harrison, an associate professor in the school's sports studies program.

Tasker Will Be Sunday Speaker In Bemus Point

A former Buffalo Bill and one of the NFL’s greatest special teams players will be the special guest of the Bemus Point United Methodist Church on Sunday. Steve Tasker, his wife Sarah and their children will be present for the church’s ‘‘Praise on the Lake’’ on the floating stage in Bemus Point.

Tough schedule gives Bills a chance to prove themselves

And, overall, every challenge is also an opportunity to prove one's strength. Even those with positive outlooks regarding the current Bills may find their optimism subdued when they realize their team has to open against the Broncos, then head on the road for two historically daunting opponents in Pittsburgh and New England. But victories in a majority of these games would prove early on that this team is genuinely competitive. It would be a brutal mission, but isn't anything worth having going to be a struggle to obtain?

July 24, 2007

Bills Set To Start Camp

While the team may say that Lynch and Anthony Thomas will share the load, I'm guessing that Lynch's versatility will make Dick Jauron's decision easy to let Lynch have a bigger role. His ability to catch the ball will be big for an offense that needs more options besides Lee Evans. Keep a close eye on rookie running back 4th round pick Dwayne Wright to outlast Shaud Williams and Fred Jackson and make the team as the Bills third running back.

Buffalo Bills Training Camp Battles: HB

It has received a good amount of attention this off-season, but still many Bills fans don't realize the importance of the newly installed "H-Back" position into the Bills' offense. Gone are the days where fullbacks take up roster spots just to block and play special teams.

Will J.P. Losman Become An Elite Quarterback?

It's a question that most national pundits believe is too early to answer. Bills quarterback J.P. Losman is a signal caller that the vast majority of NFL writers aren't ready to stamp as a bona fide starter let alone a quarterback with future elite status.

Bills sign safety Wendling

Safety John Wendling has signed with the Buffalo Bills after being drafted in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Wendling was a Draddy Award finalist at the University of Wyoming, where he started 37 of 47 games and finished 10th in school history with 259 tackles. The Draddy Award from the National Football Foundation honors the top football scholar-athlete in the country.

Q&A with Bills DE Chris Kelsay

Kelsay: You have Keith Ellison, who came in as a rookie last year and played a lot. They’ve got high expectations for him. Angelo Crowell, obviously, is a proven starter. That middle position is pretty much open for competition between John DiGiorgio and Paul Posluszny. (Posluszny’s) a guy they drafted in the second round and really like. But J.D. has played very well and made the most of the opportunity they gave him. He ran with the first group the entire offseason and he played really well. They love his speed. The guy’s lightning-fast and he has a knack for the football. It’ll be a good, heated competition.

Wendling Signs His First Contract

Another draft choice will report to training camp tomorrow. Sixth round pick John Wendling has signed his first professional contract. Wendling played both free safety and strong safety in collge - but spent most of his time in Buffalo - so far - at the strong safety position.

Wendling Signs With Bills

It likely took longer than John Wendling expected, but the rookie safety agreed to terms with the Bills signing his contract Tuesday at One Bills Drive and will be at training camp on time. "It was a pleasant surprise and pleasant ending to the trip," Wendling told Buffalobills.com after driving cross country to Buffalo from his native Wyoming.

Bills Alumni Instruct On Old Stomping Grounds

For the past five years Ferguson, in conjunction with the Bills alumni department, has been putting on a clinic for middle school, and some high school aged students in the Buffalo schools. The camp, called educational athletics by Ferguson, was thought up by the former receiver and fellow Bills alum Bob Duggan as a way to give back to the city of Buffalo.

NASCAR driver to swing by Bills training camp

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Shell Chevrolet NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series car and 2007 Daytona 500 champion, plans to visit the Buffalo Bills first practice session Thursday. Harvick will visit the full-squad practice from 8:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. Thursday at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, N.Y.

Bills sign seventh-round pick Schouman

Tight end Derek Schouman signed Monday with the Buffalo Bills, who also claimed free agent receiver Jonathan (Freddie) Smith. Schouman, a seventh-round selection, was a four-year starter at Boise State. He’s the third of the Bills’ seven draft picks to sign with the team.

Stopping the run priority one for defense

“It’s very important that we get John McCargo off and running because if we don’t that’s a setback for us,” Fewell said. “McCargo is really one of the key components. We’re really depending on him.” Fewell believes McCargo can alternate between nose tackle (who plays opposite the outside shoulder of the center) and the “three-technique tackle” (who plays opposite the outside shoulder of the guard). Larry Tripplett appears entrenched at the “three” spot, but McCargo could challenge incumbent nose starter Kyle Williams.

Two Bills rookies worth watching at training camp

The 5-foot-11, 228-pound Wright, to accompany his solid size, has good speed, pass-catching skills and blocking ability, and he could be special not just in short-yardage and goal-line situations for the Bills, but all over the field. Wright's equivalent on defense for Buffalo could be the ultra-athletic John Wendling, whom the Bills nabbed in the sixth round of the draft. The 6-1, 222-pound safety is most known for his stunning 66-inch hurdle, which is all over the Internet, but he was also a very accomplished performer at the University of Wyoming.

July 23, 2007

Are Bills NFL's Sleeper Team in 2007?

Although the Bills aren't getting a lot of love from the national media heading into Dick Jauron's second training camp, I think there is legitimate reason to think this will be a .500 season or even better, even with one of the toughest schedules in the NFL. First the obvious; J.P. Losman is beginning to look like the real deal, both on and off the field, and quarterback is what it's all about in the NFL.

Know Your Bills: Wide Receiver Peerless Price

Buffalobills.com: You are one of the guys with the most NFL experience on this team. Do you try to take some of the young guys under your wing and mentor them?

Peerless Price: Yes. I'm the type of guy that if you ask I will help you. But I know some guys, in this day and age, that come in and think they know everything. If a young guy asks me a question or he looks like he doesn't understand or he's afraid to ask me a question I'll volunteer the information. I definitely try to help the young guys out as much as possible.

#3: Will The Run Defense Be Better?

So why is there confidence in Buffalo's locker room that the run defense will be noticeably better in 2007? The number one reason is simplicity. Last year week after week players and coaches talked about how they have to be more consistent in their run "fits." Buffalo's run defense is like a puzzle, and if one piece is out of place things don't fit right. The Bills defensive staff has simplified the calls pre-snap this year to ensure that all 11 defenders are properly aligned and in position to make plays on a more consistent basis.

Bills Draft Pick Schouman Signs

Buffalo tight end Derek Schouman became the team's third draft pick to come to terms with the Bills agreeing to a deal on Monday. Schouman was the first of Buffalo's two seventh round picks in the 2007 NFL draft. The rookie tight end is hoping to find a niche as an H-back or 'move' tight end in Buffalo's offensive scheme which has abandoned the more traditional fullback approach.

Smith Returns To Orchard Park: Schouman Signs

The Bills today announced that the team has claimed wide receiver Jonathan Smith. Smith played in two games for the New England Patriots in 2006, but did not record a reception...7th round draft selection (222nd overall) Derek Schouman also signed with the Bills today. Schouman was the team’s first of two seventh round selections. In accordance with team policy terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Bills Claim WR Smith; Release Two

A familiar face will be lining up at wideout when Bills training camp ensues next Thursday as the club claimed one of their former draft picks off waivers over the weekend. Former seventh-round pick (2004) Jonathan "Freddie" Smith was picked up by Buffalo a day after being waived by New England.

The White Knuckle La-Z-Boy

In the meantime however, Bills fans are sitting in their GM La-Z-Boys gripping the arm rests in proverbial white-knuckle fashion concerned about the seemingly 11th-hour status of the hopes for their team not only for this fall but for future seasons as well. Other than Derrick Dockery this season was light in "improvements" amidst the loss of three solid veteran defensive players and foundational elements of that same D. Any lingering contract issues for the Bills’ two hopes for this season would dampen fans’ hopes to a significant extent.

An aid to camp

HOW TO GET THERE From Buffalo and points west: Take New York State Thruway to Exit 46. Take Route 390 North to Route 590 North to Monroe Avenue (Route 31). Turn right on Monroe Avenue. Follow green-and-white road signs to any of the shuttle lots.

PARKING There is no public parking on the St. John Fisher College campus. Arrangements have been made with Rochester public transportation to provide fans with a shuttle service from public parking lots. The lots are located at East Rochester High School and Nazareth College. Additional parking lots may be announced for night practices and scrimmage weekend. There is a $1 charge to ride the shuttle buses for riders between the ages of 12 and 62. All services are handicapped accessible.

Unshackled offense looking for more

Now they think they have improved the offensive line enough that they can finally have a major-league passing game. “I think it starts there,” Fairchild said of the front five. “I think it’s two things: the offensive line and then the experience at quarterback. When you look at last year, we were trying to identify a starter and get experience at quarterback with a not solid situation up front. That made it difficult. Now we’re a little more well equipped in those areas.”

DiGiorgio over Posluszny a camp ploy for Bills?

Posluszny's instincts and athleticism lead one to conclude that DiGiorgio is just holding the former's place right now. So why is the promising rookie still technically a backup? This could be a case where Dick Jauron knows full well that Posluszny will be on the field for the Bills' first play of the season, against the Denver Broncos , and the coach just doesn't want to announce that he's handing the rookie a job.

July 22, 2007

Bills sign TE Schouman

The Buffalo Bills signed their seventh-round draft choice, tight end Derek Schouman, to a four-year deal. The terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Bills’ goal-line gift saves NCCC Superstars program

“The fact [the Buffalo Bills] came through, they knew we were in dire need of something,” said Daniel Mezhir, the associate director of the program along with his 23-year-old son Jim. “There was no way we’d be able to put on the program if the grant came any later. It worked out very nice for us.”

The Friendly Menace

The Bills’ new left guard is a confident man, secure in his own self-image. “I can play,” Dockery says. “I’ve always been confident in myself. I believe I can be one of the top guards in the league. As a competitor, I don’t think anybody should think any less of themselves. Why play the game if you’re just going to come out here and be mediocre? I think the game is too hard to do that. You have to love it. You have to have a passion for it. I do.”

Haggan Building Broadcasting Resume

"You need to be on point as an analyst," said Haggan. "You and your camera guy have to know the cues and you have to be knowledgeable with what you are doing because you need to know how to break down a play. The most important things they taught us was be credible with your players, know who your players are. That is the worst thing is to not know who a player is."

Not too much national respect for Bills

Many fans in western New York believe that the 2007 Buffalo Bills have what it takes to give the franchise an NFL playoff team for the first time since 1999. That would shock most national prognosticators. In our annual poll of five of the most-respected NFL preview publications, the Bills get three votes to finish third and two votes to finish fourth in the AFC East.

July 21, 2007

Bills claim WR Smith off waivers

The Buffalo Bills claimed wide receiver Jonathan Smith from the waiver wire on Saturday. Smith was cut by the New England Patriots earlier this week.

Bills report: Notes, quotes

DiGiorgio, a hard-nosed 2006 rookie street free agent, had a strong spring and is penciled in at the middle position. But most observers feel he's only keeping the seat warm for Posluszny, who was Penn State's career tackle leader. He has Bills' fans comparing him already to Super Bowl linebacker Shane Conlan. The quicker Posluszny shows he can be reliable in pass coverage in the deep middle, the quicker he starts. But DiGiorgio shouldn't be taken lightly. The Bills ranked 28th against the run and won't leave a stone unturned.

Bills report: Notes, quotes

The Bills host the Atlanta Falcons in a preseason game on Aug. 17, giving fans a chance to creatively criticize QB Michael Vick for his alleged involvement in a dog-fighting ring. Due to Vick's legal troubles, it's not known to what degree he'll be participating in the Falcons' preseason, but even if doesn't take the field, opposing fans are likely to express their opinions with signage or by wearing dog collars, etc. It will be interesting to see how Bills management reacts. Two years ago when the Falcons played in Buffalo, the team banned fans from entering the stadium who were wearing "Ron Mexico'' jerseys and T-shirts.

Bills report: Inside slant

The Bills are bracing for a busy week of rookie signings heading into Thursday's opening of training camp at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y....Still to go: running back Marshawn Lynch (first round), linebacker Paul Posluszny (second), running back Dwayne Wright (fourth), safety John Wendling (fifth) and tight end Derek Schouman (sixth).

July 20, 2007

#4: Who Will Make The Greatest Impact As A Rookie?

"I think we're expecting a lot out of him," said J.P. Losman of Lynch. "And that's especially the case when it comes to catching the ball out of the backfield. He just brings such a good energy to the offense and such a competitive nature. That's what we're looking for."

Former Bills Kicker Will Conduct Clinic At Strider Field

Steve Christie stood at the top of the bleachers at Strider Field on Wednesday afternoon, and scanned the Martin Road Complex that is the home to various sports teams at Jamestown High School.

‘‘It’s fantastic,’’ the former Buffalo Bills kicker said. ‘‘They’ve done a great job and it’s a tremendous facility for high school. It’s like a college.’’

Buffalo Bills Training Camp Battles: Middle LB

To an extent, Bills fans have been spoiled the last several years when it comes to middle linebackers. First the team had Sam Cowart, who was a pretty dominant run defender for a pretty dominant defense in the early part of this decade. Then came five years of London Fletcher-Baker manning the middle, with mostly positive results. There has been a high degree of consistency at the middle linebacking position for a long time - but that is about to change.

Levy's doing it right in Buffalo

When the Buffalo Bills hired Marv Levy to be their general manager in January 2006, one of the major things he stressed was the importance of each player on his team having character. In order to truly be respected by fans, the on-field performers need to be good people off the field.

July 19, 2007

Thurman Almost Done With HOF Speech

Hall of Fame weekend for the Pro Football Enshrinement Class of 2007 is just over two weeks away and Thurman Thomas is making the final revisions on his Hall of Fame acceptance speech.

"It does have a little theme to it that starts it off," said the Bills all-time leading rusher. "I'm putting the finishing touches on it right now."

Will Peters Make The Pro Bowl?

It was the Monday before Buffalo's season finale with Baltimore to put a wrap on the Bills' 2006 season, and Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan's mouth was hanging open.

Rating both Bills' Losman and his rushing help

It turns out that each of the 10 quarterbacks with better ratings than Losman had more reliable rushing help: All were unsurprisingly paired with either a stud running back or a solid tandem. For example, the one quarterback to finish last season with a rating over 100 was Mister 101.0 himself, Peyton Manning, and we know that he would still be the best ever not to win a Super Bowl if not for Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai. Damon Huard followed Manning for second (no, really) at 98.0, but Larry Johnson finishing second in the league himself with 1,789 rushing yards assuredly aided him.

July 18, 2007

Who Will Be The Right Cornerback?

It's a position that hasn't held a question mark for the last six seasons, but with the free agent departure of Nate Clements this past offseason the right cornerback spot has no permanent resident entering training camp.

Whitner Hoping For Strike Against Cancer

Bills safety Donte Whitner isn't all that different from anyone else when it comes to family. Growing up in a household with a mother and grandmother as his main role models along with four other siblings, Whitner learned quickly that family comes first.

Buffalo Bills on track to sell out home games

The Bills also expect to meet — and possibly exceed — their 2005 total of 47,256 season tickets, their highest season- ticket figure since 1995. The bottom line? “We feel very confident that we will sell out all eight of our regular season games,” said Russ Brandon, the team’s executive vice president of business operations.

Bills-Ravens a sellout

The Buffalo Bills’ list of sold-out games continues to grow. The team announced Tuesday that after individual tickets went on sale Saturday, the game against the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 21 sold out and only single seat tickets remain for the New England Patriots game Nov. 18.

Bills' Reed faces yet another make-or-break year

To be fair, Reed did finish second on the Bills in receiving in 2006, but praising him for being Buffalo's runner-up for receiving yards is like presenting a sash and tiara to the thinnest fat girl at the prom. He mustered a measly 410 yards, just 8 yards ahead of Peerless Price; further, unlike Reed, Price finally started clicking with J.P. Losman later in the season and began emerging as a credible option.

July 17, 2007

Who Will Pull Attention Off Of Lee Evans?

Bills all-time sack leader Bruce Smith often commented that he was a "marked man" on defense with opponents sending two and sometimes three men at him to make sure he didn't have a dramatic impact on the outcome of the game. If there is any such player on offense for the Bills today it's Lee Evans. Evans was the main attention-getter when it came to opposing defenses last season, though in most cases opponents still had trouble stopping him.

Bills Announce Sell-Outs For Five Games

The Bills today announced that the 2007 regular season game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, October 21st has been sold out and only single seat tickets remain for the New England Patriots game on Sunday, November 18th, following Saturday’s individual game tickets on-sale date. Those games join the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys games as sold out contests for this season.

Buffalo's Growing Pac-10 Influence

Of all the major conferences in college football none have had more players drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the last two years than the Pac 10. It's a fact that likely won't be lost on linebacker Keith Ellison who didn't always have a conference contingent present in a locker room dominated by SEC and ACC players. In addition to the four Pac 10 players drafted in the past two years there are four additional players who played in western collegiate conferences like the WAC or Mountain West.

Two Added To Bills' "Sold Out" List

The Bills today announced that the 2007 regular season game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, October 21st has been sold out and only single seat tickets remain for the New England Patriots game on Sunday, November 18th, following Saturday’s individual game tickets on-sale date. Those games join the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys games as sold out contests for this season.

A Royal sleeper in Buffalo

During the Bills' 5-4 run to end the '06 campaign, the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Royal, who spent his first four years with the Washington Redskins , became one of Losman's most sought-after targets. The ex-LSU standout had his best game in Week 15 -- a 21-0 blowout victory over the rival Miami Dolphins -- catching three passes for 62 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown.

July 16, 2007

Buffalo Bills JPD program comes to Hamilton

Local junior high football players will focus on character development and specific skill training when the National Football League’s Junior Player Development (JPD) program comes to town from July 15-27. The program, offered by the Buffalo Bills and NFL Canada, will be held at the Navy League of Canada Park in Hamilton, Ontario.

Buffalo Bills '07 preview

Despite playing the NFL's toughest schedule last season, the young Bills were competitive – they lost five games by three points or fewer. A strong finish and a 7-9 record raised hope that better days were ahead. But we have seen this movie before. The Bills have lived a roller-coaster existence since 2002, with one season of promise followed by one of disappointment and despair. There is as much uncertainty about 2007 as there was heading into 2006.

Will The Pass Protection Be Better?

On the second day of March the Bills made a big financial commitment to their offensive line not seen in Buffalo before. The club handed out the largest contract in team history to left guard Derrick Dockery, a sizable contract to right tackle Langston Walker and also added veteran Jason Whittle all on the same day. The trio of linemen standing behind head coach Dick Jauron as he spoke about their talents at a team press conference made a big statement.

Bills' backup RBs line up behind Lynch

Marshawn Lynch couldn't have gotten a better job out of college even if his uncle owned a football team. Lynch's vigorous, numerous talents will allow him every chance to get every carry he can handle this year. In doing so, he presumably fills a glaring need for the Buffalo Bills from the moment training camp commences. So, they've got their starting rusher slotted in, which means that the other backs are in a position where they're fighting to not play much as opposed to not playing at all. Who is the best option to back up Lynch?

July 15, 2007

Bills report: Strategy and personnel

Line coach Jim McNally isn't one to procrastinate and said that cementing his starting five early in camp is important. "We've got to make that decision soon," McNally told BuffaloBills.com. "The faster we get a guy there working with (tackle) Langston Walker and entrenched at that position, the better. I don't think we'll take very long. It might go a week into training camp and then it's 'Here are our five and let's go.' "

Bills report: Notes, quotes

Rookie RB Marshawn Lynch impressed onlookers during spring drills, not only with his quickness and sure hands but also with his engaging personality and upbeat attitude. "I'm never going to change," said Lynch, who said his best asset was his personality. "Always be the same no matter good days or bad days. I'm bringing my positive attitude to the field."

Bills report: Inside slant

Robert Royal, a nice target at 6-4, 255, led the Bills with a career best 23 catches for 233 yards and three TDs. He's an underrated receiver and could develop with more opportunities. But Buffalo's best bet for a true deep threat is third-year pro Kevin Everett, whose career has been marred by injury and inconsistency. He caught just one pass last year. If Buffalo's remodeled line is better, the tight end could release more into the pattern. Losman is praying that happens.

Amherst fan wants everyone to remember the AFL

Now, with 2009 approaching, Coniglio hopes to give the AFL a 50-year testimonial. If you click on his site, you’ll see a logo with a big letter “A” and the numbers 50 and 2009 in gold underneath. There’s a link to “Celebrate the AFL”, which reprints his letter to Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt in November 2005. Coniglio asked Hunt to help plan an AFL celebration in 2009, which would have been the league’s 50th season.

July 14, 2007

Who Are The Training Camp Sleepers?

Bills training camp has a few of them every summer. Two or three players that exceed expectations and surprisingly land a starting role, or are so consistent and productive that they somehow defy the odds and earn a roster spot. Below we list some of the prime candidates who could be viewed in a much different light come the close of training camp.

Will There Be A Featured Running Back?

Back in mid-March Buffalobills.com asked Bills head coach Dick Jauron about which way he was leaning in terms of his approach to the running game. Would there be a featured back or would Buffalo's ground attack be running back by committee in 2007?

Relentless attitude serves Thomas well

From losing his final game as a high school football player to winning a combined 11 games while in college to Hurricane Katrina demolishing his hometown, Stacey Thomas finally has something to smile about. The 22-year-old New Orleans native, who prepped at Warren Easton and attended Texas Southern on a football scholarship, signed recently as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills.

July 13, 2007

Bills tickets go on sale Saturday

Individual game tickets for the Buffalo Bills season will go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday. Tickets will be available in person at the Ralph Wilson Stadium ticket office, the Bills Store in Eastview Mall in Rochester, and at all Ticketmaster outlets. They’re also available by calling 1-877- BB-TICKS and 649-0015 or by going on-line at buffalobills. com or ticketmaster.com.

Subpar DTs likely to hinder Buffalo's LB corps

For the most part, that was true. And, to be honest, it might be the case for Posluszny, at least for 2006. After all, when the defensive tackles are weak, it often hinders the production of the linebackers. That's a big reason why Baltimore selected mammoth tackle Haloti Ngata in the first round of the '06 draft. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome picked Ngata to better allow all-world linebacker Ray Lewis to run free. It worked, as Lewis racked up 103 tackles and a career-high five sacks last season.

July 12, 2007

Bills hope Patriots-style personnel moves work

The best way for the Bills to be compared favorably with their division foes would of course be to, um, win more games and visit the playoffs, but the point is that Buffalo is finally realizing that NFL rosters are almost entirely stocked with interchangeable cogs. If the Bills' oft-victorious AFC East neighbor has made this philosophy work, it's worth a go. The Patriots have achieved what was once thought impossible, namely incessant achievement under the salary cap, largely by recognizing that players are expendable commodities.

Bills Release P/K Jackson

While the signing of Bills third-round draft pick Trent Edwards was viewed as good news by most, it was likely not the case for punter/kicker Chris Jackson who was waived by the club Wednesday. The Bills were already at their offseason roster limit of 80, not counting NFL Europa exemptions and unsigned draft choices. Once Edwards was signed the roster would have been over the limit (81) and thus had to be reduced.

Broncos, Jets, and Cowboys Games Sold Out

The Bills announced that fans will be able to purchase individual game tickets for 2007 home games starting on Saturday, July 14 at 9:00 AM. Tickets will be available in person at the Ralph Wilson Stadium ticket office, The Bills Store in Eastview Mall in Rochester, and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Fans may also purchase tickets online at www.buffalobills.com or www.ticketmaster.com as well as via telephone by calling 1-877-BB-TICKS and 716-649-0015. The 1-877-BB-TICKS line will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on July 14.

Who Will Start At H-Back?

As the Bills offense settles into their second year under coordinator Steve Fairchild it is inevitable that the players will be more comfortable with the system they are running. The offense has made big strides in the spring camps and quarterback J.P. Losman has even been quoted as saying they are farther ahead now than they were at any time last year.

Bills waive backup punter Jackson

The Buffalo Bills waived rookie free agent punter Chris Jackson, who was originally signed as an undrafted free agent from LSU on May 3, 2007. Jackson was waived to reach the roster limit of 80, and was considered expendable after the Bills added punter/kicker D.J. Fitzpatrick from NFL Europa last week.

July 11, 2007

Brady-Moss: Entrée du Jour or Recipe for Disaster?

Edwards Agrees To Terms

Quarterback Trent Edwards, after weeks of talks, has finally come to terms with the Buffalo Bills. The agreement guarantees Edwards will be in Rochester for training camp. And continue to push Craig Nall for the back-up spot to J.P. Losman.

Bills reach deal with QB Edwards

“Trent’s agent recognized that getting this done early was beneficial and enables Trent to now concentrate on football,” said Jim Overdorf, Bills vice president of football administration. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Edwards was drafted 92nd overall, and the Bills think they got a bargain. Some draftniks rated Edwards among the top 40 selections.

Bills' offensive linemen prepare to plow straight ahead

The Bills' offensive line got better in the offseason just by sending two guys home. Mike Gandy and Tutan Reyes both started last season without being starting-quality players, and the offense suffered until the coaches shuffled the deck and improved as best they could with what they had, impressive considering the lack of face cards available.

Buffalo inks third-round pick Edwards

The Buffalo Bills announced late Tuesday that they have reached an agreement on a multiyear contract with third-round draft pick Trent Edwards. The financial terms were not disclosed.

Can Moorman Net 40?

It's been an elusive number since the statistic was first accurately recorded beginning in the 1976 season. Over the past 30 NFL seasons less than 20 punters have come within a yard of the magical figure. "This is THE number," said Bills special teams coordinator Bobby April. "This is like Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak, this is Roger Bannister's four-minute mile, this is Hank Aaron's mark, Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points, Bob Beamon's long jump, Rocky Marciano's 48-0. This is THE number."

Bills Sign QB Edwards

The Bills have come to terms with third-round draft choice Trent Edwards. The two sides had been in negotiations for a few weeks before finalizing the agreement late Tuesday. Bills Vice President of Football Administration Jim Overdorf, who has been the sole negotiator with the Edwards camp, was pleased to reach an accord more than two weeks prior to the start of training camp. "Trent's agent recognized that getting this done early was beneficial and it enables Trent to now concentrate on football," said Overdorf.

Bills May Produce a “Normal” MVP this Season

The Bills have had the highest ranked special teams in the NFL over the past three seasons on average easily. Depending upon how one measures it they have been ranked 1st in each of the last three seasons. The lion’s share of the impetus for that has been punter Brian Moorman with Terrence McGee nipping at Moorman’s heels in kick returning duties. While the Bills may not make the playoffs this season, or likely not even post a winning season, they do stand a chance of seeing two other players post team MVP type numbers.
With players such as Nate Clements, Takeo Spikes, London Fletcher now gone, and with Aaron Schobel leaning long-in-the-tooth now by NFL standards, and coupled with all of the extreme unproven youth and inexperience on the Bills now, there are not many places to look for bona fide team “MVP” hopes.

Those two candidates are WR Lee Evans and rookie RB Marshawn Lynch. Lynch, being a rookie, would likely only do so with a spectacular rookie campaign deserving of offensive-rookie-of-the-year honors. That’s not the expectation here as Lynch’s line is too issue-laden for him to shine in that way. He will also need to shed the typical rookie's burdens that figure to be weightier on the Bills than for other rookies on other teams. Lastly, despite the notion that Lynch will likely be starting fairly soon in the season, he will in all likelihood be platooning with Anthony Thomas as the team allows him to get his feet wet. Even once Lynch “starts” expect Thomas and/or even Wright to get a significant number of carries.

Thomas is no superstar to be sure. At the same time however Lynch has never exclusively carried his team as many full-time NFL RBs do, even at the collegiate level. So expect Jauron and Fairchild to ease Lynch into any such role thereby limiting his touches this season. Where Lynch will shine, or should at least, is in a total-yardage role whereby his receiving capabilities come to the forefront.

In a stellar rookie campaign Lynch might be expected to post 800-1,000 rushing yards yet add another 300-400 receiving. While good, great for a rookie RB in fact, those numbers would not be great and certainly not quite “team MVP” caliber numbers. As a RB collective, if the team can add another 300-400 yards rushing it can propel itself from last season’s 27th ranked yardage rushing offense to average or perhaps average-plus. But I digress.

Where fans will need to look for “team MVP” caliber performance is Lee Evans. Evans proved himself last season and in prior season given the opportunities that he received in his first two campaigns, which were limited. This season as well Losman-to-Evans hits the proverbial ground running.

Losman needs to find his short game, yet if he does that promises to open Evans up even more, short, medium, deep, wherever. Both players need to establish some consistency in order for Evans to post team (all-time) best type numbers, which the Wysman fully believes Evans can do to the extent of more or less guaranteeing that he sets a new franchise record for either receiving yardage (1, 368), receiving TDs (11), and/or for receptions. (100)

In a second season together the chemistry element should reap enormous rewards towards the goals of providing the requisite consistency. Last season Evans’ play was largely defined by the deep ball where the vast majority of his TDs were derived. Otherwise, while in six games Evans caught 7 or more passes (7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 11), in five others he caught only 1 or 2 passes. That will have to change if Evans is to eclipse any of the aforementioned marks. Expect that to indeed occur however.

The “feast or famine” approach, particularly when diners must thrive on “the bomb,” is no way to construct an offense with that as the sole hope for offensive success as was the case last season. While the Ivy League Dynamic Duo did not have anything even approaching a stellar offseason, they did bring on board what hopes to be a dynamic, versatile, all-purpose RB in Lynch. While the impetus which would lie squarely on Lynch’s shoulders is far too great a burden for an offense of the Bills’ caliber otherwise to post a much needed “breakout” season, there is little question that Lynch should add at least a little something to the blasé lame mix that the Bills had last season outside of the Losman-to-Evans tandem.

Lee Evans will benefit. The question becomes by how much. The team will find itself in positions to pass often and frequently vs. a prevent defense late in games providing individual statistical if not winning opportunities for Evans and the Bills in that way at least. Do not expect many one or two reception games from Evans this season. It is probably an odds-on bet however to expect Evans to post say on or about 10 games with 6 or more receptions.

Should that occur, if Evans’ TD production rate of one TD for every 7.4 receptions during his career remains in tact or close to it, fans could see Evans making team receiving history this season perhaps marked by claiming the team best title to all three primary receiving statistical records. As a reference point, Terrell Owens put up one touchdown every 7.4 attempts as well during his first four seasons.

The Bills will not be a good team this season due to what has shaped up to become one of the worst defenses that this team has ever seen. However, positive distractions may be found in individual performances on the offensive side of the ball and perhaps aided by what has been the league’s top ranked special teams unit over the past three years on average.

As well, this is not at all to disparage punter Brian Moorman, arguably the league’s best punter. How excited can fans get however over their punter being their best player. Punting is not desirable in football, scoring is, or perhaps the converse, the prevention of scoring by opponents. While Moorman contributes to the latter indirectly, still, no team has ever “punted its way” to a championship.

The downside to all of this is that Evans will command an enormous contract, which would absolutely need to be offered, following the season. With good news often comes bad news in the NFL. Expect the Bills to get that done as they have some leverage however with Evans presently signed through the ’09 season. The longer they wait however, meaning that if it does not get done following this season and prior to the start of or during next season, the greater the odds of Evans no longer being a Bill beyond his first contract become.

For fantasy football players, Evans should definitely be considered as a first WR and can perhaps even be had at a slight discount after other more notable and statistically accomplished receivers are taken off the board. Receivers such as Roy Williams, Andre Johnson, Donald Driver, and Anguan Boldin may come off the board sooner due to greater association with high performance largely due to opportunities that Evans never received, but the Wysman all but promises that Evans will deliver more perhaps even joining, or becoming, the league’s elite. So patience in FFL drafts may pay off with the selection of Evans in say round three. The fact that the perceptions of Losman are not favorable generally speaking as well as realistic notions that the Bills are a team floundering amidst poor management will aid in the cause there. Having said that, Evans is in fact reliant upon Losman’s continued improvement in order to achieve these accolades as stated.

Nevertheless, while Moorman’s play is impressive on all counts, it would be entirely refreshing from a dejected fan perspective if the player on this team that consistently makes the biggest impact is not the punter or kick returner. Expect that to change this season however, perhaps to a level that categorically sets new heights for the Bills in the receiving department.

mweiler@afceastreport.com

July 10, 2007

Bills sign rookie QB Edwards

The Buffalo Bills signed quarterback Trent Edwards, the team's third-round draft pick, on Tuesday. Edwards, drafted 92nd overall out of Stanford, is the second of the team's seven draft picks to sign. The Bills inked seventh-round selection C.J. Ah You, a defensive end, last month.

More Bills' wins would ease parking hike

The 67 percent parking hike for 2007 Buffalo Bills home games at Ralph Wilson Stadium would be easier for many fans to swallow if the team wins at least 50 percent more games this season (from 7 wins last year to 10 or 11). I assume that most other NFL teams still charge more for parking than the Bills. Of course, most of them have made the playoffs since 1999.

Bills add NFL Europa DE

Marvin Allen (Miami Dolphins), Jermaine Allen (Chicago Bears) and Daniel Watts (Buffalo Bills) will all be spending the 2007 NFL season on NFL practice squads as part of the International Player Development Practice Squad Program.

History says 1,000 yards will be difficult for Bills' Lynch

Many Bills fans are eager for the 2007 campaign to begin, and for good reason. After last year's respectable 7-9 campaign, Buffalo loyalists should be optimistic for further improvement. At the very least, the Bills ought to be an exciting group to watch this season on offense, and perhaps the biggest reason for that stems from the potential of their first-round pick, running back Marshawn Lynch (12th overall).

Thurman Thomas picks Levy as presenter for HOF

Former Buffalo Bills star Thurman Thomas has selected his former head coach, Marv Levy, to present him at the Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies held August 4 in Canton, Ohio.

Bills raise parking prices for 2007 season

The Buffalo Bills have raised parking prices for lots at Ralph Wilson Stadium for the 2007 NFL home season, according to the team’s Web site. Parking for a single car in cash lots 1, 2, 3, 5 and F will increase by $10 — from $15 to $25. Camper parking will double from $25 to $50. Limos and buses will increase from $40 to $60. Tom Furtner and his friends have been going to Bills games for over a decade. While Furtner said the increase won’t leave him selling his tickets, it makes it harder to enjoy his favorite Bills pregame activity: tailgating.

Who Starts At Middle Linebacker?

Bills owner Ralph Wilson made it pretty clear where things stood with respect to the middle linebacker position after the club moved up in round two of the 2007 NFL draft to grab linebacker Paul Posluszny. "We feel they're going to come in and start right away for the team," said Wilson back in late April at a press conference introducing Posluszny and top pick Marshawn Lynch. "They will fill a big gap for us."

July 08, 2007

Team report: Buffalo Bills

Top player in 2006

Lee Evans, WR — The Bills haven't scored much on the ground in recent years, so Evans picked up the slack and caught eight TDs in the air last year. He also added 1,292 receiving yards, which made him a pretty solid WR2.

Bills' Veteran Corners Give Ashton Youboty Time to Learn

"Young players have to step up." That has been the mantra of the Buffalo Bills' off-season. The veteran leadership from the (playoff-less) past is gone, and the face of the Bills is now a young coaching staff and even younger, albeit talented players. There is a lot of pressure on many of Buffalo's young guns to fill not only the leadership gap on this team, but also to prove that they are long-term solutions on the playing field as well.

Bills' Royal gives back to New Orleans

Robert Royal believes in togetherness.

The New Orleans native, who prepped at Karr, went on to LSU and now is a tight end for the Buffalo Bills.

On Friday, he was back in New Orleans hosting a football camp at the NFL Yet Center, with togetherness as the theme. The camp is called Together Everyone Achieves More .

Bills’ stadium to get security barriers

 A three-ringed security barrier will greet fans at Ralph Wilson Stadium by the time the Buffalo Bills open the preseason.

To meet NFL rules for all stadiums in 2007, Erie County is hiring contractors to hoist concrete barriers into place. They will be in three rings, interrupted so pedestrians can weave through them, but vehicles would not.

Former Bills kicker Christie trying to catch on with Argonauts

Former NFL kicker Steve Christie is back in his home country -- and trying to win a job.

Christie, who played in three consecutive Super Bowls with the Buffalo Bills from 1992-94, signed a practice roster agreement with the Toronto Argonauts on Monday.

AFC East: Training camp challenges

Challenge No. 1: Improve the offensive line.

July 06, 2007

#14: Will Special Teams Reclaim NFL Top Spot?

Suffice to say that falling out of the top spot alone has been more than enough to motivate the proud members of Buffalo's special teams units to reclaim the number one ranking in 2007. "We were a very solid unit and we finished third in the NFL, but we're not content with that by any means," said Wire. "We weren't number one and we weren't number two," said Stamer. "It's our goal to be number one and we're going to do everything in our power to get back there."

Just how good is Bills' Schobel?

The problem with the 29-year-old Schobel is that most of his sacks have been accumulated during less-than-crucial times. Fewer than half of the 60½ (28) have come in victories, while a total of 46 have been accrued in either blowout wins or losses. That's obviously not the sign of a big-time gamechanger like Miami's Jason Taylor, who doesn't just sack QBs but also intercepts passes and forces fumbles on a regular basis. Schobel has two career INTs to Taylor's six, which isn't a massive difference, but the former has 23 fewer forced fumbles (13) than the latter's 36.

July 05, 2007

#15: How Much Will Whitner & Simpson Improve?

"We got 15 regular season games and four preseason games together," said Whitner. "That should make on our field communication a lot better than it was last year. When we're out there now we don't even have to think. We communicate back and forth and interact with the corners. We work together to disguise looks, and do a lot of different things."

Camp Night Practice Tickets Available On July 11

The Buffalo Bills announced that tickets will be made available on July 11 for the following night practices during the Verizon Wireless Training Camp at St. John Fisher College in Rochester. Tickets for all night practices are free....July 31, August 6, August 8, August 13.

Wilson says Moorman is special to special teams

“The contract extension of Brian Moorman is extremely important to our team,” Wilson said through the Bills’ media relations department. “Brian has been an unsung cornerstone of our team and is the epitome of what the NFL and our organization is looking for on the field and in our communities.” Moorman said he approached the Bills during last season about possibly extending his contract beyond the three years remaining on it. To Wilson, it was a no-brainer.

Tampa 2 scheme benefits Buffalo's corners

What's more important than the quality of the current corners is that they don't have to rack up Pro Bowl appearances to be considered successful. Cornerbacks need not be supermen in the Bills' Tampa 2 defense, knowing that there should always be a safety on their respective half of the field to help in coverage. Two young, already impressive safeties in Donte Whitner and Ko Simpson will do more to quell wide receivers than, say, $80 million corner Nate Clements (a former Bill who signed with San Francisco in free agency) ever could.

July 04, 2007

#16: Who Will Start At Right Guard?

And by the sound of it Brad Butler, Duke Preston and Jason Whittle better perform well during the first week of practices at St. John Fisher because the coaching staff wants to establish who their starting five are quickly. "We've got to make that decision soon," said offensive line coach Jim McNally. "The faster we get a guy there working with Langston Walker and entrenched at that position the better.

Bills add a kicker

The Buffalo Bills added an extra leg to their training camp roster Tuesday, signing former Notre Dame punter/ place-kicker D.J. Fitzpatrick to a free agent contract. Fitzpatrick played the final three games of the 2007 NFL Europa season with the Berlin Thunder, for whom he handled kickoff and placekicking duties.

Like his punts, Moorman ends up in a good place

Re-signing Brian Moorman is further affirmation of general manager Marv Levy's commitment to, and utter understanding of the importance of, outstanding special teams. From coaching Steve Tasker and Mark Pike to signing Moorman to this extension, Levy gets it. Moorman, a two-time Pro Bowler, can be considered either arguably the greatest Bills punter ever or unarguably one of the two greatest.

July 03, 2007

Bills Add Another NFL Europa Free Agent

The Buffalo Bills made use of their second of two NFL Europa bonus roster exemptions signing punter/kicker D.J. Fitzpatrick Tuesday. "The Berlin Thunder put him on their roster with three games left in the season to kick off and kick field goals," said Bills scouting assistant Kevin Meganck. "He's a punter by trade, but is also able to kick field goals and kick off competitively."

Bills Sign Kicker

The Bills have added punter/kicker D.J. Fitzpatrick to their roster. Fitzpatrick spent the final three games of the 2007 NFL Europa season with the Berlin Thunder.

#17: Who Leads On Defense?

Two players most often identified as the future leaders of the defensive unit are Chris Kelsay and Angelo Crowell. "I was here all offseason and I'm ready for that leadership role," said Crowell. "I am the veteran of the linebacking corps. I never thought I would be entering year five of my career, but I think the leadership role is there for me and I've always seen myself as a leader."

Bills to pay Moorman as top punter

In six years with the Buffalo Bills, Brian Moorman has become one of the best punters in the NFL. Now he’s about to be paid accordingly. The two-time All-Pro signed a threeyear contract extension Monday that will keep him in a Bills uniform through 2012. The final three years on his previous contract were restructured. Moorman’s agent, Paul R. Sheehy, would not reveal exact financial terms, but said the overall dollar value of the package will make Moorman the league’s highest-paid punter.

Center, right guard could hold back Bills' O-line

Despite the downside of Walker, he will be locked into a starting spot, as will Peters and Dockery, barring injury; given the skills of Peters and Dockery and the big contract of Walker (five years, $25 million), that's a given. But at center and right guard, there's still some uncertainty entering the Bills' upcoming training camp and preseason.

Buffalo rewards its Pro Bowl punter with contract extension

The Buffalo Bills came to terms on a three-year contract extension with their Pro Bowl punter, Brian Moorman, on Monday. The deal is slated to run through 2012.

July 02, 2007

One Valuable Foot

He's been among the best in the business ever since he took his first snap for the Buffalo Bills six years ago. Punter Brian Moorman got both a current contract pay raise and a new three year deal extending through the 2012 football season.

Bills re-sign Pro Bowl P Moorman to multi-year extension

The Buffalo Bills on Monday re-signed Pro Bowl punter Brian Moorman to a multi-year contract extension. Financial terms were not disclosed.

P Moorman signs 3-year extension with Bills

Pro Bowl punter Brian Moorman signed a three-year contract extension with the Buffalo Bills on Monday. Moorman's new deal runs through 2012 and is worth $10 million, putting him among the league's best paid punters. The Bills also restructured the remaining three years on his current contract.

Bills sign Moorman to extension

Brian Moorman's continued success as the Buffalo Bills' punter was rewarded once again Monday as he signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him with the team through 2012. Financial terms were not available, but Moorman's agent, Paul R. Sheehy, said the deal makes Moorman one of the highest paid punters in the NFL.

Bills Extend Moorman

Bills punter Brian Moorman, who has been selected to back-to-back Pro Bowls the past two seasons agreed to a multi-year extension Monday after an efficient exchange between the two sides. "I don't think you find a team that often that's willing to commit to a player in this regard," said Moorman. "So I feel very lucky to be part of an organization like this and play for an owner like Mr. Wilson who was willing to do that."

#18: Will Kevin Everett Contribute More?

Throughout the spring camps Everett looked quick and seemed to have a better grasp of the offense. When Robert Royal went down with his injury the door was wide open for Everett. Everett saw more throws come his way as he earned the most first team reps in Royal's absence. "Every opportunity I get I'm looking forward to making a play every time the ball is thrown my way," he said.

Moorman Signs Contract Extension

Brian Moorman is regarded as one of the NFL’s top punters. He was selected as an Associated Press All-Pro in 2005 and 2006 and has represented the AFC in the Pro Bowl each of the past two seasons. Moorman ranked second in the NFL with a 39.2 net punting average in 2006. The season net punting average is the fifth-best average in the NFL since it became an official statistic in 1976. His 33 punts inside-the-20 set a team record and also ranked second in the NFL. In accordance with team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Bills' Evans achieved greatness in 2006 with little help

Lee Evans laughed at decent expectations as he sped past them in 2006, accumulating 82 receptions for 1,292 yards; he also rung up eight touchdowns while obtaining 15.8 yards per catch. The yardage was good for sixth best in the NFL. Of course, it's too obvious to say Evans is the best receiver on his team: Next in yardage was Josh Reed with 410, then Peerless Price with 402, an almost comical, Gretzkyesque statistical gap between the best and the rest.

July 01, 2007

League sets tight restrictions on video use by media Web sites

In a move designed to protect the Internet operations of its 32 teams, the pro football league has told news organizations that it will no longer permit them to carry unlimited online video clips of players, coaches or other officials, including video that the news organizations gather themselves on a team’s premises. News organizations can post no more than 45 seconds per day of video shot at a team’s facilities, including news conferences, interviews and practice-field reports.