SB Nation - Chris Denman

Bills part ways with six players, sign TE DeVree

Brian Galliford — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:29:37 -0000

The Buffalo Bills have officially announced that they have parted ways with six players as well as signed one to reach the NFL's league-mandated roster maximum of 75 players.

The team has waived OT Chris Denman and WR Shaine Smith, as well as placed three players - TE Travis McCall, CB Lydell Sargeant and DT Marcus Smith - on the waived/injured list. LB Solomon Elimimian was released.

WR James Hardy remains on the Active PUP list.

The Bills also signed free agent TE Tyson DeVree, an undrafted free agent in 2008 that spent training camp with the New England Patriots. The 6'6", 245-pound DeVree spent most of the season on the practice squad.

Buffalo now has 75 players on its active roster, including Hardy. The team will take the field for their final pre-season contest on Thursday, and then the Bills must trim the roster to 53 by 4:00 PM on Saturday, September 5.

2009 Schedule Preview: Week 3 @ the Buffalo Bills

Saintsational — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:00:21 -0000

The Saints follow up their game in Philadelphia with another trip to the Northeast to take on Buffalo in a week three late game. The Bills finished 2008 with a less-than-mediocre 7-9 record and hope to get over that .500 hump this season. It's been a while, four years to be precise, since these two teams last met in the regular season. The Saints have the misfortune of playing in frigid Buffalo but the fortune to have it scheduled during the mild-weather month of September when it shouldn't be an issue. Let's take a look at what fans can expect against the Saints first AFC East opponent of the year.

Bills Offense

Buffalo has had a pretty action-packed off-season this year and much of that excitement has been on the offensive side of the ball. Obviously, the signing of wide receiver Terrell Owens has contributed most to that excitement. Owens is a game changer and inevitable Hall of Famer who always seems to play well in his first year with a new team. T.O. will play opposite wideout Lee Evans, teaming up to create a formidable aerial threat. With former Tulane quarterback J.P. Losman now out of the picture, it will be the responsibility of Trent Edwards to get Evans and Owens the ball, making sure to keep the latter happy on the field. Ryan Fitzpatrick was brought in this year to provide a little competition in camp but the job is Edwards' to lose.

The other big story of the Bills off-season was the trade of offensive tackle Jason Peters to the Eagles. It is that loss of Peters as well as guard Derrick Dockery combined with a lot of other offensive line tinkering that has Bills fans worried about the state of their quarterback protection. Last years team ranked poorly in sacks per pass attempt and this year, things could get worse before they get better.

On the ground the Bills remain strong. Marshawn Lynch continues his duties as the number one back with Fred Jackson and newly acquired Dominic Rhodes taking on backup roles.

This could be a good, early test. If Gregg Williams does suceed in building that blitzing, attack-style defense we've all been promised then they should have no problem exploiting Buffalo's weak offensive line and rattling unproven quarterback Edwards. Allowing him time to throw to Owens and Evans could be damaging to our secondary. Advantage: Saints.

Bills Defense

First round draft pick Aaron Maybin has been tapped to hopefully play alongside veteran Aaron Schobel and be the defensive end of the future, adding talent and depth to a pass rush that has been lacking. Getting the most out of this unit will be a deciding factor in the overall success of the Bills defense for 2009. In the linebacking department, Keith Ellison, Pat Thomas and John DiGiorgio were all signed in the off-season with the hopes of shoring up the middle of the field and offsetting the loss of several players.

One of the bigger hits to the Bills defense this off-season was the loss of cornerback Jabari Greer to our very own New Orleans Saints. Decent against the pass last year, the Bills should still have a solid secondary with Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin and Drayton Florence as well as newly drafted and versatile Jairus Byrd. The secondary is rounded out by aptly named Reggie Corner.

Though the Bills may match up well against Saints receivers, their lack of a pass rush should give Brees time to find the right guy. This will also be a good game to establish a ground attack.

Bills 2008 Season

7-9 Record

Last Meeting

October 2, 2005

Week 4	1	2	3	4	OT	Final
Bills	7	0	0	0	--	7
Saints	0	13	0	6	--	19

Why the Saints Can Win

Brees should have all day to do his damage.

Why the Saints Can Lose

T.O. or Evans could have a great game.

Prediction

Saints 27 - Bills 17

Newly Acquired

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

RB Dominic Rhodes

WR Terrell Owens

G Seth McKinney

C Geoff Hangartner

ILB Pat Thomas

CB Drayton Florence

CB Ellis Lankster

CB Cary Harris

RB Bruce Hall

LB Keith Ellison

OL Kirk Chambers

FB Corey McIntyre

CB Dustin Fox

DE Marcus Smith

LB John DiGiorgio

WR Justin Jenkins

WR Felton Higgins

OL Chris Denman

WR C.J. Hawthorne

2009 Draft Picks

DE Aaron Maybin

C Eric Wood

CB/S Jairus Byrd

G Andy Levitre

TE Shawn Nelson

SS/OLB Nic Harris

CB Cary Harris

CB Ellis Lankster

Key Losses

QB J.P. Losman

TE Robert Royal

G Derrick Dockery

G Jason Whittle

C Duke Preston

C Melvin Fowler

OLB Angelo Crowell

OLB Blake Costanzo

ILB Teddy Lehman

CB Jabari Greer

OT Jason Peters

Linkage

Buffalo Rumblings

SB Nation Bills Coverage

Saints @ Bills Coverage

Buffalo Bills Roster

Buffalo Bills Depth Chart

Buffalo Bills Transactions

Poll

Do you consider the Saints game against the Bills to be an easy victory?

Sure thing.

34 votes

There's no such thing as an easy victory.

167 votes

I do but I would never admit it.

20 votes

The Bills definitely present a challenge.

97 votes

318 votes | Poll has closed

Rookie DE Maybin scuffles at Bills OTAs, day two

Brian Galliford — Wed, 20 May 2009 04:15:09 -0000

For a second consecutive day, 'tempo' was the buzzword emerging from Buffalo Bills Organized Team Activities. Coming off of an energizing, yet over-hyped day one of OTAs thanks to the much-ballyhooed arrival of WR Terrell Owens, things got a bit more contentious in Orchard Park, culminating in the first (reported) on-field scuffle of the 2009 season.

Chris Brown over at the official site has the tasty tidbits from day two for your reading pleasure. Out of everything, I was most impressed by this line about the Bills' top draft pick, DE Aaron Maybin:

"An indication of just what kind of tempo there was on the field was evident in the minor scrum between Aaron Maybin and offensive tackle Chris Denman. Maybin captured the edge on the pass play during team work and flushed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick from the pocket.

When Maybin tried to pursue Denman arm hooked him and spun him around, which Maybin apparently did not appreciate. A shoving match ensued, but stopped shortly after the assistant coaches ordered them to separate."

When was the last time you heard of any rookie mixing it up with a veteran on his second day practicing with his new team? If you didn't like Maybin before - and you had every reason to, by the way, as talented and well-spoken as the young man is - you've got to respect him now. If this rookie class for the Bills is one thing, it's feisty - and that's going to help this team get better.

Attendance
After missing the first day of practice, veteran RB Dominic Rhodes reported for duty. As anticipated, he was worked into the running back rotation behind starter Marshawn Lynch and the recently re-signed Fred Jackson.

FB Corey McIntyre (legal issue), S Donte Whitner (court hearing) and WR Roscoe Parrish were absent from the day's practice. WR James Hardy, WR C.J. Hawthorne, LB John DiGiorgio and CB Ashton Youboty continue to rehab injuries and will not practice any time soon. Rookie CB Cary Harris was resting an injury and did not practice; head coach Dick Jauron will address the media Wednesday with a full injury update, according to Brown.

DT Marcus Stroud, who did not participate on Monday, returned to the field on a limited basis Tuesday.

Butler struggling at RT?
Yesterday, DE Chris Kelsay raised some eyebrows when he registered a 'would-be' sack on QB Trent Edwards. That trend continued today, according to Mark Gaughn of the Buffalo News:

But Chris Kelsay got around right tackle Brad Butler quickly on the play, and it would have been a sack. Kelsay also had a bat-down at the line.

Either Kelsay is completely rejuvenated by the return of Aaron Schobel and the arrival of Maybin, or Brad Butler is struggling to adapt to his move from right guard to right tackle. Before you freak out and launch into a tirade about how the offense is doomed if Butler can't get it together, keep in mind that this is OTAs, and it's definitely May. Don't let this "news" freak you out, because anything happening football-wise in May can barely be considered "news" to begin with. But a trend is a trend, and there is reason to watch this situation closely when training camp begins in July.

TE Nelson starting to make plays
As much as we should keep our emotions in check when bad things happen in OTAs, it's equally important to keep the excitement in check when hearing things as exciting as Shawn Nelson's contributions on day two:

Rookie tight end Shawn Nelson, the BIlls' fourth-round draft choice, displayed good hands on the second day of organized team activity workouts. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder, made back-to-back good grabs on pass routes down the right seam of the field. Both throws came from Gibran Hamdan and both were caught in traffic.

Other players - starting corners Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin, and yes, Mr. Owens, too - made plays on Tuesday. Nothing else, however, was particularly earth-shattering; lineups largely remained the same.

Brown, whose blog is always an absolute gold mine this time of year, has some interesting nuggets up about the Bills' allowing Edwards flexibility in play-calling and the continued battle between McGee and Owens. Be sure to check out Brown's work throughout OTAs - this is when he's at his best.

More on OTAs early Thursday after Wednesday's practice.

State of the Bills Roster: Offensive Tackles

Brian Galliford — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:45:09 -0000

Bills' Brad Butler moving to right tackle (photo source)

Now that the 2009 NFL Draft is in the books and off-season player acquisition will crawl at a snail's pace, Buffalo Rumblings has begun re-examining the Buffalo Bills' revamped roster. We continue off our 'State of the Roster' series this morning with a look at the offensive tackle position. Previous installments: QB, DE.

At the end of the 2007 season, the Buffalo Bills appeared set at the tackle position for years to come. Jason Peters had just been selected to his first Pro Bowl, Langston Walker was as steady a performer as ever, and things were looking bright.

Just a year and a half later, Peters has held out, played poorly and been traded. That one move led the Bills to re-shuffle their entire offensive line - and now the tackle position looks far less settled, though still quite talented.

Buffalo did not address this position in any specific way after the Peters trade, much to the chagrin of "draft experts" everywhere. The decision leaves Buffalo with options at tackle, but after a draft class that included two first-day guard prospects, the plan at tackle became clear. It's outlined below.

STARTER: Langston Walker
Walker has been Buffalo's right tackle for two years after signing a 5-year, $25 million deal prior to the 2007 season. He is now Buffalo's highest-paid lineman; as he's also the team's best pass protector on the edge (insert the invariable "oh, crap" response here), he'll man the left side. Walker does have experience playing left tackle; he played the position sparingly in his days in Oakland, and he also got nearly two games' worth of experience on the left side in Buffalo's system last season while Peters was re-adjusting after his lengthy holdout. Walker will be fine at left tackle - he's smart, agile and a good technician. But that doesn't mean he won't need help.

STARTER: Brad Butler
I've said it before and I'll say it again: playing right guard for the past two seasons, Butler has been Buffalo's best and most consistent offensive lineman. He has, however, been playing out of position - the college right tackle (Virginia) occasionally gives up sacks to quick defensive tackles or blitzers because he's still learning inside techniques; now he won't have to. Already the Bills' best run blocker, Butler shifts his nasty demeanor to right tackle, easily his most natural position. Butler's biggest problem is staying healthy; if he can do that, the Bills may actually improve on the right side.

Kirk Chambers
What else is there to say about this guy? He's incredibly unspectacular, but he's solid, dependable and versatile. Able to handle both tackle and both guard slots, Chambers' value can't be underestimated as a high-quality reserve on this re-tooled offensive line. He's got a sharp mind and underrated athleticism; those traits have helped the Bills' offense avoid missing a beat when various injuries have cropped up over the past two seasons. Simply because of the role he plays, Chambers may be one of Buffalo's most valuable commodities heading into the season.

Demetrius Bell
Last year's seventh-round pick out of Northwestern State spent the 2008 season in the weight room and on the practice field. Rumor has it that Bell has bulked up to about 320 pounds, and he'll join Chambers in giving the Bills solid "swing tackle" depth. Though vastly inexperienced, Bell's upside is considerable, and if the Bills can find a way to work him onto the field in any capacity this year, it will go a long way in accelerating his development. Until further notice, Bell is the left tackle of the future - but he needs some time on the field.

Jonathan Scott
Picked up as a street free agent last season, Scott is actually regarded pretty highly by Buffalo's coaching staff. He's got some starting experience and some versatility, but with Chambers and Bell on board, he's got some stiff competition for the "swing tackle" role. He's got an uphill climb to make the team.

Chris Denman
Denman spent last season on Buffalo's practice squad. He's got a good frame, but not much is known about him. He's a longshot to make the team, and he's even got serious competition for a practice squad spot now.

Joel Bell
An undrafted free agent out of Furman, Joel Bell was one of the more intriguing names available on the free agent market after the draft. Like Buffalo's other Bell, Demetrius, Joel has a lot of raw ability - but the key word is "raw." He's a project - but he's a project with elite tools. Expect him to be stashed on the practice squad this year.

Contract situations: Walker and Butler are tied up long-term; Walker has three years remaining on his deal, while Butler has four. Chambers and Bell were both signed as recently as last season as well, though the length of the deal Chambers received in March is unknown. Joel Bell received a three-year deal as a UDFA, so even he will be here for a while - if he can crack the practice squad, that is.

Bottom Line
Yes, Jason Peters is gone. If you stack Peters against most OT depth charts in the NFL, chances are Peters would be at the top of most of them. But one trade does not kill a line's ability to function, even if the player is as uniquely talented as Peters is.

The Bills have talent and depth at the tackle position. Four are locks to make the roster; Walker and Butler will be just fine as the starting tackles. Truth be told, the line and protection schemes may be more balanced this season because Peters isn't around to leave on an island. Chambers and Bell are good depth, and the "new" Bell is an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on for future seasons. This position is in good shape. Not "great" shape. But good enough shape to field an explosive offense.

State of the Bills Roster: Offensive Tackles

Brian Galliford — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:30:05 -0000

Will Peters get his big extension? (buffalobills.com)

The "State of the Bills Roster" series trucks on! If you're new around these parts within the past nine months or so, this series is an off-season progression of posts in which we'll break down Buffalo's roster in-depth. From these discussions, we'll put together a "Community Needs List" in priority order, then begin researching potential free agent and draft acquisitions that will satisfy all of the Bills' needs as we perceive them.

Hey - at least this way, we're doing the job right. Right? Unlike a certain front office we're forced to support.

And now, we continue our foray into heavy-duty off-season work at Buffalo Rumblings. It's our "State of the Roster" series, off-season mode, and we'll continue the discussions by breaking down the situation at Buffalo's offensive tackles.

Previous installments: QB :: RB :: TE :: WR

Opening statement
Buffalo's offensive line regressed slightly in 2008 after a strong 2007 performance. Chalk it up to the lack of continuity on the interior - a position we'll get to soon - and the holdout of left tackle Jason Peters. The holdout, the change at center and the injuries on the inside were the biggest reasons that Buffalo's offensive line was shuffling and underperforming for much of the season.

#71 Jason Peters (starter)
6'4", 340 pounds
Age: 27 in January 2009
Contract status: 2 years remaining (UFA after 2010); owed $6.35M in base salaries
- About to participate in his first Pro Bowl - he's been selected two straight years now - Peters' contract squabble will be the talk of the off-season (personnel-wise) until a resolution is reached. Peters is looking for a deal that will make him one of the top paid players at his position. I've gone on record saying that the Bills would be smart to oblige. It'd be nice if Peters could eliminate some of the errors that cropped up this season, but even with those errors, he's clearly one of the most talented players at his position.

#68 Langston Walker (starter)
6'8", 366 pounds
Age: 30 in September 2009
Contract status: 3 years remaining (UFA after 2011); owed $9 million in base salaries
- Walker proved his value to the team this past off-season when he proved adequate playing in Peters' stead at left tackle. He'll always be a guy that struggles with speed rushers, but all players have weaknesses. Walker is a steady veteran presence that doesn't make mistakes often and isn't paid an exorbitant salary. Very solid player.

#73 Kirk Chambers
6'7", 315 pounds
Age: 30 in March 2009
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent.
- The retention of Chambers on the team's final roster had been a criticized move for the past couple of seasons, but Chambers acquitted himself remarkably this past season. The Bills may have inadvertently stumbled upon the "swing" tackle the team coveted, as Chambers proved that he can play well at both tackle positions as well as inside at guard. An unrestricted free agent, the Bills would be wise to re-sign Chambers and the versatility he brings.

#77 Demetrius Bell
6'7", 307 pounds
Age: 25 in May 2009
Contract status: 3 years remaining (UFA after 2011); owed $1.41M in base salaries.
- Buffalo's coaching staff is really high on this kid, but they didn't want to put him on the field in 2008 because they wanted to keep him in their weight program. They think he'll be ready to contribute as a reserve in 2009, and he has the capability to start beyond that point.

#79 Jonathan Scott
6'6", 318 pounds
Age: 26 in January 2009
Contract status: Undisclosed.
- Signed at season's end to fill out the roster when Peters got hurt. Was not active. A talented athlete, Scott hasn't cut it at the NFL level. He probably won't be around for training camp next season, though I wouldn't mind if he was there for competition purposes.

Other tackles on the roster: Chris Denman (practice squad)

The Breakdown
Keepers: Walker, Bell. Walker is just a good player, and he'll be better if he has a good tight end next to him. Bell is an outstanding developmental project that could start producing for Buffalo as soon as next year.

Extendables: Peters, Chambers.. He wants the contract, he needs the contract, he deserves the contract. Give him what he wants - he'll work harder when he gets it. Chambers' versatility is far too valuable to let him walk this off-season, and it'll give the team more time with Bell.

Expendables: Scott, Denman. Neither is really worthy of an NFL roster spot.

Questionables: None.

Goners: None.

What we need: Honestly, I don't think the Bills need to do much work here. Obviously, getting Peters his new deal and re-signing Chambers should be priorities. The Bills won't be keeping more than four tackles next year, and the quartet of Peters, Walker, Chambers and Bell is more than acceptable - it's actually quite good. For the first time this off-season, we've got a position that's pretty much set. Just get those extensions taken care of, Misters Inner Circle.

That's it. I'm done with the easy stuff. Now it's on you, folks. Got any more tough love for Jason Peters to spew? Want to talk more about what a pleasant surprise Chambers has been? Have any names of potential additions you'd like to throw into the ring? Have fun with this, and let's get brainstorming.