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.

Jackson, backs making plays as receivers (Photo Source)

Day three of 2008 Buffalo Bills Training Camp was a walk-through session; the team made up for the early walk-through today with the first pads practice of camp.  The Bills are completely done with two-a-days for the duration of camp, which may not be a bad thing, considering the way the team was hitting today.

Here's what occurred of note during today's practice, with, as usual, the bulk of the discussion topics lifted from the official site's excellent coverage...

This. Is. Football.
The pads were back on, which means that the Bills were playing physically.  Which means that football is back.  You have to love hearing lines like this:

"Marshawn Lynch got the drill started off with a good hit on linebacker Kawika Mitchell that drew some 'oohs' from the crowd."

Or this:

"In a two-on-two drill where two members of the wedge face two coverage players coming at them, Barnes was a coverage player and cracked rookie Demetrius Bell."

Or even this:

"Xavier Omon effectively lowered his shoulder to put a good lick on John Wendling..."

Running Backs Making Big Catches
We've discussed this very topic a bit already - and we're only five practices in - but running backs Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson continue to make their presences felt in the passing game.

Fred Jackson had one of the prettier catches on the day as he out leapt Kawika Mitchell and Ko Simpson to make the reception down field on a throw from Trent Edwards.

Jackson has been a frequent target of QB Trent Edwards through the early portions of camp.  He was also a frequent target of Edwards during the latter parts of the '07 season; it's not a reach to expect Jackson to catch around 40 passes this season.  He should be involved heavily in the offense, even with Marshawn Lynch healthy.  That's good news for this ball club.

You have to love hearing this as well - if this can be utilized during the regular season, Lynch's celebrity will blossom in a big way...

Lynch may have trumped Wright however, as he made a reception 40 yards downfield as Edwards deftly dropped a ball between a pair of defenders for a big gain.

Welcome to the league, rookie
CB Leodis McKelvin, in his first official training camp practice as a Buffalo Bill, learned a valuable lesson at the hands of WR Roscoe Parrish today.

Leodis McKelvin got his welcome to the NFL from Roscoe Parrish. The speedy wideout flew past him on a go route and J.P. Losman hit him for what would've been a 40-yard gain.

Clearly, Leodis has still got some learning to do.

Impressed by Bowen
Working with the second unit as a rookie fifth-round draft pick, I've been impressed with what I've been hearing about Alvin Bowen.  He's been making plays against the pass, and today, he showed that he can be a factor defending the run as well.  He sounds like a very active linebacker.

John McCargo penetrated to grab Jackson behind the line, fifth-round pick Alvin Bowen also had a tackle for loss on an end around to Steve Johnson and Shaun Nua chipped in a tackle for loss.

Tuesday 7/29: Night Practice
Buffalo's first night practice will take place tomorrow night at 7PM, and Buffalo Rumblings will be represented there by your humble narrator (and we're going to meet up with one of the Dukes of Awesome!).  If anyone is able to make it out to tomorrow's night practice, I know that I would love to meet any and all Rumblers present.

Will Peters turn up in Pittsford for Bills camp? (Photo Source)

Twist this potential fact around in the old caboose for a moment: when the Buffalo Bills report to St. John Fisher College for 2008 training camp tomorrow, the team could be dealing with the absences of six holdouts.  Repeat if necessary, but there should be impact the first time you read it.

If the Bills' lack of (public) movement on the signing front remains par for the course, Buffalo will likely be without star left tackle Jason Peters and five rookies for the start of summer practices.

Peters' situation has been well-documented - after skipping both voluntary and mandatory spring practices in a clear contract dispute, Peters was fined, but there has been no word on movement around a new deal.  In fact, we've heard rumblings - and we freely admit that they're to be filed under the "rumor" category at this point - that the Bills are willing to play hard ball with Peters, who signed a five-year extension (worth $15 million) in July of 2006.  Buffalo's willingness to extend Peters - who, at the time of his signing, had not yet made the switch to left tackle (Mike Gandy held that role at the time) - is believed to be a large factor in the team's stance.

The Bills set a precedent last August when they re-signed DE Aaron Schobel to a 7-year, $50.5 million deal with $21 million guarantees, even though Schobel still had three years remaining on his deal at the time of the signing.  If the Bills are lucky, Peters will take a page out of the book Schobel wrote last year.  Schobel missed all of the team's spring practices in 2007, but reported to training camp on time.  He had a new deal by August 25, less than a month after training camp began.  It's speculation, but it's not impossible to believe that a similar situation could emerge around Peters.

One other veteran seeking a contract extension - WR Lee Evans - is expected to report to camp with the rest of his teammates tomorrow.  We're hearing that the Bills have been in discussions with Evans' agent on a new deal, but an extension does not appear imminent.

Four of Bills' Rookies Unsigned
Perhaps not as importantly, but just as curiously, four of Buffalo's ten drafted rookies were unsigned as of press time as well.  It's likely that without NFL contracts, the agents of all four players - CB Leodis McKelvin (Round 1), WR James Hardy (Round 2), DE Chris Ellis (Round 3) and RB Xavier Omon (Round 6) - will advise their clients to stay away from camp until their deals are completed.  Fifth-round linebacker Alvin Bowen agreed to terms with the club late Wednesday.

The potential absences of McKelvin, Hardy and Ellis could be crippling to their early development.  All three players are expected to make heavy early contributions, and without those initial reps at training camp, they'll be playing catch-up from day one.  At this point, it's hard not to be concerned about the lack of news on these ultra-important signings.

Stay tuned to Buffalo Rumblings throughout the evening, as well as throughout tomorrow's reporting day, as we'll keep you updated on signings as best we can.

McKelvin, four other rookies unsigned (Photo Source)

With the start of the Buffalo Bills' 2008 training camp a mere nine days away (camp practices begin on Friday the 25th of July), half of Buffalo's ten draft picks remain unsigned.  Reaching deals with these five rookies before players are scheduled to report to camp (Thursday the 24th) now becomes Buffalo's top priority.

The inability to sign top rookies well in advance of training camp certainly isn't a new development, but it's still surprising how few of the draft's top 63 picks have actually inked deals with their new teams.

As of the time this article was written, just five players drafted within the first two rounds of this past April's NFL Draft have signed their rookie contracts.  Those players are:

Dolphins OT Jake Long (#1 overall): 5 years, $57.5 million, $30 million guaranteed
Falcons QB Matt Ryan (#3): 6 years, $72 million, $34.75 million guaranteed
Raiders RB Darren McFadden (#4): 6 years, $60 million, $26 million guaranteed
Bears RB Matt Forte (#44): 4 years, $3.71 million, $2 million guaranteed
Redskins WR Malcolm Kelly (#51): 4 years, $3.36 million, $1.655 million guaranteed

A few other rookies - most notably Bears OT Chris Williams (#14), Ravens QB Joe Flacco (#18), and Vikings S Tyrell Johnson (#43) - have at one point been rumored to be close to a deal, but were not signed as of press time.  With just five of the draft's top 63 prospects under contract, 58 high-profile rookies will be looking to secure their inaugural NFL deals within the next two weeks.  It seems likely, however, that there could be an unusual amount of holdouts this season, with Rams DE Chris Long the biggest name amongst that potential list.

McKelvin, Hardy top Bills' List
Five of Buffalo's rookies - fourth rounders CB Reggie Corner and TE Derek Fine, and seventh rounders OT Demetrius Bell, WR Steve Johnson and CB Kennard Cox - have signed their rookie deals and will be reporting to Bills training camp on time.  Clearly, the big names of Buffalo's draft class remain unsigned, including the club's top two picks, CB Leodis McKelvin and WR James Hardy.

As the top cornerback drafted in April, McKelvin's contract will likely be the most difficult for the Bills to put together.  Last season, the Bills signed #12 overall pick RB Marshawn Lynch to a six-year, $18.935 million contract with $10.3 million in guaranteed money.  A pick higher and a year later - and as the top selection at his position - McKelvin's deal is expected to be closer to $25 million in total money than the $19 million deal that Lynch signed last year, with closer to $14 million in guarantees.  Keep an eye out for news regarding Bengals LB Keith Rivers, Patriots LB Jerod Mayo, and Broncos OT Ryan Clady - those players surrounded McKelvin in the pecking order in April, and will give Buffalo a ballpark figure for McKelvin's deal.

Hardy's contract is much easier to figure, and should precede McKelvin's.  Forte, drafted #44 overall - just three spots after Hardy, whom the Bills selected at #41 - signed a modest four-year deal with $2 million in guarantees.  Hardy, therefore, already has a ballpark figure - look for the Bills to try to get a five-year deal out of him initially.  Second-round picks typically sign shorter deals in an effort to maximize their contractual status in as few years as possible, expecting that they'll exceed their modest rookie deals quickly.  Hardy's camp will push for a four-year deal, likely worth slightly more than $4 million total with close to $2.5 million in guarantees.

Mitchell adds size to a weak weak-side position (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 outside linebackers.  To view our previous discussions on Buffalo's OLB situation (pre-off-season), bang it here.

Angelo Crowell: Statistically, Crowell had a very solid 2007 season, racking up 126 tackles, two sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and a safety.  He remains Buffalo's best starting linebacker, simply because he's entering his fourth year as a full-time starter for the team.  A free agent-to-be after the '08 season, Crowell will be playing this season for a lucrative contract extension.  Get in line, Angelo - some guys named Evans and Peters may already be ahead of you.

Keith Ellison: Pressed into action as a rookie in 2006, Ellison - while not overwhelmingly productive - held his own despite being a mediocre athlete and a sixth round pick.  Ellison came back to earth a bit in 2007, tallying an incredibly pedestrian 38 tackles in 12 games (along with a sack and an interception).  It's pretty clear at this point that Ellison isn't starting material at the NFL level, but he's got plenty of experience and is very intelligent, making him a competent reserve and special teams player.

The Additions: Kawika Mitchell, Alvin Bowen, Marcus Buggs, Jon Banks
Mitchell was signed on the opening day of free agency and immediately penciled in as the starter on the weak side (replacing the demoted Ellison).  At 253 pounds, Mitchell is a big pursuit linebacker that can make plays sideline to sideline and gives the Bills much more beef in their front seven - the perceived main problem in the team's inability to stop the run last season.

With the Bills losing so many players at this position (see below), it was imperative for the team to bring in young, bright athletes to compete for backup spots - and that's exactly what they did.  Bowen is the ringleader of the new guard, brought in to play special teams initially.  All three players are excellent athletes with some upside and special teams ability - and with the top three slots on the depth chart set, one or two of these players will make the roster to boost the team's special teams units.

The Subtractions: Coy Wire, Mario Haggan, Josh Stamer, Leon Joe, Kevin Harrison
The first three names on this list are names that Bills fans are used to hearing - these three guys were integral parts of Buffalo's elite special teams units over the past four years, and now all three are ex-Bills.  Wire was a special teams captain, but the biggest loss here may be Haggan - he was the most consistent performer on special teams, and he was the only reserve the Bills had that was big enough to man the strong side position in the event Crowell was injured.  Haggan will serve a four-game suspension for drug infractions to start '08, but he's also an unrestricted free agent, meaning he won't be back.

Pre-Season Outlook: It's surprising how much roster turnover the team has experienced at this position.  Five outside 'backers from the 2007 Bills roster are gone, replaced by four new names.  The changes, at least on paper, look good - the Bills are stronger and more balanced at the top of the depth chart, and far more athletic in the reserves - and those players have upside.  This unit has the potential to be devastated once again by injury, and depth is woefully inexperienced beyond Ellison, so start praying to the football gods now, folks - this unit needs to stay healthy.

Change: Bigger starters; younger, faster reserves.

As always, your thoughts and opinions on this analysis are welcome in the comments section.  Hope everyone has enjoyed/is enjoying their holiday weekend.

UDFA Viti a special teams candidate, too (Photo Source)

Feel free to question the strategy. Go ahead, do it. The Buffalo Bills don't care. Why would a team that has not made the NFL's playoffs since 1999 spend half of its most important draft in the Dick Jauron era bolstering special teams, when there are serious questions to be answered offensively and defensively?

Well, special teams are the identity of the Buffalo Bills. They have been since the days when Marv Levy roamed the sidelines as Buffalo's head coach. Those sentiments returned to the team psyche when Levy returned as the Bills' General Manager. The Bills have had one of the most consistent and dominant special teams units this decade, and it's because the team focuses on building the unheralded unit far more closely than most other NFL franchises.

Bills Lose Core of ST Foundation
Imagine Buffalo's defense in the "glory years" without Bruce Smith, Darryl Talley, Cornelius Bennett, Nate Odomes and Henry Jones. Those players were the core of a pretty good unit - a consistent unit. The Bills, in this off-season alone, lost their special teams versions of those five guys when Ryan Neufeld, Sam Aiken, Mario Haggan, Josh Stamer and unit captain Coy Wire were released or allowed to walk. The consistency of the unit was in serious jeopardy when those five guys - central to coordinator Bobby April's plan for the last four years - left the franchise.

Sure, there were still solid players for the unit. The team still has two elite return threats in Terrence McGee and Roscoe Parrish. They have some veteran players, such as Jabari Greer and Bryan Scott, who made their mark early in their careers with stellar special teams play. They have a young quartet of players with promising special teams careers ahead of them in John Wendling, Keith Ellison, George Wilson and Justin Jenkins.

Still, the core was missing. The Bills chose to replace that core through the draft. It may pay big dividends.

What's Been Added
The one player poised to make the biggest difference on special teams as a rookie is, not surprisingly, first-round pick Leodis McKelvin. A star punt returner in college with home run ability on kick returns as well, McKelvin gives the Bills three outstanding return threats - two each at kick and punt returner. Having those options available helps in two ways - it keeps our return men fresher for their regular roles, and it makes it all the more difficult to game plan for Buffalo for opposing special teams coordinators. Buffalo's return game may be scarier than the one that Hester character heads up in Chicago with McKelvin on board.

Additionally, the Bills have drafted three players - CB Reggie Corner, TE Derek Fine and LB Alvin Bowen - who figure to play all four special teams units right out of the gate. These are smart, tough, athletic players with the perfect work ethic and mentality to excel on special teams, and their versatility throughout the kicking game makes them all the more attractive. Add these three rookies to current "ace" specialists Wendling and Jenkins (who will probably make the roster on his special teams abilities alone), and the Bills seem to have replaced their old five-man core with a younger, healthier and more athletic quintet. Even undrafted free agent fullback Mike Viti (pictured above, left), a 5'9", 245-pound bowling ball of a blocker, has a shot at contributing early.

So debate the strategy if you feel you must. Again, the Bills don't care. No NFL team pays closer attention to what has been their most consistent unit of the decade, and after a productive draft that adds explosive talent, the Bills' bread and butter is looking more edible than ever.

Hardy stands alone as impact offensive rookie (Photo Source)

For two years, the Buffalo Bills had made a name for themselves on NFL Draft weekend by trading picks early and often to land players they wanted. In 2006, they traded back into the first round to select DT John McCargo. In 2007, they traded up into the early second round in order to pick LB Paul Posluszny. And entering 2008, the Bills had ten draft picks and a disgruntled quarterback (J.P. Losman) to help them make a move once again.

Over this year's draft weekend, an NFL record 33 trades were made - slowing down an otherwise streamlined draft. Yet despite their history, despite their ammo and despite a growing sense that moving around the board was the best option, in a record-setting draft, the Bills didn't budge an inch.

Bills Still Found Impact
The Bills chose to let the draft come to them, and in the early stages of the draft, it worked beautifully. Adding CB Leodis McKelvin and WR James Hardy gives the Bills two vastly talented players at their two biggest positional needs. McKelvin will likely lock down a starting job at cornerback during the season (if not before) as well as a return role in some capacity, while Hardy should start at wideout immediately next to veteran Lee Evans.

Even the team's third-round pick, Virginia Tech DE Chris Ellis, should make an impact as a rookie situational pass rusher.

When the impact was in the fold, however, the trading game failed Buffalo, and at least from an outsider's eyes, the picks started to frustrate.

Plan B: Build Special Teams, BPA
The Bills have never been a team that uses their late-round picks to fill needs in the vain hope that a sixth-round pick will carry them to the playoffs. Instead, the Bills choose to take the best player available - and, as this is rarely a bad strategy, the Bills have come away with some pretty good players over the years (LB Keith Ellison, S John Wendling).

With an eye on revamping their decimated special teams - which lost five impact coverage guys (WR Sam Aiken, TE Ryan Neufeld, LB Mario Haggan, LB Josh Stamer, LB Coy Wire) this off-season - the Bills added three rookies who should see significant special teams action as rookies. CB Reggie Corner, TE Derek Fine (who may also see a role offensively this season) and LB Alvin Bowen were all standout specialists in college, and they should become immediate special teams contributors for coordinator Bobby April.

The BPA method also landed the Bills three very intriguing prospects in RB Xavier Omon, OT Demetrius Bell and WR Steve Johnson. Omon is a record-setting Division II back with power and soft hands that adds a slightly different dimension to Buffalo's backfield. He may also be looked at as a fullback from time to time. Bell, the estranged son of former NBA star Karl Malone, is an immensely gifted athlete who with a little polish could be a worthwhile project for Buffalo, who needed depth along the offensive line. Johnson had a very productive final year at Kentucky, and although he's extremely raw as a receiver, he's a smooth athlete with plenty of upside at a thin position.

So, was the draft a success?
If you were looking to be wowed by Buffalo's draft class, a la 2007 when Marshawn Lynch and Posluszny sent waves of excitement through the fan base, 2008's class may disappoint you slightly. However, these are ten good football players that the Bills brought in - and half of them could be instant-impact rookies in one way or another. Did the Bills address all of their needs? No - they failed to find an impact tight end. This team's second-day philosophy has remained consistent for all three years they've been there, and tight end remains the team's one glaring weakness.  The team will instead rely on Fine to add to a competition that includes Robert Royal, Courtney Anderson, Teyo Johnson and Derek Schouman.

So for me? I'm satisfied. No draft is perfect.  I get the logic. I'm not wowed, and I'm not going to brag about this draft class to all of my pals. But the Bills lost a lot of role players this off-season and took strides to replace them with young, smart, athletic football players. It's hard for me to argue with that logic.

Whether or not the Bills should have made a few trades to get more impact, however, is a story that only time can tell.

The 2008 NFL Draft is now officially in the books, and the Buffalo Bills were a busy team on draft weekend.  Holding ten selections on the weekend, the Bills chose to stay pat and draft players at each of those ten spots.  Here is a recap of those picks, with links to Buffalo Rumblings' coverage of each player:

Round - Overall: Name, Pos., College

1-11: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy

2-41: James Hardy, WR, Indiana

3-72: Chris Ellis, DE, Virginia Tech

4-114: Reggie Corner, CB, Akron

4-132: Derek Fine, TE, Kansas

5-147: Alvin Bowen, LB, Iowa State

6-179: Xavier Omon, RB, Northwest Missouri State

7-219: Demetrius Bell, OT, Northwestern State

7-224: Steve Johnson, WR, Kentucky

7-251: Kennard Cox, DB, Pittsburgh

As I mentioned earlier, I will post my initial thoughts on this weekend's Bills proceedings tomorrow morning - I need a night off for a little perspective.  Expect that early tomorrow morning.  For now, enjoy your evening.  We'll see you back here tomorrow.  Go Bills!

Bowen brings depth to a LB corps that needs it (Photo Source)

With the 147th overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills have selected Iowa State linebacker Alvin "Ace" Bowen.

The Bills entered this draft with a need for more depth at linebacker after losing special teams aces Mario Haggan and Josh Stamer in free agency (Haggan was suspended as well).  Enter Bowen, an undersized but aggressive linebacker that plays the game hard and can deliver a big hit.  He immediately becomes a favorite to be a "starter" on the team's kick coverage units based on his hard-hitting nature alone.

Measuring in at 6'1", 223 pounds and timed at 4.75 seconds in the 40 yard dash, Bowen is an explosive athlete that is known for his sideline-to-sideline range and plays faster than he times.  He is, once again, a typical Dick Jauron player - high character, blue-collar worker with a non-stop motor and the ability to help the team out in more than one way.  Again, he's about as safe a prospect as you can find in the fifth round and should contribute from day one in Buffalo.

What's interesting about Bowen is his potential pro position - in Buffalo, he could either play linebacker on the weak side (where his 223-pound frame fits best), but Bowen's coverage skills are so good that he could even make the switch to strong safety.  He's got a Coy Wire aura about him, but he's a much better athlete than Wire ever was.  A position change of that magnitude may be a difficult one for Bowen to undertake, but it's an option that the team may explore early on in his career.

The Bills have now made six selections in this year's draft, and four of them have come on the defensive side of the ball.  With four more selections, will the Bills turn their attention to building depth on the offense?  Will they trade up to grab one of the better offensive prospects remaining (TE Kellen Davis, FB Owen Schmitt)?  Stay tuned to Buffalo Rumblings to find out.