Inside The Bills

Fan Friday 12-2

Welcome home Bills. Haven’t played at the Ralph in a month! Let’s get to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 – Chris,

I am really concerned about the linebackers and DB’s. Even though they have a lot of turnovers they look very inadequate in coverage. Nick Barnett is the only linebacker that shows up consistently, and the pass coverage is awful for a team that is supposed to have some good back end players. Is this a scheme problem or are we not talented enough? Turnovers are great but you still have to defend the pass! They’ve played like they were afraid to get beat instead of playing like they are trying to win.  

Thanks,  Dale
Tillsonburg, ON.      

CB: While I will agree that the coverage saw a noticeable drop off against Dallas, I felt it was better against Miami, but slipped due mainly to mental mistakes against the Jets. I believe there are a few things at work here.

First and foremost the pass rush is non-existent. This forces Buffalo’s defensive backs to cover longer, which makes their job more difficult.

Second, the last two weeks Buffalo has had three rookies in the secondary for extended portions of the game. In their nickel package they’ve got Aaron Williams, Da’Norris Searcy and Justin Rogers.

Their lack of playing time in the NFL and together under live fire has compromised the consistency of the coverage down in and down out. All three of them will get better with each passing week, but we’ve seen some growing pains and without a pass rush it’s not making the job any easier.

2 - Chris,
 
Maybe a stupid question but why don’t they look into the long snapper as the center.. seems like they have similar tasks. I know the communication situation is different but he can obviously snap..
 thanks for the work you do.
 
Eric
displaced bills fan in AZ
CB: I think it’s a very valid question actually. For some reason the long snapping job became a specialized role. The long snap is unquestionably more difficult and does require a lot of practice to keep accuracy and proper velocity consistent. That being said I don’t see why a center or even backup center could not have the time to get enough work in to be a good one.

For some reason quality long snappers are pretty hard to find. I recently overheard Bills special teams coordinator Bruce DeHaven speaking with one of Buffalo’s players. The player was telling him how at the Division II college level there aren’t many good long snappers and how they just usually have a guy that can chuck it back there. DeHaven responded (tongue in cheek) as follows.

“There aren’t too many good long snappers at this level. There are some long snappers in this league that shouldn’t be doing it.”

Fortunately Buffalo has a quality long snapper in Garrison Sanborn.

Thanks for the kind words.

3 - Hey Chris.

I don’t want to sound pessimistic but I got to call a spade a spade and say that the Bills will be looking at next season because chances are this one is a wrap with the immense injuries and lack of depth the team has on the o-line, wide receiving corps and cornerback. 

With that being said the bills were quick to sign Fitz after the couple games he performed admirably. Would Fred Jackson not be a major part of the puzzle that the bills are trying hard to complete but haven’t for the past 10 years???? Do you feel they aren’t willing to pay him the money it looks to me he deserves and this is another cost saving move by management????? Thanks for all the great coverage you do Chris and here’s to hoping the bills get it right in the upcoming off season.

CB: First, thanks for the kind words. Fred Jackson put up undeniable numbers and listening to Chan Gailey I’d be shocked if the team didn’t make efforts in the offseason to get Jackson an extension. He’s currently signed through the end of the 2012 season, but that contract is something I think everyone would agree he has outperformed. To what degree? Well that’s up to the Bills management to decide.

I expect the Bills to do right by Jackson. Fred had a face-to-face meeting with GM Buddy Nix about six weeks ago and was encouraged by what came out of that meeting. Here’s what Fred said when asked about his thoughts on getting a new contract.

“I felt like I did as much as I could,” he said. “That hopefully will just take care of itself. It’s not something I’m going to worry about right now. I put faith in Buddy and that’s all I can do. He’s a man of his word so I’ll have faith in him and see what happens.”

I think it would be hard for the Bills to not extend Jackson’s contract to some degree. He’s not only the offensive MVP for this team, but his performance was among the league leaders in several categories including yards after the catch and the guy is a running back! Add in that this guy is the heart and soul of this team and if the organization does right by him it would also do a world of good in the locker room. If an organization takes care of a player that performs and lays it all out there on Sundays it serves as a powerful message to the rest of the players on the team. Especially one as respected as Jackson.

4 - Chris,

I enjoy keeping up with the Bills, through your column.  In the games that I have been able to watch this year, it seems that Fitzpatrick doesn’t have a very strong arm.  Is this something that can be strengthened and provide him with more arm strength? 

Frustrated fan in Keller, Texas
Kevin S.

CB: Thanks for the kind words. With respect to Fitz’s arm strength, Chan Gailey has confirmed that it is a strong enough arm to make all the throws necessary in his offense. Is Fitz’s arm an Elway arm? No, but few are. What makes Fitz so successful is his ability to diagnose and anticipate allowing him to get the ball out quicker thereby getting the ball there usually just as fast as the rocket arm passers.

I think Fitz has struggled with short stretches of inaccuracy (see Miami game). Fact is though that he’s second in the AFC in completion percentage behind Tom Brady, so I don’t know that you want to criticize a quarterback that has a pretty good shot of going to the Pro Bowl.

5 -  Chris

After years of watching the Bills suffer players going down on IR, can’t the league eliminate Injured reserve?  If and when a player is healthy let him come back.  It is ridiculous that players like Fred Jackson, Roscoe Parrish cannot come back and contribute.  Also can the Bills question why a compensatory pick cannot be given for a player like Marcus Easley where by no fault of the player or the team, we lose a draft pick and his contribution? 

Thanks Travis

CB: I think the rules for injured reserve will not be changed until and if the league goes to an 18-game regular season. Then I would anticipate an injured reserve where a player would be eligible to return in six weeks or so. The decision on Fred was a tough one because if by some miracle things fall right and Buffalo qualifies for the playoffs, he’d likely be ready to play the second weekend in January.

Compensatory picks for a player lost to a medical condition is not going to garner any support as I see it. Luck of the draw is the response I’d anticipate from the league and its owners.

Fan Friday 11-25

Well Bills fans this week’s game will determine what the last five weeks of the regular season will be about. Everyone knows what a win and what a loss will do for Buffalo down the stretch. Let’s hope for the best and get to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - Hey Chris,
What’s going on with the offense? CJ Spiller & BRad Smith were brought in to provide a spark on offense and aren’t being used as well as they should be. There’s only so much Fred can do, we should’ve been utilizing our 3 possibly 4 headed rushing attack against a jets D that’s not good against the run and the cowboys aren’t the team they’re hyped up to be. I’m a faithful bills fan since the 80′s but I can’t stand to watch this team on tv anymore

As always thanks for all the work u do, and GO BILLS!!!!!

Chris Nogas

CB: Well you’ll see a lot more of C.J. now with Fred out for the season (broken fibula). The one plus is we’ll really be able to gauge C.J.’s progress here in his second season as he’ll be carrying the load for the last six games of the season. When young players get an opportunity like this it can also accelerate their improvement, so going into next season Spiller may be better equipped to do more, much like David Nelson did this year after playing a lot last season.

2 - Chris,

     What are Nix and Gailey going to do about the utter lack of a pass rush? When the “D” does nothing to stop the opposing quarterback, it makes Fitz think he has to go out there and win the game himself. Is it too late for the pass rush to get fixed, either by new blood on the roster or shuffling around who we now have?

Thanks,

Kenny in Indiana

CB: I think the pass rush is going to be a tough thing to fix because the team does not have a proven pass rusher on the roster. Danny Batten, Antonio Coleman and Arthur Moats are nice young prospects, but they’re far from proven. Without a proven pass rusher that opponents have to account for they can spread their protection evenly across the front and the opposing quarterback rests a bit easier.

DC George Edwards has tried to mix in some blitz packages through the course of the season and some have worked (See: Philly game) and some have not. But until they get a proven pass rusher on this roster Edwards will be forced to create pressure with extra rushers and that leaves them vulnerable in coverage at times. It’s risk-reward at its highest level.

3 - Hi Chris,

First off, thank you for all the updates and info…it really means a lot to those of us outside the Buffalo area. 

I know a lot of people have written off Shawn Merriman but as a true Bills fan, I can’t help but have hope. Have you received any updates on Mr. Merriman? Has he had surgery? If so how did it go? I realize that it’s very early, but is there a prognosis for his future in the NFL?

Thanks again, 
James – Wheaton MD

CB: It’s hard to blame those fans that doubt Merriman will ever be the same. They’ve haven’t seen his old form in a few years, and this year ended much like the others in recent years on I-R. Surgery was successful. He did not rupture his Achilles, but he did have his Achilles repaired. Whether he has a rehab as long as those players that rupture their Achilles I do not know. Suffice to say it’s going to take several months before he’s doing football related work again. When we get an update we’ll pass it along.

4 - Hey Chris, will you be doing the live blog again Sunday? Once again no Bills on TV here in Danville, Va.   Thanks a lot.  Hope to be chatting with you on blog soon.

Garry Cross

CB: We’ve got the live blog up every game day on Buffalobills.com so if you’re somewhere in the U-S where the game is not broadcast we can help you out with a running play-by-play and a fan forum where you can ask me questions during the game and converse with one another. Just check the home page right before the game starts.

5 - Chris,

Once again thank you for the website being stationed out in San Diego CA its hard to keep updated on my beloved Buffalo Bills. I am pat of the Bills Backers San Diego club and we all watch the game. Today Mr. Andre Reed showed up and he said the bills are playing with no heart and they look dull. I couldn’t agree more I love my Bills but i’m getting tired of always watching them lose. My question is why have we been abandoning the run game? Fred Jackson get so little touches. But when he does get the ball he makes it happen. The team has even said he is our play maker so why not give him the ball more?

Thanks again Chris.
Jeremy

CB: It’s very hard to disagree with your point. Yes, the last two games got out of hand quickly, which often leads offensive play callers away from the run game. My argument against that at least these past two weeks is there was no rhythm to the passing game, so why not use the run to help move the chains?

Fred only got seven carries against the Dolphins and that game was a two-score game at the half. Now that Fred is out for the season I wouldn’t anticipate the Bills leaning on the run game as much when and if they’re behind by two scores or more on the scoreboard. But I think there’s merit to sticking with the run a bit longer even if you’re behind on the scoreboard when the passing game is out of sync. Perhaps if the run game can at least get you a couple of first downs a rhythm can be established.

Fan Friday 11-18

Couple of big division games here these next two Sundays. Time to fire up another edition of Fan Friday, with your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net. And since I won’t be back with you until next Friday have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

1 - Chris,

Given the recent shortage of WR’s on the team, I can’t help but think about Marcus Easley, wishing he was playing.  Can you give us an update on Marcus?  How is he doing and have they found anything out as of yet?  I know that it may simply be a personal issue that he and/or the team doesn’t want to put out there, but there are plenty of fans thinking of him. 

Thanks,
Dave
CB: Unfortunately I can’t. I just spoke to Easley on Thursday and he is choosing to keep his medical condition private. He would not say whether the condition is career threatening or if he’ll know at some point in the future whether he will be fit to play football. Obviously the hope is that he’ll be able to play again. I think his size and speed could be put to good use on the outside. It’s just unfortunate because by this point in the season it wouldn’t have shocked me if he had earned a starting job.

2 - Chris,

During our great start to the season everyone thought the Bills would eventually fade and return to their rightful spot as a mediocre team.
I’ve seen it said on TV and posted online that the Bills are due for “market correction”. What can this team do to prove everyone wrong and
show that they really are an elite team?

Rob
Salt Lake City

CB: I don’t think it’s going to be easy. Unfortunately the depth of the team has been challenged by injuries, and if you remember Bills GM Buddy Nix was trying to calm everyone down after the fast start saying staying healthy was the key to keep things going. As the rigors of football have claimed two of the team’s best linemen for the season in Kyle Williams and Eric Wood along with some other key players (Roscoe Parrish, Shawne Merriman) with still others in and out of the lineup it’s going to prove difficult to sustain or re-gain the level of success they had earlier this season. I think they’ll still win games, but winning three in a row or four out of five is going to be much more difficult.

3 - Chris,
I suppose there are bigger concerns for the Bills and Bills fans right now, but an article about Josh Nesbitt that was linked to on buffalobills.com got me to wondering again about something I wanted to ask you back when the season began.  I was intrigued that the Bills decided to keep Nesbitt on their practice squad, but to switch him from quarterback to safety.  I guess they didn’t think he had enough quarterback skills to make it at this level, but saw enough general football skills to keep him around?  And who’s idea was it to try the safety position?  Even with all the guys coming and going on the PS as the season progresses, he keeps hanging around.  Do you think he has a legitimate shot at being an NFL safety some day?

Bob in Orlando, FL

CB: Right now I think it’s too early to tell whether Nesbitt can be an NFL safety. I do know that the guy is an athlete. If George Wilson cannot go on Sunday, Nesbitt is likely to be active and see some time on special teams. He was an option QB at Georgia Tech, but has some experience as a defensive back so I believe that’s where the idea started.

4 - Chris,

The Bills “lost” Donte Whitner and POZ through free agency to other teams.  Compensatory picks are sometimes awarded to teams that have a net negative loss of free agents.  I know the formula to calculate compensatory picks is a bit esoteric, but do you think the Bills might have a shot at a compensatory pick higher than a 7th rounder?

I understand you start with the players and the round they were drafted. Lost [Donte (1st rounder) + POZ (2nd rounder)] – Gained [Brad Smith(4th rounder)] = Comp. pick

Then the NFL committee factors in things like playing time, production, etc. Love to see the NFL award the Bills a 5th…….we need all the picks we can get!
 
Tim Neville

P.S.  Correct me if I am wrong, but I left Nick Barrett out because he was waived before the Bills signed him.

CB: You’re right that the Nick Barnett signing would not count in calculating whether the Bills had a net loss of free agents. However, I believe Tyler Thigpen would count toward that total. If so it might be an even two-for-two. That being said the two contracts signed by both Thigpen and Smith don’t add up to what Poz got from Jacksonville (6-$45M). Whitner’s deal was comparable to Thigpen’s.

So while the Bills may not have sustained a net loss of free agents, Poz’s contract size present a good argument that the Bills lost better free agents than it acquired, which would also qualify them for a compensatory pick.

Last year three clubs (Oakland, Seattle and New Orleans) each received a compensatory pick even though they did not suffer a net loss of compensatory free agents last year. Under the league’s formula, the compensatory free agents lost by these clubs were ranked higher than the ones they signed (by a specified point differential based upon salary and performance).

I think that could happen for the Bills next spring based on Poz’s salary and performance. Of course Oakland, Seattle and New Orleans were the last three compensatory picks awarded at the bottom of the seventh round, so that’s where I’d expect the Bills to be given one as well in 2012.

Also remember, last year the league also handed out 11 additional compensatory choices to the teams with the worst records in 2010. The rules state that the number of compensatory picks must equal the number of teams in the league (32). So if the regular compensatory picks distributed falls short of that number the figure is reached by giving compensatories to the teams with the poorest won-loss records. Buffalo got one of those last spring, which they used on Mike Jasper. Hopefully the Bills don’t qualify for that again this offseason, if you know what I mean.

5 – Chris,

I have three other I/R related questions: Earlier this season I read that one of the many reasons that the Colts have kept Peyton on the roster rather than put him on I/R is so Peyton would get paid his full contracted salary for the 2011 season.

1) I thought players got their full salary if they went on I/R since the players are under contract, isn’t that true? (unless they work a deal with the team to separate from the team and get released from the I/R list )

2) If players on I/R don’t get their full salary, while they stay with the Bills to play for them again next season, what type of % of their salary do they get while on I/R.

3) Do salaries being paid to players on I/R remain part of the salary cap or do they come off the cap and fall under another type of classification?
CB: First, players do not get their full salary when they go on injured reserve. The percentage to which their pay is reduced is dependent upon the player’s contract. Typically, younger players see a larger reduction in pay than veteran players and higher draft choices see a smaller reduction in pay, but it’s on a case by case basis.

The players that go on injured reserve still count towards the cap. Obviously with the salary number reduced there’s some relief provided, but NFL clubs must give themselves wiggle room so they can absorb the contract of the new player to replace them on the active roster.

Fan Friday 11-11

First, a salute to all our veterans on this Fan Friday. Thanks for your service. It does not go unappreciated. Now on to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - Why are the Bills not throwing the ball down field? They would open up the run game with some long pass plays. Even when they have a 3rd and 5+ they are throwing 2 or 3 yard passes. Teams will be looking at this and reacting if the Bills don’t strech the field.

B. Gately

CB: While I don’t deny that the Bills do have a lot of faith in their receivers to get yards after the catch, you also have to remember what this offense is designed to do. It’s an anticipation offense built on timing to neutralize an opponent’s pass rush. I’ll let Chan Gailey explain in his own words.

“Really that’s our offense, getting the ball out. It doesn’t matter who we play we’re trying to get the ball out. If the team had three sacks on the season we still are going to run our offense. We understand problems and issues, but we’re trying to get the ball in somebody’s hands to make the play.”

Now that doesn’t mean the Bills won’t go deep. Heck they went deep on Darrelle Revis for the longest pass play of the season against the Jets Pro Bowl corner to Stevie (52 yards). But if you’re expecting the Bills to air it out 10 times a game it’s not happening. A half dozen maybe, but not more than that.

2 – Hey Chris,

Through all of the early success for the Bills this season, one of the factors that seems to be flying under the radar is the lack of penalties. I’ve followed their games closely and, compared to recent years, this team seems to attract less penalties. If so, I’m sure it’s attributed mostly to coaching – but is there some other factor that goes into it? Perhaps a mental focus that wasn’t there in previous years amongst the players or maybe they’re just becoming more solid in their fundamentals? Just curious. Go Bills!

Thanks,
Mark V.
Lancaster, OH

CB: Buffalo has 44 penalties at the midseason mark so they’re averaging about 5.5 penalties a game, which is good. Chan Gailey detests unforced errors, so it is a big focus in the practice setting with the players. I think with most of the players being in the second year of the offensive and defensive schemes helps as well. They’re less worried about their execution so they’re more focused on snap counts and such.

3 – Hi Chris,

5 - Hey Chris,

With the signing of FITZ where exactly are the Bills in terms of the salary cap?  Also, after the Bills re-sign and extend Stevie and Freddy how many of the other Bills free agents do you see us also keeping?  Bell, Pears, Chandler, Parrish, Lindell, and Urbik (restricted) are among the biggest names.  Do Bell’s and Parrish’s injury problems make them expendable? 

Bryan
Grosse Ile, Mi

CB: If you wanted me to guess which players would be re-signed first I would lean toward Erik Pears and Rian Lindell. I’m not sure if Lindell’s injury complicates things, but those contracts would presumably be easier to complete than those of Jackson and Johnson. I don’t see Jackson getting done until the offseason knowing he still has another year left on his current deal. Johnson is probably going to have to wait until the offseason as well. I heard they spoke at the beginning of the year, but were far apart and haven’t spoken since. So regrouping at the end of the year seems more likely. Bell is a tough call. I think the staff and organization really likes Hairston and wouldn’t be surprised if they choose to tab him as the new left tackle as early as next season, which could leave Bell looking for other options, but that’s just a guess on my part at this point.

Fan Friday 10-28

The Bills Toronto Series resumes on Sunday at the Rogers Centre. I’m encouraged about this one knowing Chan and his staff has had two weeks to prepare. Let’s get to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - Hi Chris,                   
With the way our defense is playing very well, as in takeaways, keeping us in games, playing very hard and more, we still rank very low ..26th/29th against the opp. pass/rush.  Why do you think that is?  I’m trying to figure out if it’s because the defense is still meshing, or do we have a lack of talent somewhere or not the right size players yet?  And my last question is, if the draft was today which position do you see as our biggest need or an upgrade to be made?  Yes, I know it is early however at the beginning of the season I could find endless spots including depth I thought we needed, now how the team is playing and everyone doing pretty well, I can’t see too many spots that need help except maybe WR and that is because of injuries only, not because of a lack of talent.  
Thank you for your time 
-Showtime.  GO BILLS!

CB: The problem is pass rush. Buffalo is not getting enough consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. We’ll see if George Edwards and his defensive staff have come up with some new schematics to help the players be more effective in that area, but there is no real proven pass rusher on the roster. Merriman was the only one and he wasn’t the same with his Achilles problem and is now on I-R.

With that in mind it’s the answer to your second question as well. Buffalo needs a pass rusher off the edge that opponents have to game plan for, so I’d have that at the top of the list with respect to the draft next spring.

2 - Chris,

What can Bills fans expect from Torell Troup this season? With the possibility of Kyle Williams missing games, this is the perfect opportunity for Troup to stand up and demonstrate that his value as a high draft pick was justified. Also, if the Bills haven’t done so already, they should look into treating Troup’s lingering lower back pain with acupuncture. It may be an unconventional method however, as someone who suffered from LBP myself, I know how effective acupuncture  can be when more traditional means fail. Hope you continue to appear on Rodger Wyland’s Big Board Sports. You are a wealth of knowledge of the Bills’ operation.

William
Schenectady, NY 

CB: Thanks for the kind words. With respect to Troup he’s had two different issues with his back. Without getting into details, the first problem has been remedied and he’s told me the second problem will eventually dissipate as well. He still doesn’t look full speed to me in practice, but he insists he will get better with time. Knowing that it’s hard to predict just what they’ll get from Troup this season. If he does in fact get back to 100 percent I believe you’ll see a much improved player. He worked his tail off this offseason and looked very good in the early stages of training camp. If he gets back to that kind of play he’ll be making plays with regularity at nose tackle.

If not, then I think we’re looking at a situation where he’s a rotational player giving Kellen Heard a break as long as Kyle Williams is out of the lineup.

3 - Hi there Chris,

I’m just going to come out and say it, no beating around the brush. Our Buffalo Bills have the best hair in football. You can tell that many members of the team take extreme care in their hair. What saddens me is that there are quite a few members of our team that used to have long, beautiful, rock-star like hairdos (Steve Johnson). . .  Are any Bills thinking about growing back their locks? Or maybe team beards? Dumbledore/ZZ Top beards?

Thanks,
Brenning Greenfield (Crozet, VA)
Canisteo, NY 

CB: I do know that Andy Levitre is working feverishly on a Fu-Manchu mustache, but beyond that and Fitz’s beard, which is supposed to go the distance this season, I’m not aware of any specific hair growing commitments on the part of the players, though Kellen Heard has been growing his for a year a half. He keeps it trimmed though. Erik Pears is growing his beard out. I’ll investigate though to see if there are any others.

4 – Hey Chris,

What’s going on with Kirk Morrison? Why is he not getting any playing time? Also how much longer is Aaron Williams expected to be out for?

Thanks,                                                              
Clayton from Buffalo NY

CB: Hopefully you saw my story on Aaron Williams’ progress in his return from a chest/shoulder problem earlier this week. He believes he’s about two weeks away from playing in a game which puts him at the Dallas game.

As for Morrison, he’s strictly a reserve player. He’s an inside linebacker and he’s behind Nick Barnett, Andra Davis and Kelvin Sheppard on the depth chart right now. A good player, but doesn’t have as much time in the system and the playing time is going to Shep and Barnett right now.

5 -  Hi Chris!

This old timer has been shouting “Go Bills” since being transfered to Buffalo in ’61 (our second year).   I live now in Gainesville, Florida.  I have a comment and a question.

I hope the younger fans appreciate the website in general and BDC in particular.  In the Super Bowl years fans had to wait for detailed information until “Shout” magazine arrived–sometimes as much as eight days after a game.  Great job, Chris.

Could you give us an insight into what happens at One Bills Drive after a Sunday game?  We know that Tuesday is an off day with practices the rest of the week, but what do the players, trainers, and coaches do on Monday?  What time do they all report?  How long are they there?  What is the routine; what takes place?

Best,     Bill Laney — ( 51 years a faithful fan )

CB: Basically on Mondays, injured players or players that are nicked up get treatments in the training room. Players watch game tape from Sunday’s game with their position coaches and are graded on their performance. Then coaches go over corrections with them. There is also some light conditioning work that’s done with the strength and conditioning staff to stimulate blood flow, which helps get the soreness out of the body sooner rather than later. That’s pretty much it. Thanks for the kind words.

Fan Friday 10-14

Big road game at the Meadowlands Sunday. Both teams a bit banged up. Survival of the fittest type game. Now to your questions, which can always be submitted to AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - Hey Chris,
Very excited about how well the Bills have been playing recently.  In light of the relatively consistent play of Fitzpatrick and Johnson, are the Bills taking a “wait and see” approach to their contracts, or have discussions been ongoing?  They certainly have the cap space this year for big signing bonus checks.  In talking with Fitzpatrick and Johnson, is there any reason to think that either one is not interested in staying with Buffalo after this season? Keep up the good work on the blog!
Eric

CB: I do believe that both Fitz and Johnson want to be here long term. They’re both smart enough to know they’ve got a good thing going here on offense with coach Gailey, and the team is being built to be successful for the long haul. Of course money is always the ultimate factor in these negotiations, which makes it unpredictable. I do believe that both players will be re-signed by the Bills in due time. Talks are ongoing with the Fitzpatrick camp at this time.

2 - Hi Chris,
Do you know if there are any contract negotiations going with Fred Jackson?  I realize that his contract isn’t up for a couple of years, but he is seriously under paid, and given his age, he may not have that many more years in him.  It seems to me that the Bills should re-negotiate it to one more fitting his elite status.  They did it with Kelsay when he didn’t need a new contract, let’s do it for Fred who is exactly the class player that we want.  It would send a very strong message that the Bills treat their players right.
Joe

CB: The Bills known full well how important Fred is not only to the success of the offense, but the collective psyche of the team. As Ryan Fitzpatrick said himself Fred is “the heart and soul of the team.” His production is undeniable. I just think at this point in time there are expiring contracts for other important players that put players like Fitz and Stevie Johnson higher on the priority list right now. Rest assured that Fred is on the radar as he had a productive meeting with Bills GM Buddy Nix this past week.

3 – Hi Chris,

Of course, a lot of people are comparing this team to the 2008 Bills because of the fast start.  This time around I feel like there’s much more promise than the 2008 team, but what are some of the key differences you see between the two teams?

Thanks for all the great news & commentary!

Aaron Bangerter
Salt Lake City, UT

CB: Great question Aaron. The biggest difference is how potent the offense is now in comparison to 2009. In 2009 the team finished 30^th in offense and was the worst in the league at converting third downs and the worst offense in football when it came to scoring touchdowns in the red zone.

To give you an idea, in 2009 the Bills scored 12 touchdowns in 38 trips to the red zone. In just five games this season the Bills have already scored 15 touchdowns in 20 trips to the red zone, and rank first in the league right now. So they’ve already outscored the 2009 team’s red zone touchdown production. The defense in 2009 was just as good at taking the ball away as they set a team record with 28 interceptions that season, but could not stop the run ranking 30^th in run defense.

In my opinion the coaching staff top to bottom is superior to the ’08 staff.

Perhaps the biggest difference is the mental toughness of this year’s team. The 2009 team could not rebound when things went wrong after their 5-1 start. When they fell behind on the scoreboard in individual games or things went wrong there was never a counter punch. That is no longer the case. The 2011 Bills are more resilient, more mentally tough and do not give in for anyone or anything.

4 - Any word on Erik Pears? I know the offensive line as a whole is playing GREAT but they never seem to mention how Pears has come in and played well from what I’ve heard.   

CB: Pears has more than held his own on the right side at tackle. He’s a veteran that knows the tricks of the trade. He did an excellent job on Jason Babin last week, as he neutralized the league’s leader in sacks (7). His experience is a good complement to a young, up and coming group across the rest of the front.

5 - Hey Chris,

First off, just want to say how much I appreciate all the work you do for the fans and keeping us updated with all the Bills news.

Last year a few Bills players were in Toronto the week before the game at the New Era hat store. Living in Toronto we don’t get a lot of chances to actually meet the players, so it was a great experience. I was just wondering if you knew if they were planning on having another event like the one last year, and if they are which players would be there.

Any insight you might have on this would be very much appreciated. Thanks again for everything you do.

Dave Bearss

CB: Good news Dave, there will be another event this year at New Era in Toronto. The date of the event is Oct. 24^th. Check back at Buffalobills.com for updates on the event including a start time and what players will be on hand. I’m hearing there will be more details on it in the coming week.

Fan Friday 10-7

Big one at the Ralph on Sunday with the Eagles flying in. The only certainty is it’s going to be a very entertaining game. Now to your questions, which can always be submitted to AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 – Chris,

First of all, I think I speak for the entire Bills fan base when I say thanks for all you do with the website, continuously updating the fans with excellent Bills coverage throughout the week… 

My question is: Why isn’t David Nelson ever mentioned as a potential perimeter x or z receiver in the Bills’ system? With his 6’5″ 215 lb frame, I was surprised he was not more of a consideration after Marcus Easley went down, especially after the past few weeks’ performances and perhaps even prior to that. He is a big target with soft hands and good route running ability. Does he lack the speed necessary to get down the field? I believe he ran a high 4.4 to mid 4.5 40 time at the combine, isnt that considered somewhat average? On a side note, I think Kamar Aiken has a bright future ahead of him given the opportunity. I was worried he wouldn’t be signed to the practice squad, great signing. 

Best Regards,
Go Bills!

Ryan
Rochester, NY
CB: Nelson’s best spot is in the slot. He’s a great mismatch inside because of his size. Outside you need a receiver that is faster and more physical, and Donald Jones has a skill set better suited for that. Nelson is a smooth route runner and knows how to find the holes underneath. He seems to benefit from having ‘two-way go’s’ as a slot receiver, which means he can break his route off inside or outside on the defender. Outside receivers don’t have that option lined up close to the sideline.

I do agree with your thoughts about Aiken. I think there is certainly potential there and he would be an outside receiver option down the line.

2 - Chris,

I was wondering about Troup and his timetable.  I know he has been limited in practice and that is good progress, but I wondering if there was an update.

Thanks again for all you do and has anyone ever told you that you ask really long questions?  Just an observation not a critique.

Sincerely,

Andrew F. Browne
CB: Troup’s lower back situation is something he’s dealt with in the past unfortunately. He worked on his core strength relentlessly all offseason in an effort to lessen any strain on his back, but the stiffness resurfaced at the beginning of the year and is now back again.

I don’t know if there’s a solution to eradicating it, but Troup is doing everything he can to make it a non-issue as far as playing on Sundays. I don’t know if it’s going to be a chronic condition that plagues him the rest of his career, but it is concerning.

And yes, I am long winded. I try to cut questions shorter, but it never seems to happen. Not sure why I choose to give a preamble.

3 - Hi Chris,
 
I was just wondering if you can explain the captains’ C and the significance of the stars underneath – some are solid, some are not. 
Also, where has the pass rush been?  It doesn’t seem like they are getting much pressure on the QBs they faced so far this year. Can Dareus and Williams be that Suh-type player for us up the middle?  Can we get there with the blitz; we haven’t been doing it much this far?
 
Thanks,
Pat (Oakville, ON)

CB: The stars under the captain’s C represent how many years a player has been a team captain. Each year they are a captain is represented by the number of stars that are gold underneath the ‘C’. There are only four stars under the ‘C’ so if a player has been a captain for more than four years, like Brian Moorman, the ‘C’ is turned gold as well.

As for the pass rush, the Bills had a bit more success against the Bengals, but getting home with four hasn’t proven very fruitful. Part of the reason was the first two weeks against last year’s top two rushing offenses, the focus was the run game. Against Brady and the Patriots they chose to drop 7 into coverage and get hands in the passing lanes knowing getting to Brady rarely happens. But you’re right it has to be more productive moving forward.

4 - Hey Chris,    

Could you tell me what’s wrong with Easley? I was really hoping to see him play this year.     Also how is Merriman’s shoulder? 

Thanks ,   Dale  

CB: I actually saw Easley in the locker room on Thursday this week as he was in to pick up a few things. He spoke at length with Bryan Scott, and afterwards I asked him if he would mind talking about his condition, which forced him to go on injured reserve.

He said he’d prefer to keep his situation private, so I chose to respect that because it’s certainly his right. Whether he changes his mind down the road remains to be seen, but we’ll try to revisit it if Easley’s view on his situation changes.

5 - Hi Chris.

What happened to Bruce Hall, Jon Corto, Felton Huggins, and Ed Wang? The last time we saw Bruce Hall, he was carrying the ball over the goal line. Then he was placed on IR. Were these really season-ending injuries, and if not, why not just release them? Does anyone know what happened to these guys? What also happened to Robert Eddins, for example? Was it really a season ending injury or something that would likely nag him for a few weeks? 

CB: Corto, Hall, Huggins and Wang were all waived-injured when the final 53-man roster was assembled. They had injuries, but were not going to be on the 53-man roster so they were waived. Once they cleared waivers the reverted to Buffalo’s injured reserve list where they currently reside now.

Robert Eddins was in a similar situation, but if memory serves asked for a release from injured reserve, which was granted thereby making him a free agent.

Players with injuries that won’t last the season often do this to have an opportunity to latch on with another NFL club once healthy.

Fan Friday 9-30

3-0 looking to go 4-0 in Cincy. Let’s see if the boys can keep it rolling. Keep sending your questions to AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - Chris, 

In looking at the changes in the roster since Chan has taken over it looks like almost every position player can either line up at different spots or play more than one position. Brad Smith can play QB,KR, and some WR. Every O-Lineman can swing around and most DB’s can play n the box or go deep into coverage. Who besides Fitz is locked into one position? Can you explain his thinking? Are they losing talent for versatility? How is he maximizing the roster?  

Thanks, 
Josh

CB: Chan and his staff like players that are versatile because it affords the staff more flexibility and also provides better depth without tying up as many roster spots. Even at receiver, all of the wideouts are required to know all the positions. This enables them to line up anywhere in the formation on any given down making it harder for opposing defenses to match up.

With the possible exception of their offensive tackles, they also like having offensive linemen that can play two positions, knowing they only like to dress seven linemen for a game.

The only other players really locked into one position are probably Shawne Merriman and the tight ends, though the tight ends factor in on special teams. So versatility helps with game plan and depth. Pretty valuable.

2 - First I would just like to thank you for how you keep us updated on everything Bills.  My question is, have you heard anything about signing Fitzy long term and was Thigpen’s contract future starter money or normal backup money?

Thanks, Jimmy in Hamburg

CB: To my knowledge talks are ongoing with Ryan Fitzpatrick and the team. As for Thigpen he signed a three-year deal, but not for starter money.

3 - Hey Chris,

First, thanks for always keeping us fans well informed. I was watching the KC game and I saw one of their safeties blitzing Fitz, and I started wondering, with coaches being able to communicate with QBs during the game, are they able to speak to Fitz while the play is happening? Are they able to warn him mid play of a blitz? Or is the audio shut down once the huddle is broken?

Aaron

CB: The communication is shut off with 15 seconds left on the play clock. It’s rare that a team breaks the huddle in time for a quarterback to get up to the line in time to be counseled by a coordinator through the radio headset.

4 - Chris thanks for all your great inside news for our Bills. I check your column several times a day even in the off season. The O-line didnt give up a sack. The one thing that bothers me is I dont see Fitz looking off the safeties. I haven’t seen any pump fakes, or rotating to the other side of the field. I know I cant see everything going on from tv, or even at the games, but it appears he commits to one side of the field on a given play. It doesn’t take away from the terrific job he is doing, and the success the Bills are having. Just something I have noticed. Please tell me the films prove different.

Thanks Gary

CB: Gary, I’m afraid watching the game on TV is betraying you. Fitz does a great job of looking off the safeties. Sometimes he does it so quickly off the snap that perhaps you don’t see it. TV viewing doesn’t cater very well to observing this trait in Fitz’s game, but he is very, very good at it. I would recommend you look up our Top 10 Performances from 2010 in the media center at Buffalobills.com and look for Fitz’s game against Baltimore or Cincinnati and you’ll see how he freezes the safeties in those games. Believe me he’s good at it.

5 - Chris,

Do you think it is time for the Bills to part ways with Roscoe Parrish?  I like him as a player, but he just cannot stay on the field.  I don’t think the Bills are losing anything by going with David Nelson full time in the slot.  What are your thoughts?

- Chris in Binghamton

CB: I’m not going to deny that he’s been battling injuries of late with his last two seasons finding him on injured reserve. He’s not a big body, but he is dynamic and pretty tough for an undersized player.

I agree that the team loses very little in terms of production in the slot with David Nelson in there because he’s just as big a mismatch as Roscoe, just in a different way.

I just know that Chan Gailey values Roscoe’s talents, so I’d be a bit surprised if they cut ties with him.

Fan Friday 9-23

2-0 vs. 2-0 on Sunday. Big AFC East matchup with the Patriots. Many are expecting a shootout. We’ll see what happens Sunday. Now to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - Hi Chris, 

I’ve been watching since the preseason on nfl.com’s preseason live and one thing I’ve noticed about the Bills secondary is a lack of making plays on the ball. It seems they’re content to just be close to the receiver and rarely turn their head and get their hands up. Do you think it’s just rust from not being tested much when they couldn’t stop the run or do they have some deficiencies in the secondary? Of course when they did turn their heads and make plays the refs called interference every time vs the Jags. With the way these refs are acting it’s going to be a two hand touch league pretty soon.

Dan

CB: In talking to some of the guys in the secondary they feel their positioning is sound defensively when defending the pass. They just have to commit to make more plays on the ball, so I think your observations on the whole are accurate. I don’t think it has anything to do with not being tested much with teams running on them so much last season. It’s a good group back there and I think with a little more help from the pass rush forcing errant throws they should get that turnover figure to increase more like what it was in 2009 when they were second in the AFC in takeaways.

2 - Hi Chris,
If Shawne Merriman goes down with an injury that causes him to lose significant time, are the Bills going to use Alex Carrington to fill the spot? Also, what happens if Stevie Johnson goes down with an injury? Who would be the go to guy then? Donald Jones? These are serious contingencies that would impact the Bills season. What are your thoughts? 

Tony, Daytona Beach, Fl
CB: This is a timely question in light of Stevie Johnson’s nagging groin injury. If he’s forced to sit out a week or two to rest his groin ailment, I’d anticipate Jones stepping into the number one role with a collection of wideouts filling the number two spot on the other side. That would include Ruvell Martin, Naaman Roosevelt and possibly practice squad player Kamar Aiken (6’2” 213).

With respect to Merriman, I think Carrington and Spencer Johnson could be part of that replacement equation, particularly on run downs, with Danny Batten stepping in on passing downs.

3 - Chris,

I love that Buddy/Chan have made the Bills a much more physical team than Jauron.  Can you compare the opening day rosters for Jauron’s last team vs this year and give average size per position.  I have been very tired of watching the Bills get physically beat especially on defense.

Thanks,
Kevin

CB: While I can’t give you average size for the 2009 squad, I can tell you that Buffalo’s current roster this year has 16 players that are 300 pounds or more. That’s the highest number of 300 pounders on a roster in the league this season. Their average team weight is 252 pounds and change, which is also a league high.

4 - Hey Chris,

I was wondering if it is possible to purchase a bills jersey with the 9/11 patch or the actual patch itself through nfl.com or buffalobills.com
Thanks, Dave G

CB: I’ve been told that teams at different times will be making their jerseys with those patches available at the site http://www.nflauction.nfl.com/. Unfortunately there is no set schedule on what teams will make their jerseys available. All proceeds go to various charities for those jerseys. I guess you’ll need to check back at that site frequently to keep tabs on what’s available and when. Sorry that’s the best I can do.

5 - Chris,
A friend showed me this video on YouTube of Marcell Dareus lifting a car and we’re in disagreement on if it’s real or fake. Can you track down Marcell and ask him. Here’s the video I’m referring to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL5rJ40HUKU.

Thanks,
Mitch (Webster, NY)

CB: Marcell is mum on the situation. All he would provide is a smirk. I know one thing, I wouldn’t park your vehicle anywhere close to his truck. He’s not a big fan of inching his way back and forth to get out of parking spots!

Fan Friday 9-16

Alright, Week 1 was a good one. Hopefully another ‘W’ Sunday for the home opener. Let’s get to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 – Chris,
Buddy and Chan often use the phrase “get bigger” can you explain what they mean football wise. They have let smaller sized players go. All their TE and OL seem to be tall strong blocking types. Aaron Williams is a big corner. Does they view this on ever position? How does big translate onto the field. Have big guys doesn’t mean they are great athletes or even good football players. I understand the 3-4 needs players with more bulk. Can you explain the football philosophy on both offense and defense?

CB: There really isn’t a whole lot of football philosophy here. It’s more physics if you want to know the truth. Mass times acceleration equals power (my physics teacher would be proud). Buffalo’s offensive and defensive lines lacked mass and thus power. Both Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey saw their men in the trenches getting pushed around way too much last season and felt they had to get bigger. They are now. Eric Wood is 20 pounds heavier than the departed Geoff Hangartner. Scott Chandler is 272 pounds.

Marcell Dareus is 35 pounds heavier than Marcus Stroud. Alex Carrington added 23 pounds of muscle to his frame and Torell Troup added 10 pounds of muscle. Kellen Heard goes 340. The linebacking corps is bigger as well. It’s all about holding up against the run on that side of the ball and you need guys that are big enough and talented enough to stand their ground. That’s really all it is.

2 - Hi Chris, just wanted to know if you know what Donald Jones’ time was in the 40-yard dash? Lee Evans was a burner, and if the Bills are hoping to replace Evans, they better hope that one of those young receivers can at least be a speedy as Evans was. If the Bills lack a vertical threat, the opposing defenses will not respect our passing game as much. I will look forward to hearing your answer. Tony, Daytona Beach, FL

CB: Coming out of college, Jones was clocked at 4.49 in the 40. That’s above average speed and a player like that is capable of making plays downfield. Eric Moulds ran a 4.51 coming out of Mississippi State, and you remember the downfield plays he made in his career with Buffalo. Evans ran a 4.41.

3 - Hey Chris,
What’s the deal with Ruvell Martin making the team who had maybe a week of exposure to the offense and Naaman Rosevelt who has had several years of exposure? I think Bills fans would like to know more about the particulars in choosing Ruvell Martin over Naaman Rosevelt.
Best,
Stephen A. Naetzker from Rancho Cucamonga, Ca

CB: Truth be told, it was a bit of surprise to those of us that follow the team. Not because Ruvell isn’t capable, but because he had only been with the club a week. But head coach Chan Gailey said he was consistent in the time he was here, and sharp as a tack picking up the system. He’s also 6’4” and 212 pounds. So he does offer a bit more size than Naaman (6’0” 201).

Ultimately, I think what helped him most was his performance as a gunner on the punt coverage team. Yes, Naaman offers special teams ability as well, but mostly as a kick returner and Buffalo has kick returners in Brad Smith and C.J. Spiller. So Martin offers more on coverage teams, which is where they needed more help. I don’t know that it was the deciding factor, but it definitely played a role in the decision.

In any event Roosevelt is on the practice squad and I’d expect him to be a call up should there be a long term injury at receiver.

4 - Chris, How do some of the players with limited stats or star power like Robert Eddins, Donald Jones, Arthur Moats, Justin Rogers, David Nelson, Kamar Aiken, and Danny Batten hit the scouts radar screen. Only Nelson played at a big school. Since these guys don’t have high ceilings, combine stars but seem to be very motivated football players. Can you shed some light on how these guys separate themselves from “camp bodies” and how they are found.

Thanks!

Go Bills

CB: There are advance scouting services that NFL clubs participate in collectively like BLESTO. The scouts working for BLESTO (who also sometimes work for NFL clubs simultaneously), put together the initial work on the junior prospects the year before they enter their final collegiate season. The size of the school matters little. They scour the country and the big fish in the small ponds are found just as readily as the top talents at big programs. Once they’re on the radar it’s up to the individual NFL clubs to follow up and make their own assessments as to whether the prospect is worthy of draft consideration or consideration as an undrafted free agent signing.

5 - QB David Garrard has been released by the Jags. Is he a better option than Thigpen? Thanks, David W.

CB: I don’t see David Garrard interested in being a backup quarterback for an entire season. I think he’s looking to land somewhere, where the possibility of starting sooner rather than later is real, and Fitz is the entrenched starter in Buffalo.

Fan Friday 9-9

Hey Bills fans, we’re finally here! The 2011 opener. Hard to believe after the wacky offseason we had. Let’s get to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 – Chris, Coach Gailey admitted the Bills lack of depth on the offensive line. Bell isn’t even a top half of the league LT and if he gets injured, we are really sunk. Is there any chance Buddy picks up a veteran tackle like a Flozell Adams or Max Starks as insurance? I just don’t see us being very successful right now due to lack of experience on the depth chart.

Bryan Grosse Ile, MI

CB: Adding a veteran tackle does not appear to be in the cards. Max Starks is coming off neck surgery and is not on any roster. Adams is still out there, but on his last legs. Buffalo added Sam Young off waivers to back up right tackle with Hairston on the left. Not experienced depth mind you, but depth with potential for sure. I understand your concern because even coach Gailey said they don’t have any experienced depth and that it must be developed. Let’s just hope injury doesn’t require the Bills to call on that green depth any time soon.

2 - Hi Chris,
My question is about the Bills quarterbacks. I think that the Bills are in a great situation. I really like Fitz for now because we know he can play but also because he can be a mentor to the younger guys. I think Thigpen and become good, but I am really interested in Levi Brown. I think he has the skills and just needs more reps. Do you think the Bills see him as the potential quarterback of the future? Go bills!! Michael

CB: I think it’s hard to say that they see him as the Bills quarterback of the future. He’s on the practice squad here for 2011 and the Bills made long term investments in both Tyler Thigpen and Brad Smith. Now Brad Smith is not a full-time quarterback, but he and Thigpen are ahead of him in the pecking order. That makes it difficult to see Brown suddenly ascending and surpassing both of them come next season.

3 - Jim Leonhard has been a starter ever since he left the Bills. Could you please explain to me why he was ever released by the Bills. The decision to let him go made no sense. Please advise.
Go Bills
Richard

CB: Jim Leonhard was unfortunately in a bad spot when he was released by the Bills in 2008. He had been a contributor at free safety appearing in 38 games and making 7 starts at free safety in 2006 and 2007. He split time as the starter at free safety with George Wilson in 2007, a player he largely taught how to play the position after George flipped over from receiver.

Come 2008 however, the Bills had added Bryan Scott in free agency, still had Whitner and wanted to give Ko Simpson a chance to develop at free safety after he missed almost the entire 2007 season with a leg injury. Dick Jauron believed in Simpson’s abilities and chose to make him the starter in 2008. Wilson was his backup and Scott and Whitner were the strong safeties. It left Leonhard as the odd man out.

Of all the safeties Leonhard was the best return man with respect to special teams, but the team already had Roscoe Parrish for punt return duties and the other safeties could help more on coverage teams, so he became expendable in Jauron’s eyes.

4 - Hi Chris,
Now that Lee Evans is a Baltimore Raven, who will be the Buffalo Bills deep threat? Roscoe Parrish is a slot receiver, who has very good speed, but beyond him, who else is there? Stevie Johnson had a great year last year, but he is not a burner. What is your take on this?

Tony,
Daytona Beach, FL

CB: I think for this season Stevie Johnson will be making the highest number of plays down the field. The offensive staff is hoping Jones develops into more of a downfield threat. Come 2012 I think Easley will emerge into more of the team’s downfield threat. It’s possible if he comes on strong that Easley could provide that for the offense as early as the second half of the season. But being that this is essentially his rookie year I’m not sure the staff or fans can count on that taking place.

5 - Chris thanks again for keeping us so well informed. My question is, could Michael Jasper not make a heck of an offensive tackle, similar to the way Jason Peters was converted after his first year as a tight end/defensive lineman ? Also as I seem to recall Howard Ballard was pretty much a project when he was a rookie. As you’ve reported Jasper has a lot of athletic talent for such a big guy.

Ron from Greensboro,NC

CB: You must’ve read the mind of Buddy Nix and the personnel staff. All along they felt that Jasper was a better offensive line prospect than defensive line prospect. According to Nix, Jasper felt the same way. So the question is why line him up at nose tackle all summer? My feeling is they wanted to develop him on the practice squad this year and groom him without the risk of having him catch the eye of another team. This past week he’s lined up at tackle and guard. He played guard his last two seasons at Bethel.

Fan Friday 9-2

I can smell the season opener!  Can’t wait for the Bills to try to exact some revenge on the Chiefs after that horrible overtime game last year. Final cuts are coming on Saturday. Let’s get to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - I was wondering how you see the defensive rotation going forward.  I think both Dareus and Kyle Williams are going to get heavy exposure, but who will be manning the other side? Will that spot still be open comeptition? Where do you see Alex Carington fitting in, and do the coaches think he is ready for a more full-time role?

Thanks again,
Ryan V, Rochester
CB: Carrington will have a bigger role this year, but it will be as more of a pass rushing linebacker in their nickel package, where he’s made some plays this preseason. He will also factor in on some subpackage duty at his more traditional defensive end role.

As far as that starting DE position on the right side, it’s Dwan Edwards’ spot to lose and fellow veteran Spencer Johnson has been pushing him with a strong preseason in his own right. I think Edwards and Johnson both did well this summer and it’ll be up to the coaches to decide who they feel should be the starter.

2 - Chris,
How are we in terms of offensive line depth? I’ve read that after the starters it’s a bit thin & even at least one of our tackles might be average at best. What’s your take?
John H.

CB: I can tell you that even Chan Gailey has said they have no depth, and that they need to develop it in the youth they have on their roster. I think the odds on favorite to be Buffalo’s swing tackle is fourth-round pick Chris Hairston.

He played both left and right tackle in the last preseason game against Jacksonville and did okay for his first game action, having missed the first two preseason games. He’s still got some work to do with his technique, but he’s got experience at left tackle having played there a couple of years in college and is a smart, heady player. The coaching staff clearly likes his potential, so it’ll be down to guys like him, Ed Wang and Cordaro Howard to represent the tackle depth on this roster.

3 - Assuming Byrd is starting at one safety spot, who is the front runner for the other spot? George Wilson? Also, what was the main reason the Bills did not re-sign Whitner? It seems that Searcy is a similar player to Whitner, does that explain his drafting and the letting go of Whit?

Seems as if Naaman is playing well in camp so far, does he have any chance of sneaking into a top 4 receiver spot? 

Thanks,
Dave
Buffalo, NY

CB: Lot of questions there. Yes, George Wilson is the starting SS and I don’t see that changing between now and the opener at KC. With Whitner it was a case of him asking for the moon in terms of money and secondly burning some bridges here with the organization. Cleaning out everything from his locker right after exit meetings did not go over well. He wasn’t even on hand for reporters for locker clean out day. I think the Bills already made their decision on him, which in part likely prompted the drafting of Da’Norris Searcy. Searcy however, is a much stouter player than Whitner as he goes about 223 pounds. Whitner was 206.

Roosevelt did have a solid camp before his ankle injury in the Denver game. I’m pretty confident he makes the roster.

4 – Hey Chris,

I am curious about Brad Smith and where he is lining up when he’s not at QB. Is he going to push for the 3rd or 4th Reciever role? or is he mainly a kick returner/ wildcat QB? 

Frank from Jupiter, Florida

CB: I don’t believe that Brad Smith will be full time in any one position. I think he’ll be a slash role player just like Kordell Stewart was. He’ll line up at QB in short yardage situations and Wildcat formations and he’ll split out at WR on occasion and also take part in kickoffs, though this new kickoff rule might render that moot with all the touchbacks we’ve seen. Where do I see him lining up the most? At QB this season.

5 - Chris, 

Thanks for the updates in camp. Who do you think will make the roster of the TE’s in camp? Chandler seems to be the favorite and has caught a lot of balls with the 1st team. Nelson is hurt again. The player that has looked good is Mike Caussin. He seems to maybe be a downfield TE. How many TE’s will make the roster? Will they keep a practice squad player or maybe have 4 TE on the roster. 

Thanks 
Sophie

CB: Glad you enjoyed our camp coverage. I see the Bills keeping three tight ends. Scott Chandler and veteran David Martin I think are safe bets, but after that it’s the coach’s call in terms of who they like better. Shawn Nelson’s injury hasn’t helped him and yes, Mike Caussin has performed well. Rookie Zack Pianalto has also turned in some nice play at times. Caussin and Pianalto are both practice squad eligible, but I think it’s going to be very close for that third spot.

Fan Friday 8-26

First cuts are due on Tues. Aug. 30^th, but less than 10 players need to be trimmed from the roster to get down to the required 80. Final cuts are Sept. 3^rd when the roster has to get down to the customary 53. Remember send your questions to AskChris@bills.nfl.net. Let’s get going.

1 - Chris,

Could you tell Bill’s fans who the leading undrafted players that might make the roster? It would seem that the TE Pianalto and one of the inside lb’s would have a decent chance above some of the other positions. Is there a dark horse guy that might break out even if there aren’t getting reps that would have a chance to make the roster/impress the coaches?

Thanks for the daily updates. Great work.
Sean

CB: You’re not wrong to think Pianalto would have a chance to make the roster just because the other candidates at that position for the third tight end job are largely unproven as well. That being said I think Mike Caussin has done more this summer than Pianalto and in my estimation would land the third tight end job. I don’t know how realistic it is for any undrafted rookies to make the final roster. They’ve really been put behind the eight ball with no spring camps or a real chance to make an impression.

That being said the two undrafted rookies that I feel have done the most on the practice field are OLB Robert Eddins and WR Kamar Aiken. Does that mean they’ll make the roster? Probably not, but practice squad spots are a strong likelihood for them as I see it. Then again I don’t make those decisions.

2 – Hi Chris,

I was wondering since it seems to be more injuries this year, mostly pulled muscles or tweaked older injuries.  Is that a byproduct of the lockout?  Do other teams seem to have more injuries as well or am I just over analyzing what we’ve seen at the beginning here.  Also looking for an update on the current injuries. Thanks a lot for all your coverage it keeps us all up to date what’s happening especially now with everything moving so fast with the lockout ended.

Thanks,
Rich in Rochy

CB: I know coaches have been very concerned about there being a greater risk for injuries due to the long layoff from real football. We’ve seen some of that in the practices and preseason games already. Unfortunately I think it’s only going to increase in the regular season when guys are really going all out for 60 minutes, though I hope I’m wrong. As for the injuries just stay close to the Inside the Bills blog and the home page at Buffalobills.com for injury updates.

3 – Chris,

I am a Rochester native and now live in State College and have been a huge fan of what you’ve done in covering the Bills. Thank you so much. My question is:

The Bills have Brad Smith listed as a quarterback on the depth chart and I understand that he will be used in Wildcat formation. However, will we see him lining up more as a receiver? He seemed like more of that type of player with the Jets, and he was effective that way. 

Thanks.
Greg 
State College, Pa.
CB: He’ll be used at receiver from time to time yes, but it won’t be for the majority of the time. I’d expect to see Smith on the field anywhere from 8-15 plays a game on offense. What the split is between QB and WR I think will vary week to week depending on the opponent.

4 – Hi Chris, 

First off thanks for all your training camp news updates. My question is about roster cuts and if they will be moved back time-wise since the holdout delayed training camp and everything else? And in your opinion is Marcus Easley on the outside looking in to make the cut because of last years injury and now his knee again this year?  

Thanks,
John
CB: They have not moved the date of the first roster cut which is Aug. 30^th, but they did change how many cuts need to be made. A lot of clubs didn’t want their roster reduced to 75 that quickly because of the time crunch as you mentioned. They only have to get down to 80 players by next Tuesday.

With respect to Marcus Easley he’s making steady progress and with a good showing on Saturday I think he’ll lock down a roster spot. I believe the Bills will keep six receivers and I believe he’ll be one of them.

5 – Hi chris,

It sure looks like the bills defense is going to be a lot better.

With Spiller and Jackson in the backfield how do you think they will split carries? Will it be like KC with Charles and Jones or will Jackson be the feature back with Spiller as a chance of pace back?

Michael

CB: The coaching staff has tried to give Spiller more opportunities to get him up to speed, but Jackson at this point is still the better all around back. That being said I would anticipate that Jackson still gets the majority of the work with Spiller more of a change of pace and split wide more often.

Fan Friday 8-12

Well I know there will be questions about the trade, but there are some other issues on your mind too. Remember submit questions to AskChris@bills.nfl.net and it could appear here.

1 - Hello Chris and thanks for the continued updates.  I’ve been a Bills season ticket holder from Rochester for years (and again this year) and have just moved to Charlotte NC so your updates are very welcomed.  A lot has been made of the Bills lack of TE.  David Nelson came on at the end of last season and most of his catches seemed to be out of the slot and up the middle of the field.  What are your thought on him possible putting on a few lbs as he ages and becoming a solid TE for the Bills in the future.

Thanks for you continued coverage.

Dave, newly transplanted to NC
CB: Ironically David Nelson has bulked up, to 221 pounds, which is about 13 pounds of lean muscle more than last season. That being said I don’t see him as a tight end in this offense. A lot of what he’s asked to do in the slot is similar to that of a tight end anyway and now with 13 more pounds on his frame he’ll be able to block more effectively. But he’s still 25 pounds shy of a typical NFL tight end, so I don’t see that as a true option for him. I feel like you take away from his game if you do that.

2 - I am sure you will get this question alot.  With the new CBA have the Bills free agency plans changed?  Will they be more active?

Ronald
Atlanta, GA

CB: Buddy Nix said flat out that the new CBA and all of its rules have not changed their approach to building the team the way they see fit. So in essence no their free agency plan will stay the same, no quick fixes, no big splashes.

3 - Hey Chris-
 
I know that free agent signing cant be made offical till friday at 6 but what do you think about Tyler. I really like Thigpen, he did okay in K.C.  I was also wondering if he could push out Fitz, I fell that Buffalo needs to let all players fight for their jobs.  We saw it back in the 2009 preseason with Edwards and Fitz, Fitz outplayed Edwards in the preseason but they still started trent becuse they said that Fitz was never there to unseat Trent and then Trent goes out and drops to 2-5 before we end the season at 6-10

CB: The key to the signing of Tyler Thigpen was the fact that he had a foundation of knowledge in Buffalo’s system. With no spring workouts to get a new QB up to speed, getting one who knew the system coming in was a must. As for this season however, Fitz is the starter, end of story and Thigpen has been told as much.

4 - Chris, 

I understand that Lee Evans was not a big part of the offense last year.  I understand that we have a lot of depth at the receiver position.  How can we justify letting Lee Evans go for a 4^th round pick?  I believe he’s worth at worst a 3^rd round pick and I don’t see how we get better this year or in the future with this move.  Lee Evans is a consummate pro.  Please shed some light on this for all of us.

Thanks,

Bob

CB: The market value for receivers has been very depressed ever since Randy Moss with four good years left in him was acquired by New England from Oakland for a fourth-round pick. So increasing the value in return was not going to happen.

As for justifying the trade, all I can say is I have it on good authority that Evans wanted to move on. I don’t know that he asked for a trade, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

I don’t know that the offense will produce more right away without Evans, but I do think that in time this receiving corps will outproduce Evans over his last two seasons. My pick to ultimately replace Evans in the ‘X’ receiver role is Marcus Easley.

5 - Chris, a lot has been made of Maybin showing up to camp weighing only 228 lbs, but I want to know about Dareus.  I know he is a big man, but I read he weighed in around 340ish.  Did he show up to camp heavy and overweight?  I thought he played last year at least 20 lbs lighter than that.  Thanks for keeping us all in the loop,
John
Youngstown

CB: Yes, he did report to camp at 343 pounds, but by those I’ve spoken to he can carry it. It hasn’t affected his agility or stamina. I suppose we’ll know for sure by watching him in the preseason games, but I haven’t seen it affect his play at all. He was 319 at the combine though.

Fan Friday running Q&A

Good evening Bills fans. Glad you could join me. As promised I’m going to be answering your training camp questions here tonight. So you know you can still submit your questions to my email account at AskChris@bills.nfl.net. I’ll be submitting as many of those questions with answers as possible below, so keep refreshing this page as I’ll be adding answers as I move through them. Hopefully your question or one very similar to your question gets answered tonight, otherwise I’ll get to your question in a future Fan Friday post or answer it personally. Just understand training camp is my busiest time of year, so I’ll get back to you as best I can. Thanks for your participation. Let’s get to your questions.

1 - Chris, 

CB: I do know the Bills contract with St. John Fisher is in its last year, but the decisions that are made beyond that are way above my pay grade. I, like you, do not know what the future holds with respect to training camp here. As for giving back to the fans I do know that the next night practice on Saturday (8/6) will include a bunch of contests and giveaways as well as a fireworks show following practice. With respect to a full team autograph session I have not heard anything, but if there is news on that front I’ll pass it along.

7 – Chris,

CB: Joe, I think we’ve heard Buddy address this question before. The Bills plan for building this team into a consistent winner will be done primarily through the draft and any remaining holes will be filled by free agents that aren’t going to break the bank. Yes, they have a lot of cap room, but the amount of cap room the team has isn’t going to change Buddy’s approach.

I know a lot of fans complain to me all the time about why we’re not more aggressive in free agency. What you need to realize is there are teams in the league that have been very successful with the formula that Buddy is adhering to. Indy, Pittsburgh and San Diego draft well, re-sign their own and fill holes with affordable free agents. Two of those teams have won Super Bowls and all three are perennial playoff teams. It’s a proven way to build a perennial winner, the catch is that it takes time and Buddy said as much when he took the job.

8 – Chris,
 
How has Aaron Maybin looked in training camp thus far?  I read something saying that he weighed in under 230.  I also read something saying that Daryl Talley was giving him a lot of individual attention and answering his questions.  Is Maybin big enough to be seriously considered as an OLB?  Has Talley’s tutoring helped him make any plays in camp?  Based on some of the comments Gailey has made about Maybin in the past, and the fact that he wasn’t allowed to dress for so many games last year, I have to assume that Maybin needs to show something during the preseason this year if he hopes to stay on the team.  I really had high hopes for him when he got drafted.  Does he seem to be making any progress? 
-Brendan, Las Vegas

CB: Well Brendan you’re right about Maybin’s weight. His reporting weight at the start of camp was 228 pounds. It does make it harder for him to stand in and hold his ground on run plays or maintain leverage on an outside rush. As for what he needs to show in this camp I’ll leave it to coach Gailey who addressed that subject today after practice.

“Aaron (Maybin) tries hard every time he walks on the field,” said Gailey. “The key for him is being productive on the field. He has to become a consistent player against the run and a consistent pass rusher. He has work to do, he’s not there yet. So we will see how he continues to develop but he has a long way to go.”

9 – I’ve noticed that their appears to be an amazing family atmosphere among the players and coaches of the Bills. Guys really appear to want to work hard for the guy next to them and not necessarily for the big pay day that could ensue. What would you say the impetus behind that has been?
Josh D.

CB: I’d give coach Gailey the credit for that. I said last year that his toughest task in his first year as head coach was to eradicate the losing culture that had enveloped this team over the past decade. It took him more than half the season, but he vanquished it and got the players to rally around each other and pull for one another.

There’s a sign in the Bills team meeting room that coach Gailey put up on the front wall it reads, ‘The STAR of the team is the TEAM.’ Hopefully that explains the approach Gailey has demanded from these players.

10 – Chris – Greetings from Arizona – we survived the wildfires and looking forward to Bills football!!.

Offense is looking good. What do you think of the offensive line ( I am mostly concerned about left tackle) and any chance the Bills make a run at a TE (Bo Scaife was still there this morning).

Larry Kordosky, Hereford, AZ

CB: Glad you folks out west are alright. I think there are some real concerns about the offensive line particularly with respect to pass protection outside the organization on the part of fans and it’s hard to blame you. The line still has an awful lot to prove. I think Demetrius Bell and Erik Pears are certainly capable, but we’ll know a lot more about what they can do as a group when we get to the preseason games especially with some pass rushing talents like Julius Peppers and Elvis Dumervil in the first two preseason contests.

Update – Bo Scaife signed today with Cincinnati.

11 -Chris,

I would like to know who the ‘1’s are currently in practice. I know the depth chart is a fluid thing but reports are that the starting DL at least once was Dareus, Troup and Williams.  Would like to know if that was true?

Steve in Corning

CB: The defensive starters in the team’s base defense are as follows.

DL – Dareus, Williams, Edwards
LBs – Kelsay, Davis, Barnett, Merriman
DBs - McGee, Wilson, Byrd, Florence

Now there are several different subpackages where the personnel groupings are very different and the Bills run a lot of these during the practices, particularly nickel lineups with the offense going 3 wide so often. So that is where some of the misinformation is coming from. Even I made a mistake last week when I thought rookie Da’Norris Searcy was running with the second team defense for a few reps here and there. Actually he’s running with the second team nickel package. I’ll try to come up with an easy way to view the lineups. Maybe I’ll put that together tomorrow here on the blog.

Well folks, that’s all the time I’ve got. I’ve got to still put the Practice Notes together for tonight. Some good performances turned in by Chandler, Donald Jones, Terrence McGee and others. I’ll have it all to you in about an hour. Thanks for participating and hope to do it again real soon.

Send in your Bills questions

Hey Bills fans, it’s a special evening edition of Fan Friday tonight. I’ll be answering your Bills questions tonight right here at 8pm. So send your questions now to AskChris@bills.nfl.net and get your answers to anything Bills right from training camp.

I’ll post the questions and answers right on this blog site tonight (around 8 pm), so be sure to check back.

Fan Friday 7-22

With everything else up in the air you can still count on Fan Friday. So here’s the latest installment and keep those questions coming at AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - Hi Chris,
I wanted to email you because a lot of mis-information at times permeates the message boards re: the Bills. With Coach Wannstedt on board, there is a contingent of Bills fans that feel he will be the de-facto Defensive Coodinator making Coach Edwards the DC in name only. I feel that Chan wouldn’t do something like that and would either fire coach Edwards or come out and say that Coach Wannstedt is the guy from day one.

Can you shed some light on this?
Thanks,
Rich in Pa
CB: As you know Chan Gailey is a straight shooter. His assistants are loyal to him for a reason because they trust him. Naturally every coach at the highest level of football has an ego of some size. I don’t know this, but it’s my belief that Coach Gailey would not have added Dave Wannstedt to his staff if he did not believe in the professionalism of both Wannstedt and defensive coordinator George Edwards.

I have to believe those two men met at length prior to the hiring of Wannstedt so Gailey could ensure that Wannstedt and Edwards would be able to work together in achieving the same goal, which is a much improved defense without letting job titles get in the way.

Wannstedt is the Assistant Head coach in addition to being the inside linebackers coach. Edwards is the defensive coordinator. It’s as simple as that.

Naturally those on the outside are going to speculate that Wannstedt will wield more power because his coaching history is more familiar to fans having been a head coach for two different NFL clubs.

Gailey, Edwards and Wannstedt do not look at it that way. Their commitment is to improving the performance of the team and getting more wins, not who has the best solutions in the meeting room. Gailey trusts that this can be a collaborative effort to make the defense better, but Edwards will be calling the plays on Sundays.

2 - Hey Chris,
Looking forward to the upcoming season!  2 questions for you:
1)  Not knowing the rules of free agency, it’s hard to know what QB’s will be available.   What are your thoughts on Tarvaris Jackson as a back-up/possible quarterback of the future?
2). Steve Johnson had quite the breakout year last year, and that caught most people off guard.   Do you have any thoughts on who may be this year’s breakout performers?
Thanks
Jim

CB: I think with Jackson having a strong background in the West Coast system that he’ll likely go to a team with that offensive system. Seattle is a likely destination for him since his former quarterbacks coach in Minnesota, Doug Bevell, is running the offense there now.

As for a breakout performer, I don’t know that anyone will have the kind of jump in production that we saw from Johnson last season, but players that I believe are on the rise this year for the Bills are Arthur Moats, David Nelson, Torell Troup and Kraig Urbik.

3 - Hey CB,

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions each week.  My question for you is: have the Bills announced a new color scheme for the end-zones after the new turf is installed?  I personally loved the red end-zones from the 90s.  I’m curious if they will change the color or not. 

Thanks a lot,

- Patrick

Sylvan Beach, NY

CB: For those of you that missed it this week, the end zones are royal blue with white lettering and red lining. Here’s a sample photo of it.

4 - Hey Chris,

First, just wanted to thank you for doing a great job keeping the passionate Buffalo Bills fans constantly updated! I know its way too early to have predictions and start looking at power rankings, but with  the lockout just about over, I started looking at some opinions of some “experts” and none have the Bills even in the top twenty teams.

They often refer to how the Bills only one four games but I don’t think they realize how many games we COULD have won if we could just close a game.

I am very optimistic and have a ton of faith in Gailey and Fitz and truly believe next year we will make a gigantic leap and make the playoffs! Granted were in a very competitive division but I still think we can do it! What are your thoughts for next season?

CB: I’ve withheld judgment on the Bills because in this unusual offseason the roster has yet to take shape. There’s a lot of personnel stuff to be settled in a very short period of time.

The fact remains however, that they do play in a very competitive division. Granted the Jets roster could change dramatically in light of their cap situation and number of marquee free agents, but this uphill climb in the AFC East will be challenging.

In addition the Bills have a very difficult schedule with the NFC East on the slate as well as a much improved AFC West. I’m not trying to dodge you, but I need to see where players like C.J. Spiller, Marcell Dareus, Torell Troup and others are at once they get back in.

Young players that are expected to contribute more in year two or as top flight rookies have been the most affected by this offseason in terms of their development. They can greatly impact the success or lack of success of the club this year.

5 – Hey Chris,

With the whole spring workout schedule lost what changes is Chan Gailey going to have to make in preparing for the season?

Thanks,
Jeff
Webster, NY

CB: In talking to some of Buffalo’s assistant coaches earlier this offseason, they already had put plans in place to simplify the installation of the playbook in training camp. That likely means less volume, fewer plays etc.

I think it’s also possible that play installation could be tied to the framework of preliminary game plans for the first few games of the season. The coaches want to ensure that they can get sound play from their players in the games that count despite the shortened time frame with respect to reps on the field.

So repping those plays that they’re likely to run against the likes of Kansas City, Oakland, New England and Cincinnati in the first month of the season seems advisable. And the coaches have had plenty of time to scout those teams off last year’s film. Granted there will be some changes, but I could see that being a part of what’s different in terms of preparation.

Fan Friday 7-8

Hey Bills fans, hope you enjoyed your 4^th of July holiday. Time to get back to it and answer your questions.

On a side note I’ve been getting some questions sent to me at the Bills message board and I feel compelled to tell you I rarely check that inbox, due mainly to time constraints. So if you have a question you’d like answered I highly recommend emailing me directly at AskChris@bills.nfl.net. It’s your best bet.

1 - Hey Chris, quick question about the jersey unveiling. Who was wearing the authentic jersey tops? The soldiers or the retirees?

Thanks,

BeastoftheEast

CB: The jerseys that the members of the military were wearing are the official on-field jerseys that the players will wear on game days. The player jerseys are made of stretch mesh, a Reebok fabric that provides players with superior breathability and better range of motion.

The jerseys are also 20 to 30 percent lighter in weight, depending on the player’s size, due to Reebok’s ability to reduce cut lines and seams for a high performance fit.

Each jersey is specifically tailored to the exact specifications of each player. Those on-field jerseys are not available for retail sale.

The retail Authentic jerseys that are sold at The Bills Store are close replications of the on-field jerseys. However, they are not constructed of stretch mesh and they do not have the same “shrink wrap” fit that NFL players generally require. The retail Authentic jerseys are heavyweight jerseys that are finished with twill numbers and names. While they are not quite as form fitting as their on-field counterparts, the Authentic jerseys do have a tapered silhouette.

The retail Replica jerseys are a lighter weight jersey with screen printed numbers and names. They have a more generous cut and are more loose fitting.

The jerseys that the alumni wore for the unveiling event were blank Replica jerseys that were finished with twill numbers and names. Each of those jerseys were one-of-a-kind creations that allowed for the alumni to be able to slip the jersey on over their shirt and have twill numbers that would be easily visible to the crowd in attendance at the uniform launch event.

Hope that clears things up.

2 – Chris,

I was looking around on other NFL message boards the other day and I read that the Bills have one of the smallest scouting departments in the league. Is there any way to find out how many scouts the Bills do actually have? It would be interesting to compare it to teams such as Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and any other reputable teams that have had a good history when it comes to drafts.

Thanks,
Brian

CB: Counting Bills GM Buddy Nix, who does a good amount of scouting and Assistant GM Doug Whaley, who is going to spend more time working on the college side of the Personnel Department, the Bills actually have 14 college scouts.

Truth be told that’s one of the larger staffs in the league. Pittsburgh has 10, San Diego has 10, Indianapolis has 9. The smallest staff has always been Cincinnati, which doesn’t even have a college scouting staff. They rely on their coaching staff to do their scouting for them primarily off college tape.

3 - Hello Chris.
My question for you is while the players are locked out, does that interfere with contract signings?  If not, if the season is started in the next week, or so, would there be a plethora of signings for rookies, or are deals being made right now, with the owners & agents? So that way, they will be able to start training camp immediately?

Thanks for bringing great Buffalo Bills news, to fans like myself.

CB: Thanks for the kind words and your readership. NFL clubs cannot have any contact with players or agents about new contracts for players who are currently without a contract. It would be a fruitless pursuit anyway without knowing what the new rules are concerning the signing of players under a new collective bargaining agreement.

What is likely to happen is there will be a short free agent signing period where as you predict there will be a plethora of signings (both undrafted rookies and veteran free agents). I would anticipate that there will be an initial period for teams to re-sign their own players whose contracts have expired before an open period.

4 - Chris,

What was the reason behind the discrepancy between color order of the jersey number and piping on the pants (navy blue, red, royal blue) and the sleeves (red, navy blue, royal blue) of the white jersey? Thanks.

Erik D.

CB: From what I have been told about the new uniforms the intent was to match the sleeve stripes with the sock stripes.

5 - Chris,

Steve Johnson has been my favorite player since he was a rookie in 2008. I have only nice things to say about him, but when it comes to 2011 (pending on a season being played), I don’t think he will be able to put up the same numbers as 2010. What do you think?

Thanks

Chris L. from Lancaster

CB: I believe there’s no debating that he will draw the majority of double team attention in 2011 as opposed to Lee Evans. We saw a good deal of that down the stretch last season and Johnson’s production suffered. I however, believe Johnson’s production drop off was due more to the absence of Roscoe Parrish, who was lost in Week 10 to a broken wrist.

When he went out of the lineup, it allowed opposing defenses to focus more on Evans and Johnson with cover 2 looks and bracket coverages. They committed to letting rookies like David Nelson, Donald Jones and Naaman Roosevelt prove they could beat them instead of taking their chances with Evans and Johnson. On occasion those rookies did beat them (See: Cleveland victory). With Parrish back in the fold for 2011 I believe Johnson will get enough opportunities to have comparable numbers, but some of that will hinge on how productive his teammates can be when he is double teamed.

Fan Friday 7-1

Enjoy the holiday weekend Bills fans and remember if you’re in the military take advantage of submitting any service photos from overseas, especially if you’ve got Bills gear in the shot. We’re doing a military Bills fan photo gallery tribute on July 4^th on Buffalobills.com. Just send your photos and info to me at AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 – Chris,
Could you clear up some confusion on the part of Bills fans?  Many fans have said on the message boards that blue pants are going to be used but just weren’t ready for the recent unveiling.

Hopefully that’s true (although hard to believe they wouldn’t be ready) as I think the blue pants with white tops looks 100% better than white on white (“long underwear” look IMHO).  Please clear this up once and for all for all of the fans, the majority of which seem to want the blue pants also.  9 years of white on white was enough!

Thanks,
Gary

CB: What I have been told by our people at One Bills Drive is the following. The away uniform in 2011 will feature white pants with a white jersey.

2 - Hi Chris,
 
Last I heard, NFL Network was still not able to find a team to follow via their reality television show Hard Knocks. They were turned down by the Jets for a second season, the Cowboys and another team I believe.
 
Are the Bills not interested in this opportunity? Have they contacted NFL Network on this topic?
 
I for one believe it would help the regionalization efforts with Toronto and getting a more engaged fan base from the north.
 
Thanks
Anthony

CB: You make a valid point, but I’m not in a position to speak for Buddy Nix or Chan Gailey and what they’d decide. Having been around them the past calendar year and seeing how they operate, I’d be surprised to see them sign off on something like that.

They’re both old school football men that just want to go to work and get the job done. Having to deal with cameras following them wherever they go during the busiest time of their calendar year doesn’t sound like it would jive with their way of doing things, but obviously that’s their call not mine.

3 - Hey Chris,

With all the hype going on with Terrelle Pryor I was wondering about other quarterbacks that could be taken in either free agency or the supplemental draft.  I am pretty sure Pat Devlin is still on the market and I liked his numbers and physical traits.  I also heard he has the intangibles to be a NFL quarterback.  Is there any chance the Bills get him? 

Thanks,
Tommy from Pittsford

CB: It’s certainly possible that the Bills will add another young arm to their quarterback contingent, but I think it’s far more likely that they add a veteran that they feel is capable of backing up Ryan Fitzpatrick. They already have a young developing arm in Levi Brown, so I would anticipate them adding someone that’s had some time in the league and been on the field a fair amount on Sundays. Buddy Nix said earlier this offseason they may very well add two more quarterbacks, but the fourth in all likelihood would be another passer for camp and if he impresses maybe he sticks around in some capacity. That’s where an additional young signal caller might come into play.

4 - Dear Chris,

Thanks for all you do to keep us fans up to date.  That goes double for those of us that have moved away from upstate NY, but still call Buffalo home.

I have a question about the Practice Squad.  Can another team just sign a guy off of our Practice Squad any time they feel like it?  Do we have to agree to let that player go?  Do we get compensated if they take one of our guys?  I’d sure hate to see a guy like Jasper or Batten end up in New England and become a real monster that we have to play against twice a year.  

Thanks,
Gregg from Fort Worth

CB: Unfortunately yes, another team with an opening on their 53-man roster can pluck a player off of any team’s practice squad at any time. There are some measures the original team can take to prevent losing the player if they covet him. One is to offer him an active player contract (practice squad players make less) and a spot on the active roster.

The Green Bay Packers tried to do that when the Bills went to take Brian Brohm off of Green Bay’s practice squad. They offered a deal equal to that of the Bills contract, but Brohm still chose to leave.

More than 95 percent of the time the practice squad player leaves because the new team that signs him has to keep him on their active roster for at least three weeks, so it’s a genuine opportunity to get on an NFL field on a Sunday, especially if the team they’re going to has had a rash of injuries at said player’s position.

5 - Chris,

Thanks for all your work. I was wondering where you think that Johnny White will be in the backfield. With Fred and CJ carrying most of the load, do you see him more as a returner or do you think he will get some carries. I think he can develop into a complement to CJ once Fred leaves.

Michael

CB: I see a lot of special teams work ahead for Johnny White, who can serve in a lot of roles on that unit. I could also envision him being a goal line back as the season wears on. The kid runs downhill… hard. He’s an inside runner primarily, so if they want to take some of the wear and tear off Fred I could see him spelling Jackson a bit here and there. However, if he gets more than 4-8 touches a game on offense as a rookie I’d be surprised, just because of who is in front of him on the depth chart.

Fan Friday 6-24

Big uniform unveiling tonight. Should be a lot of fun. For now let’s answer your questions to pass the time before the big show. Remember you can submit your questions at AskChris@bills.nfl.net.

1 - Hey Chris, 

I know I asked you about the Bills trading for Tebow, but with all the talk about Pryor, do you think that the Bills will do something with him? I think if we get either one of them they can sit behind Fitz and learn. Chan likes mobile QBs so this could be a good opportunity to get one and let him learn. What do you think?

Michael

CB: First as I’ve stated in the past I don’t think Tebow is the one on the trading block in Denver. All indications are it will be Kyle Orton if anyone is moved. With respect to Pryor the only reason he’s getting so much attention is because of the Ohio State NCAA investigation and his subsequent separation from the program. Most experts believe his game is still lacking in several areas.

That’s not to say he’s not capable of playing in the NFL, but most have said an NFL club would spend a 5^th to 6^th round pick on him in the Supplemental draft at the most.

My belief is that teams looking at their quarterback position will compare Pryor to the class of quarterbacks due out next spring in the 2012 draft and determine whether he’s someone worth investing in now or if they’re better off waiting for what’s available in the draft pool next year.

2 - Chris, 

Can you break down the strength and weakness of the Bills O-Line? Are they a better run blocking or pass protecting team? I think the unit was underrated in passing and Ryan didn’t appear to be sacked as much as previous QB’s. In some games the injured O-line was often stuffed at the line. Bell and Wood both had a somewhat healthy season too. Will Wang and Hairston push and compete for a starting job as well. 

Thanks!
Tyler

CB: I think individually some of them are stronger in run blocking than pass blocking and vice versa, but the unit as a whole is still working on their identity in terms of what they do best. Part of the problem, as you pointed out, was the unit was beset with injuries and began the season with two tackles that could play despite not being 100 percent healthy. The run game got better as the season wore on, and most of the linemen would agree that while they did improve their pass protection they’d be the first to credit Fitz for getting the ball out quickly and making them look good at times.

Hairston and Wang will compete with the incumbent starters, but I think in the end Erik Pears and Demetrius Bell will start at tackle in 2011.

3 - Dear Chris,

As always good job on keeping all of us fans up to date on all the
news from 1 Bills Drive. Thank you very much and keep up the good work!
 
Now to my deep concerns .
Throughout all of the labor talks there have been a few owners and managers whose names have always come up in the negotiations process. The likes of Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, Scott Pioli, and Bruce Allen come to mind first. Now I know at times a representative from every club had to be present for meetings, but it just seems that the bigger market reps are the ones we always hear about. Is this because they are the only ones really doing the negotiating for the owners or is there more to it that I am not understanding?

My concern is that the smaller market teams are not being represented fully and that their concerns in the labor talks are not being heard. The more money that players are allotted will affect the overall budget for every team and high price free agents making more money would not be afforded by smaller market teams such as our beloved bills case in point would be that it would be even harder after negotiations for a smaller market team to remain competitive due to
the increase in player wages.

Can you please shed some light on these subjects? It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again.
   
Jason
Norwich, CT

CB: The reason owners like Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft are often in the press is because they’re high profile owners with nationally recognized franchises. Both men are also part of the 10-person Labor Committee for the owners, chiefly responsible for helping to bridge an accord with the players. In fact here is the entire list of Labor Committee members for the owners.

Pat Bowlen – Denver
Mike Brown – Cincinnati
Clark Hunt – Kansas City
Bob Kraft – New England
John Mara – NY Giants
Mark Murphy – Green Bay
Jerry Richardson – Carolina
Art Rooney – Pittsburgh
Dean Spanos – San Diego

As you can see the labor committee representation is split down the middle between the large and small market clubs. Cincinnati, Green Bay, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and San Diego are considered the small market reps. Obviously small market ownership feels comfortable with this balanced representation.

Your concerns are not uncommon. I remember when I hosted the conference call with Bills season ticketholders and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the biggest concern was revenue sharing and it’s a valid concern. Here was the commissioner’s reponse to those concerns.

I can tell you with the NFL one of the things I’m proudest of is we continue to find ways to share new revenue. Our system right now close to 80 percent of our revenue is shared amongst the clubs. That’s one of the core reasons that the system works and why the Buffalo Bills have the financial ability to compete. You always have to evaluate that system and balance that system to make sure as the economics of the league changes, as revenue growth changes that you continue to have a system that will allow that revenue to grow, but also share it in a way that will allow the fundamentals of the league continue to be successful. I know our ownership has always stepped up to that and we will continue to do that to make sure that everyone has the financial ability and we can make sure that the Buffalo Bills and every other small market come into the season with the ability to be competitive.

The commissioner also went on to point out that the biggest revenue source for NFL clubs is the television revenue and that is shared equally amongst the clubs. I realize that the most recent talk about mandating teams to spend very close to the cap every year (no salary floor, no salary ceiling) in some reports could be discouraging, but I think a lot of that still has to be sifted out. That’s where having proper representation on behalf of the small market clubs on the owners’ labor committee is essential.

4 - Hey Chris, 

Just want to thank you for always being on top of things with the Bills and for keeping us Bills fans informed. I have 2 questions I hope you can answer. I like what the Bills did in the draft this year. I still see some gaping holes though and wonder what your thoughts are on addressing them:  I see us needing a QB (either a backup for this year or franchise QB going forward), a cornerstone OT (I don’t see one on our roster just a few passable OT’s for now), a TE, and an OLB ( I am hopeful Merriman comes back healthy and I like Moats potential…. but that is still just potential). Do you feel any of these will be filled this year in FA and do you see other needs that I didn’t mention that we need to have addressed ASAP?

Dennis

CB: I think even the Bills themselves admitted that they wanted to either land a future franchise QB or a veteran to be a backup to Fitz. Based on how things played out in the draft it’s safe to assume they’ll be trolling for a backup whenever there is a free agency period.

At tackle I think there’s a bit more there than meets the eye. Defense was the pressing need in the draft and as a result it took precedent over some of the positions that you listed.

It’s hard to predict how aggressive the Bills will be in free agency because the new rules in a new CBA could alter strategies with respect to things like “dead money” on a cap and absolute dollars where it’s on your books right now and not pushed into the future. So we have to see what the rules will be before we can judge how a team like the Bills will approach free agency.

5 – Chris,

Can you explain the eligibility rules for the practice squad? Is there a number of games a player can dress and be on the active roster then to be switched to the squad? How many players are allowed on the squad? Could players like Howard, Roosevelt, Donald Jones, Ed Wang land on the squad since they maybe behind the pecking order at OG and WR?

CB: Players can typically spend two seasons on a practice squad. There are stipulations that allow for a third year, but I’m not going to get into those here. Once a player has dressed for nine NFL games he is no longer eligible for the practice squad. So for example, when Jim Leonhard in his first season with the Bills appeared in nine games, he was no longer eligible for the practice squad.

Practice squad sizes can hold a maximum of eight players.

Howard appeared in 10 games as a rookie last year and Jones in 15. Both would no longer be eligible for the practice squad to my knowledge. Wang and Roosevelt who each appeared in six games are still practice squad eligible.