Parrish, position mates have upside as a unit (Photo Source)

So I was searching through some vintage Rumblings, and one thing that struck me was the look of the Buffalo Bills' wide receiver position. Last year the Bills kept five receivers: Lee Evans, Peerless Price, Roscoe Parrish, Josh Reed, and Clay Sam Aiken. When looking at that group of guys I don't see a very bright future; of course, that is easy to say knowing how the year played out, but even then it was tough to see a bright future. Lee Evans is Lee Evans, a solid, border line true blue #1 receiver; Roscoe is a terrific slot receiver; and Josh Reed is an average at best receiver (I'll say at best an average receiver to make Superfan82 happy).  After that, neither Price nor Aiken offered much in the way of upside.

One year later, it's a much different story. The three best from last year - the same three with the best upside and talent - remain, and the newcomers to the roster all show tremendous potential.

James Hardy: The Bills' second round draft choice out of Indiana has the size and ability to be a huge playmaker in the NFL. He could be starting opposite Evans before the year is out, and probably will be sooner than that.

Justin Jenkins: A special teamer a year ago, Jenkins saw limited time at the end of the year and has distinguished himself as a special teams ace, as well as a guy who can play the position of receiver - something that Aiken could never do.

Steve Johnson: The second of the Bills' three seventh round draft picks this year, Johnson displayed good size and hands during the preseason and earned himself a roster spot for his efforts.

Felton Huggins: I'm writing this with the assumption that Huggins will make the practice squad, given that he was there last year. Huggins looked as just as good as Johnson did this pre-season, and if the Bills had chosen to keep Huggins over Johnson I don't think any of us would have been totally shocked.

Huggins' presence on the practice squad is worth mentioning because of his potential, and that is essentially the point I'm trying to make here: potential is something that the Bills' receiving corps suddenly has a ton of.  In trying to look ahead to next year's group, the Bills will have Evans (assuming he signs that extention we keep hearing is so close), Roscoe, Hardy, Reed (unless the Bills make Superfan82's decade by cutting him), Johnson, Jenkins, and Huggins. In other words, the Bills could have the same guys coming into camp next year, and we don't see it as a BAD thing.

That's a nice change for this team to make - and what's more, it's important to have upside amongst a group that needs to grow with its young quarterback, Trent Edwards.  This is an exciting receiving corps.

Peters' future directly impacts RT Chambers (Photo Source)

It's cut-down day in the NFL, and as such, the Buffalo Bills will be releasing 22 players (or more, if there's anyone worthwhile on waivers) in an effort to get down to the NFL-mandated 53-man limit by 6:00 PM EST today.  The cut-downs mark the final pre-season event; once the cuts are made, all attention turns to the Seattle Seahawks.

With the Bills' releases not expected to be announced until later on this afternoon (we likely won't know about them until after 6PM), let's speculate as to who the most nervous Buffalo Bills players are today.  These guys, in nearly every case, are toeing the line between being able to make an impact and being unemployed.

RB Xavier Omon: It's fairly safe to assume that the rookie sixth-round pick out of Division II NW Missouri State has passed Dwayne Wright on the depth chart, thanks in large part to Wright's infuriating tendency to fumble the ball once per game.  It's rare, however, that a player is simply handed a roster spot by default, and there are sure to be some interesting names to be kicking around the waiver wire today at running back.  If anyone piques the interest of the Bills, Omon might see the roster spot Wright tried to hand to him given to someone else.  If that happens, Omon is a virtual lock for the practice squad, but you can bet Omon's not sitting easy today.

WR Steve Johnson: The rookie out of Kentucky made an excellent last-gasp stab at making the roster on Thursday night - catching 8 passes for 74 yards in the pre-season finale - and it may have worked.  However, injury issues at other positions (specifically tight end) may make it difficult for the Bills to find a spot for Johnson on the final roster.  You can bet the Bills are nervous about this kid, too; if it turns out they're going to gamble to try to stash him on the practice squad, there are surely going to be some interested teams out there eyeing Johnson.

TE Courtney Anderson: The Bills employ five tight ends, and two of them - Derek Schouman and rookie Derek Fine - likely won't be ready for the regular season opener.  That means good things for the veteran Anderson, right?  Maybe not.  Tim Massaquoi is a favorite of special teams coach Bobby April, Robert Royal is a lock, and the Bills are likely to keep one of the Dereks, if not both.  Anderson's upside is the lowest of any of the Bills' tight ends, and his special teams skills aren't thrilling.  Even with the injuries, Anderson could be a goner.

OT Kirk Chambers: No, Chambers isn't getting cut.  Not even close.  But if the rumors that Jason Peters could report to Orchard Park on Monday are true - and I think an "I'll believe it when I see it" approach is prudent for such speculation - then Chambers' starting job won't be his for much longer.  That said, Chambers has grown on me.  He's not a horrible player, has the ability to play both sides (though not well on the left), and he won't make a stink if Peters returns.  Dare I say that Chambers has put the Bills in a good situation at tackle?  Still, there's nothing like job security in the NFL, and Chambers doesn't have much of it.

LB Donnie Spragan: Signed after the season-ending injury to rookie LB Alvin Bowen, Spragan has watched players like rookie Marcus Buggs and converted safety Jon Corto get more playing time at his spot, and another linebacker (Blake Costanzo) currently has an edge over him on special teams.  Add in the fact that the Bills have superb depth in the defensive backfield, and Spragan's stint as a Buffalo Bill might just end today.

CB Will James: I believe it likely that the Bills keep six cornerbacks, and if that happens, James stays.  But if the Bills have to trim their CB depth to five (and again, that's probably not likely), it's James that is the corner most likely to go.  The starters aren't going.  The two rookies (Leodis McKelvin and Reggie Corner) aren't going.  Ashton Youboty has been arguably the team's best defender this pre-season, while James has been solid yet highly unspectacular.  If a corner's going, it's James, and while my gut says he stays, you can bet his gut isn't sitting easy right now.

Stay tuned to Buffalo Rumblings throughout the day, as we'll have the list of cuts and some immediate analysis up as soon as we get wind of it.  Let's get this over with, Buffalo - it's time to play real football.

  Hamdan, Bills lackluster in pre-season finale (Photo Source)

Thank the merciful gods of football.  It's over.

The Buffalo Bills mailed this one in, playing just one starter - free safety Ko Simpson - in their final pre-season game, a 14-6 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Gibran Hamdan, the team's third quarterback - and not even a lock to make the final roster - got the start at quarterback over dinged starter Trent Edwards (who dressed, but did not play) and Fozzy Bear J.P. Losman.  Playing behind a JV offensive line and with only a few playmakers at the skill positions, Hamdan's effort wasn't terrible; he completed 18 of 26 passes for 158 yards and electrified the crowd early with a 29-yard scramble that put the Bills in field position.  Hamdan was injured late in the game, suffering an apparent head injury, but he's expected to be ready for the season opener - again, if he makes the final roster.

In all, Buffalo's pre-season finale was hardly a crowd-pleaser; on a personal note, I found myself wondering exactly how much money the Bills would pull in on the $1 hot dogs sold for tonight's Kid Night festivities.  If anyone reading this is privy to that information, I'd be interested to know.  Lots of tube-shaped bologna was consumed this evening.

I digress.  There were some occurrances of note to discuss, so discuss we shall:

Youboty, Johnson Shine with Cuts Looming
Two players - wide receiver Steve Johnson and cornerback Ashton Youboty - stood out amongst their peers as several young players took their final stabs at making the 53-man roster, which will be finalized on Saturday.

Youboty was stellar; he recorded multiple pass breakups, tackled well, forced a fumble on a sack, and helped down a Brian Moorman punt inside the 10-yard line.  The kid is just straight up a good football player, and it's excellent to see him proving himself.  He's hungry and he's humble - and he played before Will James tonight.  Bold prediction: Youboty is the team's nickel back after the bye week (Week 5), and he's pushing Jabari Greer for a starting role by season's end.

Meanwhile, Johnson - a seventh round pick this past April - was easily Hamdan's favorite target, snaring 8 passes for 74 yards.  He showed excellent hands, nabbing passes low and away from his body, and he also flashed an ability to gain significant yardage after the catch.  The kid has "stud slot receiver" written all over him.  The better news?  He was very solid on special teams tonight.  I think he's now a lock for the roster.

Speaking of Shining... Dwayne Wright Didn't
Running back Dwayne Wright had an uphill climb to make the final roster tonight and had a golden opportunity to, at the very least, make the coaches think about this decision come tomorrow and Saturday.  Alas, his 8-carry, 11-yard performance featuring his third fumble of the pre-season has probably sealed his fate.  Buffalo's 2007 fourth-round draft pick is almost certainly a roster casualty at this point.

It wasn't just his running, either - Wright was flagged for lining up in the neutral zone on a punt block.  Mental errors are inexcusable, especially when you're screwing up everything else you're doing offensively.

The Pre-Season is Over!
Don't expect a Film Session for this one folks; I no longer regret my decision to not set the DVR before heading up to The Ralph this evening.  Instead, we'll do some roster predictions and cover the final cut-downs this weekend, talk a little more Jason Peters (but only a little), and get ready for Seattle Week.  The regular season is upon us, folks, and I could NOT be more excited.

ROLL CALL: Here's the roll call from tonight's two open threads; shout-out to norcaliangelsfan, who once again paced the crew with 189 comments.  Thanks to the following folks who joined the thread tonight (and to Kurupt for keeping the ship sailing smoothly): norcaliangelsfan, Kurupt, FemaleFanatic85, BuffCrunch, Krenn, Scoe221, spavery, NYTXFAN, WABillsfan, sireric, the Skycap, twoeightnine, LeClaireBill, ScrumHalf9, MARVelous, Cinga, mckelvin, Polish Lover, Kumario!, Pocono Bob, keuka121

  Has Ashton Youboty outjumped the competition? (Photo Source)

As the pre-season begins to wind down, some of the Buffalo Bills' fringe players have one game left to show their stuff.  So the question becomes: what spots on the roster are most up for grabs and who's fighting for these final spots?  Besides the positions that have been discussed previously (Backup TE, Backup LT, Starting CB, Returners, Starting DT), there are some strong battles being waged between players of different positions fighting to make the final roster.

How many spots are available?
To start off, I'd like to point out the positions I feel we are comfortable enough to say who and how many players will make it.  I left a few positions up for grabs as one of those guys is likely to grab the final spot.

QB: 2 (Edwards, Losman)

RB: 3 (Lynch, Jackson, Omon(or Wright I suppose))

FB: 1 (Barnes)

TE: 3 (Royal, Fine, Schouman)

WR: 5 (Evans, Reed, Parrish, Hardy, Jenkins)

OL: 9 (Peters, Dockery, Fowler, Butler, Walker, Chambers, Whittle, Preston, Bell)

DE: 4 (Schobel, Kelsay, Denney, Ellis)

DT: 4 (Stroud, Williams, McCargo, Johnson)

LB: 6 (Posluzny, Mitchell, Crowell, DiGiorgio, Ellison, Spragan for now)

CB: 5 (McGee, Greer, McKelvin, Corner, Youboty/James)

S: 5 (Whitner, Scott, Simpson, Wilson, Wendling)

ST: 3 (Moorman, Lindell, Neill)

That gives us a rough total of 50 roster spots that should be pretty set at this point, at least numbers wise.  Again, the battle for the 5^th WR, backup C and 5^th CB are all debatable by many, but we will definitely be keeping someone for those spots.  That leaves us with roughly 3 open spots to be filled by any number of individuals from various positions: 3^rd QB, 4^th RB, 4^th TE, 6^th WR, 10^th OL, 9^th DL, 7^th LB or 6^th CB.  There should be some heated competition for these final roster spots and it should come down to a number of deciding factors, which we'll discuss after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

DT Williams fighting off S. Johnson for starting role (Photo Source)

The Buffalo Bills have made the trip to Indianapolis, where they are set to take on the Colts in tonight's pre-season game at the newly constructed - and absolutely gorgeous - Lucas Oil Stadium.  The Bills will be without three key players - QB Trent Edwards, WR James Hardy and WR Roscoe Parrish - for this matchup, and the Colts are missing some starters as well, most prominently QB Peyton Manning.

Despite the starters missing the one pre-season game that's important to a team's growth - especially a team as young as the Bills - there will still be some positional battles and players in unique positions that we'll be keeping an eye on.  We sincerely hope that you'll join us for tonight's open thread; here's what we'll be watching for:

Hamdan vs. Baker: It has become excruciatingly obvious that the Bills will be relying on J.P. Losman as a starting option at some point during the 2008 season.  With that in mind, it's probably high time to start paying a bit more attention to the battle for the team's third quarterback spot raging between Gibran Hamdan and Matt Baker.  One of these guys might actually be our primary backup for stretches during this season.  It is prudent, therefore, to know a bit more about these two players.

Dwayne Wright: He's 2/2 this pre-season; unlike in baseball, that's not a good thing - Wright has fumbled in each of this pre-season's two games.  Rookie sixth-round pick Xavier Omon is far more than just a challenger to Wright's job as the third back now.  Wright has looked good running the ball, but he needs to protect the rock, or he won't be a part of this final roster.

Jenkins, Huggins and Johnson: We can only guess, but we're predicting that Josh Reed - due to the problems he's had with his lower back - won't play as much as the rest of the starters tonight.  Lee Evans might not see a huge work load either, though he's expected to play much of the first half.  With Hardy and Parrish out, we're going to see a lot of playing time for the three receivers fighting for one to two spots - Justin Jenkins, Felton Huggins and rookie Steve Johnson.  The time is now for them to prove that they belong on this team.

Langston Walker: Dwight Freeney is making his first start of the pre-season tonight for Indianapolis, and with that, Walker faces by far his stiffest challenge since his move from right to left tackle.  Walker handled Jason Taylor relatively well in Washington, but Freeney steps the challenge up a notch.  We're expecting Ron From NM to keep an eye on #68, but we'll be watching closely as well.

Demetrius Bell: See Walker, but substitute Freeney's name for any of a number of the Colts' reserve ends who have ridiculous speed, most prominently rookie Marcus Howard.  I'm very intrigued with this kid, as most of you know, and he'll get tested tonight.

Williams vs. Johnson (vs. McCargo?): Apparently, there's a battle raging for the starting tackle spot next to Marcus Stroud, and the two main combatants are Kyle Williams and Spencer Johnson.  The winner of the battle's title may in reality be only a figurehead position, but we've spent enough time with our eyes glued to Marcus Stroud this pre-season to know he's legit; it's time to get more familiar with his running mates.

Angelo Crowell: Buffalo's starting strong-side linebacker makes his 2008 pre-season debut tonight.  Will he look rusty?  How does he look in pass coverage?  How will he operate next to, in essence, two new teammates in Paul Posluszny and Kawika Mitchell?  Well, that's why we're watching him tonight.

Cornerback rotation: The third pre-season game is followed swiftly by initial roster cut-downs and the fourth pre-season game - this coming Thursday against the Lions - so Buffalo's cornerback battle is about to get furiously heated.  Ashton Youboty will again get most of our focus, but we're expecting Leodis McKelvin to take a step forward in the competition tonight as well.

Evans (83), wideouts impressive in victory (Photo Source)

The Buffalo Bills are back on the practice field and in the film room, and just like the Bills, we'll be breaking down a little film today.  I found some time this weekend to re-watch the first half of Buffalo's pre-season win over Pittsburgh, and trust me - it was as enjoyable to watch them "on film" as it was to watch the game live Thursday night.

Here are some general observations that I made - and hope you find useful - from Thursday's win:

Quarterbacks: What else can you say about Trent Edwards' performance (9/11, 104 yards, 2 TD)?  Unlike in Washington, where I saw Edwards make a few bad reads, I didn't see a single poor decision from Edwards Thursday night.  What made him click was the rhythm to the offense - Trent is at his absolute best when he's in sync with his receivers (which goes for any NFL quarterback), and his rhythm was perfect Thursday night.  Edwards may not have the strongest arm in the world, but he's clearly got enough zip on his throws to squeeze a pass between three defenders in the end zone.  That's strong enough for me.  If Edwards can play consistently near the level he displayed Thursday night (asking him to play at that level might be pushing it), this is a playoff team.

Running Backs: Marshawn Lynch looked quick, explosive and powerful.  He also had a superb blitz pickup on Edwards' first score of the evening, and did a nice impression of run blocking for Edwards on his 22-yard scramble.  Fred Jackson was Fred Jackson - more powerful than he looks (with great balance - see his screen reception) and one heck of a receiver.  I think it's pretty clear that rookie sixth-round pick Xavier Omon has leapfrogged Dwayne Wright on the depth chart - Omon is still better in pass protection and doesn't seem to have quite the fumbling issue that Wright does.  It's a pity, too - Wright ran the ball really well on Thursday night (not that Omon didn't), and his fumble really negated all of the excellent things he put together.

Wide Receivers: I thought Buffalo's wideouts were superb.  Few NFL receivers can run a route like Lee Evans when he's on his game.  He's so dangerous as a deep threat that he can get 18-20 yards downfield, stop on a dime, and be wide open.  If Edwards has the time to throw that he did on Thursday throughout this season, Evans is going to have a big year.  He might have a big year otherwise.  Roscoe Parrish looked good in my estimation, too - he needs to learn to run after the catch more like Evans in certain situations (like getting out of bounds in the two-minute drill), but it's clear that Turk Schonert is concentrating hard on getting him the ball this season.  I also like what I've seen out of Felton Huggins - he's a bit more well-rounded at this point than Steve Johnson, and I actually feel that if the Bills were to keep six receivers, Huggins might edge the rookie out.

Tight Ends/Fullbacks: Well, Robert Royal was the star (and by the way - this guy blocks like an offensive tackle when he wants to), but I still think I'm most impressed by Derek Fine.  Royal looked better than I've ever seen him catching the ball; maybe this is the season in which he's not a total liability as a pass-catcher for the offense.  Fine is a smooth athlete - he's not the fastest guy in the world (not even close), but he looks good running routes and especially in motion and working out of the slot.  He looks far more natural than any of his tight end peers; if things go well, I'm going to say he's the team's starter at tight end in 2009.

Offensive Line: I don't have much to add to Ron from NM, our resident O-Line guru; I will say that I was impressed once again by Demetrius Bell.  I wasn't sure how he'd hold up against a 3-4 defense (the toughest to pass protect against by far), but he showed that he's athletic enough to handle the speed rush at the NFL level.  He had a lot of help from tight end Courtney Anderson at times, but in all, it was an impressive performance for a guy who's only been playing football since 2005.  He's got a future.

Defensive Line: I dedicated most of my work on the defensive line to watching Marcus Stroud, and more specifically, how the Steelers dealt with him.  Stroud was on the field for 12 defensive plays - 8 passes and 4 runs.  On the eight passes (one a screen pass), Stroud was double-teamed twice.  Of the six pass plays he was single-teamed, he was able to create significant pressure on Ben Roethlisberger twice.  He was also tripped/blatantly held once as well.  Of the four run plays, he was double-teamed three times; the one time he wasn't, he crashed the line and made the tackle.  He is, quite simply, a force to be reckoned with - and while he can be handled by one blocker on occasion, that's usually not the case.  It's quite fun to watch that man play football.

Linebackers: Overall, this unit performed better than they did in Washington, but I still wasn't all that impressed.  Granted, the unit has been without Angelo Crowell for two games, so they're bound to improve when he returns to the lineup.  Kawika Mitchell was impressive against the run, and Paul Posluszny was solid as usual.  My problem is with Keith Ellison.  He just isn't physical enough to be good against the run; he can mop up when a running back is channeled to him, but what linebacker can't?  He's also consistently out of position dropping back into coverage, though that isn't specific just to Ellison.  Buffalo's defense struggles mightily with slant routes and the skinny post, and it's because the linebackers struggle moving backwards and the corners don't jam often.  I'm starting to think that the Bills concentrate on linebacker early in next year's draft, but the unit is scrappy and talented enough to be getting on with for now.

Defensive Backs: They weren't great.  Ko Simpson made an excellent play on a Roethlisberger pass that was eventually picked off by Donte Whitner; Whitner and the rest of his safety-mates looked good in run support as well.  Whitner in particular made a nice play at the line of scrimmage, an encouraging sign to be certain.  The pass coverage, in general, was weak; when there was no pass rush to be had, the Bills got gouged pretty badly (again, not a huge surprise).  I was particularly disappointed by Will James' performance - he tackled very poorly, took poor angles, and allowed a tight reception to Hines Ward on an excellent sideline throw under duress by Roethlisberger.  He'll need to pick his play up to hang on to the nickel job.

Leodis McKelvin and Ashton Youboty were the second-team corners (behind starters Terrence McGee and Jabari Greer), and the duo took their lumps, Youboty in particular.  Obviously, Youboty and free safety George Wilson gave up a long touchdown throw to Santonio Holmes; it was called a blown coverage on the broadcast, but it looked more like a disguised Cover 3 to me.  The Bills lined up in a Cover 2 look, but prior to the snap, SS Bryan Scott crept up to the line of scrimmage.  Buffalo's two corners and Wilson were to man the deep portion of the field in a three-man zone shell, but it didn't look like Youboty got as deep as he should have - he may have been peeking into the offensive backfield.  The result was that Holmes burned Youboty, and Wilson just missed making up for the gaffe.  (This was different than my viewpoint in the Open Game Thread, so I wanted to rectify my error here.)

Special Teams: Obviously, McKelvin's 95-yard touchdown kickoff return was the highlight and was an excellent individual play.  Outside of that return, however, the Bills' return game was rather pedestrian - Pittsburgh's punters did a nice job stalemating the punt return game, and the kickoffs never really got going outside of the touchdown play.  There's work to be done in that department.  McKelvin needs to learn to trust his wedge more often, and the wedge blockers themselves need to be more... well... wedge-y.

There was one change in terms of the starting kick coverage unit - Youboty replaced Will James, who was among that unit in Washington, and Youboty made a nice tackle on the second kickoff of the game.  Clearly, the Bills are sliding him up the depth chart in an attempt to find a way to keep him on the roster; he performed poorly defensively, but outside of McGee, he's the best tackler in Buffalo's secondary.  When Derek Schouman went down with his knee injury, fullback Darian Barnes took his spot on the kick coverage units.

Rookies Steve Johnson and Kennard Cox were the second-team punt gunners, and Johnson looked pretty good in this role.  If he's going to make the team, however, he'll need to show more than Huggins has in this role - and comparing notes from last pre-season, Huggins is still better in this role.

We'll discuss the second half of this game in our Second Half Film Session tomorrow afternoon.

Bills rookie CB Reggie Corner (Photo Source)

Note: Apologies for the lateness of this entry, folks.  The Bills' quick turnaround between pre-season games prevented me from getting to this until yesterday; rest assured that we'll go over the Bills/Steelers game ASAP, with the first half Film Session post coming tomorrow morning.

Yes, the Bills have already played another pre-season game, but that doesn't mean that our Film Session review of the second half of their first pre-season game won't come without valuable tidbits.  I've already broken down some of the Bills' win over the Steelers, but for the sake of chronology, we'll cover the second half of their loss to the 'Skins first.  Rather than making general observations about each position, I'll point out some things I noticed about individual players (this will be specific to pre-season games only).  Enjoy...

Dick Jauron: Whoops.  Guess we'll start with Buffalo's head coach first.  I found this curious: Dick looked murderous after RB Dwayne Wright's second-half fumble; he clapped his hands encouragingly (while still looking pretty miffed) after RB Xavier Omon's fumble.  Just an interesting fact to add to the facts in the competition for the third RB job.

Gibran Hamdan: I wasn't all that impressed.  He made some nice throws underneath and looks like a smart enough guy.  His accuracy on deep balls isn't great, and he looks jittery from time to time in the pocket.  He's light years better than Matt Baker, but I still don't think Gibran is a mortal lock to make the final roster.

Xavier Omon: This kid looks good.  He's already as tough as Wright in the run game, but he's more physical picking up the blitz.  On two plays in Washington, Omon made thumping good hits to completely erase Redskins blitzers.  That was unexpected from Omon coming from Division II.  Quite the pleasant surprise.

Demetrius Bell: Bell has got a future.  His athleticism is great - he's got quick feet and quicker hands.  Not surprisingly, he still struggles a bit technique-wise and with more physical players; I saw him get knocked backwards more than once by a solid punch.  He looks a bit tentative at times as well - but don't mistake that for his being passive.  He looks like he could be counted on as a reserve this season.

Duke Preston: My stomach lurched a bit on one play, where Preston was blown five yards backwards into his own backfield, but otherwise, I didn't think he looked too bad.  Granted, he was playing second and third team linemen from Washington.  I think his versatility keeps him on this team for another year.

Matt Murphy: It's a pity Murphy got hurt, because I thought he looked pretty solid at both left and right tackle.  He'd have made a fine third tackle in the event that Jason Peters' holdout extends into the regular season.  Alas, the 2007 injury bug waited around for Murphy as well.

Derek Fine: Buffalo's rookie tight end is easily the team's most natural receiver at the position.  He just looks comfortable running routes and catching the football; I think by mid-season, he's playing a prominent second fiddle to Robert Royal.  Derek Schouman appears to be all hype at this point.

Steve Johnson: I liked what I saw out of Buffalo's other rookie receiver as a run blocker; he's a tough shed in the slot.  He flashed good hands as well.  I don't know if we've seen enough out of him on special teams, however, to say that he's got a shot at the final roster.  In fact, I'd say that Felton Huggins has a better shot at the final roster than Johnson at this point, because Huggins is a better deep threat.

Chris Ellis: One one running play, Ellis completely blew up the Redskins' entire blocking scheme with outstanding penetration; he was blatantly held on the play as a result.  I'm going to be honest - I thought Ellis was Buffalo's most impressive rookie in Washington.  He's still green and needs another pass rush move or two for his repertoire, but I think if things go well this season he could be starting next to Aaron Schobel in '09.

Marcus Buggs: UDFA LB Buggs is small, but packs a nice punch.  He was solid in the team's goal line stand in the fourth quarter.  He looks good on special teams as well.  He may just beat out Blake Costanzo for the final roster spot at LB if the team keeps a seventh.

Reggie Corner: He took some lumps, but he also made some great plays.  For a guy nobody knew about exiting the draft, he looks very natural - and very quick - on the field.  Another solid find by Buffalo's scouting department.

Leodis McKelvin: I'm not worried about McKelvin's cover skills; those are already solid, and they'll get much better.  I focused instead on his tackling - and it's not great.  McKelvin is physical and willing to risk his body to make a tough play, but his tackling from a technique standpoint is quite poor.  It's this fact that might prevent him from sneaking in nickel reps, at least initially, in the regular season - Buffalo's nickel back must be a good tackler in Perry Fewell's system.

I have some notes on some other players, but they're not necessarily worth posting here.  Saw some good things out of Buffalo's youngsters, though, in particular Bell, Omon, Ellis and Corner.  Again, we'll have more Film Session stuff to discuss tomorrow morning as we break down the first half of the Bills' victory over Pittsburgh.

Hardy, others miss practice time (Photo Source)

The Buffalo Bills completed their first full seven-day week of training camp last night with an evening practice at St. John Fisher College, and Buffalo's injury list continues to lengthen early in camp.

The injuries are not yet considered serious, but there are several players missing practice time.  Rookie wide receiver James Hardy, who pulled a hamstring during warm-ups, joined fellow rookie wideout Steve Johnson as sideline spectators.  LB Angelo Crowell missed his third straight night of practice, and S Ko Simpson was absent as well as he had his surgically repaired ankle tested (the MRIs were reportedly negative).  Fellow starting safety Donte Whitner left practice early after getting sick on the field.

Despite the injuries (and the continued absence of a certain Pro Bowl left tackle), the Bills' offense put together one of its better practice sessions of camp last night, particularly in the red zone.  Defensive ends Aaron Schobel and Shaun Nua were also absent.

Evans, Royal, Jackson Making Plays as Receivers
I'm hoping that headline isn't surprising to any of you in regards to Evans.  It's great news to hear just how effective Evans was last night in the red area without the team's tall, shiny new receiver to take attention away from him.  Evans burned both of Buffalo's starting corners, Terrence McGee and Jabari Greer, for scores last night.

The quarterback and receiver hooked up for a pair of touchdowns. Early in practice Edwards zipped a tight pass to Evans outside shoulder as he got just enough separation from Jabari Greer for a touchdown in the front corner of the end zone on the far sideline.  Evans later got by Terrence McGee for another touchdown reception on the near sideline.

Fred Jackson was also a frequent target of Trent Edwards during this session, both down the field and out in the flats.  What's encouraging to hear is that Robert Royal seems to be stepping up his play as he fights for his starting job with the unheralded Derek Schouman:

Robert Royal is factoring a bit more into the offense the last couple of practices. He caught a touchdown pass down the middle on a well-timed pass from J.P. Losman. He also pulled in a well-placed throw down the seam from Edwards.

Defense Making Plays in the Backfield
After two years of attempting to install a penetrating, Cover 2 defense with a disruptive defensive line, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell seems to have finally reached his goal.  Buffalo's active front seven has made plays in the backfield early and often in camp, and continued the trend last night:

Kawika Mitchell came screaming into the backfield on one stretch play to the near sideline and would've had Lynch on a tackle for loss in live football conditions...

Among the other highlights during full team work was a blitz by Donte Whitner as he got to Edwards before he delivered a quick timing pass on a three step drop for a would-be sack...

Third-round pick Chris Ellis also had a would-be sack on Losman as he knifed inside and got into the offensive backfield quickly.

Ellis is still, in my opinion, the key to Buffalo having not just a very good defense this season, but a dominant one.  If he can provide that spark as a situational pass rusher that the team hasn't had in years, Buffalo might just have one of the better defensive lines in football.  It's good to hear that he's finally starting to make some plays in camp; we'll be watching his progress during pre-season games with great interest.

The Enigma that is Demetrius Bell
As the Bills continue to experiment with their depth at offensive tackle, one benefactor has been rookie seventh-round pick Demetrius Bell.  One of the most athletic players on the team - yet also one of the most underdeveloped as a player - Bell has been taking strides as of late and was rewarded with some reps as the second-team left tackle last night.

Seventh-round pick Demetrius Bell has come along of late and was moved up to the second unit to get some left tackle snaps Thursday night. Matt Murphy flipped over to right tackle with the second group.

Murphy has impressed, too, with his footwork after making the transition to tackle from tight end.  Depending on what happens with Jason Peters' holdout situation, it's not completely out of the question to believe that either Bell or Murphy (or both) could sneak ahead of Kirk Chambers on the depth chart.  Again, that would probably only happen if Peters returns in time for the final cut-downs.

The Bills have one practice today (Friday), which runs from 2:15-4:20 PM.

Lynch likely to admit guilt as driver of vehicle (Photo Source)

By now, it's comon public knowledge that Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch has reached an agreement with Erie County DA Frank Clark to officially end - from this angle, at least - the affair stemming from his May 31 hit-and-run incident.

Less than 24 hours after the announcement, however, new details are beginning to surface about what happened exactly that night, thanks to some fine investigative reporting by The Buffalo News.

It is still unknown to what lesser charge Lynch will plead guilty to; we may not know the answer to that question until late next week.  Whatever the charge is, however, Lynch is not expected to face jail time - in fact, he was unlikely to land in prison even when facing the prospect of the full charges.  As was reported yesterday, the agreement was based around the fact that Lynch was driving the vehicle in question; he'll almost certainly admit to that fact this coming week.

The News is also reporting that the one player in the car with Lynch at the time of the accident was rookie Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson.

The cause of the accident may also be known to investigators, though the information comes from sources supportive of Lynch - so take it with a grain of salt:

Sources close to the case who have been supportive of the football player said Lynch may have hit Shpeley because his attention was diverted by another woman who was singing and dancing as both she and Shpeley were crossing the street.

Shpeley's representation, lawyer Timothy O'Connell, came forward last night with new testimony from Shpeley and the two unnamed women she was with on the night in question.  In said testimony, the women claim that the driver of the SUV slowed, came to a stop, then sped off:

“After stopping for several seconds, the vehicle sped off at a high rate of speed. I think you could say the driver stepped on the gas,” O’Connell said. “What I surmise from that is that the driver slowed down and stopped, saw this injured woman lying there and took off.”

This new information directly contradicts what the DA has for testimony, however:

“From what we’ve been told, the SUV never slowed down. It just took off,” [Clark] said.

All Bills players and executives who were subpoenaed last week were excused as the agreement was reached.  The name of the "unnamed executive" subpoenaed has been released; Bills director of security Chris Clark was reportedly in direct contact with Lynch mere hours after the incident took place:

Law enforcement officials said the text-messaging between Chris Clark and the running back began at least six hours after the accident. The officials said Buffalo police were upset to learn that, while refusing to talk to police, Lynch was talking to a team official about his situation.

Authorities said some of the text messages dealt with Lynch’s need to speak with an attorney and the Bills security chief advising him on his legal right to refuse to speak to anyone about the incident. Chris Clark is a former top official of the Erie County Sheriff’s Office.

Lynch's sentencing will come next week, putting to rest the most important of four angles from which Lynch could see punishment.  Next up: a potential civil case from Shpeley and her attorney, O'Connell; Bills team discipline; and, perhaps most importantly of all, league discipline.  The News has the last issue covered as well:

“We will look into it, and we will see what the facts are,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The News late Friday.

This issue isn't over, folks, and punishment has yet to be doled out, but it's all falling action from here.  The suspense is largely over.  Now it's time to continue to wait to see how this directly effects the Bills on the field.  Stay tuned.

Lynch situation continues to drag out (Photo Source)

Over fifteen days ago, Toronto native Kimberly Shpeley was struck by a Porsche SUV in downtown Buffalo in a hit-and-run incident that left her bruised, battered and stitched up.

Two weeks later, Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch - the owner of the vehicle in question - still hasn't talked about what occurred in the wee hours of the morning of May 31.  The seeming lack of new information over the past two weeks has frustrated nearly all parties involved; this is a situation that, in any normal circumstance, likely would have been resolved by this point.

If you're of the opinion that the case isn't moving forward, however, you're mistaken - battle lines are being drawn on all three sides of this issue.  The resolution of this legal matter may not be swift, but it is forthcoming.

The Lynch Camp - namely, Lynch and his attorney, Michael Caffery - have stayed away from talking about the issue, both to the investigators involved as well as the media.  Larry Felser of The Buffalo News doesn't see the sense in such an approach:

District Attorney Frank Clark suggests that Lynch, because he doesn’t have a rap sheet, is unlikely to do jail time no matter what his role in the hit-run caper. Which brings up another question: If he has a relatively clean record, why mess with it?

Just because Lynch isn't talking about his involvement (or the involvement of his Porsche) doesn't mean he's not talking at all.  Lynch on Saturday was very open about his willingness to give back to the community at a recent football camp for kids, hosted by Steelers LB LaMarr Woodley:

''I always have fun when I'm out here with the kids,'' said Lynch, a University of California product who finished 11th in the league in rushing with 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns in his rookie year last season.

''They run around with so much energy, it reminds me of how I got started and doing what I do now. I had to get some 'act right' in my system early and a camp like this would have helped. LaMarr came from some pretty rough streets like I did (in Oakland, Calif.). That motivates you to succeed and now, it's time to give back to the community and give the kids opportunities we didn't have.''

The Investigators, led by District Attorney Frank Clark, have been the drivers of the media bandwagon surrounding this incident.  After two weeks of talking to a brick wall (i.e. the Lynch camp), the D.A. handed out five subpoenas to Bills players and executives on Thursday in an effort to get some answers.  Those asked to appear: wide receivers James Hardy and Steve Johnson, offensive guard Christian Gaddis, Chief Operating Officer Russ Brandon, and an unnamed security executive.

All five will appear in front of a grand jury to testify as to their knowledge about the situation.  Team owner Ralph Wilson remains a possibility to be subpoenaed as well.  The grand jury is set to convene this coming Friday, June 20.

The Victim - Shpeley - has remained out of the public spotlight while this "investigation" has taken place.  It is now being reported, however, that the victim has hired legal representation (Timothy O'Connell of the firm Siegel, Kelleher & Kahn), who are conducting their own investigation.  The results of that investigation will determine whether or not Shpeley and her representation pursue any lawsuit against Lynch.

"It’s not as minor as it has been reported," O’Connell told The Buffalo News. "She’s under the active care of several different physicians for injuries to several different parts of her body. She’s still under medical care."

O'Connell was also quick to point out that those making the argument that Shpeley was exploiting Lynch because of his popularity and financial standing are gravely mistaken; O'Connell is claiming that Shpeley "never heard of Marshawn Lynch before this incident":

Suggestions of some callers to local radio talk shows that Shpeley was responsible for the accident and that she staged it to seek money from a lawsuit are "scurrilous," O’Connell said.

From all three camps - Lynch, the investigators and Shpeley - battle lines are being drawn, with this Friday's grand jury proceedings the first very key date in a situation that, hopefully for Buffalo's sake, won't drag out too much further than that date.  Progress is slow, but it's being made.  Now all we need to wait for are the consequences.