TimGraham

I didn't get out to Orchard Park today, but based on everything I've heard, there won't be much coddling. Everywhere he has been, Gailey has been known more as a disciplinarian than a pushover.

Any trade would require winning over McNabb in some way. There's no point in making the deal if he's going to refuse to sign an extension.

B and a half.

The owners' meetings don't create the kind of action like baseball's winter meetings, but you never know. Talk could intensify on certain players, and Brandon Marshall would be a good candidate. Almost all of the owners, GMs and coaches are here, so anything is bound to happen. As for the Bills, Buddy Nix just checked in about an hour ago. I don't know how much wheeling and dealing he'll be doing anyway, but he hasn't had time to do any today.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll let them know (again).

No chat today, so good thing you got me here. I don't have any insight on how much longer he wants to coach, but it's his life. Belichick doesn't let much get in the way of his coaching. He has established a program that almost runs itself. It's easy to see why guys like Paterno and Bowden don't want to give it up. The blueprint is in place. Now you just follow it every year.

I watched Channel 2 last night. Yes, Ed was on, but unless I was distracted by the unicorn prancing in my front yard, I didn't hear him utter the words "Joey Porter." I was working while I had it on, so it's possible I could have missed it, but my ears are trained to pick up certain names, and Porter's is one of them. Plus, I didn't have any trouble recognizing Kilgore say that he's hearing Tim Tebow will be in Buffalo on Monday.

I just wanted to come on and clarify since the information the reporter used to report Edwards failed two physicals comes from what I wrote yesterday (his story includes information and quotes from a one-on-one interview I had with Edwards). http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/...ething-to-prove This is semantics, but I don't think Edwards failed two physicals. That's not what I wrote. The way he explained it to me, and it makes perfect sense, is that the Seahawks and Broncos weren't willing to invest that kind of money unless they were completely sure. I believe it came down to a question of investment as much as a medical opinion.

Your whole angle that people who post on message boards are just as qualified as Andre Reed was bad enough, but this? Marino played behind Richmond Webb, Keith Sims and Dwight Stephenson -- all Pro Bowlers and one Hall of Famer. Webb probably will get in eventually. Roy Foster and Ed Newman also went to Pro Bowls in Marino's early years. Elway had Gary Zimmerman at left tackle. He's in the Hall of Fame. Mark Schlereth and Tom Nalen weren't too shabby. The New Orleans Saints have one of the best two or three O-lines in football and won the inaugural Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award for best O-line. The Saints had three Pro Bowlers this year.

Not hearing much about the Bills right now, but I'm sure there's activity in Orchard Park. I'm surprised they let Incognito go. Either it's a good sign for Eric Wood's recovery, or it could be something as basic as Gailey not liking Incognito's act.

Donahoe has a highly respected football mind, but he's a micro-manager that wears thin on those around him.

We've gotten encouraging reports through the Bills that suggest Wood will be able to play in 2010. Not sure about Bell. The reports are more vague on him right now. I think Incognito will be brought back. He's a restricted free agent.

There's that "relevant" word again that got thrown around when Terrell Owens signed. Relevant does nothing for me. Winning is what's important. That said, I disagree with you that a trade would have made a difference in terms of relevancy because what Ryan Miller did at the Olympics will resonate in the hockey community more than any trade Darcy Regier could've made today. The reality is, Buffalo is an overlooked market in an overlooked sport. I agree with you about the Torres trade. It was solid and makes the team better. I actually liked the MacArthur trade more. But these were tweak moves, not the kind that will make a substantial difference in the postseason. That's my forecast, anyway.

I see it this way ... 1) OT 2) NT 3) QB 4) OLB I think the Bills aren't in bad shape at receiver. Not great, but passable (pun intended). With so many glaring needs elsewhere, some areas are going to have to suffer. I think they need to concentrate on too many other areas to waste more cash at receiver.

I confess ignorance on Hardy. I haven't seen enough to render an opinion, and personnel people I trust don't seem to know either.

I don't think they would consider individual players, but they would take into account the strength of a given position. Its too difficult to project what draft slot your team will be in and whether a particular player will rise or fall or underclassmen declare (or not). But you can get a sense of how deep a position will be.

Thanks for posting that, Lori. I was at dinner with Matt when it finally posted. I'm going to write an item for the AFC East blog now.

No. A story will be coming at some point from a colleague. It's his information, so I have to wait until it's published before I feel comfortable enough to divulge anything more.

I would love to cover the Summer Games, particularly track and field. I think it would be cool to cover something in the stadium.

I've heard from educated people that a second-round pick would get it done. But the team sending the pick likely would need to find out if he would be interested in signing a long-term extension. If not, then he's not worth the price for rental.

I'm not convinced the Bills have a plan in place yet. As they mentioned last week, the staff got together for the first time on Wednesday.

Tyler Thigpen is under contract to the Dolphins, who liked him enough to trade for him last year. NFL trades are rare to begin with. Trades within the division happen less frequently than that. Thigpen probably will be Miami's primary backup in 2010. He won't be available. I haven't heard anything about the Bills and Wallace.

I disagree with Bob Matthews' speculation he's worth a late second rounder. Here are some running backs drafted in the third round or later the past couple years: Shonn Greene, Steve Slaton, Kevin Smith, Jamaal Charles, Tashard Choice, Tim Hightower and Le'Ron McClain. I guess it only takes one team to overvalue Lynch, but you can get a solid starting running back in the third round, pay him less and not have the baggage to worry about. Keep in mind that when a team considers trading for Lynch, they must factor in that he's only one more misstep away from a looooooong suspension. Giving up a precious asset like a second-rounder would be incredibly risky. A third-rounder would be too pricey for me.

I've never dealt with him personally. So I know of him only what I've been told by people I trust. He seems to have a bright future and has an eye for talent. In the role of assistant GM, I like the hire. If he proves himself, then given him the keys when Nix steps down.

1. I don't think that's going to happen. The Dolphins like him, and even if they didn't, trades are rare, inner-division trades rarer yet. 2. Not hearing any whispers about Schobel beyond what we already have read. 3. I give that a 0.08 percent chance of happening.