Evans pleased with progress on contract negotiations (Photo Source)

The Buffalo Bills hit the field at St. John Fisher College for two practice sessions today, as they opened 2008 training camp with two solid practices.  Here's what happened of note on the first day of camp (as reported by BuffaloBills.com):

Peters Holds Out
The big story, of course, is that Jason Peters is holding out.  We'll definitely discuss this a bit more over the weekend (probably tomorrow morning); for now, if you're looking to vent on Peters, check out this story.

Evans Has a Great Day
Lee Evans had a good day, both off the field and on.  In his usual candid manner, Evans confirmed that progress has been made between his agent and the Bills on a contract extension.  This is great news - Evans has been a true professional, never missing a workout and never complaining about his deal (he's currently working on his rookie deal), and the Bills are rewarding him for his loyalty and professionalism.  Hear that, Mr. Peters?

Evans also reportedly ran several outstanding routes today in what was a strong performance by Buffalo's revamped passing attack.  Always one for a good quote, Evans spoke about his comfort level with QB Trent Edwards as they enter their first full season starting together:

"It's only day one, but we certainly have a comfort level with each other," said Evans. "I think he trusts me and I trust him and now it's just a matter of getting in that rhythm and staying in that rhythm and staying consistent."

Edwards Looking Good
Keep in mind that this was just a practice session, but the fact that Edwards started both practice sessions with 10 consecutive completions in 7-on-7 work.  Buffalo's offense, under coordinator Turk Schonert, will have more of a West Coast feel - we're going to see more passing, and Edwards will need to be accurate.  It sounds like he's been precise to this point.

Play of Note: "One of Edwards prettiest passes of the series was when he looked the safety off to the right and then dropped a well-timed ball in between three defenders to Josh Reed on the left side of the field for a 20-yard gain."

Defense Quiet, but Corners Looking Good
Naturally, on a productive day for the offense, the defense didn't have such a good go of it.  Of note, however, was the play of two of Buffalo's sub-package corners in Will James and Ashton Youboty.  Both made multiple nice pass break-ups (James more so than Youboty); the defensive backfield picked off a few passes, and in general were active on the day.

Play of Note: "A deep ball intended for Evans was tipped on a nice play by Ashton Youboty and Simpson was the final beneficiary."

Depth Chart Notes
Kirk Chambers replaced Peters at starting left tackle.  Robert Royal and Derek Schouman both worked with the first team at tight end; they were followed by Courtney Anderson in the rotation.  James Hardy worked with the second team offense at wideout, as Josh Reed ran with Evans at the top of the lineup.  With Kyle Williams excused, John McCargo and Spencer Johnson split first-team reps next to Marcus Stroud.

McKelvin Still Unsigned
Top draft pick Leodis McKelvin missed both of day one's workouts as he remains unsigned.  There was talk that a deal was close enough that a deal might be worked out to get McKelvin on the field for this afternoon's workouts, but that did not materialize.  A deal is expected to be completed over the weekend.

Look for the Bills to wrap up talks with Evans and McKelvin before doing anything with the Jason Peters situation.

Day Two: Saturday 7/26
The Bills hit the field again tomorrow for two more practices - one at 8:30 AM, the other at 2:15 PM.  We'll talk a bit more about Peters, McKelvin and Evans tomorrow morning, and we'll follow it up with another short recap of tomorrow's events.  Again, I'll urge you all - if you go to camp and have anything to say about your visit, let us know.  We'd love to hear about Buffalo's progress from a fan's perspective.

With Peters holding out, pressure squarely on Bills (Photo Source)

It's Friday morning.  The Buffalo Bills are set to hold their first training camp practice of the 2008 season in about a half hour.  They'll be hitting the practice field without their best offensive player, as offensive tackle Jason Peters has continued his holdout and has not reported to camp at St. John Fisher College.  NFL Network's Adam Schefter is reporting that Peters is contemplating a season-long holdout should he not get a new deal - and, unlike Chicago's Devin Hester, he can probably afford it.

We're all well aware of the situation.  What becomes important to discuss at this point is the two sides to the story from Buffalo's perspective (because, let's face it, the ball is now in their court - Peters has made his move).  The Bills, at this point, can either continue to play hardball, or they can just pay the man.  Let's dive in:

Reasons to Play Hardball with Peters
Below are the reasons why the Bills should maintain their hardened stance on the Peters situation.  It's important to note that no matter what we say here, this is the path that the club is most likely to follow.

#1 - His Current Contract: The Bills have shown a willingness to pay guys early in their careers that show promise.  They've handed out contracts to guys like DT Kyle Williams, OG Brad Butler, CB Terrence McGee, WR Roscoe Parrish and P Brian Moorman well before they became some of the better players on the team.  They did the same thing with Peters.  He's scheduled to make $3.25 million this season; that's not exactly chump change.  They made a commitment to Peters well before he exploded onto the scene as one of the NFL's best tackles.  His actions aren't exactly showing an appreciation for that move, if he has any at all.

#2 - Maintaining Precedent: A lot of folks are likening this situation to Aaron Schobel's last season, but that's now irrelevant - because Schobel actually showed up to training camp last season.  I've maintained all along that Peters would be smart enough to follow Schobel's blueprint; had he done so, the Bills might have begun talking to Eugene Parker, Peters' agent, this morning about a new deal.  Now that doesn't appear to be likely.  Peters' situation is unique from Schobel's, so the Bills need to maintain their stance that if you aren't here, we aren't paying you.

#3 - Commitment to Team: This ties in nicely with #2 - the Bills aren't going to pay Peters until he shows up for camp.  You work, we pay - that's not an unreasonable stance to take at this time, given the commitment the team has already made to him.  If I'm the Bills, I want some indication that Peters isn't thinking solely about himself here.  I want him in camp to prove that he gives a damn about what the team is building here.  I want to see that he's still a willing part of that.  If he shows that, then let's talk about more money.

#4 - Peters' Methods: There's a better way for Peters to go about this angling for a new contract deal - like showing up for work, for instance.  The organization has shown nothing but respect for Peters throughout his career here - it's been Buffalo's coaches and his opportunity here that made Peters into the player he is today.  They showed loyalty to his potential with the new deal in 2006.  Peters isn't returning the favor here, and the Bills have every reason to be ticked off about it.

Reasons to Pony Up the Dough
Below are the reasons why the Bills should break their stance and give Peters his new deal.  It's important to note that no matter what we say here, the Bills aren't likely to take this route, at least not in the immediate future.

#1 - Team Chemistry: Buffalo is attempting to put together an offense that is capable of being slightly better than mediocre in the NFL, and the chances of that happening without Peters are remote.  There are too many question marks offensively - Trent Edwards, James Hardy and an underwhelming tight end corps chief among them - to play too long without Peters.  If this unit is going to gel quickly enough to turn the Bills into a playoff contender in 2008, they need to play together, and they need to play together a lot.  That doesn't happen while this situation drags out.

#2 - Player Value: Only RB Marshawn Lynch compares favorably with Peters in terms of value to the offense, and Lynch's rookie deal is actually more valuable over the length of the contract than Peters' current deal.  Buffalo's best offensive player should be Buffalo's highest-paid offensive player.  When push comes to shove, Peters does still have a point - he deserves more money.

#3 - Establishing Precedent: This might be a good time for the Bills to establish a precedent within the organization - signing Peters would say "we recognize when a player deserves to be paid, and we're willing to do said paying".  Making sure Peters gets to camp before he gets paid is an important stance to take as part of this precedent, but it's also important to pay the man.  You work with me, I'll work with you.  That's the right precedent to establish here - and if, miraculously, they somehow secure Peters' help with this in the near future, they might just take this step.

#4 - Developing Trent Edwards: Need I mention that Priority Number One for this team since Jim Kelly's retirement has been finding a long-term answer at quarterback?  Well, the Bills think they may have found the answer in Edwards, but his potential development takes a hit with Peters sitting at home.  Developing Edwards is the most important objective for the Bills to hit to ensure the long-term on-field viability of this franchise.  Paying Peters may help them achieve that, but letting him sit out definitely hurts them.

My take?  I'm with the Bills... for now.  As I said above, they have every reason to be completely disappointed with Peters and how he's handled this situation.  But there will come a point, most certainly before the end of training camp (I'd probably position this crucial point somewhere around the third pre-season game) where they'll have to get Peters onto the field one way or another.  Yes, that drags the situation out, but it might have the effect of proving to Peters that he's being an idiot about this.

This is a mess.  Definitely not the way we wanted to see the 2008 season start off, folks.

Open competition for DT slot next to Stroud (Photo Source)

Note: As Buffalo Rumblings counts down the days until the start of the Buffalo Bills' 2008 training camp (current count: 3), we'll be breaking down some of the bigger battles we're sure to witness during summer practices.  We continue our Battles series by looking at the battle for the (supposedly) vacant starting DT position.  Previous installments: Backup TE, Backup LT, Starting CB, Returners

As the Buffalo Bills' big-name import from the 2008 NFL off-season, defensive tackle Marcus Stroud will not only be an immediate starter, he'll be counted on as a leader from the moment he dons his new red, white and blue uniform.  Who will Stroud's running mate be inside?  That's the real question, and ultimately, it's a question that probably doesn't need to have a clear answer (and might not when push comes to shove).  Meet the candidates for Buffalo's remaining starting DT slot...

The Slight Favorite: Kyle Williams (95)
After signing a 5-year, $14.5 million contract extension with $5.7 million guaranteed earlier this month, Williams - Buffalo's most consistent interior performer last season - seems to have the inside track at earning the honorary role of "starter" next to Stroud.  An underwhelming (yet underrated) athlete, Williams has steadily improved over his first two seasons, and his aggressiveness and motor make him a disruptive force up front.  A fifth-round pick in 2006, Williams has proven to be an excellent value for the Bills to this point in his career.

The One Guy Who'll Play a Lot: John McCargo (97)
Perhaps the most athletically gifted of Buffalo's interior linemen (notice I didn't say physically gifted; that honor belongs to Stroud), McCargo performed admirably in the second half of the 2007 season and seems poised to become a sparkplug for an exciting young defense this season.  Entering his third season as a former first-round draft pick, McCargo - who had to watch the Bills hand out new or revamped contracts to all three interior linemen on this list besides him - might just be the most motivated guy of the bunch.

That Other Guy Who'll Play a Lot: Spencer Johnson (91)
Buffalo's other off-season import at the DT position, Johnson seems the least likely of the three candidates to start simply because he's unique from the group.  The smallest and quickest of the four tackles, Johnson will likely be the most specialized; sure, he's been asked to learn both the one-tech and three-tech positions during spring practices, but if there's one tackle who should be playing mostly on passing downs, it's Johnson.  He'll play a lot, and he'll even play a lot on run downs.  But Johnson, unlike Stroud, Williams and McCargo, is far better suited to playing one phase of the game - which makes him last on this list.

Predicting the Winner
Ultimately, the answer to this question doesn't mean a lot.  All three of these players will see significant amounts of playing time this season and are being counted on to play crucial roles in a deep, revamped front four rotation.  But one of these guys will be playing more than the others, especially early in games and on early downs.  For now, the answer appears to be Williams.  However, ideally it will be difficult for Williams to hold off McCargo at some point this season.  McCargo has elite ability, and with just a season and five games' worth of experience, it seems likely that he'll really come into his own at some point this season.  When (if?) that happens, it will be impossible to deny McCargo a starting role - no matter how much the coaching staff may like Williams or Johnson.

Stroud being counted on to shore up interior (Photo Source)

Prior to the 2008 NFL Draft - in fact, prior to the free agent signing period of this past March - we took a look at the Buffalo Bills' roster position by position, breaking down then-current personnel, finding holes, and building our community needs list.

Now that free agency and the Draft have been completed, and the Bills have infused their roster with new talent, it's time to repeat our process.  Where has Buffalo gotten better?  Where have they gotten worse?  How will additions impact which Bills veterans remain on the roster?  These are questions that we'll attempt to answer over the next week or so.

We continue those discussions today with an examination of Buffalo's defensive tackles.  To view our previous discussions on Buffalo's DT situation (pre-off-season), bang it here.

John McCargo: After a rookie season that was severely limited by injury, McCargo was healthy for all 16 games last season and made strides in his second year - despite rather limited playing time.  His 2.5 sacks were good for second on the team (hear that, Chris Kelsay?), and amongst last year's Bills defensive tackles, McCargo was easily the most explosive.  He has the ability to penetrate a line quickly and make explosive tackles behind the line of scrimmage; he didn't do it often last year, however, because of the lack of talent surrounding him.  That's expected to change in 2008, as McCargo elevates to the starting lineup.

Kyle Williams: The most underwhelming talent of Buffalo's top four tackles - a group that will be rotated heavily this season - Williams is yet another hard-working tackle that isn't a strong athlete, but never quits.  He's got some power and a nasty streak up front, but he'll need to play much more consistently if he still wants to receive substantial playing time.  You can't go wrong having a guy like this on your team, but Williams is very clearly the fourth tackle on this roster.

Jason Jefferson: He's stuck with the Bills for about two and a half years at this point, and it's hard to figure out why.  Injuries have kept Jefferson on the roster, and while he's very clearly not a playmaker, he rarely makes mistakes.  Jefferson has an uphill battle to make this year's roster with four guys ahead of him on the depth chart, but hey - he did it last year, too.  I wouldn't be shocked to see him stick as a fifth tackle, especially considering the injury histories of McCargo and Marcus Stroud.

Corey Mace: Entering his second year, Mace spent 16 weeks on the practice squad as a rookie, was elevated to the active roster for Week 17, but was inactive.  He'll likely compete with undrafted rookie free agent Teraz McCray for a spot on the practice squad once again.

The Additions: Marcus Stroud, Spencer Johnson, Teraz McCray
For the first time in a very long time, the Bills' significant off-season move was to pick up a legitimate, NFL starting-caliber defensive tackle.  The last time the team did that was when they acquired Ted Washington.  Stroud hasn't been the "Stroud of old" for a couple of seasons now as he's dealt with injuries, but he still represents a significant upgrade over Larry Tripplett for this team.  Stroud adds a dimension of power to Buffalo's interior line with the ability to play either the 1-technique or the 3-technique, but the trick for him will be to stay healthy in '08.  If that happens, he'll have a good season.

Johnson, who appears to be strictly a 3-technique tackle and possibly a swing end on run downs, is a stellar athlete who is looking to emerge from the shadows of Pat and Kevin Williams in Minnesota.  He is quick and explosive, and figures to see most of his time on pass downs.  He'll factor into the rotation heavily, and he'll definitely give McCargo a run at the starting job next to Stroud as well.  This was an excellent signing.

The Subtractions: Larry Tripplett
Signed in the off-season of 2006, Tripplett never evolved into the playmaking tackle that the team signed him to be.  Granted, he wasn't awful (well, he was pretty awful against the run), but the occasional QB pressure and gift play (see: INT vs. Washington) does not a starting defensive tackle make.  As a new member of the Seattle Seahawks, Tripplett will return to Buffalo in Week 1 of the '08 NFL season.

Pre-Season Outlook: Of any position on the Bills roster, defensive tackle has easily seen the biggest changes this off-season, both in terms of personnel and talent variety.  By shedding Tripplett and adding Stroud and Johnson, the Bills now have four defensive tackles who can play either the 1-tech or 3-tech spots, get after the passer, and (hopefully) stop the run.  This group is more athletic, more powerful, and better gifted at penetration.  There's a lot riding on this group.  If they're not up to the task, the team may be forced to go back to the drawing board once again.  But as it stands now, a failure from this group isn't very likely.  I'm excited to see this unit get on the field this fall.

Change: Power and depth.

As always, your thoughts and opinions on this analysis are welcome and encouraged in the comments section.