Two Bills Drive

‘…reporters questioned Phillips about his curious turn of a phrase. "Home run throw forward just rolls of your tongue,” a reporter said. "Well, that’s what it was,” Phillips replied.’

‘Never, in the recent history of the Buffalo Bills, have the veterans felt so safe on cutdown day. Having lost 15 players from last season’s 53-man roster and injured reserve list, there was plenty of room to make this year’s squad. Sure enough, in the 27 cuts the Bills made to get from the training camp limit of 80 down to the regular-season maximum, only one actually played for Buffalo last season. Second-year running back Lennox Gordon, who saw limited action in eight games a year ago, was one of Sunday’s final 12 cuts. And he was a circumstantial victim. Buffalo has committed to a one-back attack this year and already has four quality runners in Antowain Smith, Jonathan Linton, Sean Bryson and Sammy Morris, who can also play fullback. Joining Gordon on Sunday’s cut list were quarterback Mike Cawley, receivers Drew Haddad and Kevin Drake, defensive backs Reggie Durden, Nick Ferguson and Jay Hill, tight end Ivan Gustafson, linebacker Dustin Cohen, defensive end Jarrett Procell, guard Corey Hulsey and fullback Josh Roth, the former Pine Valley and University at Buffalo star. Of that group, only Cawley, Drake, Ferguson and Hulsey had been in an NFL camp before and none of them had made a roster.’

‘…Buffalo benefits as well. The Bills were desperate to come up with a kick returner after this year’s fourth-round choice, wide receiver Avion Black, fumbled the role away. Thus the bid for Watson, who returned a Broncos franchise-record 48 kicks last season for a 23.7-yard average. "I think he still has a great future," Shanahan said. "But it’s always tough. Any time you come from college and you don’t have that spring ball experience that he didn’t have throughout his career, there’s going to be a learning curve and some growing pains. And he went through some of those growing pains. But he’s a heck of an athlete, he’s very talented, and that’s one of the reasons a number of teams were interested in him. They see the potential, too. He’s going to get better and better."’

‘For most of his 16 NFL seasons, wide receiver Andre Reed has been a shining star. Now he’ll be making cameo appearances for the Denver Broncos. There had been speculation that Reed, who has 941 career receptions, second only to San Francisco’s Jerry Rice, would not even make Denver’s final roster. It turns out he did, but only as a role player. Coach Mike Shanahan said he thinks Reed can deal with it. "Not only for Andre, but for any veteran who has been a starter and has played in the NFL, I think it’s always tough to go back and play in a backup role," Shanahan said Sunday after he announced the Broncos’ final cuts to reach the 53-man roster. "If you’re a competitor, which all of these guys are, you want to play and you want to show what you can do. But everybody’s got to know their role as well."’

‘A three-year starter at Eastern Illinois, he [Chris Watson] was a sprinter with the track team during the spring, when the football team usually receives valuable instructional work. And he missed part of his senior season because of an injury. “He really was just learning the defensive back position, and I think he still has a great future,” [Broncos’ coach Mike] Shanahan said. “But it’s always tough any time you come from college and you don’t have that spring ball experience that he didn’t have throughout his career. There’s going to be a learning curve and some growing pains, and he went through some of those growing pains. “But he’s a heck of an athlete. He’s really talented, and that’s one of the reasons a number of teams were interested in him.”‘

‘The Bills traded an undisclosed 2001 draft pick Sunday to the Denver Broncos for second-year cornerback Chris Watson. Watson, 23, the Broncos’ third-round draft choice (67th overall) a year ago, was an All-Rookie selection by College & Pro Football Newsweekly. He ranked fifth in the AFC with a 23.7-yard average on franchise-record 48 kickoffs, including a long of 71 yards. He wasn’t as prolific on punt returns, averaging less than eight yards per attempt (44 returns for 334 yards), but took one 81 yards for a touchdown. The Bills didn’t get Watson for his kick return prowess alone. The Chicago native was a three-year starter at Eastern Illinois at cornerback and safety. He played in 14 games for the Broncos last year, starting once. "He certainly fits our needs," Bills coach Wade Phillips said. "We were looking for a return guy who could help at corner. He’s a talented player. You can’t take them all, but he was a kid we liked last year and kind of followed. Getting him is a real plus for us."’

‘Former University at Buffalo stars Drew Haddad and Josh Roth were cut by the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but they probably still have a future with the team. NFL teams have until 4 p.m. today to sign players who were released. After the deadline, teams can add up to five players to their practice squad. Haddad and Roth are expected to be brought back to the Bills if they clear waivers. "They both have the ability to play," Bills coach Wade Phillips said. "I thought both of them did well. I think both of them need some grooming, but I think they have potential and I like both of them. Haddad, we knew had talent. Roth, I think, was a surprise that he did so well. I think they did a great job for us."’

‘There were absolutely no surprises yesterday when Buffalo Bills coach Wade Phillips trimmed his roster to the NFL-mandated limit of 53. The only cut that drew even a mild upward turn of an eyebrow was the release of quarterback Mike Cawley, but not because Cawley’s play warranted him a spot on the roster. Cawley was decidedly unimpressive in the brief work he received in the four preseason games, but his departure leaves the Bills dangerously thin at quarterback for the first month of the season. The only healthy quarterbacks are starter Rob Johnson and third-stringer Alex Van Pelt as Doug Flutie continues to recover from a groin pull that will keep him inactive for at least the first three games. Should anything happen to Johnson and Van Pelt had to play, the Bills would be one play away from having to use an emergency quarterback, probably punter Chris Mohr.’

2. Buffalo 9-7

‘The Buffalo Bills cut 12 players, including second-year running back Lennox Gordon, while also acquiring return specialist Chris Watson from the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The cuts bring the Bills’ roster down to the maximum 53 in preparation for next weekend’s start of the regular season.’

‘In a span of one year, Carpenter’s career has taken a dramatic leap forward. He came to the Bills last year as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Virginia Tech, where he was a second-team All-Big East selection as a senior. And while he made the Bills’ regular-season roster, he was still a relative unknown whose only playing time came on special teams. Now many people know Carpenter, who is well aware of how far he’s come in such a short time. "I feel blessed just to have the opportunity to contribute to a great organization like the Bills," said Carpenter, 22. "A lot of guys don’t get this kind of opportunity until their third or fourth year in the league. I was blessed to be put in a perfect situation at the right time."’

‘No team in the division left a bigger impression on the Colts, by virtue of their 31-6 victory in the regular-season finale. "Buffalo dismembered us at the end of the season," said Polian. Though much has been made of the departures of Smith, Reed and Thurman Thomas, all were little more than situational players last season, and their replacements — defensive end Marcellus Wiley, receiver Peerless Price and running back Antowain Smith are already experienced, productive players. "The fellows that they lost, even though they’re very close to my heart and clearly among the greatest players in the history of the game, last year were really just role players for them," Polian said. "So they were prepared to have those players leave and have very adequate replacements on hand." If coach Wade Phillips can massage the quarterback situation to keep it from becoming controversial — he’s made it clear Rob Johnson is the man, with Doug Flutie in reserve — the offense has few holes and the defense is still one of the nastiest in the game.’

‘With this changing of the guard, there is excitement on One Bills Drive that this new herd can stampede its way back to the top of the AFC East and perhaps win a playoff game for the first time since 1995. However, there is also skepticism surrounding a young team that has to find its way with a potentially superb but largely untested quarterback leading the way.’

‘The Bills, sans The Big Three and 15 players overall from last season’s 11-5 playoff club, are relishing the opportunity to disprove the consensus opinion that they’ve lost too much firepower to remain a Super Bowl contender. They say people are overrating the loss of golden-oldie stars like Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith and Andre Reed and underrating their young, talented replacements like Shawn Bryson, Marcellus Wiley and Peerless Price. They say that yes, the team will feature seven new starters, but there are also 15 returnees, forming the nucleus of a defense that ranked No. 1 in the NFL and a No. 11 offense that should be much more explosive with Johnson taking over for Doug Flutie.’

‘Morris proved he’s more than just a reserve blocker in the Bills’ 16-12 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The fifth-round draft choice from Texas Tech is a viable backup option for the Bills at running back this season. Morris gained 101 yards on 27 carries and caught two passes for 41 yards. He did it mostly against backup performers. But he showed the shiftiness and quickness necessary to be a versatile contributor – one who can fill two roles for the Bills. “That was more carries than I had in any other day of reps in camp,” Morris said. “It felt good. I just wanted to run as hard as I could.” “Sammy’s a talented player who’s going to help us this year,” coach Wade Phillips said.’