Two Bills Drive

‘Why Losman? “We had four quarterbacks with first-round grades,” Donahoe said. “Once we made our first pick (on Evans) we started looking for ways to get back into the first round to get J.P. He’s got arm strength. He’s competitive. He’s also a fiery competitor, something that has rubbed people the wrong way. But I like the fact that people don’t like his personality. He’s a competitor and will try to stick in everybody’s face.”’

‘The Bills are in a situation with Drew Bledsoe. He has an option in November that, if the Bills pick it up, will kick in the next tier of his contract. Buffalo would like to rework Bledsoe’s deal and he’s so far been unwilling. If they don’t pick up the option, Bledsoe will be a free agent at the end of the year and Losman may be the successor.’

‘”The important thing,” Wyche said, “is that you get the ball there, and J.P. will get it there. He has good technique, so I don’t agree at all with what they said, but at the same time, I’m one of those who always believed that if a guy has lousy technique and still puts the ball where you want it, the best thing you can do is try not to screw him up.”‘

‘”There was a myriad of things running through my mind,” Kalsu said. “I remember when Pat Tillman joined the Army. I was, frankly, taken aback by it. First of all, you wouldn’t think that many of today’s pro athletes would make that decision. At that time I thought, ‘What a man of conviction, to be able to walk away from a life where he was so revered and in the limelight. That’s a man who has his priorities straight.’ Just like my father.”‘

‘The Buffalo Bills, meanwhile, are sending mixed vibes. The Lee Evans selection at the 13th pick was a great one. They balanced the value of the defensive linemen available in the first and second rounds versus the receivers of the top two rounds and grabbed a No. 2 receiver to go with Eric Moulds. But the J.P. Losman move was baffling. Losman might have not gone in the first round. Giving away a first-rounder next year along with three other choices was too much. Sure, that’s an aggressive mentality, but those moves are only setting the stage for replacing players at already good positions. Willis McGahee was taken last year to eventually knock out Travis Henry. Losman may knock out Drew Bledsoe after this year.’

‘Winners: Buffalo Bills.’

‘”You didn’t see it in his play,” rookie coach Mike Mularkey said. “I went back and looked three years ago to compare if there was any difference in his play. And, no, he didn’t have a drop off, I don’t think.”‘

‘One of the true signs of his character and toughness in the workout was that at the time he had a slight hamstring problem, and he said he was going to do all the running stuff except the forty yard dash. He was going to do that at the end of the workout. We worked him really hard in the field drills and my position drill that I did with him. I did not think he would even run a forty because he was gassed. To his credit and his toughness in character he ran a 4.9 forty after everything. There was no problem with is hamstring. He got through everything just fine. He wanted to prove to everybody that he will hold up.’

‘On knowledge of Buffalo: Not really a whole lot. I know we have a couple of ex-Buckeyes in the defensive backfield. A lot of their games aren’t aired here in Ohio, so I really don’t have a real good grasp of them, but I’m definitely looking forward to learning about them.’

‘We still have the second part of the draft to go, but we’re pleased with what we were able to do today. We’ve been talking since the end of last season that we’ve wanted to get a mentally and physically tougher football team. The people we took today address that, and they’re talented football players as well. We’re excited to have them, and they’re excited to be Buffalo Bills.’

‘Losman has been praised for his arm strength as well as his preparation and knowledge of the game. Scouts have criticized Losman for throwing off-balance on occasion, but Bills Head Coach Mike Mularkey does not see a problem with it. “Yes, he throws some balls off balance, and they’re complete so it really doesn’t matter,” Mularkey said. “Sometimes you don’t step the right way to make the block, as long as you make the block, who cares how you step?”‘

‘Three-year starter who is a tough, competitive football player with a blue-collar mentality.’

‘”He (Evans) is appealing in his speed and his ability to make big plays,” Bills President and General Manager Tom Donahoe said. “We felt that he was a complete receiver. There are a lot of guys that are fast who struggle catching the ball. Lee is a fast guy who can catch. That’s a nice combination to have.”‘

‘This was a need pick for the Bills, but it shouldn’t be seen as too much of a reach. Yes, Evans was thought to be a late first-round pick a month ago, but his stock has soared in recent weeks as he proved to NFL teams that his knee is fully healed after tearing ligaments in the spring of 2002. In fact, Evans ran the 40 in the 4.3s and showed great hands, great toughness and strength in his workouts. He also showed during his college career that he’s a big-time playmaker.’

‘He has some flaws in his footwork and the way he sometimes forces throws, but those are correctable. It will serve him well to mentor under Drew Bledsoe for a season. With the weapons now in place – RBs Travis Henry and Willis McGahee, WRs Eric Moulds, Josh Reed and Evans – the Bills have the makings of an explosive offense for several years for Losman to work with.’