Inside The Bills

Belief in Young lies in QB tutors

There might be some NFL clubs out there that don’t harbor the same faith that the Bills do in Vince Young. There’s a good reason why.

A good number of NFL clubs don’t have the quarterback tutors that Buffalo possesses. The Bills have head coach Chan Gailey and QBs coach David Lee, two of the more renowned molders of quarterbacks. Both have a long track record of maximizing the talents of quarterbacks, and Young has an awful lot of talent.

GM Buddy Nix sounded convinced that their abilities as coaches will bring out the best, and minimize any flaws in Vince Young’s game.

“We’ve got two of the best quarterback coaches in the business, starting with Coach Gailey and then David Lee,” said Nix. ”Those guys are good teachers. I remember I saw Vince practice as a freshman at Texas. It goes way back. I’ve always admired his ability and the things he can do. I think our guys will get him more accurate and help him as far as not turning the ball over.”

Gailey has maximized the quarterback talents of players like Kordell Stewart and Jay Fiedler, and Ryan Fitzpatrick has been more successful under Gailey than any other coach in the NFL. Lee revived Chad Pennington’s career in Miami and has maximized the talent of a countless number of college quarterbacks. With that kind of tutelage guiding him, Young should be at his best in Buffalo.

Nix: Young won’t be a distraction

Bills GM Buddy Nix already knows that with a recognizable quarterback like Vince Young now on the roster in a backup capacity that the public perception is he could become a distraction. Nix made it clear right off the bat, that’s not going to take place.

“Let me just say this to start with, he won’t be a distraction here, and neither will anybody else,” said Nix. ”It may start out, but it won’t last — I can promise you. That’s not a problem. I think he is a guy that with our… we’ve got two of the best quarterback coaches in the business. Starting with Coach Gailey and then David Lee. Those guys are good teachers. They will do what he can do best and trust me, he’s a big, good athlete that can do a lot of things for you.”

Gailey on Young’s assets

Bills head coach Chan Gailey was asked about the acquisition of Vince Young at the close of rookie minicamp Friday.

“He’s done some great things,” Gailey said. ”(Buddy) thought that was a great guy for us to bring in because we’ve talked all along about wanting to continually try to bring in guys who can compete for jobs. And he can compete for a job. I’m looking forward to working with him.

“He’s got a great arm. When he worked out here, he threw it very well. Everybody knows his mobility. He brings you that, and he’s won football games in the NFL. That’s another positive.”

Fred on addition of Young

Bills RB Fred Jackson offered his thoughts on the team’s acquisition of free agent QB Vince Young Friday.

“He’s coming in to compete for the backup job, so he’s another playmaker for us and they’ll find ways to get him in there to compete. He’s another good signing for us so we’ll see what happens,” said Jackson. “I’m sure he can still play. He’s a playmaker and made plays all the time when he had the opportunity. I’m sure he’ll compete with Brad (Smith) and Tyler (Thigpen). We know Fitz is our starting quarterback and he’ll come in and compete for the backup job.”

Is Young a wildcat option?

Vince Young is now on board after agreeing to terms with the Bills Friday. By most accounts his workout was impressive in terms of his passing accuracy and touch with receivers he had not worked with prior. But the comment by GM Buddy Nix leads one to believe that this addition could be more about Young’s legs.

Nix made the following comment when it was announced that Young had agreed to terms.

“He brings with him some unique physical abilities that most are aware of and that will make the competition interesting,” said Nix.

Both Tyler Thigpen and Brad Smith are mobile quarterbacks with Smith being the team’s wildcat option quarterback. Could Young offer wildcat potential as well? He certainly seems athletic enough to be worthy of consideration.

Head coach Chan Gailey does value mobility in his quarterbacks, but who earns wildcat duty might prove to be the most interesting part of the quarterback competition behind Ryan Fitzpatrick on the depth chart.

Rookie minicamp participants

Here’s a rundown of who is participating in this weekend’s rookie minicamp.

We’ll have you covered on the happenings this weekend on Buffalobills.com. First-year players are listed at the top, followed by the rookies (draft picks and undrafted signings). The players with red jerseys (R) are tryout players here for the weekend as they make an effort to earn a spot on the offseason roster.

1st year players
87 – Kevin Brock – TE – 2011 practice squad
93 - Jay Ross – DT – 2011 practice squad
62 – Jake Vermiglio – G – 2011 practice squad
68 – Keith Williams – G – 2011 practice squad
69 – Mike Jasper – G – 2011 practice squad

Draft choices and undrafteds
3 - John Potter - K - Western Michigan 
6 - Shawn Powell - P - Florida State 
7 - Aaron Corp - QB - Richmond 
11 - T.J. Graham - WR - NC State 
27 - Stephon Gilmore - CB - South Carolina 
33 - Ron Brooks - CB - LSU
35 - Chris Douglas - RB - Missouri State 
36 - Delano Howell - DB - Stanford 
39 - Cris Hill - DB - Virginia Tech 
40 - Garrick Williams – LB - Texas A&M 
41 - Nick Sukay - DB - Penn State 
42 - Ian Wild - DB - Mercyhurst 
45 - Tank Carder - LB - TCU 
53 - Nigel Bradham - LB - Florida State 
61 - David Snow - C - Texas
63 - Mark Asper - OL - Oregon 
66 - Zebrie Sanders - OT - Florida State 
73 - Paul Madsen - OL - Colorado State 
77 - Cordy Glenn - OT - Georgia 

Tryout players (wearing red jerseys – R)
1R Taylor Boggs - C - Humboldt State 
2R Zach Brown - RB - Pittsburgh 
3R Vince Browne - DE - Northwestern 
4R Derek Buttles - TE - Maine 
5R Roddell Carter - WR - Alabama-Birmingham 
6R Nick Clark – LB - Alfred
7R Dominic Cook - DB - Buffalo 
8R Gino Crump - WR - Arizona 
9R Dorin Dickerson - FB - Pittsburgh 
10R Sean Ferguson - DE - Mississippi State 
11R Kevin Fitzpatrick – WR - Marist 
12R Corey Hart - DE - Alabama A&M 
13R Johnny Hollins - DT - Texas Southern 
14R Brian Smith – LB – Notre Dame 
15R Byron Mulkey - DB - Buffalo 
16R Nick Saenz - S - Houston 
17R Derek Session - WR - Maine 
18R Bernard Smith - DE - Louisiana-Lafayette 
19R Alex Tanney - QB - Monmouth College 
20R Jeff Thomas - LB - Indiana
21R Logan Walls - DT - Georgia Tech

Fred on ESPN2

Bills RB Fred Jackson is scheduled to appear on ESPN2 at 4:30 this afternoon (Friday).

Jackson is making an appearance on the Dan LeBatard show ‘Highly Questionable.’ The Bills tailback just signed a multi-year contract extension with the club earlier this week.

C.J.’s day vs. Miami ranked #1

Bills RB C.J. Spiller ranked at the top of the ProFootballFocus list for best single-game running back performances in 2011 with his big Week 16 outing against Miami last season.

The film reviewers and stat lovers at PFF reviewed every carry, pass protection and receiving of every back in the league in 2011 and Spiller’s two-touchdown, 167 yards from scrimmage effort against Miami was tops in the NFL.

1. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills: Week 15 vs. Miami (+6.6)

This may surprise a few, but in a game where Spiller averaged 7.6 yards per carry, added 78 yards in the air and totaled two touchdowns … well, you’ll struggle to find a running back make as significant an impact per snap they’re on the field. What made this so good was that he wasn’t assisted by great blocking, but simply made Miami pay over and over again. Nothing summed his day up like his touchdown with 5:01 to go in Q1.

If you want to watch some of the better plays by Spiller in that game and why he was so successful just check out our film review with offensive coordinator Curtis Modkins in that game as Spiller made our Top 10 Performances of 2011 as well.

Draft choice jersey numbers

Here is the list of jersey numbers to be worn by Buffalo’s 2012 draft class this weekend at rookie minicamp.

CB Stephon Gilmore – 27
OT Cordy Glenn - 77
WR T.J. Graham - 11
LB Nigel Bradham - 53
CB Ron Brooks - 33
OT Zebrie Sanders - 66
LB Tank Carder - 45
C/G Mark Asper - 63
K John Potter - 3

Here also is the list of jersey numbers to be worn by the undrafted rookies that were signed by the club.

QB Aaron Corp - 7
RB Chris Douglas - 35
CB Cris Hill - 39
S Delano Howell - 36
OT Paul Madsen - 73W
P Shawn Powell - 6
C David Snow - 61
S Nick Sukay - 41
S Ian Wild - 42
LB Garrick Williams - 40

Bills chose not to move up in Rd 2

In our exclusive interview with Bills GM Buddy Nix and head coach Chan Gailey about what unfolded in the Bills draft room on the first two days of the draft there were a few items that wound up on the cutting room floor. Here’s one of them.

I asked Buddy if there were more trade offers on day two of the draft than day one, and he said there were. More offers were to have Buffalo move up the board. Ultimately, the Bills decided not to move up in round 2 feeling they stood a good chance to get the guy they wanted staying where they were.

“There was only one team that called for us to move back that wanted to move up to our spot,” said Nix. ”And it was way back and we wouldn’t consider it. It was too far back. We wouldn’t  have probably considered it anyway because we felt like we were going to get one of the targeted guys. The other people were the same people wanting to move back and have you move up. Again we didn’t panic and move up and give up some spots and it worked out good.”

Buffalo sat right where they were and still got Cordy Glenn, an offensive tackle they considered taking in round one.

The trade up for Graham

Here’s a peek at what went down in Buffalo’s draft room on draft weekend when they decided to trade up for WR T.J. Graham in round 3.

In an exclusive interview with Buffalobills.com, head coach Chan Gailey explains what went down and why the decision was made to move up to secure the speed receiver.

“For what you gained at that point in time for what you had to give up it wasn’t that big of a decision for us,” said Gailey. ”To me I think Buddy said, ‘Hey we’re this close, why not guarantee ourselves the pick, just to give up a seventh rounder in this draft.’ We already had another seventh rounder so it wasn’t like that was a huge leap of faith or anything. It was just trying to insure that we got one of those fast guys.”

Nix said that Buffalo liked four of the speed receivers that they felt were worthy of coming off the board at that time in round 3, but three of them were already gone and it was still a few picks away from when the Bills would be on the clock.

Be sure to watch the Inside the Draft Room special as there are many other behind the scenes events that went down in assembling this year’s draft class.

Nix on how Glenn pick came to be

As part of our Inside the draft room special on Buffalobills.com, GM Buddy Nix and head coach Chan Gailey walk us through what happened in the draft room through the course of the team’s first three choices, and what teams were interested in making possible moves with Buffalo.

After taking Stephon Gilmore in round one, the Bills zeroed in on Cordy Glenn with their second-round pick. But with only two offensive tackles coming off the board in round one there was concern that the run on tackles could start before Buffalo’s ninth pick in round 2.

“We were concerned,” said Nix. ”The thing we felt good about was we had four guys at that pick (that we liked) and we thought one of the four would be there. We didn’t know if it would be a tackle or not. As it turned out it was, but one of the four would’ve been there.”

Knowing there were eight picks before Buffalo’s and they had four players they liked at 41, I followed up by asking Buddy if they were sweating just a bit.

“Obviously you sweat it. You can’t help but have your favorites,” he said. ”We kind of knew what five of the picks were going to be and we knew our guys were going to be there.”

Be sure to watch our exclusive Inside the Draft Room piece in its entirety. It’s stuff you won’t find anywhere else.

Inside the Bills draft room

Just wanted to make everyone aware that our much anticipated Inside the Bills Draft room special is now available at the media center of Buffalobills.com. Here’s a small snippet of what Bills GM Buddy Nix revealed to us regarding trade talk and their top pick at 10th overall.

There were a couple of teams in frequent contact with the Bills and it wasn’t to have the Bills move down, but rather up higher in the top 10.

“They were both in the top 10,” said Nix. ”They both made calls before the draft and then made them before their pick. Same two to move to the same spots. Again we usually let it come to us and that’s what we did again.”

When I asked if the price to move up was too steep Nix said it wasn’t.

“It wasn’t a high price,” he said. ”It was very reasonable. We could’ve moved easily, but I look at the guy we got and the pick they wanted for us to move up and it wouldn’t have been worth it.”

Check out what else Nix and head coach Chan Gailey had to say about how each of the team’s first three picks came down.

Bills AFL RB Carlton to be honored

Former Bills RB Wray Carlton is going to be honored tonight in his home state of North Carolina.

Carlton will be inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame this evening (Thursday). The player who scored the first touchdown in Bills history was an All-ACC performer and honorable mention All-American at Duke and a heralded three-sport high school star.

Carlton still lives in Orchard Park long after his playing days came to an end in 1968.

4-3 ‘D’ will put D-line on attack

Bills DT Kyle Williams in all likelihood won’t be lining up in a three-point stance until training camp in late July. That has dampened his enthusiasm for what could be this season for Buffalo’s defense with all the top flight additions. Going back to a 4-3 base front doesn’t hurt either.

“I think for me, what I was doing in our old defense really wasn’t that difference from what I had been doing,” he said. ”I really had played more 3-4 techniques starting that year. I had played mostly shade or two-eye in my first few years. I got some three technique movement work but not much.

“In the last defense with George (Edwards) is when I really started to move around and started to get on guards kind of finding matchups and different things like that. I think that’s what we’re going to do now is they’re going to ask me to move around, put my hand on the ground and go.

“I think coming back with my foot and hopefully going to be 100% will allow me to do what I do best which is attack and get after guys. I’m definitely excited about it. I think the good thing is we have a whole lineup of guys and a whole room full of guys that I think that’s what they’re built for. They’re designed to get down, get off the ball and attack guys. Just speaking for me personally I’m excited about it. I’m excited that getting healthy in the defense we’ve got going and the players we’ve got. I’m excited about what we could do.”

Bills tryout QB a trick shot artist

Bills QBs be warned. Do not get into a trick shot passing contest with Monmouth tryout QB Alex Tanney, who signed as one of 21 tryout players with Buffalo.

Here’s a look at some of Tanney’s amazing accuracy and from what I can tell no trick camera work. Impressive stuff.

Pair of UB DBs to try out

The Bills have a couple of local products coming in for the team’s rookie minicamp this weekend.

CB Domonic Cook and CB Byron Mulkey will be practicing with the team’s draft choices Friday-Sunday.

Cook is a former undrafted rookie that was signed by Buffalo last year, but he suffered a season-ending injury the first week of training camp last summer.

National optimism for Bills

The Bills offseason has got national pundits excited about the team’s chances this coming season.

Count CBSSports.com’s Clark Judge among them. He sees Buffalo with more wins than losses in 2012.

The Bills made strong offseason moves, including the additions of linebacker Mario Williams and defensive end Mark Anderson, but none is stronger than naming Dave Wannstedt as defensive coordinator. With Wannstedt in charge, the club goes to a 4-3 that should improve on its next-to-last-place standing in sacks and No. 19 ranking in pass defense. Williams and Anderson will squeeze the pocket, while first-round draft pick Stephon Gilmore should step immediately as a starter at cornerback. Adding Nigel Bradham and Tank Carder brings depth at linebacker, while versatile Cordy Glenn was a second-round steal who should be in the mix at left tackle.

All the moves are aimed at improving in the AFC East, and you don’t gain ground unless you figure out how to overcome Tom Brady who, it just so happens, is 18-2 against Buffalo. With the defensive additions the Bills just made, I like their chances of finishing second in the AFC East and producing their first winning season since 2004.

Judge also likes Fred Jackson getting extended with his only concern being the schedule, with just 2 clubs in the first 10 games that finished under .500 last season.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/18990021/playoffs?-these-five-2011-also-rans-have-a-good-shot-at-getting-there

O-line ranks pre-2012

The Bills offensive line was bolstered by the addition of three draft choices a couple of weeks ago. Now O-lines across the league are being re-ranked based on those additions.

Rotoworld took the latest stab at it ranking Buffalo in the middle of the pack. Here’s their assessment.

13. Buffalo Bills

LT: Cordy Glenn
LG: Andy Levitre*
C: Eric Wood*
RG: Chad Rinehart*
RT: Erik Pears*

Top reserves: OT Chris Hairston, OG Kraig Urbik*, OT Sam Young, OT Zebrie Sanders, OG Michael Jasper.

Overview: The Bills’ 2011 offensive line graded out as the NFL’s top pass-protecting unit, according to both Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders. Though no doubt assisted by Ryan Fitzpatrick’s quick release, Buffalo allowed a league-low 23 sacks, which is another strong vote for the argument that elite left tackle play isn’t necessarily a difference-making NFL quality. The Bills feel they improved on the left by stealing Glenn with the 41st pick in the draft, and bring back incumbent Hairston as a talented, tested backup. Similar players Urbik and Rinehart will vie for the right guard job. Wood is returning from a torn right ACL, but should be close to 100 percent by camp and has been a dominant center when healthy. While this group lacks household names, its combination of continuity, athleticism, and impressive scheming makes it quietly a top O-Line.

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/40484/179/2012-offensive-line-rankings?pg=2

Fred on ESPN2

Bills RB Fred Jackson is making an appearance on ESPN’s NFL 32 program tonight (Monday).

Jackson will appear by phone at 6pm on NFL 32 on ESPN2 after he signed his contract extension with the Bills Monday.