Jauron gives his players Sunday off (Photo Source)

The Buffalo Bills held a morning practice on Saturday, and the big news of the day was that the team agreed to a deal with veteran LB Donnie Spragan.  A player that the team worked out this past May, Spragan is a 32-year old veteran that has been a steady performer for the Broncos and Dolphins.  His signing came in the wake of rookie Alvin Bowen's season-ending knee injury.  Spragan is expected to compete for a reserve role at weak side linebacker and on special teams.

Missing Saturday's workout were QB J.P. Losman (re-aggravated thumb), WR James Hardy (hamstring), and CB Will James (groin).  DE Copeland Bryan left practice early with an apparent hamstring injury.

Practice Getting Boring
Much of the fanfare and interest that surrounded the first week's practice sessions seems to have died down a bit.  With the first pre-season game of the season coming up this coming Saturday at Washington, fans seem more anxious to see this team on the field than to hear about the goings-on on the practice field.  We're not alone, folks; the players are anxious to do the real thing as well:

"It felt really good to let that out and cross that line a little bit," said safety John Wendling. "But it's still your own teammates, so we're looking forward to seeing someone different across the ball and being able to just go at it with them. So we're looking forward to the preseason."

Red Zone Still Getting Emphasized
The Bills continued their focus on red zone work yesterday with another strong session in the red area.  It's becoming very apparent that Bills coaches are very focused on scoring more points this season - quite the novel idea if you're playing in the NFL.

Trent Edwards fared well in the red zone yesterday targeting his two favorite weapons down close (at least until James Hardy gets in more work): Lee Evans and Derek Schouman.

Lee Evans made a nice fingertip grab on a low throw from Trent Edwards near the sideline. He also pulled in a well-thrown ball from Edwards on a fade pass to the end zone for a touchdown.

Perhaps the best executed play came during red zone work when Edwards effectively used a play action fake to get the defense to bite and quickly hit Derek Schouman over the middle for a touchdown.

Defense Makes Some Plays, Too
Buffalo's offense played better than it has of late, but the defense made some plays of their own as well.  Leading the charge was my personal favorite player, LB John DiGiorgio, with a nice interception...

During 7-on-7 John DiGiorgio made the defensive play of the day as he stepped in front of a Gibran Hamdan pass for his first interception of camp.

(I'm not sure that "first interception of camp" is factually accurate, Mr. Brown.  I distinctly remember DiGiorgio picking off a tipped pass by Will James on the second day of camp.)

Cornerback Ashton Youboty - who did not receive as many additional reps as expected with CB James on the sideline - made a nice pass break-up in the end zone as well.

Steve Johnson almost made an outstanding leaping touchdown catch over Ashton Youboty, but Youboty was able to break up the play as the two players came back down to the turf.

The Bills have the day off Sunday and return to the practice field Monday for a 2:15PM practice.

DiGiorgio getting looks at WLB (Photo Source)

Day eight of 2008 Buffalo Bills training camp is in the books, and with it came the team's first major injury of the season.  Rookie linebacker Alvin Bowen, a fifth-round pick out of Iowa State this past April, suffered a severe knee injury in Friday's practice and is likely lost for the season.  As a result of Bowen's injury, the Bills were forced to sign veteran free agent Donnie Spragan, who is expected to be a reserve outside linebacker and special teams player this season.

With Angelo Crowell sitting out of practice and Kawika Mitchell limited as part of a rest regimen for select veterans, backup middle linebacker John DiGiorgio worked with the first team at Mitchell's weak side spot.  Keith Ellison continued to take first team reps at Crowell's strong side spot.

DiGiorgio's case is interesting.  He played weak side in one game last season - a 26-3 loss at Pittsburgh in Week 2 - and held his own in an underrated effort by Buffalo's defense that day.  It's becoming clear that he's a much more valuable reserve in Buffalo's linebacking corps than originally anticipated; it will be interesting to see if he gets any reps on the outside during pre-season action.

Losman Lighting Up Second Team Defense
Trent Edwards' play with the first unit offense has been streaky at best, but veteran backup J.P. Losman has been making plays against Buffalo's second-unit defense.  He continued that trend yesterday with a few more touchdown tosses.

Early in 7-on-7 Roscoe Parrish pulled in a long ball down the near sideline from J.P. Losman for a 50-yard gain.

Robert Royal scored for the second straight day pulling in a touchdown pass from J.P. Losman on a post pattern.

Question for y'all to ponder: if Edwards struggles early (not a huge stretch) and Losman has a killer pre-season, how long before the QB controversy resurfaces in the media?

An Opening for Youboty?
If one thing was proven last season, there's never a lack of opportunities for young players to make an impression - especially when veterans are dropping like flies.  Jabari Greer was the main beneficiary last season at cornerback.  And with Will James going down with a groin injury during yesterday's practice, Ashton Youboty's reps increased.

It's still unclear whether or not James will be able to practice Saturday, but the longer he's out, the better the opportunity for Youboty to state his case for remaining in Buffalo for a third season.  The third-year veteran is on the roster bubble just two years after being the team's third-round draft pick.

Youngsters Getting Reps
With veterans like Mitchell, Marcus Stroud, Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay getting a reduced work load Friday, several young players saw increased reps with the first team.  At defensive end, Copeland Bryan and Chris Ellis both played end with the first team.  John McCargo filled in for Stroud next to Kyle Williams with the first team, and Spencer Johnson saw some time there as well.

Rookie tight end Derek Fine has also seen some reps with the first team offense of late as the second tight end.  It appears that the Bills are experimenting with Fine in a blocking and short-area receiving role with the ones, and the rookie has held his own to this point.  That is very likely bad news for veteran tight ends Courtney Anderson and Tim Massaquoi.

The Bills are in the midst of their Saturday practice at the time of this posting, practicing today from 10:10AM to 12:20PM.  They players get Sunday off to recuperate.

DiGiorgio a key contributor entering third season (Photo Source)

Entering his third season as an NFL linebacker, John DiGiorgio of the Buffalo Bills has quickly made a name for himself.  The former undrafted free agent out of Saginaw Valley State, in just his second year in the league, started 14 games in 2007 and was quietly one of Buffalo's most consistent defenders, compiling 112 total tackles, two sacks, an interception and two fumble recoveries in place of injured starter Paul Posluszny.

Even though it seems highly likely that DiGiorgio is headed back to a reserve role this season, his experience from last season automatically makes him one of Buffalo's most important young depth players.  He's also expected to be a key contributor on a revamped Bills special teams unit as well.  With a blue-collar work ethic, a scrappy on-field demeanor, and the ability to produce when called upon, DiGiorgio has the potential to become a fan favorite in Buffalo if he continues to improve.

With Bills training camp less than a week away (players report this coming Thursday), we're very happy (and fortunate) to report that John took some time out of his pre-season schedule to let us know what he's been up to this off-season and to discuss some of the changes the Bills have made defensively entering the 2008 season.

Buffalo Rumblings: You gained a lot of experience last season, starting 14 games.  What have you focused on this off-season in an effort to get even better?

John DiGiorgio: This off-season I tried to focus on using my hands a lot more and to have a stronger punch when I am engaged with a blocker. That is something that I thought I would focus on and try to improve in the off-season.

Rumblings: Obviously, the Bills made some major personnel changes defensively this off-season.  We know the type of impact the new players might have on the field; how are the new guys fitting in as teammates?

DiGiorgio: The new guys are fitting in very well. I think everyone is really excited about the off-season additions that we made. I think the additions will help us tremendously and will help us get to where we want to go as a team.

Rumblings: You started at outside linebacker for an away game in Pittsburgh last season.  Did you feel comfortable in that role, and (hypothetically) do you believe you could play the weak side on a more permanent basis in Buffalo 's defensive system?

DiGiorgio: I did feel pretty comfortable in that role. I think over time I would feel even more confident in that role if I had practice reps at that position. Most of the reps that I take are at the middle linebacker position. That week leading up to that game against the Steelers was the only time that I played outside linebacker. In the game I made a few mistakes but I also made a few good plays. Yes, I do believe that I would be able to play a permanent role at the outside position.

Rumblings: Arguably your best performance last season was in the Monday Night Football loss to Dallas (9 tackles, INT).  Describe what it was like playing in front of that crowd, on a national stage, and performing well personally.

DiGiorgio: It was like a dream for me. I always imagined myself playing on Monday Night Football, and to go out there in front of a national audience and such a great crowd was awesome. That game is one that I will remember for the rest of my life. I was pleased by our defensive performance and by my individual performance. I thought we played very hard and we played together as a unit.

Rumblings: The Bills lost four games by eight points or less last season.  What will it take for the 2008 version of the Bills to turn those close losses into victories?

DiGiorgio: It’s going to take 60 minutes of football. Forcing turnovers on defense, scoring and taking advantage of opportunities on offense, and winning the kicking game on special teams.

Rumblings: You will very likely be one of several players asked to fill the rather large shoes of veteran special teams leaders that are no longer with the team.  Do you enjoy playing special teams, and do you think names like Wire, Aiken, Haggan, Stamer and Neufeld will be missed?

DiGiorgio: I do enjoy special teams very much. I don’t know what it is but there is something about running down the field at 100 mph and trying to hit someone as hard as possible that I really enjoy. I do think that those names will be missed. Those guys have played a huge role in getting the Buffalo Bills' special teams unit to the top of the leader board over the years. Some of those guys have also been very helpful in the development of many young players, including myself. I do feel that even though those guys are no longer with the Bills, our special teams unit will continue to work hard to be successful and strive to be the top unit in the league.

Rumblings: You are the latest in a long line of undrafted free agents to have an impact in Buffalo - a list that includes starters Jason Peters and Jabari Greer.  What is it about Buffalo that makes the Bills a great opportunity for undrafted players to develop into contributors?

DiGiorgio: I think taking advantage of opportunities when a player gets the chance is very important. Jason, Jabari, and myself have performed well in high-pressure situations and stepped up big when called upon. I also believe that the city of Buffalo is a hard-working, blue-collar atmosphere so the Bills organization does a good job bringing in players that fit that mold. Players that are willing to go the extra mile and work very hard day in and day out.

*****

Many, many thanks to John and his agent, Chris Murray, for taking the time to set up this interview.  Best of luck to you this year, John - we're looking forward to cheering you on from the stands.

The return of Posluszny solidifies starting LB corps (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've been attempting to answer for the past week or so, and will continue to do so.

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

Paul Posluszny: If Trent Edwards is the big question mark of the offense, then his fellow second-year starter, Paul Posluszny, is the big defensive question mark.  Posluszny racked up 25 tackles in 10 quarters (two and a half games) of play last season before an arm injury landed him on IR; at that pace, he would have finished '07 with 160 total stops.  However, the Bills are placing a lot of responsibility on a player who has very little starting experience at the NFL level.  John DiGiorgio may be nipping far more closely at Posluszny's heels than most Bills fans realize.

John DiGiorgio: For a second-year former undrafted free agent out of Saginaw Valley State, DiGiorgio enjoyed a pretty darned successful 2007 campaign.  After taking over starting inside duties from Posluszny, DiGiorgio tallied 112 stops, two sacks, an interception and two fumble recoveries.  He's not an overwhelming athlete, but he's a gamer that plays hard (and with surprisingly good leverage) and seems to be around the ball a majority of the time.  In an ideal role, DiGiorgio would serve as the team's backup and could also be a special teams captain.  He's got long-term potential on this roster.

Blake Costanzo: Another former undrafted free agent, Costanzo is entering his third year in the league.  Costanzo was signed to Buffalo's practice squad this past October, promoted to the active roster in December, and tallied seven special teams tackles in the final three games of the season.  Costanzo has a very legitimate chance at sticking on the roster because of his special teams ability, but he's not as athletic as some of the younger outside linebackers on Buffalo's roster.  He's definitely a guy to keep an eye on during the pre-season.

The Additions: None.

The Subtractions: None.

Pre-Season Outlook: Not much has changed here.  The Bills still have good depth at the inside linebacker position, but it's also very inexperienced depth.  Posluszny appears to be the main horse, and he'll start the 2008 season, but don't be shocked to see DiGiorgio heavily involved in certain defensive packages as well.  Both linebackers have proved to be highly productive when on the field in their short careers, so not only will this be an intense and intriguing training camp battle to watch, but it will be interesting to see how each players is utilized in training camp as well.

Change: None.

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

Mitchell adds size, versatility to LB corps (Photo Source)

Last season, despite a rash of injuries, rookies at quarterback and running back, and incredibly long odds, the Buffalo Bills were playing for their playoff lives in Week 15.  In that game, which took place in Cleveland, the Bills were shut out in a winter storm.  That day, the rather large Browns pushed the Bills around the field of play like blocking sleds.

The following week, history repeated itself.  After taking a 14-0 lead on the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants, the aptly named champions used their size and toughness to overpower the Bills after heavy rains and wind infiltrated Ralph Wilson Stadium.  Take away those 14 points - which were scored before the harsh weather hit Buffalo that day - and in two successive weeks, the tiny Bills had been outscored 46-7 in weather that was supposed to be to their advantage, not their undoing.

Simply put, the Bills weren't big enough.  Playing a Cover 2 defense, the Bills for two years focused on bringing in small, quick athletes.  This off-season, that changed.  For two years, Buffalo watched opposing defensive coordinators blanket Lee Evans and dare one of the team's other sub-6'0" receivers to beat them.  This off-season, that changed.  The Bills have gotten bigger in five key areas this off-season:

WIDE RECEIVER
At no other position was it as important for the Bills to get bigger than it was at wideout.  Gone is veteran Peerless Price, whose 5'11" frame made no one consider him on game day.  Enter rookie James Hardy, an imposing 6'5" red zone threat whose mere presence will need to be game-planned for.  Seventh-round draft pick Steve Johnson (6'2") also has nice size, which could allow him to stick even considering his low draft status.

TIGHT END
Last season, the Bills' biggest tight end was current starter Robert Royal (6'4", 255).  Royal is very average-sized when it comes to NFL tight ends, and he's not an ideal red zone threat.  6'4", 245 pound Ryan Neufeld and 6'3", 277 pound Michael Gaines are gone; they've been replaced by two 6'6" giants in Courtney Anderson and Teyo Johnson.  Neither of the two imports are world-beaters as receivers, but they do give the Bills taller red zone options than they had last year.  They will be assets in the red zone if one or both makes the team.  Rookie TE Derek Fine (6'3", 255) will be the between-the-twenties receiving tight end.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Buffalo's biggest off-season addition - literally and figuratively - came at defensive tackle, where 6'6", 310-pound Marcus Stroud replaces Larry Tripplett, whose 6'2", 293-pound frame made him a great liability defending the run.  Buffalo's top three defensive tackles now average 308 pounds between them (as opposed to 302 last year), and the fact that Stroud is a much more stout defender that plays with outstanding leverage increases the effects of the size gain up front.

LINEBACKER
We'll set aside the fact that the Bills will be gaining 10 pounds at inside linebacker when Paul Posluszny re-takes his starting job from the very active John DiGiorgio.  The big change comes at weak side linebacker, where 6'1", 253-pound free agent signing Kawika Mitchell replaces the passive, 229-pound Keith Ellison.  Last season, Buffalo's starting linebackers weighed in at an average of 238 pounds.  They've added 7 to that number this off-season.  Weighing in at 245 across the board, Buffalo's linebackers are now much more equipped to shed blocks in this Cover 2 scheme.

CORNERBACK
After watching the New England Patriots score nine aerial touchdowns in just two meeting last year, the Bills needed bigger corners to match up with the likes of Randy Moss.  First-round draft pick Leodis McKelvin isn't huge, but at a shade under 5'11", he's already taller than Buffalo's two starting corners from last year.  Free agent addition William James gives the Bills a large, physical slot presence as well, as his 6'0", 200-pound frame is ideal for redirecting small slot receivers (like New England's Wes Welker) from their intended course.  These size changes are subtle, but should help.