Archives for February 14, 2005

‘The Bills want to give first-round draft choice J.P. Losman a full shot at winning the starting quarterback job, league sources told the newspaper. That appears certain to spell the end of Bledsoe’s tenure in Buffalo because there is no way he is going to be interested in being the Bills’ backup, according to two sources close to the veteran quarterback.’

‘Jonathan Palafox, a former star player at both Sweet-water High School and Angelo State University, is once again a member of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. The 26-year-old Palafox, a defensive back, was recently one of six free agents signed by the Bills and assigned to play this spring for NFL Europe. He is expected to learn the team he will play for this week.’

‘The Bills had better be making this switch because they’re convinced it’ll get them to the playoffs. This season. No excuses. No grace periods. No insinuations from the front office that Losman has to grow into the job. We’ve already gone through this in variation, the year Donahoe was hired, when he overhauled a team a year removed from the playoffs and entrusted it to Gregg Williams. It’s taken 31/2 seasons to rebound and this is no time to retreat. Who willingly backtracks from 9-7?’

‘Hunter Kelly has defied the expectations. There’s little doubt that the extremely high level of care he receives has helped him live a longer and fuller life. “I stand in awe that he’s going to be 8,” said his mother, Jill Kelly. “He wasn’t supposed to be 8. He wasn’t supposed to even be 2. He wasn’t supposed to hold his head up by himself. He wasn’t supposed to be able to blink for yes.’

‘According to several league sources, the Bills want to hand J.P. Losman, their first-round pick in 2004, the starting QB job. Bledsoe, 33, would not be interested in the backup role, two sources close to him were reported to have said.’

‘There are a few skeptics in the locker room about whether second-year QB J.P. Losman is ready to replace Drew Bledsoe as the leader of the offense. Players don’t question Losman’s talent. They just wonder if Losman’s feel for reading defenses and decision-making can match his physical skills in his first year as a starter.’

‘Buffalo’s four Pro Bowl representatives played a large role in AFC’s 38-27 victory over the NFC on Sunday.’

‘According to a source in Bills management, Bledsoe was informed last week that he was out as the starting quarterback for 2005. General manager Terry Donahoe told Bledsoe that J.P. Losman, who will enter his second season in the fall, would be the No. 1 quarterback. Bledsoe was offered the opportunity to remain with the team as a backup, which would have meant forgoing a $1 million bonus in March and cutting his salary from $3.3 million to about $1.5 million. Bledsoe refused the request, saying he wanted to be a starter. He asked the Bills to cut him soon and allow him to become a free agent. The Bills said they would honor his request and probably release him in the next two weeks.’