Injury Report: Week 3

OUT:     Terrence McGee, cornerback (hamstring);  Kirk Morrison, linebacker (hamstring); 
     Kraig Urbik, offensive guard (knee)
DOUBTFUL:
     none
QUESTIONABLE:
     none
PROBABLE:
     Torell Troup, defensive tackle (back);  Steve Johnson, wide receiver (groin); 
     Spencer Johnson, defensive end (hip)

Parrish to miss another season

   For the second straight week, the Bills were forced to place one of their receivers on injured reserve.
   On Tuesday, the team announced that injury-plagued veteran Roscoe Parrish will miss the rest of the 2011 season, after injuring his ankle during Sunday's win against the Raiders.  In two games, he only caught one pass for 16 yards.
   The 2005 second round pick has spent most of his career as a punt returner and slot receiver.  Last year, Parrish was having a career year (33 catches, 400 yards, 2 touchdowns) in Chan Gailey's new offense, before breaking his wrist and missing the final eight games.
   To take his place, the Bills promoted receiver Naaman Roosevelt from the practice squad.
   Last week, Buffalo was also forced to put receiver Marcus Easley on injured reserve, due to a heart ailment.  His spot on the 53-man roster was filled by Ruvell Martin.

Injury Report: Week 2

OUT:
     Terrence McGee, cornerback (hamstring)
DOUBTFUL:
     Torell Troup, defensive tackle (back)
QUESTIONABLE:
     none
PROBABLE:
     Steve Johnson, wide receiver (groin);  Keith Ellison, linebacker (knee); 
     Arthur Moats, linebacker (knee)

Corner brought back, Eddins put on injured reserve

   With cornerback Terrence McGee sidelined indefinitely, the Bills re-signed three year veteran Reggie Corner to the 53-man roster.  To open up a spot for him, the team also placed undrafted rookie linebacker Robert Eddins on injured reserve.
   Corner was drafted by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2008 draft, and has served mostly as the team's nickel/slot cornerback.  He was part of the final round of cuts just prior to the start of the season.

Easley placed on injured reserve

   Marcus Easley will miss another full season, after Bills officials placed the young wide receiver on injured reserve Tuesday.  According to the Buffalo News, the second-year player has been diagnosed with a heart ailment, although it is unclear whether the condition is career threatening.
   He has yet to take a snap during a regular season NFL game.
   A fourth round pick out of Connecticut, Easley was drafted by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2010 draft.  Coaches say he showed great explosiveness and big play potential as a rookie in training camp last year, before suffering a season-ending knee injury.  After a promising showing during the preseason, it was believed that Easley could challenge for a starting spot alongside Steve Johnson.
   Wide receiver Ruvell Martin, who was one of the team's final cuts, was re-signed to take Easley's place on the 53-man roster.

Week 1 Recap: Buffalo 41, Kansas City 7

Bills dominant in season debut; crush Chiefs at Arrowhead

   You couldn't have asked for a better start to the season.

Scott Chandler and Donald Jones
celebrate a touchdown

   Sporting their new all-white uniforms, the Bills confidently marched into one of the NFL's toughest stadiums on Sunday and whipped a struggling Chiefs team that won it's division only a year ago.  
   In the opening minutes, Buffalo was able to jump ahead on the scoreboard and they never looked back.  During the game, they took full advantage of Kansas City's mistakes, made very few of their own and proved physical on both sides of the ball.  If one didn't know better, I would say they have the look of a potential playoff team.
   Of course, fans should probably temper their expectations.  It's a long season ahead and this is only one game.  For once, the Bills managed to catch all the key breaks (two fumbles in the red zone, a Kansas City missed field goal and replay taking a touchdown away), and their quick start helped take away the most dangerous part of the Chiefs attack.
   And there is a good chance that Kansas City (a surprising 10-6 squad last season) was overrated from the start - only beating two playoff teams last year.  They also entered the season with a new offensive coordinator, numerous injuries and looked very flat in the preseason.
   Still, it's hard to ignore a 41-7 win.  There was very little bad that could be found during Sunday's contest and too many players worthy of gameballs to mention them all.

Positives:

1)  Glimpses from the forgotten position...
   The Bills haven't had a playmaking tight end in so long, fans might be shocked to find that those guys are still allowed to catch passes.
   Considering how strong the Chiefs pass rush usually is (and how bad the Bills offensive line usually is), one would have probably expected Buffalo's tight ends to spend most of the afternoon helping in pass protection. 
   Instead, Scott Chandler (who had one NFL catch in three seasons before Sunday) came out of nowhere to post five catches, 63 yards and two touchdowns.  He showed a suprising ability to get open against both safeties and linebackers, and used his size (6'7, 263 lbs) to out-muscle defenders for the ball.
   Having a receiving threat at tight end will come in very handy this season, especially when the Bills play teams like Philadelphia and the New York Jets who are able to shutdown the outside passing lanes.

2)  Solid outing for the big guys up front...
   No group on the team has gotten as much heavy criticism - from coaches, the media and the fans - as the Bills offensive line.  And for good reason.
   But on Sunday, the normally impressive Chiefs pass rush was almost non-existent, while the Buffalo rushing attack was able to consistently churn out yards in the middle of the defense.  Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had plenty of time to sit in the pocket and find receivers downfield.  With some holes and room to work with, running back Fred Jackson racked up 112 yards and a 5.6 yards per carry average.
   The line doesn't have to pancake defenders and play dominant for the offense to be able to score points.  They just have to limit their mistakes, bad blocks and blown assignments - thereby giving the skill positions the ability to do their thing.

3)  A big first step for the run defense...
   In 2010, the Chiefs were the league's top running team, while the Bills were on the verge of setting records for their inability to stop their opponents on the ground.  In their head-to-head matchup last year, Kansas City gashed Buffalo's defense for an incredible 274 yards on the ground.
   So all things considered, only letting up 108 yards on Sunday was more than a massive improvement.
   Much of the credit goes to the defensive line playing stronger at the point of attack, along with linebackers and safeties making good tackles near the line of scrimmage (some credit must also go to poor play calling by the Chiefs and a big lead that forced them to abandon the running game early).  Although Kansas City was able to break off a few decent runs, they never came on a regular basis.

4)  Props to the coaching staff..
   During his postgame press conference, Kansas City's Head Coach Todd Haley said the Bills came into the game ready to play, while his team didn't.
   Under our previous coaches, the Bills always seemed to be the ones a step or two behind.  We were always the ones unprepared, out of position and under utilized.
   Although I've questioned the direction of the team (especially in talent acquisition) as a whole over the last two offseasons, Gailey is certainly impressive as a coach.  His strategy and gameplan changes depending on matchups and the strengths/weaknesses of his weekly opponent. 
   Best of all, he manages to get the most out of his players.  Almost every player on the starting offense entered the NFL as either a seventh round draft pick or undrafted free agent.  Yet on Sunday, they piled 41 points on a defense full of first round talent.

Other Observations:

>>  I'm still holding out hope that C.J. Spiller develops into a force, but there is no doubt who the best running back on this team is right now.  If the coaching staff wasn't so reluctant to let him carry the full load, who knows what Fred Jackson would be capable of.

>>  The debate rages on.  Going into the season, I said that in order to secure himself as the longterm answer at quarterback Fitzpatrick needed to improve his touchdown-turnover ratio, win games against good teams and push the Bills offense into the top half of the league.  So far, so good.  Let's hope he can keep it up.

>>  Specialist Brad Smith finished with only six yards on three carries, but was able to pick up a couple significant first downs that continued important offensive drives.  Still, for the Wildcat to be effective in the future, he's going to have to complete some of those throws too, just to keep defenses honest.

>>  Overall, I liked what I saw from the secondary.  The cornerbacks did an exceptionally good job, especially in shutting down receiver Dwayne Bowe.  However, there were some coverage breakdowns against running backs and tight ends that need to be corrected.  Teams like New England, Dallas and Philadelphia (again) will feast on those plays all day.

Looking to next week:

>>  After their impressive showing against last year's top rushing offense, the Bills will come home to face 2010's second best running team, Darren McFadden and the Oakland Raiders.  They also boast one of the league's strongest defensive lines.
   The Raiders looked like an improved squad last year, finishing with an 8-8 record.  But owner Al Davis decided to blow up the operation and start from scratch.  They enter the season with a new head coach in Hue Jackson, in addition to the loss of some major talent (Nnamdi Asomugha, Zach Miller, Robert Gallery).
   Coaches will get their first look at Oakland on Monday night against Denver.  On paper, the Bills matchup very well and should be able to walk away with a win - especially at home.  However, they have to be careful not to ride their Week 1 success too much, or get caught looking ahead to their game against New England in Week 3.

Linebacker Maybin one of team's first cuts

   Former first-round pick Aaron Maybin was released by the Bills on Monday, solidifying his place as one of the biggest busts in team history.
   The Penn State star was selected #11 in the 2009 draft by Buffalo, despite higher ranking players like Brian Orakpo, Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing still being available.  From the start, critics questioned the draft choice, saying Maybin was likely too small to be effective as an NFL defensive end.
   Those critics proved to be right.  Despite being praised by coaches for working hard, Maybin struggled to put on weight (playing usually 225-230 lbs) and was easily manhandled by NFL linemen.  During his two year career in Buffalo, he managed only 24 tackles, no sacks, no fumble recoveries and no interceptions.

Reaction:
   Not much of a surprise here.  Nobody expected Maybin to last into September, and he only made it through the first preseason game.
   Many people felt like he was the wrong pick back in 2009, and they were right.  The fact that Orakpo and Matthews are now two of the NFL's most promising young stars only adds salt to the wound.
   The talent(less) purge also continues for Nix and Gailey.  Just this offseason, they have gotten rid of former first rounders Maybin (cut), Lee Evans (traded), Donte Whitner (free agent) and John McCargo(unsigned).  Last year, they also dumped Marshawn Lynch (trade).

Evans traded to Baltimore

   Following a few days of speculation, the Bills officially traded Lee Evans to the Baltimore Ravens on Friday afternoon.  Word is that Buffalo will receive a 2012 fourth round draft pick in return.
   Evans, 30, was set to be one of the starting receivers for the team, and is considered one of the top deep threats in the NFL.  He was drafted by the Bills in the first round of the 2004 draft and put together two 1,000-yard seasons during his career.

Reaction:
   Like I stated in my previous article, trading Evans for such a low pick is a waste.  But based on Buffalo's past history of dumb decisions, it shouldn't have been a surprise move.
   Although he wasn't a regular Pro Bowler, Evans was a strong veteran presence in the lockerroom.  And even if he can't rack up huge statistics, he remains valuable in pulling deep coverage and opening up the field for the offense.  That's exactly why the Ravens wanted him.
   With the Bills $20-30 million under the cap, his salary was not a problem.  If the coaching staff wanted to get some youngsters on the field, they could do more time splits without forcing Evans off the team.  There are really no positives of getting rid of him, other than to open up an extra roster space.
   The team is worse without Evans.  A fourth round pick is unlikely to become more than a backup in the future.

Free Agency Update: Barnett added to LB corps

   After opening free agency with very little activity, the Bills finally made a significant free agent signing on Sunday morning, adding veteran linebacker Nick Barnett.  His contact was for three years at $12 million.  The 30-year-old has spent his career with the Green Bay Packers and is expected to fill one of the starting inside linebacker positions.

   In a much lower profile move, Buffalo also claimed Lionel Dotson off waivers.  The defensive lineman was a former seventh round pick by the Miami Dolphins.

   This weekend, the Bills also finished signing their 2011 draft class by inking third round pick Kelvin Sheppard.  He played inside linebacker for LSU.

Previous moves:
Additions:         Tyler Thigpen, QB;   Brad Smith, WR/QB/KR  
Losses:              Paul Posluszny, LB

Free Agency Update: Bills re-sign Florence, add returner

   Closing out the first day of (unofficial) free agency, the Bills agreed to terms with one of their outstanding free agents.  Starting cornerback Drayton Florence agreed to a contract worth $15 million for three years.

   On Thursday afternoon, Buffalo added versatile player Brad Smith, who spent his previous five years with the New York Jets.  The deal was reportedly worth $15 million for four years.  Smith is mostly known for his explosive return skills and talents for the Wildcat formation.  He could be used as a wide reciver, running back or even third quarterback.

  Seventh round pick Michael Jasper (DT, Bethel University) was the team's first draft pick to sign.  Terms of the contract were not yet available.

   The team also announced the signing of 19 undrafted rookie free agents.  They include: Danny Aiken (LS, Virginia), Kamar Aiken (WR, Central Florida), Rajiric Coleman (S, Utah State), Domonic Cook (DB, Buffalo), Robert Eddins (LB, Ball State), Reid Forrest (P, Washington State), Sidney Glover (S, West Virginia), Chris Hazley (K, Virginia Tech), Brandon Hicks (LB, Florida), Brad Jefferson (LB, Georgia Tech), T.J. Langley (DE, Arkansas Tech), Loyce Means (CB, Houston), Doyle Miller (CB, Nevada), Emmanuel Moody (RB, Florida), Joshua Nesbitt (QB/S, Georgia Tech), Zach Pianalto (TE, North Carolina), Michael Switzer (G, Ball State), Vai Taua (RB, Nevada), Isaiah Thompson (OT, Houston).

Previous moves:
Additions:          Tyler Thigpen, QB
Losses:               Paul Posluszny, LB

Free Agency Update: Poz signs with Jacksonville

   Linebacker Paul Posluszny has reportedly agreed to terms with the Jacksonville Jaguars on a six-year contract, worth $42 million.  He has been the Bills starting middle/inside linebacker for most of the last three years.

   Meanwhile, Tyler Thigpen has signed a three-year deal to be the Bills backup quarterback.  There are no reports on a dollar amount yet.  Thigpen spent the last two years in Miami and has ties to Chan Gailey.

Whaley gets new title

Doug Whaley

   Reorganization of the Bills front office continued on Friday with the promotion of Doug Whaley.  In addition to being the team's assistant general manager, Whaley will now also hold the title of director of player personnel.
   The move comes only days after the firing of Tom Modrak, who had been employed as the Bills vice president of college scouting.
   Whaley, who jumped from the Pittsburgh Steelers front office to Buffalo in February 2010, will now oversee all aspects of college scouting, along with weekly evaluation of the Bills NFL opponents.  There is speculation that his promotion is an early sign that Whaley is being groomed to eventually take over the general manager position from 70-year-old Buddy Nix.
   Whaley, 38, spent more than ten years with the Steelers and is credited with discovering many of their stars on the defensive side of the ball.  Pittsburgh won two Super Bowls during his tenure on the team.

Modrak fired

Tom Modrak, VP of
College Scouting

   In a surprising post-draft move, the Buffalo Bills announced on Wednesday the firing of Tom Modrak.
   He had been with the team since 2001, originally hired to the front office of former general manager Tom Donahoe.  Most recently, Modrak was serving as the team's vice-president of college scouting.
   Although it has been unclear how much involvement Modrak had in the actual draft selection process, many in Buffalo were baffled how he continued to survive the regime purges and front office changes (four GMs and four head coaches during his tenure with the Bills).
   Over the last decade, it can be safely assumed that Modrak had at least some say in the selection of first-round busts like Mike Williams, J.P. Losman, John McCargo and Aaron Maybin, along with numerous other underachievers like Willis McGahee, Donte Whitner and Leodis McKelvin.
   The Bills finished selecting players in the 2011 NFL Draft only four days ago, receiving mostly positive reviews from the experts.
   With Modrak gone, the majority of draft decisions will likely be done by GM Buddy Nix, Assistant GM Doug Whaley and Head Coach Chan Gailey.

Bills add six on draft's final day

   The 2011 NFL Draft concluded on Saturday afternoon, with the Bills continuing their focus on upgading the defensive side of the ball.  Although late-round prospects are usually long-shots, GM Buddy Nix and Head Coach Chan Gailey ended up getting good value.  With some development, a number of them could be contributors.
   Using their first of two picks on the fourth round, Buffalo went with another defensive back in Da'Norris Searcy from North Carolina.  Searcy was a two-year starter for the Tar Heels and led the team in interceptions during 2010.  Many draft experts believe he was underrated and overshadowed by other stars on the North Carolina defense.  He's expected to play strong safety and contribute on special teams for the Bills.
   With the pick they obtained trading Marshawn Lynch to Seattle, the Bills nabbed Clemson offensive tackle Chris Hairston.  As a First Team All-ACC lineman, Hairston was a three year starter for the Tigers.  Although he played left tackle in college, most experts see him on the right side in the pros.  With some development, he could eventually compete for a starting job amongst the Bills weak group of offensive linemen.
   The Bills gained some depth at the running back position in the fifth round, grabbing North Carolina's Johnny White.  A very versatile player, White also played for the Tar Heels as a wide receiver and cornerback.  If he had settled into one position for his whole college career, he probably would have been a much higher pick.  For now, he should be third on the depth chart behind Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller.
   Going back to theme of helping the run defense, Buffalo used its sixth round pick on inside linebacker Chris White, the 2010 leading tackler at Mississippi State.  White was named to the Second Team All-SEC and was another player who impressed Head Coach Chan Gailey at the Senior Bowl.  He will likely contribute on special teams.
   Closing out the draft, the Bills used their seventh round picks on Richmond cornerback Justin Rogers and Bethel-Tennessee nose tackle Michael Jasper.  Rogers was named to the First Team All-CAA as a defensive back and punt returner.  Jasper was a little-known prospect, but is listed at 394 lbs. and is shows great athletic ability for a man his size.

Overall Draft Opinion:
   Of course, it takes several years before a draft class can be accurately reviewed.  However, the Bills managed to address a number of major concerns and did a good job of selecting the players they wanted without reaching.  By this time next year, they could be in position to compete for a playoff spot.
   It took two drafts from Nix and Gailey, but the Bills defensive identity is slowly starting to develop an identity.  
   Marcell Dareus should be a monster next to Kyle Williams for the next 10 years, and both are versatile enough to play any spot along the defensive line.  If Torrell Troup and Alex Carrington make strides in their sophomore seasons, this group could be a force.
   Outside linebacker is still a weak point, but Kelvin Sheppard should develop into a good starter alongside Paul Posluszny in the middle.  I like the focus on stopping the run.
   I fully expect Aaron Williams to grab a starting job in the secondary, although I hope the Bills start making more of an effort to retain free agent cornerbacks in the future and stop the revolving door.

Defensive trend continues in Rounds 2-3

   The draft's second day was definitely a solid one for the Bills, who likely added two more starters to the defense.  Let's just hope that in a few years, this day won't remembered more for the players they ended up passing on.

Aaron Williams, Defensive
Back, Texas

   With a full night to contemplate the players remaining, Buffalo opted for Texas top-rated defensive back Aaron Williams with their first choice of the second round (34th overall).  Though he will likely start at nickel cornerback for the Bills, Williams could also be an eventual replacement (probably sooner than later) for Donte Whitner at safety.  Most experts had him tabbed as a mid to late first round prospect because of his physical, aggressive play and good size.
   Taking another defensive back might not have been a popular choice with fans, but it was definiitely a need.  Terrence McGee is getting up there in age and hardly played last year.  Drayton Florence and Whitner are free agents.  Leodis McKelvin has underachieved.  Ashton Yobouty never really developed.

Kelvin Sheppard,
Linebacker, LSU

   In the third round, the Bills addressed another huge need and grabbed another ball hawk with LSU inside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard.  Along with Marcell Dareus, he should be a big upgrade for the run defense and will fit perfectly in the 3-4 scheme.  
   Besides being the leading tackler for the Tigers, Sheppard impressed Head Coach Chan Gailey during the Senior Bowl.  Expect him to eventually beat out Andre Davis and Reggie Torbor for a starting job on the inside.
    By grabbing Williams and Sheppard, the Bills also passed on the few remaining highly-rated quarterbacks: Andy Dalton (2nd Round to Cincinnati), Colin Kaepernick (2nd Round to San Francisco) and Ryan Mallett (3rd Round to New England).  If any of those players develops into a Pro-Bowl signal caller, the Bills will definitely come to regret it.
   That goes double for Mallett, who will be groomed behind Tom Brady for the rival Patriots.  Many thought Mallett had the best skills of any quarterback in the draft, but his stock plummeted because of "character concerns."  If those concerns are merited, there is no better place for Mallett to get his head straight than sitting behind a future Hall of Famer for a couple years.

Bills nab Dareus at #3

Marcell Dareus, Tackle, Alabama
with Commissioner Roger Goodell

   It's been a long time since we could say this, but the Buffalo Bills hit a home run with their first pick on Thursday night.  GM Buddy Nix and Head Coach Chan Gailey wisely passed on the mediocre quarterbacks available in favor of Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.
   Besides filling what was arguably the biggest need on the team, Dareus was regarded by most experts as the best lineman available in this year's draft.  Many argued that he was the best player overall at all positions.
   Gailey said he envisions Dareus starting out as a 3-4 defensive end, although he pointed out that the rookie would be able to play at every spot on the line. 
   For now, the Bills front office will be turning their attention towards the second and third rounds, scheduled to start tonight at 6pm (ET).  They will have a good list of players to choose from.
   If they want to continue shoring up the defense, several good outside linebacker/end prospects remain on the board - some who were expected to have their names called yesterday.  That list includes Akeem Ayers of UCLA, Justin Houston of Georgia, Brooks Reed of Arizona and Jabal Sheard of Pittsburgh.  The Bills could also go for inside linebacker Martez Wilson of Illinois.
   On offense, there are still a handful of quarterbacks pegged by experts as having starting potential.  They include Andy Dalton of TCU, Colin Kaepernick of Nevada and Ryan Mallet of Arkansas.  Buffalo could also look towards the top rated tight end, Kyle Rudolph of Notre Dame.

2011 Schedule Released

   The NFL announced the official 2011 schedule on Tuesday evening.  On the condition, of course, there is a season at all, the Buffalo Bills will kick off Week One with a Sunday afternoon matchup in Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs.
   In addition to the traditional six games against AFC East rivals, Buffalo will face the eight teams in the AFC West (San Diego, Kansas City, Oakland, Denver) and NFC East (Philadelphia, New York, Washington, Dallas).  To round out the schedule, the 5-11 Bills will also take on Cincinnati and Tennessee.
   The team's bye week will be Week 7, followed by the annual Toronto game - this year against Washington.  Fans may be disappointed to see there are no primetime games slated for the Bills in 2011.   The full schedule is as follows:

      1.       (Sunday, Sept. 11, 1pm):              at Kansas City

2.       (Sunday, Sept. 18, 1pm):              Oakland

3.       (Sunday, Sept. 25, 1pm):              New England

4.       (Sunday, Oct. 2, 1pm):                 at Cincinnati

5.       (Sunday, Oct. 9, 1pm):                 Philadelphia

6.       (Sunday, Oct. 16, 1pm):               at New York Giants

7.       Bye

8.       (Sunday, Oct. 30, 4:05pm):          Washington (in Toronto)

9.       (Sunday, Nov. 6, 1pm):                 New York Jets

10.     (Sunday, Nov. 13, 1pm):               at Dallas

11.     (Sunday, Nov. 20, 1pm):               at Miami

12.     (Sunday, Nov. 27, 1pm):               at New York Jets

13.     (Sunday, Dec. 4, 1pm):                 Tennessee

14.     (Sunday, Dec. 11, 4:15pm):          at San Diego

15.     (Sunday, Dec. 18, 1pm):               Miami

16.     (Saturday, Dec. 24, 1pm):             Denver

17.     (Sunday, Jan. 1, 1pm):                  at New England

Analysis:
   With free agency in limbo and the draft not scheduled until next week, it's probably too early to diagnose how tough the Bills schedule is this year.  After all, the Bills and their opponents are almost identical to last year's squads.
   Based on previous seasons, the games against Oakland, Cincinnati, Washington, Tennessee and Denver look like the easiest matchups.  If the team makes strides in personnel over the next couple months, wins are also very possible against Kansas City and Miami.
  Unfortunately, the rest of the schedule looks pretty tough.  The Bills will have to make a lot of improvements to stand a chance upsetting New England, the New York Jets, Philadelphia, Dallas, the New York Giants or San Diego.
   As it stands, this is how I see the 2011 season:

Best Case Scenario:  8-8
Worst Case Scenario:  5-11
Prediction:  7-9