Archives for March 2008

‘So at this early date, it looks like the Bills have gotten better at a few key spots, Miami has gotten younger and better, the Jets have done the opposite, and the Patriots have experienced their usual late-winter exodus. And the rest of us can stop speculating about free agency and start making guesses about the draft.’

‘"I’ve always felt like I could contribute on special teams and I could make a difference there," he said. "I look at the way the season went and how things unfolded in terms of the positions I was in to make plays and I would have never thought that. I was playing gunner for the first time and I would have never thought I’d be doing that. All of it is a stepping stone I guess."’

‘Secondary needs: Cornerback, tight end and defensive line. Possible targets: McKelvin, Jenkins, Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly or Texas wide receiver Limas Sweed.’

‘It was too much too soon for Wright during his first campaign in the big leagues. Now that he’s once again a forgotten man whose back is against the wall, don’t be stunned if it’s Wright, not Jackson, who turns heads as a complement to Lynch in 2008.’

‘Everett said the feeling in his hands has returned but is "nowhere near normal." "My hands feel tingly and numb," he added.’

‘The title of the book is Standing Tall, but Kevin Everett will sit today in Beaumont to sign copies of a book that chronicles his recovery from a severe spinal cord injury that doctors feared might leave him paralyzed.’

‘Party bosses have tried to tap Jim Kelly, before. In 2005 it was rumored he would run for Congress, perhaps against Fairport’s Louise Slaughter who’s 28th District includes Buffalo and Rochester.’

‘Youboty has earned the reputation among Bills fans as a soft player who simply isn’t going to live up to his pre-draft billing; luckily for Youboty, he has a chance to change that and become a viable member of an up-and-coming Buffalo defense.’

‘The Bills have five cornerbacks on the roster – Terrence McGee, Jabari Greer, Ashton Youboty, newly acquired free-agent William James and Dustin Fox, who spent much of last season on the practice squad.’

‘”I think my natural position is cornerback and nickel back,” Carr. “I think I can do a lot of different things. I think I play all those positions well, but I think my most natural position is nickel back and cornerback. That’s where I feel most comfortable.”‘

‘Though it has yet to be confirmed by the league, the pre-season contest — Buffalo’s second of four — will be a night game sometime between Aug. 14-18 when the Blue Jays are out of town. Aug. 15 is out, however, because the Argos are scheduled to play host to the Montreal Alouettes.’

‘Had it landed either Johnson, who signed with San Francisco, or Hackett, who went to Carolina, Buffalo could’ve calmly used its top pick on a cornerback before selecting a wide receiver in the later rounds of what is a deep draft for pass catchers. The Bills aren’t likely to wait that long now.’

‘After failing to sign free agents Bryant Johnson, who signed with San Francisco, and D.J. Hackett, who went to Carolina, the Bills will almost certainly spend the No. 11 pick in the draft on a big wide receiver.’

‘”Obviously we have to score a lot more points than what we have the last couple of years. So we have to sit down as a staff and put together an offense that we think is going to take advantage of our players’ abilities. It is going to be a different offense. It’s not going to be the same offense. When you struggle like we did last year and I think the year before we were 30th or something like that, you have to change.” — New offensive coordinator Turk Schonert, promoted from quarterbacks coach.’

‘”The coaching staff is really what made the trip,” Kelly said. “You could tell Coach Jauron, he was real calm and collected and he wants teachers instead of yellers and screamers on the coaching staff.”‘