Archives for April 1, 2011

‘”We haven’t done anymore work on Cam Newton than we have Blaine Gabbert, than we have Christian Ponder, (Marcell) Dareus. All those guys,” said Nix. “Three quarterbacks were scheduled to visit at this time and at almost every other position. There are a lot of reasons to bring those guys in. Sometimes you think that might be the one you draft and other times it’s to get a physical and be sure about injuries and also see if the guy can learn football and how much football he knows.”‘

‘At least 20 NFL teams were on hand to watch the two-hour session at Memorial Stadium. Attending were Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, Buffalo general manager Buddy Nix and Atlanta GM Thomas Dimitroff. The Bills have the third overall pick in the draft while Arizona goes two slots later.’

‘"Scouts have said they’ve gone back and watched my junior film and have a better sense of what I was like," he said at the scouting combine. "It’s kind of hard to base what I can do off my senior year, but that’s what this whole process is for. It’ll prove the passer that I really am."’

‘”You hope to never be picking three again, and it’s your one opportunity to maybe make that pick if that’s what you believe,” Gailey said of the No. 3 spot. “But if you don’t believe they are the franchise quarterback of the future, we have other needs. We understand that, but you’re weighing what’s best for the franchise.”‘

‘The Bills were awarded a seventh-round compensatory pick in this year’s draft. The Bills didn’t lose more free agents than they signed, but the choice was awarded because 11 picks were needed to reach the mandated total of 32 choices. Those picks are awarded at the end of the seventh round to the first 11 teams in the draft order.’

‘The Bills will visit with Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers and attend his pro day April 1. Bowers is regarded as a top-five pick and would fill a huge need for Buffalo – stopping the run and rushing the passer. Bowers is recovering from post-season surgery to repair a torn meniscus and clearing him medically is a big reason for the pre-draft scrutiny.’