Two Bills Drive

‘"Buffalo fans are awesome, a lot like Nebraskans," the defensive end said. "Where I come from, that’s all there is to do in Nebraska, play Cornhusker football. Buffalo Bills fans are the same – it’s 12 months out of the year."’

‘The ability of the Bills’ brass to keep their plans a secret was evidenced by how long it took ESPN’s Chris Berman to speculate that the Bills were going to gamble on McGahee. Berman, who always gets the Bills’ pick accurately from "a cab driver," didn’t actually say it was McGahee until a second before the pick was announced.’

‘”The only thing different about where you’re picked — first, second, third round, whatever — is the money aspect and I’m not in this for the money,” Kelsay said. “Anybody I’ve ever been around or played with will tell you that. Sure, some people said I’d go higher but I’m thankful to go as high as I did. And I was grateful when that phone rang and the Buffalo Bills were on the other line.”‘

”’It ought to be fun this year,” Schobel said with a wide grin.’

"There were a lot of new faces out there today. We made a lot of moves last year bringing Drew (Bledsoe) and Kevin (Gilbride's) offense with Eric (Moulds) and company- we had the weapons to get it done on the offensive side of the ball. Now we have our defensive side of the ball all ready. I'm excited where we are headed."

Buffalo’s crowded backfield: The club recently signed him to a one-year extension, through the 2005 season, basically because Henry didn’t have enough money to make it through the offseason. So he pocketed a $300,000 signing bonus, which ought to get him through training camp, and added a year to his original deal, at a team-friendly base salary of $1.25 million.

For nearly two months, four times a day, Kelsay would run in the morning, lift weights after lunch and do position drills later in the afternoon. During the evenings, he’d meet with a sports psychologist to work on various intelligence tests. All of this in preparation for the Senior Bowl and the league’s scouting combine in Indianapolis.

DE Bruce Smith will be at minicamp and says he intends to stick around for his 19th NFL season in the fall. Smith, 39, is only three sacks shy of Reggie White’s NFL record of 198. He didn’t commit to returning even when members of the organization and his agent said they expected him to play.

‘"I’ve been working hard. I’ve been going at it every day, six days a week, nonstop. That’s my main concern six days a week."’

‘And as he stood at the podium Thursday, a diamond earring in his right lobe, a confident smile on his face, who could help but wonder at the possibilities that could accompany the Bills cap atop his head?’

‘The Florida State player had signed with the Bills as a free agent in January after he was released by Washington last preseason.’

The Bills haven’t ruled out placing McGahee on the physically unable to perform list, allowing him more time to rehab. Under NFL rules, the Bills would have the option to activate McGahee between weeks 10-14.

"It feels really good. I am very pleased to be here. I received a very warm welcome and things are starting out on the right foot. I have a job to do and that is the reason I came here (to Buffalo)."

‘The most likely scenario is that he will play special teams and eventually become a third receiver. At UNC, Aiken returned kicks and was on coverage squads.’

‘”He (Aiken) runs good routes,” Bills’ receivers coach Fred Graves said in a news conference following the draft. “I’d say he and Josh are about the same speed; he may be a step faster than Josh.”’