Marshawn Lynch’s 3rd annual Family First football camp gets underway Saturday at his former high school, Oakland Tech, and he’s bringing some NFL friends along with him.
Joining Lynch will be his cousin Josh Johnson, QB for Tampa Bay as well as Bucs DB Aqib Talib, Tanard Jackson and James Lee. Steelers LB Lamarr Woodley is also going to be on hand helping Lynch coach up the kids on fundamentals and sportsmanship.
Best part about the camp is it’s free for the kids – ages 6-18.
National Football Post columnist and former Bills safety Matt Bowen (though a leg injury cost him his only season in Buffalo) put together his five ways that the Bills can make the playoffs this year.
While I share his enthusiasm, I don’t completely agree with some of his assessments.
First, regarding his stance that Buffalo has to play more man-to-man defense on the back end. I’ll be the first to say I’d like to see more press coverage, than painfully watch talents like Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin giving WRs a 10-yard cushion.
Even McGee himself felt they should be playing more press coverage. But I think the reason Perry Fewell had his guys play off so much was because his four man pass rush couldn’t get home, and 24 sacks last season serves as proof.
As good as McGee and McKelvin are asking them to cover man-to-man for more than four seconds is unrealistic. I think until Fewell sees that Schobel and Maybin can consistently make the four man front work, you won’t see a whole lot more man coverage calls.
I agree wholeheartedly with his second point about getting T.O. involved, but that’s kind of a no brainer. He’s right about the coverages though (lots of cover-2 and 2-man). I just hope that Trent doesn’t just settle for working underneath with Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish when he sees that. Reed and Parrish are great weapons in the middle of the field, but Trent has to throw some passes into the teeth of the defense because he has proven playmakers in Owens and Evans who can work the deep middle and both fight for the ball.
Bowen’s right about Jackson and Rhodes. I think together they can hold the fort while Lynch serves his suspension.
He’s dead on with his pass rush point, and Fewell knows how to be creative with his blitzes and creeper LB packages. He’s been forced to use it the past two seasons, so he’ll be ready if he has to go into his bag of tricks again.
The home field advantage point is a tricky one. The Super Bowl era Bills of the early 90’s reveled in the winter weather they had at home and used it to their advantage. I know there are a lot of fans that would like to see the current Bills make better use of that advantage.
The only problem is the only teams on the schedule slated to come to the Ralph when the weather begins to affect games and might not be accustomed to it are Miami (Nov. 29) and Indy (Jan. 3). The only other home games on the back end of the slate are two northeast based teams in the Jets and Patriots and Buffalo is playing New York in Toronto on Dec. 3.
So while I respect Bowen’s opinion in most cases, points one and five have some caveats.
Terrence McGee will be signing autographs at the Gus Macker tournament in Buffalo Saturday.
He’ll be signing between 1 and 2pm in front of the New Era store on Delaware Ave.
McGee and Marshawn Lynch are lead co-sponsors of the tournament.
Marshawn Lynch offered Steelers linebacker Lamar Woodley a helping hand this past weekend.
The Bills feature back helped Woodley hold his second annual football camp in Saginaw, Michigan over the weekend. Lynch along with a handful of other NFL players (most of them U. of Michigan alums like Woodley) gave over 300 kids that attended the free camp football pointers with Lynch obviously offering running back expertise with Colts back Mike Hart.
Woodley and Lynch are connected through their representation, as their agents both work for the same firm.
Marshawn Lynch did not participate in the last two helmet practices with his teammates in minicamp on Tuesday and Wednesday. His injury was outlined by head coach Dick Jauron.
“He got stepped on and his foot kind of swelled up,” said Jauron. ”So we sent him for x-rays and tests, and nothing is broken, but it was still swollen and sore.”
Lynch was favoring the foot a bit walking around on the sidelines at practice. But it’s not considered serious.
Marshawn Lynch and Roscoe Parrish are not participating in practice for day 2 of minicamp.
Lynch is dealing with an undisclosed ailment, while Parrish tweaked his right calf early in practice Tuesday.
Marshawn Lynch is not participating on day one of minicamp. He is on the field watching practice and wearing his jersey, but is not doing anything.
Fred Jackson is taking starter reps in the RB rotation.
Marshawn Lynch and Steve Johnson are just two NFL players in the Fam1ly F1rst organization run by Anthony Jackson out in Oakland. The athlete service group has recently expanded their outreach with an online radio show with the next airing scheduled for June 1st at 4pm ET.
Among the players to appear on the show is Bills free agent DE Jermaine McGhee. McGhee was a tryout player during rookie minicamp that was later signed to a contract. Also slated to appear are Tennesee Titan wideout Lavelle Hawkins, CAL Bear Heisman Candidate Jahvid Best and CFL standout Tyler Ebell as well as many drop in guests.
Marshawn Lynch shared some of his thoughts Thursday about the increased tempo of the offense and the addition of Terrell Owens. Suffice to say Lynch is pumped up.
When asked about what he thinks of Owens as a teammate, Lynch likes what he sees in T.O. as a teammate.
“He’s a cool dude,” said Lynch. ”In the offseason I was in here and worked out with him. He was a cool guy from what I got to see. I love having him on the team.”
Lynch, who is real tight with Fred Jackson was glad to see ‘Head’ as Lynch calls Jackson get locked up long term by the Bills.
“Going into the offseason we knew that it was going to be something that the team had to address,” said Lynch of Jackson’s contract. ”With two happy running backs there’s going to be trouble (for opponents).”
Lynch is confident that their offense will be able to do some damage in 2009.
“With the additions that we have now with the draft picks and Terrell Owens, I’m seeing big things for us,” he said.
Marcus Stroud will be holding a free football camp day in his native Brooks County, GA this Saturday and he’ll have a bunch of teammates in tow with him.
Stroud’s camp, which is open to all players 13 and younger, will also feature fellow Bills Spencer Johnson, Marshawn Lynch, Donte Whitner, George Wilson who have committed to help Stroud out. Former Bills teammate Robert Royal will also be in attendance along with a couple of Stroud’s former Jacksonville teammates, John Henderson and Mike Peterson. Seattle’s Chris Spencer is also supposed to be there.
The camp is being held at Brooks County’s Veterans Stadium. Contact information for the camp is available at the bottom of this write up.
OTAs are underway and fans are checking up on their favorites. Enjoy the holiday weekend everybody. I’ll catch up with you on Tuesday… unless something happens between now and then.
1. Hey Chris,
With OTAs underway, everyone’s really excited to see what’s going on with T.O. I’m more interested in how my boy Marshawn Lynch is looking. How has he fared so far in the OTA sessions? Has he seen less carries to make way for Fred and Dominic?
Jay
Macon, Ga.
CB: Lynch has looked explosive and has bobbed and weaved well in and out of traffic and through holes. He also looks smooth in the passing game. I think the second year in Turk’s offensive system is allowing him to play faster, which is a scary thought.
With respect to Fred and Dominic, Rhodes is just getting a handle on the system and is being used sparingly. Jackson meanwhile has been split out a lot, and I mean a lot. More so than he was last year. That’s very telling considering the depth the Bills have a WR. Jackson has been out wide more than Parrish as far as I have seen.
2. hey chris, thanks for taking time to answer the question. besides the potential signing of tinoisamoa, are the bills looking at upgrading their linebacker core by free agency or are they content with who they have on the roster?
ryan
CB: I think Tinoisamoa remains an option, but at the right price. He’d be no more than a two down LB for the Bills because I think Poz and Mitchell would still be the nickel LBs, so spending big money wouldn’t make sense. As for upgrading linebacker, I think they’d look at it, but I don’t sense it as being a major pressing issue for them. They’ve got some young talent in Bowen.
3. Hey Chris,
Just wondering,who are the 5-10 walk ons or udfa s that the Bills have brought forward.
Every spring I love these guys because the Bills always gives them a fair shake and because they are there primarily because they love the game.
CB: Well there weren’t as many signed as initially anticipated. The tryout players from the rookie camp that were signed were CB Kyle Ward, long snapper Garrison Sanborn and DE Jermaine McGhee. Sanborn probably has the best chance to land on the practice squad.
4. With the trade of Peters and a big boost to out WR will Buffalo go get some Vet. help for our line so Edwards can have time to throw the ball?? I know in FA there is still Jon Runyan and even ol’ Jonas Jennings do you think we will go after them and if not why???
CB: I don’t see either player as an option. Buffalo has some depth at backup tackle. Kirk Chambers has proven to be a steady swing tackle and Demetrius Bell looks like he’s ready to provide competition for that role. Runyan is at the end of the line and gutted it out last season. Jonas Jennings was injury prone as a young player here. Now that he’s older I don’t see that situation improving. Liked him as a player, but it’s more about availability. As for interior veterans they picked up McKinney and Chambers is working at guard.
5. Hey Chris,
I know we drafted Shawn Nelson who I like a lot but with all the WR we have this year I was wondering what you think about Steve Johnson getting converted to TE. He has the size and body, I like Steve and really hope he gets more playing time but I would really like to see him at TE. No LB will be able to keep up with his speed and his hands are solid I think he would be one of the best TE in the game.
matt from Rochester
CB: It’s an interesting proposal, but I don’t see it happening. I think Johnson has a good chance to see more time on the field. He established a good chemistry with Trent Edwards down the stretch last season and I believe will be featured in the slot during four wide formations. You’re right he knows how to pluck the ball out of the air and can shield defenders from the ball. I think he’s got a bright future.
Fan Friday 5-1
We’re into May and rookie minicamp. But there’s plenty of free agent and trade talk as well as a little post-draft so here we go.
1. Chris,
Its my understanding that Aaron Maybin weighed about 250lbs. at Penn States pro day, at which he displayed consistant 4.6 speed. Is it likely the Bills will have him continue his growth atleast 10 more pounds, and if so does his quickness remain the same?
Growmango
CB: Maybin addressed this issue at rookie camp today. He said he’s not going to hurry to put more weight on, but sees himself adding 5 to 10 more pounds over the next year or so to be near 260. He believes this is a weight he can handle without sacrificing his trademark speed off the edge. We have to remember the guy just turned 21 years old. He’s still filling out. So I think that 258 to 260 is realistic in a year or so.
2. Chris,
There are rumors that the Steelers are going to release or trade Larry Foote. It was also reported that the Steelers were interested in Roscoe Parrish. How about a trade or if they release him I think we should sign him. I love his grit.
CB: I don’t see any of what you’re suggesting happening. First, Foote is a two down player in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 system. He simply doesn’t have the foot speed to play in Buffalo’s defensive system, in which he’d have to cover more ground and be lined up further from the ball.
Second, while the Steelers were looking for receiver help and a return man, they just signed free agent WR Shaun McDonald which fills at least the receiver need.
3. Chris,
Now that Denver is loaded with RB’s again they have released Selvin Young is there any chance that that the Bills will pursue him. I don’t think he is the caliber player of Lynch or Jackson but her could be our #2 until Lynch returns from injury and our #3 when he returns.
Young looked very promising last year even though he was hit hard with a hamstring injury and I think he would be a great addition. I would be interested in hearing you thoughts on this.
JOSEPH
CB: Sorry I don’t see the Bills being interested in Selvin Young. Their top three backs on the depth chart are set with Lynch, Jackson and Dominic Rhodes. With youngsters Xavier Omon and Bruce Hall also in the fold I don’t see room for Young and in my opinion he’s not enough of a difference maker where he’d be a major upgrade.
4. Do the Bills have “open” tryouts, or in other words “walk-ons”? Is that what is going on this weekend? Also, do players have to be invited to these tryouts and when are they?
Thanks for your time!
-Brian in Rochester-
CB: The Bills brought in 30 “tryout” players for the rookie minicamp. They’re not considered the same as the draft picks or undrafted free agent signings because they’re all under contract.
Thirty is the most the Bills have had. They’re mostly players they have worked out in the past over the last year or so. Some are fresh out of college too. They’ve got three days to make a good impression, and after that they might be signed. Otherwise their back on the street looking for work.
The most interesting tryout player is WR De’Cody Fagg. The Florida State product was at the combine last year and ripped up his knee requiring surgery. He looked pretty good today with some limited opportunities. It’s hard to tell if he’s all the way back. May have to talk to him.
5. Chris,
Who do you think will be starting beside Poz and Mitchell at linebacker? Do you think the Bills are watching for any free agents? I noticed that LaVar Arrington was in town when Maybin met the media. Do you think anybody in the front office has flirted with the idea of inviting him to try out? He was a three-time pro-bowl linebacker and is only 30 years old. If he is still in shape and all healed up from his injuries, why not? Please pass this along to Coach Jauron or Russ Brandon…
-Joe Maciag
CB: Arrington is not an option. He’s retired and part of Aaron Maybin’s management team. After a motorcycle accident reclaiming his career really wasn’t an option anymore. Plus his style of play put a lot of miles on his tires quickly. I think they’ll see how Nic Harris (5th round pick) blends in through the spring and possibly even early training camp. If they don’t feel they’ve upgraded the position at all they make look around at that time.
The mock drafts keep coming and this one from nooffseason.com goes three rounds. On the whole I like the majority of their picks with respect to where they have players valued. I like their first two picks for Buffalo, but I’m not crazy about the third rounder.
In round one they’ve got Buffalo taking Everette Brown, who everyone knows at this point is a player I like a lot, though there are some that don’t see him as that valuable (top half of 1st round).
In round two they’ve got the Bills taking Alex Mack 42nd overall, but I’m not 100 percent sure he’ll still be on the board. I think Pittsburgh could grab him at the bottom of the first, though these guys have the Steelers taking Louisville’s Eric Wood.
I like Wood, but I like Mack better.
In round three they go a bit off the board with Michigan State’s Javon Ringer. While there’s no question that the Bills need a third running back especially now in light of the Lynch suspension, I can’t see Dick Jauron wanting to add a rookie. Counting on rookies, especially early in the season when Lynch is out of the lineup doesn’t add up.
That’s why Buffalo has been bringing in a bevy of veteran backs on free agent visits, Dominic Rhodes most recently (Tuesday).
In round three I think a linebacker or tight end is more likely if they go DE and OL in the first two rounds as these mockers have done.
Marshawn Lynch was taking part in offseason conditioning workouts this week. The program is voluntary, but it was good to see Buffalo’s feature back in town getting some work done in the weight room earlier this week.
Spencer Johnson was another veteran player that was spotted taking part at One Bills Drive as well.
The voluntary program usually runs four days a week for the players with weekends off.
For those that didn’t see it Marshawn Lynch submitted his first blog in some time Tuesday on the heels of his press conference last week with the media when he pledged to chart a new course with respect to his off the field conduct.
It’s a condensed version of what he said in the press conference for his fans. In fact his press conference was more revealing than his blog.
There is a lot to like about the Monday Night Football opener and some things that aren’t very appealing (location of game). First I’ll tell you what I like best about this game on this week.
Perhaps most important is that Bill Belichick and his staff will not have any tape on Buffalo’s offense with Owens a part of it. The Bills are tweaking a good portion of their offensive approach with Owens in the lineup and with the Monday Night game being the debut of the Buffalo offense, Belichick will be forced to adjust on the fly.
I like that he won’t have any tape to go on. That’s a big plus for the Bills.
What I don’t like is that first, it’s another prime time game in Foxboro, and being the opening Monday Night game and the return of Tom Brady is going to have the Patriots’ fans in a full froth leading up to kickoff.
Secondly, the Bills may also be without Marshawn Lynch for the opener if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell elects to hand down a suspension for any length of time with respect to games.
That would be a tough blow to Buffalo’s ground game in an important early AFC East contest. Let me know what you think about this matchup.
Bills quarterback Trent Edwards was asked about how he and his team intend to handle a potential league suspension of Marshawn Lynch after his meeting with Commissioner Goodell last week.
“Obviously, he’s a big part of our offense,” said Edwards. ”He’s one of those players that can change the nature of the game and change defenses. Having that type of player on the field in the offensive backfield gives the defense one more thing to worry about, it keeps the defensive coordinator up later at night, and it keeps the defensive players thinking about one more extra weapon.
“And not having him for, I don’t know what the situation is, I haven’t been following it too closely, but hopefully we won’t miss him for any time, but however much time that is, we’re, just like we say with any other injured player, we need other guys in the system to step up, and I know Fred (Jackson) and Bruce (Hall) and Xavier (Omon) and those guys will definitely fill in if Marshawn’s not there.”
Whatever comes down the pike in the next week or so for Lynch will have an impact. He’s been the team’s leading scorer each of the past two years not counting Rian Lindell. And he accounts for about a third of their offense. Of course Fred Jackson has proven more than capable of filling in for Lynch when he’s gone down with injury.
During Marshawn Lynch’s news conference with the WNY media where he pledged to a fresh start off the field, Lynch also commented on the team’s acquisition of Terrell Owens.
“It was kind of a surprise to me,” said Lynch of hearing the news. ”I thought it was a joke, but then I got a few text messages from some family members saying that they signed T.O.. I kind of bypassed them, you know, yeah, okay, laugh out loud. But then it really hit me when Trent Edwards called me and told me that we added another weapon to the offense.
“And, I mean, that’s T.O. what more can you say about T.O. besides what he’s going to say for himself? Hopefully he’ll come in and help us get to that goal we’ve been trying to get to for the last two years that I have been here.”
One thing Lynch can look forward to is a lot fewer eight man fronts with Lee Evans and Terrell Owens on the outside.
“Yeah, most definitely,” he said. ”We should have a little more success in the running game for me and Fred (Jackson). That’ll be great.”
After taking the proactive approach and calling the Commissioner’s office to request a meeting instead of being called in for a disciplinary sit down, Lynch still believes based on how stern Roger Goodell was in the face-to-face encounter that he will be suspended in the next 10 days.
“For me, I honestly see a suspension coming,” said Lynch. ”But that comes with the consequences. The first time was like a slap on the wrist, but this time he got to that ‘but.’ This time, I feel it really will stick.”
Lynch didn’t elaborate in terms of how many games he believes he will get. To read more on this story just go to the home page of Buffalobills.com
I’ve got to say it was a side of Marshawn Lynch everyone was glad to see. His comments this afternoon were genuine, he was regretful for what has happened to him off the field over the past calendar year and sounded determined to make changes in his life and make better decisions.
He knows convincing some will be difficult, but he’s committed to changing for the better off the field.
To get a better feel for how he said what he said you can go to the media lounge.
