QB Trent Edwards, DE Chris Kelsay at Bills camp (Courtesy twoeightnine)

The Buffalo Bills held their first night practice of 2008 training camp last night at St. John Fisher College, and I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the festivities.  With pen and pad in hand, I spent the majority of my night frantically taking as many notes as possible.  It was a beautiful night, but unfortunately, I was not overly impressed by what I saw from our team.  Here are some observations, from units to players to coaches, that I hope you'll find useful (this could get long):

Edwards Struggles
For all the good that we've heard from Trent Edwards this early in camp, I saw a guy who struggled a lot last night.  He did mention post-practice that what the team was running last night was a whole bunch of new plays, which may have been the reason he looked so poor.  But he was missing receivers high, he was bouncing throws off the turf, and he was very obviously distraught at last night's misgivings.  He didn't show emotion like J.P. Losman used to, but you could definitely tell he was frustrated.  He did, however, make some very nice throws, including a couple nice deep balls.

Losman did not practice; his right thumb was taped up heavily.  He's also grown a very lovely beard this off-season.  Maybe he thinks Edwards' rookie beard is what caused him to lose his job?

Lynch (and Jackson) Looking Impressive
I absolutely loved what I saw out of Marshawn Lynch last night.  He looks more powerful and more agile than he was as a rookie.  Put aside anything you hear about Lynch's breakaway speed - I'm going to chalk that up to Lynch being beaten down by the rigors of his first NFL season.  The guy looked like a superstar in the making.  He also dove into the end zone for a touchdown (probably unnecessarily), drawing a big cheer from the gigantic crowd.

Interestingly, Turk Schonert had Lynch split out wide in a couple of formations.  He looked good catching the ball, but his understudy, Fred Jackson, looked better.

Jackson won't ever be a guy who can carry a full rushing load, but he's got that Kenneth Davis feel about him - he's above average at everything he does, especially catching the football.  He looked smooth and confident last night, and his style is different from that of Lynch.  They're going to complement each other very well.

Receiver/Tight End Notes
I came away with the impression on James Hardy that I thought I was going to come away with: this kid is going to struggle in a big way between the twenties this year.  He's still not a great route-runner, and looks positively sloth-like getting out of some of his breaks, especially on out routes.  But the dude is just straight up huge.  He'll make plays simply because he's big.  But from the looks of things right now, Josh Reed (who looked good as usual) seems like he's got a lock on the starting spot.  My guess is that Reed will play between the twenties, with Hardy being a mainstay on the field in the red zone.

Out of all of Buffalo's receivers, I came away most impressed by undrafted rookie free agent Jason Jones.  He comes from a very small school (Arkansas Pine-Bluff), but he was making some of Buffalo's corners look silly in one-on-one drills.  He's a smooth route-runner and shows great hands; he even blew past Will James on a beautifully executed deep route at one point.  I'm very interested to see how he performs in pre-season games.

At tight end, Derek Schouman and Robert Royal are light-years ahead of the competition.  They're easily the two most fluid athletes at the position.  Yes, Robert Royal makes Derek Fine and Courtney Anderson look unathletic.  I liked the way that Schouman and Royal played when they were together on the field.  Together, they might be productive enough to make us not hate the fact that they didn't draft a more athletic tight end this past April.

O-Line... well, they just need Jason Peters
Kirk Chambers better not be Buffalo's starting left tackle come opening day; I don't think I saw him successfully block Aaron Schobel in one-on-one drills once.  He's a tough blocker in the running game, but his pass protection is, well, poor.  Here's hoping that Jason Peters is back in camp before long...

The line struggled a bit in pass protection.  In 7-on-7 and 11-on-11, Edwards had the pocket collapse on him a couple times; he was forced to throw the ball away once or twice, and made some bad throws while pressured as well.  There were some holes for the team's running backs, though.

Offensive line coach Sean Kugler was working hard with rookie Demetrius Bell on his stance and pass pro technique.  Langston Walker was chipping in with some advice as well.  Bell looks ultra-athletic, but he was the greenest guy on the field by a long shot.  He's certainly a practice squad player at this point, but he's got big upside if the coaches can harness some of that athleticism.

D-Line Looks Fantastic
Buffalo's revamped defensive line looked outstanding, including the much-maligned (here, at least) starting defensive ends.  The unit was fast, powerful and disruptive - and that included the second unit line as well.

Marcus Stroud can't be blocked by one guy.  He just can't.  He's not a big guy, but his center of gravity is low, and he got a significant push every single play.  He pancaked Brad Butler in a one-on-one drill, and in some double team drills, he was able to slip blocks and get a push in most instances.

I loved the fact that John McCargo was following Stroud around like some sort of gigantic puppy.  Stroud was working with McCargo for a few minutes on block-shedding moves; it's good to see a vet helping out a talented youngster.  Those two looked great working together inside when they got to play together.  (For the record, Edwards and Evans were seen throwing off to the side as well.  They looked rather chummy.)

Copeland Bryan ran with the twos, pushing Chris Ellis to third team end, but I don't expect that to last long.  Ellis is green - he lacks lower body strength, so he certainly won't be playing on early downs - but Bryan was pedestrian.  Ellis should pass him on the depth chart by the end of camp.

Crowell Sits; Young LBs Looking Good
Angelo Crowell missed the practice; he had a wrap on his left knee and came out in shorts.  He watched the entire practice from the sidelines.  Keith Ellison replaced him on the strong side; Marcus Buggs took Ellison's spot with the second unit.

Speaking of Buggs, he has a very realistic shot at making this team.  He made one or two very nice hits in punt coverage drills, and while he's small, he looks like a very good athlete.  He's another young guy to keep your eyes on during pre-season action.

Paul Posluszny looked good.  He looks like he's in the best shape of his life, and, to be frank, like he could snap most of the Bills' receivers in half with a good lick.  He and Lynch are easily the team's most popular players.

Defensive Back Notes: Simpson Dinged
Ko Simpson left practice early with an apparent injury to his surgically repaired ankle.  He was walking on it fine on the sidelines, but he clearly was uncomfortable.  We'll see if he practices today.  To no one's surprise, George Wilson took his place with the top unit; he looks far more comfortable back there than he did last season.  He was making a few hits as well.

It was only his second practice, but Leodis McKelvin continued to struggle.  He looked better than what we heard in one-on-one coverage drills, but you can tell his ball skills are lacking.  He'll blanket a receiver, but he's not instinctual in knowing when to turn his head.  He's very good at making plays coming forward, however.  He also looked great returning punts (even earning the very loud praise of Bobby April on one return), and in positional drills, you can tell just how good an athlete the kid is.  He's very technical in his agility (read: amazing footwork), and when that can translate better to covering receivers, he should be outstanding.

Will James struggled.  A lot.  He repeatedly got burned deep covering receivers in single coverage.  He's still probably a lock to be the team's nickel corner on opening weekend.  Terrence McGee and Jabari Greer seem entrenched as the starters, and that shouldn't change any time soon.  Reggie Corner was actually playing ahead of McKelvin in dime packages; McKelvin played outside with the second unit.  I expect McKelvin to take James' nickel spot early in the season, and Corner is a bigger factor in this equation than many people tend to believe.

Ashton Youboty is very clearly the team's sixth corner - and I thought he looked very good.  He blatantly held Jason Jones in single coverage during one drill, but also made a nice break to intercept a pass in front of Felton Huggins.  He's much more physical than some of Buffalo's young guys, as well.  I hope he stays on the team - he's still got a world of talent.

General Observations
I love watching Perry Fewell and Bobby April coach.  They're loud, funny, and they get their guys moving hard.  Their units were easily the two strongest on the field last night.

The offense struggled mightily last night, but you can tell that Turk Schonert's offensive system will be better than Steve Fairchild's.  The tempo is faster, Edwards looks much more comfortable, and more guys are getting involved in the passing game (most notably Roscoe Parrish).

Overall, I wasn't a huge fan of the night practice experience.  Perhaps it was the idea that I had to go to work the next morning.  But it was good seeing the guys in Bills colors, and it was even better to hear the crowd chanting and reacting to what was going on on the field.  It was a good time.

The Bills practice from 1:00 to 3:05 today.  Buffalo Rumblings will recap the day's action later this afternoon.

Every once in a while, a glut of different topics related to the Buffalo Bills, this blog, or blogging in general come up that I'd like to post about, but can't fit into an entire post themselves.  So I let those topics queue up for a while, and when there's enough to write an article fit for any person with ADD, I put it out there.

Now, I'm putting a name to it: The Obligatory Smorgasbord Post.  Be prepared for anything and everything in these posts; I undergo periods of time when I get rather scatterbrained, so either bear with me or strap on your beer goggles and read along.  Onward...

    We're excited to announce that this coming Monday (because more of you are around on Mondays, doing that "work" thing), we'll have an exclusive interview posted with Bills linebacker... well, maybe you'll just be left in suspense in regards to the whole name thing.  The young man we spoke with was very kind in quickly getting us responses, and we're sure that you'll learn a thing or two about him.  This will be Rumblings' second player interview in the blog's history (we interviewed Paul Posluszny last August).  Should be fun!

    In case you missed this FanPost, I'm looking for interested parties for Buffalo Rumblings-centric fantasy football this year.  Last season we had one league; blog population has since exploded, however, so we're fully prepared for multiple leagues, multiple commissioners, and multiple prizes.  Please let us know in that FanPost if you're interested; the FanPost also has more details, including another teaser about an upcoming awesome announcement...

    I've got to admit, Roger Goodell's assurances that the Bills aren't leaving Buffalo lifted my spirits today.  Don't worry - I racked my brain looking for reasons not to believe him, and couldn't come up with anything.  The folks in Toronto (a.k.a. a certain Mr. Rogers) may want a football team, but greed doesn't necessarily produce results.  I'm sick to death of this Toronto topic - as are fans of the CFL, I'm sure - and I'm hopeful that Goodell's remarks will put the topic to rest, if only for a little while.

    Ron from NM may not believe Marshawn Lynch's statement that he was unaware that he struck Kim Shpeley with his SUV, but I'm going on record to applaud Lynch after his statement and legal punishment this afternoon.  The kid made a mistake, and to me, his statement was thorough, intricately explained, and honest.  I'll agree with the idea that Lynch shouldn't be breathing easy yet, but from the sounds of it, he's owning up to the mistake and attempting to move on.  I applaud him for that; it's a start.

    I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Deadspin; for those unaware of this blog's existence, it's essentially the biggest, most popular sports blog on Planet Earth.  I'm not a huge fan - it's good for an occasional laugh, but their take on sports isn't my cup of tea - but as a blogger, I have immense respect for Deadspin's founding editor, Will Leitch.  For three-ish years, Leitch was at the battle front of the supposed war between traditional media and blogs; he's controversial, but he fought that "war" with the best of intentions.

I'm not one to talk about bloggers much - in fact, I think part of the reason bloggers don't get a lot of respect is because they try to pump up their reps too often - but Leitch, like SB Nation's very own Blez, is a founding father of sports blogging.  Today, Leitch ended his three-year run as Deadspin's editor as he pursues career opportunities (ironically, in traditional media).  Here's a salute from one obscure blogger to one not-so-obscure blogger - a lot of us wouldn't be here if it weren't for dudes like Leitch.  Mazel Tov.

Week Two of our newest feature, "Around the AFC East", is in the books.  I hope all of you are enjoying our weekly interviews with three outstanding "enemy" bloggers in Matty I (The Phinsider), MaPatsFan (Pats Pulpit) and Brian Bassett (The Jets Blog).  The purpose of these interviews is not just to learn a bit more about the Buffalo Bills' biggest rivals; we're hoping to keep the chemicals of football pumping through your veins in these boring off-season days, as well.

Today, we discussed quarterback controversies in New York and Miami and the Patriots' rushing attack - feel free to continue those discussions in their respective posts.  Here's what went on at the rest of the excellent blogs involved:

Over at The Phinsider:

  I discuss the most overrated and underrated Bills players, from a national media perspective.
  MaPatsFan breaks down the massive changes the Pats went through at the CB position.
  Bassett talks about the Jets' stable of (read: logjam at) running backs.

Over at Pats Pulpit:

   I talk favorite and least favorite Bills draft picks, with emphasis on Xavier Omon.
   Matty I talks about the departure of Cam Cameron and the new regime in Miami.
   Bassett continues the coaching discussion by talking about Year 3 of Eric Mangini's reign.

Over at The Jets Blog:

   I attempt to answer questions about Jason Peters' future as a Bill, now that he's looking for more money.
   Matty I believes that a switch back to the 3-4 defense will do LB Joey Porter some good.
   MaPatsFan discusses the possibility of second year S Brandon Meriweather playing some cornerback.

We're always open to suggestions, so if you have any to offer about this feature - and what could make it better or more useful to y'all - we'd love to hear them.  We'd also love to hear suggestions for questions you'd like to see asked of each blogger next week - so if you have any questions for Matty I, MaPatsFan or Bassett, let's hear 'em.

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.