And former Bills Guard Ruben Brown says those qualities will serve Doug Whaley and the Bills very well.

Brown was a guest on The John Murphy Show Thursday night. He and Whaley were teammates on the University of Pittsburgh football team twenty years ago: Brown as an offensive lineman, and Whaley as a hybrid linebacker\safety.

Ruben Brown told host John Murphy that Whaley was a well educated Pittsburgh native who had great rapport with his Pitt Panthers teammates.

“He could deal with a lot of different backgrounds and upbringings and cultures,” Brown said. “It was a big melting pot of different people from all across the country coming to Pittsburgh. Doug was a bright guy that everyone could talk to, you could discuss all types of issues with him. And he respected his knowledge and how well he understood the game of football.”

Brown says Doug Whaley will bring a fresh approach to the Bills personnel department ,and an aggressive demeanor.

“Going forward, there’s going to be a real aggressive eye on the talent that’s in the building or coming into the building,” Brown said. “That’s going to take a lot of different forms. It’s going to be like a John Butler type thing, someone who could walk in the locker room, put his hand on a guy, look in his face, and see whether he’s invested the right amount of money in him.”

The entire interview with former Bills All Pro Guard Ruben Brown is available here

Appearing on The John Murphy Show Thursday night, Brown says he first met Whaley wnen they both played in an All American High School football game more than twenty years ago. They went on to become teammates on the Pitt Panthers football team. Brown was an offensive lineman, Whaley played linebacker and safety. And Ruben Brown says Whaley could play.

“Outstanding player,” Brown said on the radio show. “People might be surprised to know that. He was a blue-chip All American who played on a very successful high school team in Pennsylvania, Upper St Clair. It’s the end-all be-all as far as academics and sports in Western Pennsylvania. He was a star there and he led them to a championship.”

Brown says at Pitt, Doug Whaley played a hybrid linebacker-safety role on defense. And he says Whaley was a playmaker.

“He was Brian Urlacher before there was a Brian Urlacher. Not with the size and the speed, but he played that type of position. The game was evolving and you needed a linebacker\safety guy who could cover. Those guys were starting to show up more. Doug was very versatile for us.”

Brown told host John Murphy that he knew twenty years ago at Pitt that Whaley was smart and had leadership potential.

“I just knew from Day One that Doug was a very smart guy, very bright,” he said. “He had the type of education that every young man wishes they had experienced in school. We were, I would say, followers of his, because he was a leader on and off the field.”

The entire interview with Ruben Brown is available here

As he heads into his fourth year in the NFL, Shuler has only appeared in six NFL regular season games. That came in his rookie year, with Miami.

Appearing on The John Murphy Show Tuesday night, Shuler said he doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed as a “blocking” tight end or a “receiving” tight end. He wants to do it all.

“I’m both,” he said. “I try to be able to do a little of each, being able to block and being able to run, read defenses, get open, catch the ball, run after the catch. I’m not one dimensional. I wouldn’t classify myself as a receiver or a blocker. I’m an old school tight end. There’s not that many left, it seems like. Everyone’s got one or the other, but that’s what I try to pride myself—get down in the trenches and be able to block and get with the receivers and be able to catch.”

Shuler grew up with an in-house role model of an all purpose NFL tight end. His father, Mickey Shuler, was a former third round pick who played 12 -years wiht the New York Jets as part of a 14-year pro football career. The younger Shuler says he learned from his dad how important it is to be a well-rounded part of the offense.

“I know he was the tight end that could block and he was a pretty good receiver, ” Shuler told host John Murphy. “He raised me to be that same type of player. I would definitely try to emulate him.”

The entire interview with Bills Tight End Mickey Shuler is available here

Shuler entered the league as a 7th round pick of the Vikings in 2010. He’s played with Minnesota, Miami, Minnesota again, and then Oakland since then.

In an appearance on The John Murphy Show Tuesday night, Shuler said he found out about his release from the Raiders over the weekend.

“Yeah, I wasn’t expecting that,” Shuler said. “I flew into Pennsylvania for a wedding, and Im getting back on the plane flying back to Oakland from Pennsylvania Sunday night, and I got the call and they said they were releasing me on Monday. So yeah, it was a bit of a surprise.”

Shuler has only played in six NFL games, and that came in his rookie year in 2010 with the Dolphins. He’s hoping he gets a chance to get back on the field with the Bills and settle in to an NFL career.

“Every time you get another opportunity it’s a blessing,” he told host John Murphy. “It’s not easy on your stress level. Your family, my wife, it’s hard on everyone. As long as you keep getting a shot to play this game, a kid’s game, and get a chance to get paid to do it, I’m going to keep doing it.”

Shuler expects to arrive at the Bills complex by Wednesday afternoon. The entire interview with new Bills Tight End Mickey Shuler is available here

And for the last two years, Polian has covered the draft in his role as an NFL analyst for ESPN.

In an appearance on The John Murphy Show Monday night, the Bills Wall of Famer said he’s just come to the realization than the draft gurus on the air, like Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, and Mike Mayock, have a much different job than the team GMs in the draft rooms.

“When I was a general manager, I always used to think the analysts on television were as far off-base as it was possible to be,” Polian said. “But then, when I got to ESPN and I realized what Mel Kiper and Todd McShay do, what they’re doing is about 180-degrees opposite of what a general manager does.”

“As a GM, you’re just trying to pick the seven best players and then sign 7-10 collegiate free agents that you think are going to help your team. As the process gets closer to draft day, you have winnowed the board down to a very few players from a lot. Conversely, Mel and Todd and to a lesser degree, myself, because I had to know the players, we’re looking at everybody. That’s an almost impossible and incredibly large task. They do a great job of it.”

The entire interview with Bill Polian is available at Buffalobills.com\johnmurphyshow

Polian appeared on The John Murphy Show Monday night to talk about the draft and the Bills trade for Hughes last week. After watching the former first rounder in his first three years with Indy, Polian said Hughes showed significant improvement last season.

“Last year, as I watched him in Indianapolis, I really felt that he turned the corner,” Polian said. “He became much more assertive. He was flying to the ball. He was doing all of the things we thought he could do when we drafted him. And that’s fine. He was in his third year-that’s when they should start to contribute. He did a really good job of it. I think the light went on for him, as the saying goes.”

Polian, a six time NFL Executive of the Year, believes there’s a role for Hughes to play in Buffalo’s new defensive system.

” As a rush linebacker in Buffalo’s new ¾ or hybrid defense, you got a guy who can get up the field and get to the passer, and put pressure on the passer and that’s something they need,” he said. “He was mis-cast as a ¾ outside linebacker in Indianapolis because he has a really hard time being a five-technique and setting the edge. They want their outside linebackers to be 270-pounds and to be able to bench press that tight end and set the edge, and then rush from there. They want power rushers. And that’s not what Jerry does. He is a slippery, slithery, speedy outside rusher, much like Robert Mathis. He doesn’t have quite the punch that Robert Mathis does, but that’s his style of play.”

The entire interview with Bill Polian is available at Buffalobills.com\johnmurphyshow

The recently retired Bayside High School (Virginia Beach, Va.) was a guest on The John Murphy Show and talked about developing Manuel as a quarterback in high school. Coach Moore says he prevented Manuel from running an option offense in his first two years in high school, in an effort to encourage him to become a pocket passer.

“His first two years, it was somewhat of a tight leash,” Moore said. “We wanted to make sure he wasn’t viewed as just an athlete. I wanted people to look at him as a quarterback, who was an excellent athlete, not just an athlete playing quarterback. We wanted to make sure he got the techniques down so that he could be a pocket passer.”

Coach Moore insists he saw NFL potential in Manuel when he was just 13-years old. But he was concerned that Manuel might be typecast as a running quarterback.

“I felt like that if he was going to have an opportunity to play in the league, he needed to be a drop back passer first,” Moore said on the radio show. “And then those other things would come into play. So often, you get African American kids who play quarterback and people just view them as runners and not very good passers. I didn’t want him viewed as that. I wanted him to be viewed as a drop back passer who could get out of trouble and make things happen.”

The entire interview with Coach Darnell Moore is available here

Barkley’s fate caught one of his USC teammates by surprise. Bills 2nd round pick Robert Woods says he couldn’t believe that his quarterback had to wait until the fourth round.

“Very surprised that he went so late,” Woods said Tuesday night, in an appearance on The John Murphy Show. “I don’t know why he did. But I know talent-wise, he’s going to have a great NFL career once he gets his shot. He’s a competitor. He has a strong arm, he’s a very accurate quarterback. A quick arm. We’ll see what he does with the Eagles. He’s going to do great things once he gets his chance.”

Woods said he talked with Barkley during the draft and then after his selection by the Eagles. And he said his Trojan teammate is already brushing off the snub of waiting until the fourth round to hear his name called.

“He’s not depressed,” Woods told host John Murphy. “The whole process is stressful. But once you hear your name called, that all goes out the window. You’re relieved. You’re happy. And that’s exactly how he was. He was just happy to hear his name called. Now he has to get to work, and that’s his mindset. He has to get to work and prove why he is what he is.”

The entire interview with Bills 2nd round draft pick Robert Woods is available at Buffalobills.com\johnmurphyshow

Bills General Manager Buddy Nix says the Bills roster is better now than it was back on New Year’s Eve, the day after last season ended.

‘Absolutely. We’re younger, we’re a young team,” Nix said. “We got speed and some versatility. We brought some toughness to this team. It’s not any reflection on the guys that were here, they did a good job for us. But we needed to get better in some areas and speed was one of them. Because of the way our defense is, we needed some guys who can play more than one spot. I think we were able to do that.”

Nix made the comments in an appearance on The John Murphy Show. The entire interview is available here

But Bills GM Buddy Nix says the team had a first-to-second round grade on Rogers, when it came to football ability. The Bills GM talked about Rogers on The John Murphy Show.

“Being from Tennessee, I’ve known his background,” Nix said. “He’s from Calhoun, Georgia, I knew him when he was playing in high school. The guy’s got tremendous talent. He’s made some bad decisions. It’s gotten him in trouble. Got him out of the University of Tennessee, from an All-SEC performance in his sophomore year, and he goes to Tennessee Tech where he has a so-so year. He played down to the level of competition, really. But this guy’s talented. He can play. The ball’s in his court. He goes by the rules, and does like he’s supposed to, or he goes somewhere else.”

Nix said the Bills had several meetings with Rogers prior to the draft, and he sat down with the talented receiver in Orchard Park when he made a visit to One Bills Drive. At that meeting, Nix spelled out for Rogers what the team expected from him.

“He was one of our thirty visits,” Nix said. “He sat in my office, and I told him how it would be here, and what we expected. He can either make a living playing football or get a job. I think he understands that.”

The Bills GM says Rogers experience of being bypassed in the draft despite having first round ability, may serve to motivate him moving forward.

“I think he’s humbled. I think he’s probably got a chip on his shoulder.”

The entire interview with Bills GM Buddy Nix is available here

And while both the Bills and Colts are willing to part with young defensive talent, the trade seems to be more a product of finding a right fit for the defense. At least that’s what Bills GM Buddy Nix said, in an appearance on The John Murphy Show.

Nix was asked if Sheppard was not a good fit in the new defensive scheme being installed by Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine.

“I think that’s part of it,” he said. “Kelvin is a true middle linebacker–a guy that’s going to play from C-gap to C-gap and he can do that downhill.”

“But Mike Pettine made this statement during the draft,” Nix told host John Murphy. “The days of the Mike linebacker and the strong safety have just about fallen by the wayside. Everything has moved over. You’ve taken the Mike now, and he’s moved over. You’ve moved Will to Mike. And now you walk up Bryan Scott as a nickel linebacker, and he’s now the Will. Those guys got to be able to run and cover.”

Nix says the Bills have stressed versatility in the linebacker moves they’ve made in recent months.

“We got Moats there in the middle-he can play two spots. We got Kiko Alonso in there–he can play two spots. Nigel Bradham can play Will or Mike. That is what we’re coming to.”

The entire interview with Bills GM Buddy Nix is available at Buffalobills.com\johnmurphyshow

Hughes seemed to be on the right track with Indy in 2012, when he played in all 16 games and started six. He finished the year with a career high in sacks (4.0) and had 41 tackles. And once new Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano installed a 3/4 defensive front with Indy, Hughes semeed to flourish.

“With the staff changing and Coach Pagano bringing in his system,” Hughes said Monday night, “it was just something that he plugged me into. Just kinda stand up and see things–using my hands and stuff like that.”

Hughes appeared on The John Murphy Show Monday night hours after the trade was made. He said he’s looking forward to finding his role in the Buffalo Bills new defense under Mike Pettine.

“I’ve got an opportunity to get on the field and show my talents, and definitely I’m looking forward to continuing with it,” he said on the radio show. “I want to do my best to contribute to the Bills and keep pulling in the wins. Team success is always good.”

The entire interview with Jerry Hughes will be available at Buffalobills.com\johnmurphyshow

Linebacker Jerry Hughes was on his way to Buffalo Monday night, to be around for this week’s Volunary Offseason Conditioning program for the vets. But before he left, he told The John Murphy Show that the trade that sent him from Indianapolis to the Bills surprised him at first.

“Yeah, when you look at it like that it was,” he said. “But at the same time, you gotta sett it as a new opporutnity for you to go somewhere else, to work hard, and try to get on the field.”

Hughes was the Colts first round draft pick in 2010. He had his best season last year, when he started six games for Indy and finished with a career high four sacks.

He told host John Murphy the trade to Buffalo gives him a second chance at launching a succesful NFL career.

“I’m just looking forward to taking this opportunity and moving forward. Just try to go out there and keep playing good football.”

The entire interview with Jerry Hughes will be available at Buffalobills.com\johnmurphyshow

“He is now thrown into the mix of competition,” Marrone said about Manuel.

But if the 23-year old passer has to back up Kevin Kolb or Tarvaris Jackson, it won’t be his first experience as a backup.

Manuel spent his first two years at FSU backing up QB Christian Ponder, who went on to become the Vikings first round pick two years ago. And Manuel got plenty of playing time during those backup years. He started four games in 2009 when Ponder got injured, and led his team to the Gator Bowl title. And Manuel started two more the following year, and led the Seminoles to victory in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Manuel’s coach at FSU, Jimbo Fisher, says the young quarterback was extremely well prepared both seasons, when he was called upon to fill in for Ponder.

“I love the way he went about it,” Seminoles Coach Jimbo Fisher says. “I told him going in, backup quarterback is the hardest positon. Because you have to prepare like you’re going to go in, but you might never get a snap. It’s not like another position where you rotate.”

“But he took that role very seriously,” Fisher said, in an appearance on The John Murphy Show Friday night.
“And when we had Christian (Ponder) go down he jumped right in and led us to bowl games. When he had those opportunities he capitalized on them. He did a great job with his preparation.”

The entire interview with FSU Coach Jimbo Fisher is available here

Savage thinks there are a couple of under-the-radar type prospects who can spur teams to make a big move up the draft board in tonight’s first round. The former GM of the Browns made the comments Wednesday night in an appearance on The John Murphy Show.

“I think there are a number of players to keep an eye on,” Savage said. “Tyler Eifert, the tight end from Notre Dame, has quietly gone through this process. He’s a clean prospect. I think teams in the bottom of the first round, early second round, might be willing to make a move for him.”

“If there’s a run on these tackles in the top five, which we anticipate there will be,” Savage continued, “then D.J. Fluker from Alabama and Menelik Watson of Florida State become more coveted. I can see both of those players coming off the board maybe in the top 15, both of them.”

Last year, there were 19-trades in the first round of the draft. Savage does not necessarily think there will be that many trades this year, but he does look for some early movement in round one, as teams try to insert themselves into the top five picks.

“I do think this year we are likely to see a move into the top five,” Savage told host John Murphy. “I think we will see a move into the top ten, if one of the offensive tackles makes it to number six. But where the craziness could begin is around pick 12-or-13.”

“The Jets have the 13th pick which will be their second choice. I think from that point all the way through the end of the evening we’re going to have a ton of movement. Because I think teams are willing to do whatever it takes to go get that one particular player that they feel like they must have coming out of the first round.”

The entire interview with Phil Savage is available here.

Former Cleveland Browns GM Phil Savage says it’s a key question tonight.

“That’s going to be one of the million dollar questions of the night,” Savage said Wednesday night on The John Murphy Show. “Because there’s a lot of talk that Buffalo is fearful that if they pass on Ryan Nassib at number eight, they won’t have a chance to get back into the first round and get him before somebody else takes him, namely the New York Jets.”

Savage is the Executive Director of the Senior Bowl and besides the Browns, he also held key player personnel roles with the Eagles and Ravens. He says if the Bills choose Nassib, or another quarterback with the eighth overall pick, they should brace themselves for some second-guessing about reaching for a quarterback.

“Is the organization going to be able to withstand the criticism they will take if they end of picking Ryan Nassib in the top ten?” Savage said to host John Murphy.

“It will be one of the most talked about picks in the entire draft. Time will tell whether it’s successful or not. But, he would be going to a familiar system. And there should be organizational stability there—the Bills have tended to keep their scouting staff intact even when they’ve changed coaches over the years. That may point the arrow up for Ryan Nassib.”

The entire interview with Phil Savage is available here.

But he expects a lively, entertaining first round Thursday night, when the names start coming off the NFL Draft Board.

Whaley made the comments Wednesday, in an appearance on The John Murphy Show.

“This draft is going to be very interesting,” Whaley said. “I think it’s going to be great theatre for everybody involved, including the fans.”

Whaley says there’s an unpredictable air around the first round of this year’s NFL draft. And he expects that once one team makes an unanticipated pick, things will open up quickly.

“This draft is probably going to open up,” Whaley told host John Murphy. "In years past, the first round has pretty much come off clean. And that means we stack the guys and we see it pretty similar as most other teams, especially the first round. So the board doesn’t open up, meaning they don’t go for guys that we have in the third round."

"This draft, just because it’s kind of muddled with what people feel and what they need, and how they see these players, we think the board will open up earlier in the first round than it has in years past. This one’s going to be a very interesting draft for everybody involved."

The entire interview with Doug Whaley is available at Buffalobills.com\johnmurphyshow