Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills News, 8/21

Nix on Merriman: We were patient - BuffaloBills.com
"Shawne was battling for the fourth defensive end spot," said Nix. "We think we’ve got three guys there that we feel good about, plus we’ve got a couple of young guys and that’s the reason we made the move."

Merriman gamble by Bills was worth risk - The Buffalo News
"It's all fair, but you can't fault Buddy Nix for taking a flier on a former All-Pro, knowing with great risk is the potential for great reward."

Bills Release Merriman
Bills release Merriman - BuffaloBills.com
"It was hoped that surgery to repair a frayed Achilles would solve the problem that had plagued him for the last three years, but the Bills coaching staff obviously felt he did not look like the same player."

Transcript: GM Buddy Nix on Shawne Merriman - BuffaloBills.com
The Bills GM spoke with the media yesterday.

Open door for Gilbert & Moore - BuffaloBills.com
"Oh absolutely," he said. "I’m hungry. I’m a hungry end. I was cut last year and this year I have a great opportunity to make this team and I won’t give it back for any reason. So I’m going to take this opportunity and run with it."

Buddy Nix on Merriman's Release - BuffaloBills.com
"Bills GM Buddy Nix comments on the release of Shawne Merriman."

Inside The Bills | Chan on DE Moore
"He’s done a good job," said Gailey last week. "He’s got to learn to play every aspect of the game. That’s his thing right now. Kyle can rush the passer. We’ve got to make sure everything else is in sync with the rest of our football team."

Inside The Bills | Merriman’s contribution
"Merriman was able to successfully recruit veteran LB Nick Barnett to the Bills last summer as well as LB Kirk Morrison. Barnett went on to have a very productive 2011 for Buffalo, and likely would have been a Pro Bowl LB last season had it not been for Buffalo’s slide out of playoff contention."

Bills stick with injured Merriman, then cut him - The Buffalo News
"The Buffalo Bills held on to Shawne Merriman through a pair of season-ending injuries, but now that he's playing, routinely generating praise from head coach Chan Gailey and presumably healthy enough to play, they've cut him."

Bills pull the plug on Merriman - The Buffalo News
"I think he struggled a little," said Bills General Manager Buddy Nix. "First of all, let me say this: He can play. He did everything. He's been healthy since [organized team activities]. He hasn't missed anything. He's very attentive in meetings. He's worked hard in practice, and he's played in spots really good during the games. He's a hard worker. He's done everything he could do. We think we've been patient. But there comes a point where we felt like we needed to move on and look down the road."

How Bills spent $9.77 million on Shawne Merriman - The Buffalo News
Tim Graham tracks the money Shawne Merriman has made in the last three years.

A look back at Merriman's 21 months with Bills - The Buffalo News
"A quick overview of Merriman's timeline with the Bills ..."

WGR 550 - Mum's The Word From Bills On Young DEs. But Why?
"Moore, Eddins and Gilbert all may have practice squad eligibility remaining. With one likely to make the roster outright, the second may be on the bubble to make the team. If that player doesn't make the roster, the Bills likely would not want to tip their hand by publicly announcing who they think has made some strides in camp."

WGR 550 - HAMILTON: Merriman Was Worth The Risk
"So yes, the signing of Shawne Merriman did not work on the field for the Bills, no question, but was it the wrong thing to do at the time, absolutely positively not. The Bills needed and still need good football players, but Nix had nothing to lose by giving Merriman a try. The money wasn’t big, they weren’t up against the cap and the upside was high. The DE is injury prone, that didn’t change here, but it was well worth a try and I will never criticize Nix for giving it a shot. "

WGR 550 - Bills Release Shawne Merriman
"Had he made the roster, Merriman could have been owed $4 million in addition to the money in bonuses he's accrued in 2012. Upon the start of the league year, the defensive end was given $1.25 million in bonuses. He made a total of $4.25 million for all of 2011."

WGR 550 - Bills' Nix Felt Merriman Didn't Play Better Than The Youth
Merriman had a sore hamstring a week or two ago, but Nix said that wasn’t it, "That didn’t enter into it. He hadn’t been ... the only thing he had was a little fatigue and needed to rest. It wasn’t anything injury-wise."

Buffalo Bills' Shawne Merriman released in surprising move | Democrat and Chronicle
"Merriman posted a note on his Twitter account shortly after the move was announced, thanking the team, coaches, his teammates and fans for his time in Buffalo. The news did appear to catch him off guard, because on Sunday night, Merriman wrote he was preparing for practice Monday."

Bills' depth made Merriman decision easy - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Buffalo's pass rush was horrendous last season, in part, because the Bills relied on an injured Merriman with few pass-rushers behind him. Merriman, if healthy, can still be an asset to an NFL team. But he was no longer a needed commodity in Buffalo."

More Bills Links

Gailey: QB Young has edge to win Bills backup job - BuffaloBills.com
``It's definitely good news,'' said Young, who has gone from being the NFL's 2006 offensive rookie of the year with Tennessee to being on his third team in three years. ``It's opportunity, man. That's all you can ask for.''

Bills Roundup: Glenn Named LT, Monday Highlights - BuffaloBills.com
"Monday was a busy news day at One Bills Drive as Cordy Glenn was named the starting left tackle, Vince Young gained a leg up in the back QB race, plus check out the top plays from practice."

Mon. Practice Notes - Glenn named starting LT, Vince has leg up
"Cordy Glenn will be our starting left tackle," said Gailey. "It’s just worked out with Erik Pears not getting reps, we couldn’t have enough reps for both guys and Hairston has had to go play right tackle and Cordy has gotten most of the reps at left and has done a good job. So he’ll be the starting left tackle."

Transcript: HC Gailey, LT Glenn & DE Moore - BuffaloBills.com
Gailey starts by naming Cordy Glenn left tackle, giving Vince Young the lead in the number 2 QB race, and discussing Shawne Merriman. Then the questions start.

Smith to be bigger Wildcat for Bills - BuffaloBills.com
"Like I say all the time it doesn’t matter if I’m taking base snaps at quarterback or Wildcat or receiver or returning kicks or blocking on a punt, everything is important and every play counts," he said. "That’s how I approach it."

Q & A: QB Brad Smith - BuffaloBills.com
The Bills third stringer talks about training camp.

Inside The Bills | Brad Smith dressed for WR
"Smith is not wearing his red QB practice jersey. Instead he’s got his white WR jersey on. "

Inside The Bills | Monday non-participants
Mark Anderson and Dorin Dickerson are the two newest non-participants.

Inside The Bills | Gailey names left tackle
"Cordy has got great ability," said Gailey. "His ability is not the issue. It’s the playing time. He needs as much playing time as he can get. I think if he gets playing time he has a chance to be a really good football player. He’s not done great against the two good pass rushers he’s faced, but he’s done okay. I think we see a great upside."

Inside The Bills | Cordy not big on starter labels
"I’m just here trying to get better," he said. "I’m just working hard really. I’m not reading anything into it, I’m just trying to get better. I know what I’m trying to do, so I’ll just keep working. It doesn’t mean taking a day off and just keep doing what I’ve been doing."

Inside The Bills | Next step for Glenn
"I’m just taking it day by day, trying to find something to get better at every day in practice to working together, whether it be bumping off twists, whatever it is just trying to get a rhythm and just get some type of communication and just get used to being around each other," Glenn said.

Bills' Scott turns into safety valve - The Buffalo News
"Scott played nearly 60 percent of Buffalo's defensive snaps - about 35 a game - in 2011 as a hybrid safety/linebacker. He'll be in a similar role this year, although under new defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt, he's listed solely at outside linebacker."

Glenn named Bills' starting left tackle - The Buffalo News
"Had the Buffalo Bills not released former All-Pro pass-rusher Shawne Merriman, they still would have revealed on Monday their biggest personnel news flashes so far this summer: Cordy Glenn has won the left tackle job, a critical assignment as quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's blindside protector, and Vince Young has taken a big lead in the race to win the No. 2 quarterback gig."

Video: Breaking down the Bills with Channel 2 - The Buffalo News
"Benigni asked me about the numerous big gains the Bills' defense yielded Friday night, concerns about the Bills' first-team offense scoring only one touchdown so far, Vince Young's emergence as the leading candidate for the backup quarterback job, other battles that have caught my eye and a prediction on whether the Bills will contend for a playoff spot."

Vince Young puts rear naked choke on backup gig - The Buffalo News
"We need to see how he can handle more game plan, more playing time, more everything. It's not an indictment on Tyler. It's just Vince has done some good things and we know where Tyler is. We've got to evaluate Vince more."

WGR 550 - Young Earns Bills Backup Reps For The Week
"With the third preseason game being the usual dress rehearsal for most first-string players across the NFL, Young will likely get the majority of playing time not administered to Ryan Fitzpatrick and the first unit."

AFC East Preseason Stock Watch - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Vince Young is rising while every team's first-quarter offenses are falling.

Scouts Inc.: Fred Jackson not a top 10 RB - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"But coming off a season-ending leg injury, Scouts Inc. did not rank Jackson in the top 10. Buffalo's star tailback was ranked 11th, behind other tailbacks such as Darren McFadden, Steven Jackson and Jamaal Charles."

Traveling With The Buffalo Bills - 13WHAM.com
"For the past 13 years I have traveled on the Buffalo Bills team plane for the preseason broadcasts. It's a pretty interesting and impressive experience." There are two pages and I almost missed the jump. FYI.

'There's so many things wrong with them' | StarTribune.com
"Mike Mosley is typical of the clients. The former Buffalo Bills wide receiver suffers from spinal stenosis -- a narrowing of the spinal canal -- and a crushed vertebrae in his lower back. He also needs wrist fusion surgery, shoulder surgery, ankle reconstruction and two knee replacements. The constant pain prevents him from sleeping more than two hours at a time at night."

Vick injury should give Edwards more time | courierpostonline.com
"That’s what the preseason is here (for), to see guys like myself perform," Edwards said. "A lot of guys in this locker room are fighting for jobs here, so that’s kind of what you have to be prepared to do. It was clearly explained what my role was here and I’ve felt like I’ve been treated properly. I’m very thankful for the opportunity and I’ve tried to get better each day."