T.J Graham Star In Bills 2012 Training Camp

Eric Frenz - A lot of things have changed since the Bills ended the season 6-10, with new additions through the draft and free agency.

Courtesy Pro Football Reference.

But one major aspect that has changed is their health. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Bills are almost back at full health after injuries ravaged their roster and sent them stumbling to the finish line. Only a few players are still being eased back into things: defensive tackle Torell Troup, center Eric Wood and cornerback Terrence McGee.
Troup could be fighting for a roster spot, so he needs to get back as soon as possible. The Bills offensive line, however, could be fighting for their lives once again without Wood.
By most accounts, including the account of head coach Chan Gailey, the defense is far ahead of the offense at this point in training camp.
"We have a lot of work to do on offense to be at (the defense's) level of play right now," Gailey told the media Saturday, according to BuffaloBills.com. "It is a little bit different than it has been and it is good for our football team. They have some good players (on defense)."
Early evidence from camp indicates the big investments made by the Bills on the defensive side of the ball are paying off.
One underrated name to watch on the defensive side of the ball is Kyle Moore. The defensive end enters his fourth year in the NFL, his second with the Bills, and Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 SportsRadio writes that he may be one to keep an eye on through training camp.

He displays some nice moves to get to the passer in 1-on-1 drills. At 6-foot-6 and 263-pounds, Moore has the prototypical size Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey are always looking for at the defensive end position. With [Bills defensive end Shawne] Merriman being such a big question mark, I would not put it past the Bills to keep Moore on the 53-man roster as a fifth defensive end.

I have written in the past that Merriman would be a key to the Bills' defensive success as a rotational pass-rusher. That may have been misphrased; the Bills simply need someone to step up as a rotational pass-rusher to alleviate some of the burden on defensive end Mario Williams and Mark Anderson.

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

But depth at defensive end is only one of the question marks on the Bills roster. One big question around the Bills' offseason was their lack of a No. 2 wide receiver, a guy who could stretch the field vertically.By most accounts, though, several Bills wide receivers are taking it upon themselves to fill that void. One in particular, though, that should have Bills fans incredibly excited is T.J. Graham.
Bleacher Report Bills featured columnist Chris Trapasso says Graham was the MVP of practice on Sunday night.

Because he's a smaller and skinnier receiver, some believed he'd have trouble getting off the line. Not on Sunday. [Bills cornerback Stephon] Gilmore frequently played press man, and using some Johnson-esque jukes, Graham didn't have trouble handling bump-and-run coverage.
Fitzpatrick found him on a few intermediate comeback routes, but his downfield prowess was the most notable aspect of the evening. He made a fine 30-yard leaping grab on a back shoulder thrown down the sideline with coverage draped all over him. ...The reports about Graham's acceleration aren't exaggerated. It's clear he has a track background.

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

If Graham continues on this trajectory, the Bills may have their answer at wide receiver, but he's not the only one stepping his game up.
Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com echoes Trapasso's sentiments on Graham and adds wide receiver Marcus Easley to the list of younger receivers that impressed him.

After pulling in a pass deep down the right sideline from Tyler Thigpen, who hit him in stride for a 35-yard gain, Easley also made a catch in double coverage from Fitzpatrick again on the far side of the field for a 20-yard pickup. His best reception of the night however, showed expert concentration. Cornerback Aaron Williams reached high to tip the pass intended for Easley high into the air. Easley had timed his jump to make the catch, so by the time the ball began falling after the tip Easley was falling to the ground, but he still made the catch drawing the biggest reaction from the crowd on the night.

It's not just the ability to provide a deep threat for the offense; it's the ability to win one-on-one matchups outside the numbers that the Bills need in their receiving corps. Both Graham and Easley have shown the ability to do both early on in training camp.
Let's not crown either the capstone piece to the offense just yet; it's only the first week of training camp, after all. But early indications are promising at wide receiver for a team that has high hopes for the first time in recent memory.

Buffalo Bills Defensive Ends Anderson, Kelsey and Merriam

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Photo Credit: Presswire Images

When Mario Williams joined the Buffalo Bills, the NFL took notice.  Before playing one game together, NFL.com writer Gregg Rosenthal wrote a piece that posed the question, "Do the Bills have the best defensive line in football?"  The Bills know what they have in Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams, but one question remains: Who will be the starting right defensive end? This question is asked with excitement as the Bills have three players vying for the position, and each brings something to the table: Mark Anderson, Shawne Merriman and Chris Kelsay.

Mark Anderson
Mario Williams was the grand prize of free agency on the defensive side of the ball.  After Williams signed, Mark Anderson was thought to be a solid consolation prize for a team looking for a pass-rusher.  When all was said and done, the Bills signed both.
Mark Anderson is coming off of a 10-sack season with the New England Patriots as a situational pass-rusher.  When talking with Bills fans, many believe Anderson will be the player who wins the starting job.  Per the Buffalo News, Mark Anderson is doing his part to earn the job as he's made a great impression two days into training camp.

"Explosive - that's the word that comes to mind when I think of him. He's just really quick. He's got a lot of good moves and he uses them quickly. He's dangerous on third downs. He's a play-maker, for sure." —Andy Levitre 7/28/2012 Buffalo News

Shawne Merriman was moved to defensive end once the Bills moved back to a 4-3 defense this offseason. But let's be honest and up-front here, Merriman would have to be dominant in training camp and the preseason to even be considered for the starting role.  At one point, Shawne Merriman was looked at as one of the most promising linebackers in the NFL, but in the last two seasons he has only played in eight games due to an achilles injury.  For Merriman to be dominant, he needs to find a way to stay on the field.  Unfortunately for Shawne, he rolled his ankle at Friday's training camp practice:

“He couldn’t go. He rolled an ankle yesterday late. He taped it up and finished, but we held him out today. He went through the walk throughs this morning so it’s not like it’s a hobbling thing. We’re going to make sure he’s ready to go before we bring him back.” —Chan Gailey

It is worth noting that Merriman was dressed for practice at Sunday night's training camp.

Chris Kelsay
Chris Kelsay is Mr. Reliable for the Buffalo Bills.  Going into his tenth season with the Bills, Kelsay has only missed six games.  His numbers are solid, but far from spectacular.  In his career, Kelsay has never finished a season with more than 5.5 sacks.  But where Kelsay is lacking in the pass rush, he more than makes up for in the run game.  Playing against the run isn't the only factor favoring Kelsay.  The experience edge also favors Chris Kelsay.  Out of the three candidates listed as potential starters at the right defensive end position, Kelsay is the only player to be a true starter on the defensive line.

  Games Played and Started at Defensive End

Player	Games Played	Games Started	Start Percentage
Mark Anderson	93	21	22.5%
Shawne Merriman	0	0	0
Chris Kelsay	110	88	80%

In an interview with John Murphy, Kelsay had this to say:

“We’ve got a lot of talent on the defensive line, really at every position.  They’re gonna give everybody a look, and it’s gonna be a competition, but it’s fun that way.  It keeps everybody on their toes.  It keeps everybody out here competing, nobody’s missing practice, because you miss practice here or there, you may not be around.”

Final Verdict:
The popular choice may be Mark Anderson, but I feel the Bills would be at their best with Chris Kelsay starting as the right defensive end.  Anderson can be rotated into the game in obvious passing situations, and Merriman, if healthy, can spell both Kelsay and Anderson at different points in the game.

Buffalo Bills CB Stephon Gilmore Impress Veterans

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — It hasn't taken Stephon Gilmore very long to impress his Buffalo Bills teammates.

Whether it's the soft-spoken, level-headed approach the rookie cornerback takes off the field, or the aggressiveness and speed he's shown in going stride-for-stride with a receiver in coverage, the first-round draft pick has begun drawing raves three days into training camp.

"I don't know how to say it, but he's up there with some of the DBs in the league who've been playing for a couple of years, and he hasn't even played one play," receiver Stevie Johnson said Saturday. "Really, I don't want to speak too highly, but it's hard to not speak highly of somebody that can play as well as he has from rookie minicamp all the way up until now."

Johnson is not alone in touting Gilmore, who was drafted 10th overall out of South Carolina.

"He's earned our respect already," receiver David Nelson said. "Every time you go against him, you've got to be ready. You know you're going to get everything he has, and it's going to be that way when the ball's snapped until the whistle."

Or just ask Derek Hagan. During practice Friday, Hagan found himself wide open on an underneath route ready to make an easy catch, only to have Gilmore close in and break up the play from behind.

"He's definitely going to be one hell of a player for this team," Hagan said. "As long as he keeps working and keeps his head on straight, the sky's the limit."

A swelling ego shouldn't be a concern for Gilmore, who hasn't seemed fazed or awed by anything he's yet encountered in Buffalo.

"I'm more of a serious guy," the 21-year-old said. "There's not too much that gets under my skin. I just keep a level head."

That was evident on the night of the draft, when Gilmore showed little hint of emotion while making his way to the podium at Radio City Music Hall after being selected by the Bills. The only time Gilmore's looked at all uncomfortable was a day later, upon arriving in Buffalo, when his mother shared stories with reporters about how precocious her son was as a child.

Otherwise, Gilmore hardly has anything to say, aside from a polite "Yes, sir." And he is quick to shrug off compliments, such as the time Gilmore was praised by Johnson.

"That's a good thing, but I know I can be a better player than I am now," Gilmore said. "I'm just a rookie, so I'm just trying to prove myself every day."

Gilmore's proven plenty already after a successful three-year career at South Carolina, where he started all 40 games and was a duel threat, playing defense and returning kickoffs and punts. The NFL draft bio on Gilmore referred to him as "a player who might be the best product produced by (Gamecocks coach) Steve Spurrier since he took over the program in 2005."

In Buffalo, he's being counted upon to immediately earn a starting job on defense the Bills spent much of the offseason retooling in a bid to generate more sacks and turnovers.

Gilmore hasn't looked out of place yet.

On Saturday, Gilmore wasn't fooled by Hagan's stutter move. Gilmore stayed in front of the receiver and made an over-the-shoulder interception just out of bounds.

Gilmore was beaten by Johnson a few plays later on a perfectly timed pass to the receiver's back shoulder. Gilmore made up for that by staying stride-for-stride with speedy running back C.J. Spiller up the sideline, breaking up a long pass attempt.

Whether it was getting beat or making a play, Gilmore's reaction was the same. He ran back toward the line of scrimmage, checked the defensive call and lined up for the next play.

Defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt is struck by how mature and self-assured Gilmore has been.

"He doesn't come unraveled good or bad," Wannstedt said. "I kind of sense there's a real steadiness to him and a real confidence that you don't see very often in rookies."

Wannstedt also is impressed by the player's dedication, noting how Gilmore finds a seat in the front row for every defensive meeting — something not lost on Bills veterans.

"It's real tough to earn the respect of the veterans in OTA's," Wannstedt said, referring to the Bills spring practices. "But I would say he's probably done it as fast as any rookie that I've been around."

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Bills-receivers-impressed-by-rookie-CB-Gilmore-3743583.php#ixzz21zty82xt

Buffalo Bills: Vince Young Starting Over Again

Sal Maiorana - There was a time, not too long ago, when Vince Young was considered to be the second coming of Superman.
He was the king of Texas as a high school superstar in Houston who was more popular than most of the players on the Texans’ NFL team. And then he was seemingly king of the world when he took his sublime talent to the University of Texas and led the Longhorns to the 2005 national championship.
But that is not the player who walked off the practice field at St. John Fisher College Friday afternoon following his second training camp workout with the Buffalo Bills. These days, as Young tries to win the backup quarterback job behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, he more closely resembles Superman’s unassuming alter ego, Clark Kent.
“My whole thing is just try to make every play count, let (head) coach (Chan) Gailey and (quarterbacks) coach (David) Lee know that I'm studying and working hard and trying to get up to speed to what Fitz is doing with the first-team offense,” Young said. “That’s all I can do.”
It has been quite a comedown for the 29-year-old Young since he entered the NFL as the No. 3 overall pick of the 2006 draft, fresh off one of the greatest performances in college football history in what was one of the greatest games in college football history.
That night in the Rose Bowl, Young piled up 467 yards rushing and passing and scored the game-winning touchdown on a fourth-down scramble with 19 seconds to go to give the Longhorns a 41-38 victory over No. 1-ranked USC.
His hometown Texans passed on him with the first overall pick in the draft, feeling David Carr was their QB of the future and opting instead for defensive end Mario Williams, now Young’s teammate in Buffalo. When New Orleans took USC running back Reggie Bush at No. 2, Tennessee happily grabbed Young at No. 3, figuring he’d be the franchise QB for at least the next decade.
However, while he certainly had some great moments in Tennessee — where he compiled a 30-17 won-loss record — the NFL game gave Young trouble, primarily because he just wasn’t accurate enough with his passes. In five years with the Titans, he completed 57.9 percent of his throws, and had 42 TDs and 42 interceptions. Coupled with some celebrated off-field issues, the Titans gave up on him after 2010 and he signed with Philadelphia last year. He made big news with a blown-out-of-proportion remark about the Eagles being a “dream team” and then started three games in place of injured Michael Vick and played poorly for a team that was more of a nightmare in 2011.He was allowed to seek employment elsewhere and Buffalo is where he landed, signing a one-year deal in the hope that he can revitalize his flagging career.
“The biggest thing is it’s not about me, it’s not about me at all,” he said. “It’s where I can go in and help. My biggest thing is trying to change perception and who I am as a person. I love the game of football. It’s a one-year deal, but it’s an opportunity to play the game that I love. That's my biggest thing.”
Young joined the Bills in May and has been playing catch-up with the playbook ever since. He came to camp pretty solid with the calls and terminology, and now he’s working on applying what he has learned to the daily practices.
“It’s been difficult, but we’re pros,” he said. “Lots of work behind the scenes, lots of question asking of Fitz, Chan, making sure I'm on the same page. It's pretty similar things to what I was doing at Tennessee, but it’s the terminology of it and making sure you know where the ball needs to be at in certain coverages.”
Gailey has never wavered on his thoughts concerning Young. He’s here to compete for the No. 2 job, and he thinks the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder, who is still a marvelous athlete, is up for the challenge.
“He has done a very good job considering the circumstances,” Gailey said. “He had to come in and try to learn all of that stuff. It’s very difficult. It would not have been as hard two years ago, but we are in so much more of an advanced stage now than we were two years ago. He is trying to learn what the base concepts are and how we have advanced to where we are today without the benefit of going through the baby steps. It has been tough on him but he has got a natural feel for playing the position. That is going to be another good battle in camp.” Young could have gone to a few other teams, but he chose Buffalo for a couple of reasons.“I just believe in the vision that they have, the direction that they’re going, the things they were doing on the defensive side of the ball, bringing in a lot of respected guys who can make plays on defense,” he said. “And on offense, just the opportunity to fit in where I can, learn my role and learn from two great guys in coach Gailey and coach Lee.”
Lee, Gailey’s new quarterbacks coach, is known as a master at teaching fundamentals and Young certainly needed help in that area. It’s funny because Lee has been trying to hook up with Young for a long time, clear back to when he was the quarterback coach at Arkansas and was recruiting Young to come play for the Razorbacks.
“Coach Lee has been wanting to coach me since I came out of high school,” Young said with a bright smile. “It was either Southern Miss, Arkansas or Texas; it was down to those three schools. My next visit was to Arkansas, but I committed to Texas, so he was disappointed when I said I wasn’t coming.
“It’s a small world, it’s crazy how things happen; now he’s the quarterback coach in Buffalo and this is where I ended up, so he finally has an opportunity to coach me and I have an opportunity to learn from him.”

Buffalo Bills "Marcus Easley" The Time is Now

Kevin Oklobzija - Marcus Easley had already gone through the Buffalo Bills’ spring workouts and then mini camp in June, but Thursday’s opening of training camp was the real milestone.
When he ran routes at St. John Fisher College and caught passes from Ryan Fitzpatrick and Vince Young, he knew he was back.
The designation following his name on the team roster is again WR instead of IR.
A wide receiver chosen in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft out of the University of Connecticut, Easley has yet to show the Bills what he can do.
Not that it’s his fault. His body has betrayed him.
As a rookie in 2010, he suffered a season-ending knee injury three days into training camp. He fell awkwardly and, not long after, was undergoing surgery on his left knee. He spent the entire 2010 season on injured reserve.
Then last season in September, his season again came to an end before it began, this time due to a heart ailment.
So you can understand just how excited he was on Thursday to simply take part in the afternoon opener of camp.
“You never really know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone,” he said.
He is back at the best possible time. Besides Stevie Johnson, there really aren’t any spots at wide receiver that are guaranteed. Donald Jones is No. 2 on the depth chart, partly out of merit and partly because someone must be listed second.
“Donald will start there but still we are looking at everybody,” coach Chan Gailey said. “Just because a guy starts the first day does not mean anything.
“There are some spots that we understand there is competition and we are going to try and make sure we make it as equal as possible going into the season.”
Easley, a 24-year-old native of Stratford, Conn., is eager to show the Bills what he can do. He has never played in an NFL regular-season game.
“There are 11, 12 guys out here competing,” Easley said. “Steve’s the No. 1 guy and it’s an open competition after that.”
He at least can say he’ll have a say in what happens. And that the Bills opted to keep him probably says they want to see what he can do. Season-ending injuries in back-to-back years by an unproven, middle-round draft pick is often a sure-fire way to the NFL’s unemployment line.
“My job is always in jeopardy,” he said. “You have to kind of have a chip on your shoulder because you’ve got more to prove.”
The 6-foot-2, 217-pound Easley went on injured reserve in September, two days after the season opener at Kansas City.
He had felt something wasn’t right in terms of his heart rate and alerted team medical personnel. He still won’t discuss what doctors found but he said the problem has been corrected.
“Even elite athletes can have heart problems,” he said. “It was serious enough that I couldn’t play football.
“Who wouldn’t be shocked by that? It’s definitely an eye-opener.”
He’d like any new shocks to come because of what he does on the field.
“I think everybody is anxious to see what I can do,” he said. “I’m just as anxious as everyone else. My family is too.”

Who Will Be Buffalo Bills No 2. Wide Receiver

Jordan Rogowski - The year was 2002.
Eric Moulds lined up on one side of then Buffalo Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe, Peerless Price on the other. The prolific tandem eviscerated opposing secondaries on a week-by-week basis, and 4,400 Bledsoe yards later, the Bills thought they had a passing game that would bring them back to the perennial playoff berths of the golden '90s.
Of course, in Buffalo, nothing ever seems to go by plan.
Price bolted for Atlanta the following year and waded in mediocrity until finishing his career with the Bills in 2007, a hollow shell of the promise that once was. Moulds had some serviceable seasons in the years that followed, but like Price, he could never regain that 2002 form.
Ever since, the Bills have looked for a true No. 2 receiver to flank whomever topped the depth chart. Moulds and Lee Evans have come and gone, and now it's seventh-round standout Stevie Johnson drawing all the double-teams and elite corners while teams nary need to game-plan for anyone lining up outside the opposite hash.
With a young, gifted crop of hopefuls amassing at St. John Fisher College for training camp this week, Chan Gailey and his staff are hoping to find what's been missing for the past 10 years. Third-year pro Donald Jones was announced the starter for camp this week but if Gailey's words are any indication, it could not be a more wide-open competition:

“Donald will start there but, still, we're looking at everybody,” Gailey said. “We've not ruled anybody out at this point at that spot. You've got to have somebody that walks out there the first day and you all will write about it and talk about it, but we're going to move people around at different times during camp to try to get equal reps at left tackle, try to get equal reps at quarterback. Just because a guy starts the first day doesn't mean anything. There's some spots that we understand, there's competition and we're going to try to make sure that we make it as equal as possible going into the season.”

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Now, let's take a look at the hopefuls.

Marcus Easley:
Beset by season-ending ailments in back-to-back training camps, the former Connecticut University wideout is looking to make up for lost time. At 6'3", 221 lbs, the organization has been enamored with his size and athleticism since making him a fourth-round selection in 2010, and he's exactly the kind of player that could thrive opposite Stevie Johnson.
Easley has a terrific pair of hands, and his big frame would make him the biggest threat where all other Bills have struggled to make an impact—in the red zone. His body and skill set are tailor-made for fade routes, and he's also capable of going up and getting balls in traffic on the sidelines and across the middle of the field.
Though he lacks the top-end speed to stretch opposing secondaries, his size alone would create mismatches for Fitzpatrick and co. to capitalize on. If Easley could be a Dwayne Bowe-type wideout for the Bills, it would go a long way in keeping their offense on the field this season.

T.J. Graham:

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

An extremely intriguing prospect out of North Carolina State, Graham has the elite straight-line speed that the Bills have been without since Lee Evans' better years. NFL Films' Greg Cosell likened Graham to Pittsburgh Steelers burner Mike Wallace, and called him the most vertically explosive wide receiver in the 2012 draft.

He's not without his limitations, though.
Graham was not called upon to run much of a route tree at NC State; he was used mostly on streak and seam routes, as well as bubble screens. With the kind of four and five-wideout sets that Buffalo loves to run, those bubble screens could be highly effective in getting Graham in space. However, there are questions about whether or not quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick possesses the touch on his deep ball to utilize the rookie's straight-line speed.
His small frame is also worrisome; at 6'0" and just 180 lbs, concern exists about whether or not he'll be able to go across the middle and make the tough catches. Wide receivers his size don't typically make their home between the hashes, and he has been somewhat fumble-prone, so that limits how Gailey will actually be able to use him.

Donald Jones:
The incumbent No. 2 man from much of last year's campaign, Donald Jones brings some solid qualities to the table.
Jones is a very adept route-runner, and very much benefits from the amount of three and four-WR sets the Bills operate. With plenty of open space with which to work, Jones can carve defensive backs on quick hitches just as easily as he can use his deceptive speed to take a slant or a screen for additional yardage.
On his touchdown from Buffalo's 2010 meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals, you can see Jones turn a jailbreak screen that should have been stopped for no more than eight or nine yards into a 32-yard score.

Reminiscent of Larry Fitzgerald's safety-splitting touchdown from Super Bowl XLIII, Jones kicks into a second gear to blow past would-be tacklers into the end zone.
There's no doubt that the Youngstown State export can help the offense, but no one particular aspect of his game really jumps out. Though his size isn't a detriment—Jones measures in at 6'0", 208 lbs—he has neither the elite speed to pull back the safeties nor the size and catching radius to command a double-team.
With training camp just beginning and no preseason games yet played, there's plenty of jostling for position left to go between Buffalo's No. 2 wide receiver hopefuls, but there's little doubt that a game-changer opposite Stevie Johnson would get Buffalo that much closer to its first playoff game since 1999.

Stevie Johnson Did Not Expect To Be With Buffalo Bills 2012

After a peeved Chan Gailey yanked Stevie Johnson out of the Buffalo Bills' 2011 season finale for another excessive-celebration penalty, the wide receiver believed he'd just punched his ticket out of town.

"At that point, I was thinking I was done with Buffalo," Johnson told Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver. "I was like, 'They benched me? Really?' I figured I'd go back to Hunter's Point (to play for the 49ers). But the (Bills) stepped up and paid me. And it felt so good to be wanted."

The Bills obviously got over Johnson's antics, re-signing him to a five-year, $36.25 million contract ($18.05 million guaranteed) in March. Johnson had groin surgery in the offseason, but he's expected to be a full-go when training camp begins this week.
"I want to do right by them," Johnson says. "I want to prove I can celebrate without getting penalties. I work hard to get in the end zone. My attitude is, 'Why can't I have some fun when I get in there?' But I have to do it in a way that doesn't hurt the team."
A game last November against the New York Jets neatly encapsulated The Stevie Johnson Experience. The receiver took it to vaunted cornerback Darrelle Revis, finishing with eight catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. But Johnson also was hit with an excessive-celebration penalty for mocking Plaxico Burress' shooting incident, then later dropped a pass that could have sealed a Bills victory.
The ability is there. The Bills are gambling they can smooth out the edges.

Buffalo Bills Ready For Training Camp 2012

Sal Maiorana - Kyle Williams has been doing this long enough, so the Buffalo Bills defensive tackle knows the drill.
You pull up to Keough Hall on the campus of St. John Fisher College, unpack your belongings, then put on a happy face and exude excitement about the coming season on the eve of the opening of training camp.
“First day here, there’s reason to be excited, everyone’s starting on the same foot,” Williams said Tuesday afternoon when he arrived for his eighth summer stint in Pittsford.
There’s a different vibe to that lip service this year, however. In past years the excitement of a new season has sometimes been quelled by the reality of the Bills’ impending situation; they just weren’t very good, and though they’d never publicly admit it, deep down they knew they were going to have a tough time competing in the rugged AFC in general, and in the Patriot-dominated AFC East in particular. That's not the case in 2012.
“I don't think anything has changed as far as the way we look at things and our attitude about things,” general manager Buddy Nix said. “But I do think we’re realistic enough to know that the first year or two we didn’t have enough depth and enough playmakers to make a difference and contend all the way through the year. The feeling is different now; I think we do.”
Year three of the Nix/Chan Gailey Era has gotten off to a tremendous start with the offseason acquisition of mega free agent Mario Williams, the re-signing of several key veteran players such as Stevie Johnson and Fred Jackson, and a draft class led by first-rounder Stephon Gilmore that appears to be very strong.
Further, the players who have been here since Nix and Gailey came to Buffalo — starters as well as reserves — have the experience of two years with basically the same coaching staff and playbook and the important familiarity and confidence that breeds.
“I feel like we’re a few steps ahead than in the past coming here, with guys that we’ve added, some experience that we have that’s been here, so that's a lot of the reason for the excitement,” Williams said. “We've just added some really good players who will obviously help to win football games.”But now the time has come to push toward becoming a relevant team in the NFL which they haven't been for quite some time, 12 years if your standard is playoff appearances.“The hype machine can only go so far,” said CEO Russ Brandon. “We’re excited about everything we were able to achieve in the offseason, but that’s in the past and the only thing that matters is tomorrow and Thursday when we start going.
“Buddy has a plan and his personnel staff has a plan and we feel very good about where we are today as we stand here right now.”
Nix went so far as to say that even if the Bills hadn't shocked the NFL by reeling in Williams, the biggest free agent not named Peyton Manning, the expectations for his team would be no different.
“It would have been time to start winning some games,” he said. “We've done some things right, we've made mistakes along the way, but it’s time to close it out and win some games and until we do it’s not complete. Winning solves all the evils, at least most of them, and fixes the flaws. There’s no question about it. I believe losing, and not being in contention throughout the year, will be a huge disappointment for all of us.”
It’s a refreshing attitude for the Bills who have not always been known for that.
“You want expectations to rise,” said Gailey. “When I came in here I said, ‘We want to expect to win, not hope to win.’ I want expectations to be high not only from the outside but from within and they are. I think that we understand it.
“I think we have a mature enough team to understand where we are. Yes there are expectations and yes everybody’s excited. But we haven’t proven anything yet and we’ve got to get out on the field and prove it then. We’ve got a long way until we get to that point.”
David Nelson sees the transformation happening. The third-year wide receiver played his college ball at Florida where Tim Tebow was the quarterback and Urban Meyer was the coach. Not only was winning expected, anything less than a national championship was a down year.
“When I was at Florida we had (pressure to win) every week and when you expect to win, you come in with confidence,” he said. “That's where we are here. There’s a difference between confidence and cocky. We have to make sure we stay humble and hungry and remember what it felt like to go 4-12 (in 2010), and 6-10 (2011) the past couple years. We have to use that to drive us.”

Buffalo Bills Training Camp Preview 2012

   Mario Williams (R4) runs a drill with Kyle Moore during a Bills offseason workout. (AP)1. Iron out kinks in the 4-3 defense. Coach Chan Gailey has turned to old friend and coaching peer Dave Wannstedt to fix a broken defense. Wannstedt's first move was to commit to the 4-3 scheme he has run with great effectiveness in places like Dallas, Chicago and Miami. After allowing a team-record 5,938 yards, 434 points and giving up a 63.3 completion percentage to opposing quarterbacks, Buffalo's defensive unit has a lot of work to get done. Wannstedt's main goal will be to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Bills had just 29 sacks and nine came in one game. The front office handed him free agents Mario Williams and Mark Anderson (88.5 combined career sacks) to get the job done with.
2. Come away healthy. The Bills welcome back seven starters who were lost last year with season-ending injuries and getting everyone back into the lineup is an absolute necessity if the team is going to take a step forward and snap its 12-year playoff drought. The players include running back Fred Jackson (leg), center Eric Wood (ACL), wide receiver Donald Jones (ankle), nose tackle Kyle Williams (foot), defensive end Shawn Merriman (Achilles), cornerback Terrence McGee (knee) and kicker Rian Lindell (shoulder). The progress of Wood and Williams will be watched closely. The young leaders anchor their respective lines and depth isn't good enough to replace them without a noticeable drop-off. Merriman, 28, is still hopeful as are the Bills that he can regain his All-Pro form from San Diego coming off even more surgery. How No. 1 wide receiver Stevie Johnson bounces back from offseason groin surgery also bears watching.

Player to watch
Defensive end Mario Williams. He was the top free agent on the market and he landed in Buffalo for a cool $100 million, most ever for a defensive player in NFL history. The Bills are betting heavily on Super Mario elevating their puny pass rush to elite status and make everybody around him better. That's a lot to ask of one player but it's a lot of money, too. Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft, does indeed have the ability to make others around him better. Buffalo hasn't had that kind of impact player on defense since Bruce Smith. And it's not just the pass rush that needs help. Buffalo gave up 139.0 yards rushing per game and at one point allowed 400 total yards in five consecutive games. Welcome to Buffalo, Mario.
On the hot seat
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. His game unraveled almost instantly after earning a fat contract extension last October as the Bills dropped eight of their last nine games and he led the NFL in interceptions with 23. The Bills signed veteran Vince Young to compete for the backup job with Tyler Thigpen. In reality, he's here to push Fitzpatrick. In an effort to help his starter, Gailey hired respected quarterback guru David Lee, who spent the offseason working on Fitzpatrick's mechanics. The goal is to elevate Fitzpatrick to a level of player deserving of elite money. But after two non-playoff years in his first two seasons in Buffalo, Gailey's under pressure, too, and he can't afford to wait forever for Fitzpatrick to develop the kind of consistency needed at the quarterback position. If Fitzpatrick falters, look for Young to replace him sooner than later.
Strategy and personnel
With Buffalo's receiving corps still settling itself out in terms of the depth chart, the return of undisputed No. 1 Stevie Johnson was a welcome sight for coaches during a three-day mandatory minicamp that concluded June 21. Johnson eased himself back into live work, but was sounding very confident after his offseason groin surgery to repair an ailment that bothered him much of last year.
"Still a lot of work to do. Mentally I feel [OK], everything else I think I am pretty good. My groin felt good. I still have to get over the mental aspect of it," Johnson said. "I feel like I am about high 90s. I cannot say 100 percent because I am not feeling all the way but I am feeling about 90 percent. I am good."
[Around the NFL: 2012 training camp schedules, fantasy advice and more]
Gaining confidence in cutting hard on his left leg is the next hurdle for Johnson. "Cutting in and coming to the right it felt like it was heavy. It is just a mental thing. I did not feel any sharp pain like I did all last year," he said.
Johnson still managed a team-leading 76 catches for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns, earning himself a new five-year, $36.25 million contract as a free agent.
Medical watch
– CB Aaron Williams, who missed some OTA time with irritation on a knee, was able to participate fully in minicamp. He's expected to be fine for training camp in July.
– DE Spencer Johnson has been dealing with a knee issue but did return to action during minicamp.
– DT Kellen Heard missed a good portion of the offseason with a bad ankle. He hopes to be 100 percent by training camp.

Buffalo Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick Best Games

Brian Gallilford - With Buffalo Bills training camp kicking off this week and football ready to begin anew, fans are turning their focus from the minutiae of intensive off-season analysis to bigger-picture issues. Case in point: reader Rob is interested in finding reasons to hope that Ryan Fitzpatrick can lead the Bills to the post-season and beyond.
"Hey Brian," Rob writes, "at this point we all know what Fitzpatrick is. But I'm looking for some hope. Can you just write an article about Fitzpatrick's three best games with Buffalo so I can be happy when training camp starts? :)"
I'm not in the business of handing out hope like candy, Rob. I picked the three games that I believe were Fitzpatrick's best efforts over the last two seasons, and even those games show Fitzpatrick's true colors as a true "streak shooter," to borrow a basketball phrase.

In pinpointing the three games I believe were Fitzpatrick's best, I wanted to find games where he flashed dominance. To my eye, Fitzpatrick's longest stretches of dominating football came in three very notable come-from-behind victories. Very briefly, let's recap.

3. Week 3, 2011: Bills 34, Patriots 31

In helping to end a 15-game losing streak to a hated New England team, Fitzpatrick led the Bills out of a 21-0 deficit, throwing for 369 yards and two touchdowns in doing so. Statistically, this may not have been Fitzpatrick's best effort, but it was the franchise's most impressive win in recent memory, and Fitzpatrick had a big hand in that.

2. Week 11, 2010: Bills 49, Bengals 31

Cincinnati opened up a 28-7 lead early in this one thanks in large part to several Fitzpatrick miscues, but the Bills ended the game on a 42-3 run as Fitzpatrick shredded the Bengals to the tune of 316 yards and four touchdowns on the day. This game was the birth of Fitzpatrick-to-Stevie Johnson as a legitimate thing.

1. Week 2, 2011: Bills 38, Raiders 35

Again, this may not have been Fitzpatrick's best statistical performance, but in erasing an 18-point halftime lead, Fitzpatrick led Buffalo's offense on five touchdown drives in five second-half possessions to steal a game that Buffalo's defense should have lost them. Buffalo's offense has never been as efficient post-Jim Kelly as it was for one half against Oakland.
In all three of these games, Fitzpatrick was masterful for stretches in helping lead massive comebacks. But he was also instrumental in helping the Bengals, Raiders and Patriots amass a combined 60-point hole to dig out of. Take a look at the statistical breakdown, which reveals the Jekyll and Hyde nature of Fitzpatrick's best games in Buffalo.

As CIN/OAK/NE were building a 60-point deficit
Comp	Att	%	Yds	YPA	TD	INT	Rate
26	44	59.1	245	5.57	0	5	34.9
As the Bills were erasing the 60-point deficit
Comp	Att	%	Yds	YPA	TD	INT	Rate
50	76	65.8	704	9.26	9	0	135.0

Yeah, you're reading that right: there's a 100-point quarterback rating difference between Fitzpatrick at the start of the three comeback wins and while the comebacks were actually in progress. In all three cases, he went from playing awful football to playing dominant football almost instantaneously.
With proper apologies to Rob, then, it's hard to even look at three of Fitzpatrick's best and most memorable performances under Chan Gailey without reaching the same conclusion: Fitzpatrick can be maddening, he can be masterful, and he can land at either extreme in the blink of an eye.

What Free Agent WR Should The Buffalo Bills Sign

ALLaBorde - Every year during training camp and preseason, teams will be letting go of good players to make room for others on their roster. To me, the WR position is the one in which we need the most help with this season. Undoubtedly, there will be capable wideouts being let go by other squads... and I think we should at least take a look at and possibly sign the best possible option for our team. We have plenty of possession receivers and a couple of potential deep threats (Graham, Easley, and maybe Donald Jones.) We should still be on the look out for a big bodied receiver with some speed to get down field. They should also have some strength to go up and beat a corner one on one. I have a list of guys that I think may be cut that could fit our team well. Let me know what you think and if you have other potential cuts you wouldn't mind us checking out.

Currently unemployed: Mike Sims-Walker- 6' 2" 212 lbs. 27 years old. Was a WR on the rise 2 years ago and has fallen off a little bit, but I believe he still has something left to give and would fit our system pretty well.
Braylon Edwards- 6' 3" 214 lbs. 29 years old. Another rising star that has fell off in the eyes of some. Edwards has some character concerns but could still be an effective deep threat, at least in my opinion. Had 900+ yards and 7 TD's in 2010 but had a rough year in San Francisco before getting cut.
On the "bubble" of being unemployed:
Jabar Gaffney (NE)- 6' 2" 200 lbs.31 years old. Reuniting with the Patriots after 3 pretty successful seasons with the Broncos and Redskins. A guy who averages around 44 receptions, 5-600 yards and 3 TD's a year could help our team. And he's been much better in the 2nd half of his career. Although, he is one of the most unlikely to be cut receivers on my bubble list, you never know who the Pats will cut considering they have the two monsters at TE, Welker, Lloyd and Branch.
Louis Murphy (OAK)- 6' 2" 200 lbs. 25 years old. With a young group of WR's on the roster (Murphy being one of them), this team will be cutting someone who's got some potential and word is Murphy could be that guy. Not counting last season, he has been relatively productive and could provide big play potential.
Maurice Stovall (DET)- 6' 5" 220 lbs. 27 years old. After never breaking 400 yards in 5 seasons with Tampa Bay, Stovall went to Detroit last seasons and only caught one ball.
Mike Williams (SEA)- 6' 5" 235 lbs. 28 years old. After being out of the NFL between 2008-2009, Williams stormed back in a comeback role for the Seahawks, catching 65 balls for 750 yards in 2010. Last season, he slumped back down to 18 for 236. He's obviously on the chopping block right now.

Others considered: Earl Bennett (CHI), Mardy Gilyard (PHI), Domenik Hixon (NYG), James Jones (GB), Devin Thomas (CHI), Ben Obomanu (SEA), Johnny Knox (CHI), David Gettis (CAR), Tiquan Underwood (TB), Danario Alexander (STL),

Who Will Be The Buffalo Bills No. 2 Wide Receiver

Travismonroe - The debate over the Bills' #2 receiver continues. For several months, I have been convinced that Derek Hagan will be that man. Below are 10 reason you can expect to see Hagan lined up opposite Johnson in September.
1. He has prototypical WR size and speed. He is 6'2", 210 lbs, and ran a 4.45 40 at his NFL combine.

2. His college numbers show he has potential to put up big numbers. His sophomore, junior, and senior years at Arizona State all saw him putting up more than 1000 yards receiving and more than 8 TDs. Twice he was a Biletnikoff finalist.
3. He has many of ASU's records: he finished his career as their all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and 100-yard games.
4. As a rookie, many people viewed him as having potential. He was drafted in the 3rd round despite a poor showing at the Senior Bowl.
5. He started his career with the Joey Harrington lead Miami Dolphins, and was cut shortly after their 1-15 season. Not exactly the best franchise to start your career with.
6. Prior to last year, he had only earned 7 starts in the NFL. He has yet to have the opportunity to shine.
7. He has experience. He has played on a variety of teams in a variety of systems. He has spent seven years in the NFL, learning and studying to become a better player.
8. He has matured. He told Chris Brown that he feels he has learned from his mistakes, and is a better player as a result of his experience in the league.
9. He learned our playbook fast and quickly got in sync with Fitz.
10. He performed well when he was given the opportunity last year. Despite not joining the Bills until week 12, he caught 13 balls for the bills and had a fantastic game against the Pats (7 catches 89 yards).