Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 4/8

Bills sign RB Walter Mendenhall
"Mendenhall (6’0" 227) was most recently with the Indianapolis Colts prior to the 2009 season as a late training camp signing. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles last spring." His scholarship was pulled when Ron Zook took over the Illinois program prior to Mendenhall's senior year.

Kiper: Bills may opt to pass on Clausen : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"I would take Clausen, but I'm hearing through a lot of different sources that they will not take Clausen so I kind of scratched them off," said Kiper during a conference call. "I think they're going to go a different route and taking Bryan Bulaga and coming back in the second round and taking Tim Tebow."

Bills should turn focus to dumping Lynch - Wellsville, NY - Wellsville Daily Reporter
"If Lynch were Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson, maybe the Bills could turn the other cheek. If Lynch were scoring touchdowns in playoff games, perhaps they could have blinders on and cross their fingers he doesn’t embarrass the organization again. When he’s being outplayed by a solid citizen like Jackson, whose far more likeable and a better representative of the franchise, there’s no reason to keep him around."

Free Agency
Mendenhall has persevered – Inside The Bills
"He went on to lead the Redbirds in rushing in 2008 averaging 6.3 yards per carry and 11 touchdowns despite making just four starts that season. He doesn’t have the same speed as his younger brother, but he can pack a punch. He’ll be an interesting guy to watch knowing how driven he is."

NFL Draft
Bengals targeting premier pass-rusher Pierre-Paul - Dayton Daily News
"Pierre-Paul is a consensus top-15 pick and falling to the Bengals at No. 21 would be an unexpected gift. The Buffalo Bills own the ninth overall pick and brought the player in for a visit on Monday."

Source: Richard Dickson visits the Bills and Vikings | National Football Post
"Highly-regarded LSU fullback and tight end Richard Dickson has visited the Buffalo Bills and the Minnesota Vikings, according to a source close to the program with knowledge of the situation."

McCoy’s arm strength issues dismissed – Inside The Bills
"These people that are saying McCoy doesn’t have enough arm strength to play in a poor weather city are off the mark," said Kiper. "They say McCoy threw all short passes at Texas, but the reason he did is because he had to. That offensive line for the Longhorns wasn’t all that great so he had to get the ball out to keep the offense moving. He showed he can throw deep at his pro day, which is why I have him going to Cleveland in the second round with the 38th pick."

Draft Profile: CB Wilson proves recruiters wrong
"Our pre-draft feature series continues with Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson." Wilson wasn't recruited out of high school and had to send tapes to the top 50 college football program to get four interested.

Bills Focus: Cornerback Draft Preview (2:46) - BuffaloBills.com
A preview of the five top cornerbacks in this year's draft.

BillBoard: Draft watch: Terrence Cody
A quick look at NT prospect Terrence Cody from Alabama.

Who’s Who In The 2010 Draft: Wide Receivers - WGR 550 SportsRadio
Joe Buscaglia gives his rundown of the WR prospects.

NFL.com Blogs " Blog Archive Tebow in first round is gaining momentum "
"And with less than three weeks until the draft, another informed insider, Michael Lombardi, reiterated Tuesday the Bills have "strong interest" and Philadelphia could be in the mix now as well."

NFP has Tebow to Bills at 9! – Inside The Bills
"With all due respect to NFP’s Wes Bunting, while selling tickets is important to any NFL franchise Buffalo’s personnel department is not going to make a pick based on what will most positively affect ticket sales. Not the way GM Buddy Nix is building things anyway." Chris Brown also said, "If there is the slightest margin for doubt that Tebow is not ready to be an NFL starter in year one of his pro career then there’s no way the Bills take him at nine."

SI.com’s Banks has OT to Bills at 9 – Inside The Bills
"Banks has Buffalo taking Rutgers OT Anthony Davis. Davis has arguably the highest upside among the top five offensive tackles in the draft, but some so called experts maintain that he’s not as polished or mature as the other top OTs. My response is how could he be? The guy is just 20-years old."

Kiper has Tebow to Bills in 2nd – Inside The Bills
"Tebow’s a two," said Kiper. "Sure it’s possible he goes late in the first round. There was a time when I thought he was a late first-round pick, there was a time when I thought he was a third-round pick. But now when it has all settled out I have him as a second-round pick and I have him going to Buffalo at 41."

The Shutdown Corner mock draft: "Musical Chairs" edition, Pt. 1 - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports
"9. Buffalo Bills -- DT Dan Williams, Tennessee: The Bills need a signal-caller, but head coach Chan Gailey can get a good fit in the later rounds because he likes working with option quarterbacks. The run on tackles leaves them with players not quite worthy of the ninth overall pick at that position. So, with the defense switching to the ever-popular 3-4 front, it's time to address the nose tackle position. Williams played mostly one-tech for the Vols in Monte Kiffin's defense, but he's got a host of 3-4 teams looking at him, and for good reason. He's got the size and skillset to make a seamless transition to the role of two-gap tackle, providing the Bills with one port in their current storm of rebuilding."

Kiper, McShay in another mockoff - AFC East Blog - ESPN
No. 9 Buffalo Bills * Kiper's pick: Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga * McShay's pick: Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis

Draft Watch: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
This week's topic is "Draft Approach" and as Tim Graham points out it's hard to look at past history since none of the Bills players have ever been in this position in their current role except Tom Modrak.

McShay: Draft could turn on Buffalo's pick - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"McShay forecasts the Washington Redskins will begin a run of offensive tackles with Oklahoma State's Russell Okung at No. 4. The Bills happen to need one of those. But four of the tackles (Okung, Iowa's Bryan Bulaga, Rutgers' Anthony Davis and Maryland's Bruce Campbell) might already be off the board by the time the Bills are put on the clock."

Why the New England Patriots Should Trade Out of the First Round - Pats Pulpit
"The Bills are a division rival, but that hasn't stopped us from trading with them before (Hi Bledsoe!). They have many needs, due to their lack of starting QB, their lack of personnel for their new 3-4 defense and lack of receivers for said (lack of) QB. While it wouldn't surprise me if the Bills kept all their picks (because they need them all to improve), if they select the top OT at #9 overall and Jimmy Clausen falls to #22 (and it seems highly likely), maybe the Bills would make a move to grab him. On the other hand, if they choose Clausen at #9, and a tackle like Trent Williams or Charles Brown is still available, maybe they'll move up to pick them."

Other Bills Links
Buffalo Bills Now! 04/07/10 CoachC on USTREAM
Coach Sal talked with the voice of the Bills, John Murphy, during his weekly chat session.

Clayton: Bills Should Take Clausen Or Trade For Campbell - WGR 550 SportsRadio
ESPN's John Clayton breaks down several QB scenarios. He thinks the Bills should draft Jimmy Clausen or trade for Jason Campbell ("I think he's good enough"). He also says Trent Edwards could still be the guy and he doesn't like Tebow, McCoy, or Pike.

Final Buffalo Bracket - WGR Sports Radio 550
Jim Kelly was the winner of the Buffalo Bracket.