Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills News, 8/3

Practice Notes - Day 7 - Big pass plays, Merriman flashes - BuffaloBills.com
"We had some of the deep balls on the call sheet," said Ryan Fitzpatrick. "We were able to get a couple of them, which was good to see. It was not just one guy; there were a lot of guys making plays down field so that was good for us."

Bills Roundup: Leonhard Visits, Thu Highlights - BuffaloBills.com
"Free agent safety and former Bill Jim Leonhard visited St. John Fisher on Thursday, plus watch some of the top plays from practice, as the team worked on the deep passing game."

Bills sign RB Brown - BuffaloBills.com
"He rushed for 1,488 yards in his career on 322 carries (4.62 avg.) with 16 touchdowns. His senior year at Pitt he showed some receiving ability with 25 receptions for 184 yards."

Free agent S Leonhard visits Bills - BuffaloBills.com
"Leonhard has a proven track record in the league. The question seems to be whether he can be ready to play at the start of the 2012 season."

Transcripts: HC Gailey, QB Fitzpatrick, WR Hagan & RB Brown - BuffaloBills.com
The newest Buffalo Bill was among those that talked with the media last night. See the full transcripts here.

Rookie Diaries #3 - BuffaloBills.com
"Stephon Gilmore talks about night practices, the cold tub after practice and Bills fans on this edition of Rookie Diaries."

Chan Gailey Thursday Press Conference - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills head coach update the status of Kelvin Sheppard, Derek Hagan stepping up in practice, and how the offense performed today in practice."

Bills Focus: Sophomores Expected to Step Up - BuffaloBills.com
"Despite the offseason addition of a high profile player, the Bills defense will counting heavily on three second year players to continue to elevate their games and contribute on defense."

Inside The Bills | Leonhard visit to stretch to Friday
"Buffalobills.com has learned that Leonhard’s free agent visit will stretch into Friday. It’s hard to know just what the Bills plans are at this point, knowing Buddy Nix made specific mention of the waiver wire as well with regard to other possible safety talent that could be out there."

Inside The Bills | RB Brown happy for opportunity
"I did a real good job there," said Brown of his tryout weekend with Buffalo. "I got good feedback. I just felt like I did a real good job so anything could happen."

Inside The Bills | No team reps for Shep
"Shep did not get any team reps and just left the field with athletic trainers. He didn’t make anything worse just limited in his participation."

Inside The Bills | New RB limited
"As part of the new CBA, by rule players that have not been with a club at the start of training camp cannot practice in pads for three days. That means that this afternoon and for Friday’s practice Brown will only be able to do individual positions drills and any other non-contact work. On Saturday he’ll be able to put the pads on."

Inside The Bills | CJ Spiller: Looking to build on 2011
C.J. Spiller shares his own thoughts from training camp in his blog.

Inside The Bills | Glenn, Hairston quiet as kept
"I feel like I know the offense pretty well so whoever is over there I can help out with calls and stuff like that," Levitre told Buffalobills.com. "Both those guys are pretty smart over there so it makes it a little easier for me. Cordy really hasn’t had, I still help him out, but he hasn’t had many questions. He’s picked up the offense really quick. He’s a smart guy and probably just needs to clean up some technical things and he should be alright."

Snaps for Da'Norris Searcy are critical - The Buffalo News
"We have been doing that all along," Gailey said of getting Searcy practice repetitions. "George [Wilson] missed the last part of the season and we want to make sure we have got somebody ready to go at either position. George may have to move to the other spot and Da’Norris play there. One injury and Da’Norris has to go in."

Safety Jim Leonhard visiting Bills - The Buffalo News
"Leonhard had not yet taken a physical with Bills doctors as of Thursday afternoon."

Gailey pleased with Merriman and other notes - The Buffalo News
"It's not just the last couple days," Gailey said. "He had the nicked ankle [on Tuesday]. But before that and since then he's given great effort. It looks like he's got some quickness to him, and his stamina's good. Hopefully he'll make the season and things will go well for him. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do when we get it really live."

Video: Bills training camp update - The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan from the field at St. John Fisher.

Robert Griffin III will go 12 to 20 snaps versus Bills - The Buffalo News
"Shanahan told reporters Wednesday that he would use his starters, including Robert Griffin III, for between 12 and 20 snaps in next Thursday's preseason opener in Ralph Wilson Stadium. The game will be RG3's NFL debut."

WGR 550 - Bills Switch Out Rookie Running Backs
"Two days ago undrafted free agent running back Chris Douglas was brought down hard on a tackle by safety Delano Howell. He remained on the ground and limped off with trainers in tow. Two days later, Douglas is out of a job."

WGR 550 - Bills' Easley Knows Chance To Start Is There
"It's a wonderful opportunity. You couldn't ask for a better situation to be in," he said during his appearance on The Howard Simon Show Thursday. "But there's a lot of work that needs to be done and it's all up for grabs. Whoever it is coming out of camp, he's the guy."

WGR 550 - Minor Injuries Racking Up At Bills Camp
"Defensive end Chris Kelsay sat out of practice altogether, while defensive end Mark Anderson and linebacker Bryan Scott didn't take any reps as the practice wore on. After the session, head coach Chan Gailey said both Kelsay and Anderson were nursing minor groin injuries."

WGR 550 - Training Camp Notebook: Day 7
"With their backs against the wall following the comments from Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey on Wednesday night, the second team offense, led by Tyler Thigpen, rose up from the ashes and had a 'Rudy' moment. Ok, not really. But they were a lot better, and looked as though they took a step forward. Gailey actually put it best after practice. "I think they did. It's hard to go the other way.""

WGR 550 - SIMON: Mario Reminds Me Of Bruce(Springsteen)
"There's a major celebrity at Bills training camp. That's what it feels like anytime Mario Williams takes to the practice field. I sit in the stands to watch practice and will move around from time to time. No matter where I sit, the conversations around me usually center on big number 94."

Battle over Buffalo Bill's left tackle job remains tight | Democrat and Chronicle
"Hairston didn’t follow any of the pre-draft talk, but when he heard the Bills had selected Cordy Glenn out of Georgia in the second round, Hairston knew two things: The Bills were getting a very good player, and he was going to have quite a battle on his hands if he wanted to be Buffalo’s starting left tackle come Sept. 9 when it heads to New York to take on the Jets."

Young aims to start over - MPNnow
"Young’s athleticism gives him an advantage over Thigpen, but Thigpen has plenty of experience in Gailey’s offense from his time in Buffalo and Kansas City. Thigpen has also struggled in camp, leaving plenty of Bills fans worried should starter Ryan Fitzpatrick get injured."

Lang on Bills: Revamped d-line meshing well - sportsnet.ca
"This D (defensive) line is special because everyone is hungry. We've got veterans on the team; we've got people that have already proven that they can make plays in this league," says Anderson.

Moats finds a home at outside linebacker - The Buffalo News
"Arthur Moats thinks he finally has found a position on the Buffalo Bills' defense that fits his skills, and he's making a strong push to win a backup spot on the team's linebacking corps."

Bills RBs Jackson, Spiller willing to share backfield load - AP - TSN.ca
"We both understand that we both can't be selfish," Spiller said. "And if we're both playing at a high level, then it will elevate our team. It's exciting."

Buffalo Bills and Success: What are the odds? - Buffalo Rising
"As a result, many Bills fans are predicting the long and painful playoff drought will end this year. But let's take a look at what the cold, hard, objective oddsmakers are saying about the likelihood the Bills will have a successful season. After all, they're taking real risk with real money by putting up lines so their opinion should carry real weight."

Bills' D-line doesn't scare Shanahan | London Free Press
"We asked Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan if the Buffalo Bills' new deep, talented defensive line would have any impact on how long he plays RG3 next Thursday."

2012 Fantasy Football Sleepers: C.J. Spiller of the Buffalo Bills : Rant Sports
"There’s still a good chance Jackson will produce big numbers if he can remain healthy and return to the elite level he played at during the first half of the 2011 season, but that doesn’t mean fantasy owners shouldn’t expect productive numbers from Spiller as well. Spiller will most likely be drafted in the later rounds for most leagues, but he’ll make a nice fill in if Jackson were to miss time off the field due to another injury."

Buffalo Bills: 4 Projected Camp Casualties - Buffalo Rising
Someone hasn't been watching Derek Hagan kick some serious butt. The author lists the receiver along with Dwan Edwards, Terrence McGee and Tyler Thigpen as the camp cuts.

Ryan Fitzpatrick says mechanical changes are working | ProFootballTalk
"Yeah, it has. The other thing though is that it is just an answer maybe for some of my consistency issues," Fitzpatrick said. "And so I will still fall into an old habit. ‘Well you threw the ball behind him because of this.’ And it is something we have worked on and talked about. And I think that is helpful."

Polian has positive outlook on Bills, Bulls - YNN
"You have to hit some bumps in the road and overcome them before you become a bonafide Super Bowl contender," Polian said. "You don't just say it, you have to do it. But there's no question in my mind they're on the right path."

Bills’ rookies Gilmore, Graham turning heads - Livingston County News
"He’s very consistent," said head coach Chan Gailey. "There is no up and down in the guy. What you see every day is what you get every day. That has been a pleasant surprise. A lot of the time, with rookies, something bad will happen to them and they go in the tank."