Archives for March 2007

‘”I was ready to roll when I got back from vacation,” said Losman who traveled to Mexico and a couple of other countries. “Even on my trips I packed up a bunch of DVDs from the season so I could take them with me and watch them on the airplane. I definitely got my football work in.”‘

‘The Buffalo Bills need a top-notch running back, and Michael Bush needs a team to take a chance on him. Might he be the second coming of Thurman Thomas? Probably not, but he could at least be a nice complement to Anthony “A-Train” Thomas.’

‘Based on the mid-March roster, here’s the position priorities, in order: RB, LB, CB, DT, WR, TE, OL.’

‘For fans of the conservative (read: fiscally tight) Buffalo Bills , your catchwords for 2007 are “patient optimism.” Perhaps the firm of Dockery, Walker & Whittle will be knit into a fine line. Maybe Keith Ellison and Kyle Williams are the real deals, and maybe the Bills will snag Leon Hall in the first round to form what must be the league’s youngest secondary.’

‘Colonial America, modern Latin American history and African anthropology. Not exactly a way to relax the mind in the NFL’s offseason, but that’s what Bills linebacker Keith Ellison was busy tackling during the winter quarter at Oregon State the past couple of months.’

‘Here’s how the Bills’ key areas entering free agency look now, and how they might be addressed the rest of the offseason…’.

‘It would be hard to find a team with a better top to bottom draft last year than the Buffalo Bills.’

‘Coming off a very successful NFL Europe season last spring Jackson, who began the year at 213 pounds, lost five pounds through the grind of the 10 week campaign. He was down to 208, but his body needed rest. “I came back and was lighter than I wanted to be,” said Jackson of his return to the United States prior to Bills training camp. “I didn’t have time to put on weight like I wanted to.” But with the benefit of a full offseason following the 2006 year, Jackson weighed in Monday at 216 pounds.’

‘It would have been madness to keep any free agent at the price Clements commanded, much less a player like, well, Clements. The Bills need to look at the Patriots model, where players are replaceable while scheme, adaptability, and effort are not. Frankly, for a team that last won a playoff game in Bill Clinton’s first term, the Bills may as well avoid dropping ridiculous amounts of cash on players who oscillate from shutdown to shaky depending on the game if they hope to win one before the end of George W. Bush’s second term.’

‘”When big name free agents leave it’s a prime opportunity,” said Crowell. “This is the time to start proving yourself to show them that you are ready to step up and that the coaches don’t have to look elsewhere. It’s almost a motivational move for most guys knowing that someone else is leaving. It gives guys a chance to step up.”‘

‘In addition to those two testing procedures players will also do some weight training and some running this week. "We do interval training," said Allaire. "So the longest they’ll run at any one time is two minutes."’

‘The trade of McGahee has ensured the team will select a running back on the first day. Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson is the best in the draft, and it is possible, though not likely, he could fall to the Bills at the 12th spot. Most projections have them taking California’s Marshawn Lynch, who is a notch below Peterson but has game-breaking ability. Another possibility in the second or third round is Arizona’s Chris Henry, a big back with outstanding speed.’

‘Players of Thurman Thomas’ ilk don’t show up on the draft board all that often, but some maneuvering with Adrian Peterson in mind might be worth it for the Bills, maybe via dealing some of the picks they got while shedding last year’s rushing underachiever. That way, the recently re-signed Anthony Thomas can step into the Kenneth Davis role at which he would excel, backing up and occasionally spelling a potential galloping juggernaut of a superstar the team would be designating the clear-cut primary carrier. It’s better than hoping three ‘C’ students would beat one smart guy in a special handicap match of Jeopardy!’

His illness has worn away some of the old bitterness. “Now I’m just happy to be alive,” he said.’

‘”I’m a believer that if you have a number of good backs, and you keep them all fresh and keep them all happy, I think you’re better off,” Jauron said.’