SB Nation - Antwain Spann

Horse Tracks 8/25/09 - Transactions all across the AFC West; Broncos waive WR Travis Shelton and claim DB Antwain Spann

Douglas A. Lee — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:47:47 -0000

DB - Broncos Claim Spann Off Waivers - Gray Caldwell

DB - Mile High Debut - Patrick Smyth
Fun facts about this week's matchup versus the Bears.

DB - Steps Forward - Mike Rice
Rice offers his even-keeled thoughts on the Broncos and their progress through two preseason games.

DP - Coaching breaks Nalen's silence - Terry Frei
Tom Nalen is thrilled to be coaching the O-Line at Denver South High. Obviously, he wanted to retire with zero fanfare, but hopefully there will be some sort of ceremony at the Big IF for Nalen. How fast can they put him into the Ring?

DP - Turnover margin troubling for Broncos - Lindsay Jones
It's the same story, every year. Hopefully 2009 is when it changes?

DP - Mailbag: Who's the real Kyle Orton? - Mike Klis

DB - The Marathon Hasn’t Even Begun - Jim Saccomano

CSG - Cutler's return brings an edge to Bears-Broncos preseason game - Frank Schwab
Jay Cutler is coming to town this week? Wow, who knew?!?!

DP - Broncos' starters busy with plenty of preseason work
The first teamers have logged plenty of minutes thus far. Meanwhile, Robert Ayers is still catching up in learning his assignments within the defense.

DP - Teammates' praise enough for Wright - Irv Moss
Moss profiles Broncos legend Louis Wright.

CSG - Broncos nose tackle offers life lessons to Liberty football squad - Justin Pederson
Chris Baker visited Liberty High in CO Springs.

AP - Broncos Have Troubles As They Prepare For Cutler - Arnie Stapleton

KDVR - Denver Broncos vs. Chicago Bears Preview: Jay Cutler Week - Chris Tanaka

ESPN - Broncos in tough spot with Marshall - John Clayton
Although he was impressed by the Broncos' offense on Saturday, Clayton apparently didn't think much of the defense. Oh, and he thinks the Broncos should trade BMarsh.

ESPN - Breaking down the Broncos' game - Bill Williamson
This is rich...Pork Chop says Matt Prater's FG on Saturday "could go a long way in helping him make the team." As the only PK on the team, I'd say Prater's chances were already pretty good...

AFC West News

SDUT - Rivers happy to get long-term deal done - Kevin Acee
Phil Rivers will receive $38.5 million in guarantees as part of a six-year, $92 million deal which extends his contract through 2015. Just remember, folks - guy's started three seasons and won three division titles. Oh, and he led the NFL in passing last year.

SDUT - Chargers' window of opportunity just got clearer - Tim Sullivan

SDUT - Cornerback Cletis Gordon released - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Quotes from Rivers press conference - Kevin Acee

NFL - Chargers lock up Rivers with six-year, $92 million extension

KCS - Haley says nobody has officially made the Chiefs team yet - Adam Teicher

KCS - Chiefs make trade to bolster offensive line - Kent Babb
The Chefs acquired OGs Andy Alleman and Ikechuku Ndukwe from the Dolphins for an undisclosed 2010 draft choice; to make room, they released OT Brian de la Puente and LB Vince Redd.

SFC - Walker tests his knee - David White

CCT - Raiders notebook: New linebacker long ago gathered the Moss - Steve Corkran
Jokeland brought back LB Napoleon Harris after Kirk Morrison dislocated his elbow. To make room, they released recently-signed CB RIcky Manning, Jr.

NFL Results

NFL - New York Jets 23 at Baltimore Ravens 24
Mark Sanchez tosses one TD and one INT while struggling in his starting debut.

NFL News

NFL - 49ers will go with Hill as starting QB to open season

NFL - Seahawks add Edgerrin James, part ways with T.J. Duckett

NFL - Shawn Andrews says he'll be ready to play opener

NFL - Godfrey has surgery for broken hand; Beason sits out practice

NFL - Vikings' Favre expected to see more playing time vs. Texans

NFL - Bengals, Palmer cautious with ankle injury in preparation for opener

NFL - Rams DE Little hurts knee, but injury not considered serious

Y! - Unemployed Marvin Harrison generating little interest - Jason Cole

ESPN - Plaxico Burress says club security knew he had a gun the night he shot himself in the leg

NFL Opinion

NFP - NFL Notebook: time for Bucs to pick a QB - Matt Bowen
Bowen was impressed by Kyle Orton's performance on Saturday.

NFP - Diner morning news: A look at odds - Mike Lombardi
Lombardi thinks Vegas is a little too down on the Broncos

Y! - Freeman impresses as Bucs start new era - Jason Cole

NFL - Hasselbeck, Romo impress, but Browns' QB situation harder to clear up - Pat Kirwan

NFL - Health, age could prevent storybook ending for Favre - Jason La Canfora

Y! - Steven Jackson not ready for extinction - Charles Robinson

NFP - Tavern talk: almost blue list - Mike Lombardi

FOX - Mailbag: Glazer on Warner, Favre, Romo and more - Jay Glazer

PFW - Harvin adds versatility, excitement to Vikings

FOX - CAMP SIGHTS: Could Peterson catch Emmitt? - Alex Marvez
Seriously? Isn't it at least 5 years too early to even think about this?

NYT - Lab Results, Atlanta Falcons - KC Joyner

CBS - 49ers camp report: Counting on Gore to end running joke - Clark Judge

ESPN - Bengals mired in mediocrity - Elizabeth Merrill

NFP - First-rounders are cashing in - Andrew Brandt
Tell me you can look at the picture of B.J. Raji without laughing...

CBS - Hey governor, right this wrong: Please pardon Plaxico - Mike Freeman

SI - Cris Collinsworth ready for comparisons to John Madden - Richard Deitsch

NFP - 2009 NFP scouting series: Georgia Tech - Wes Bunting

Back seven battles wide open in Buffalo

Brian Galliford — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:45:15 -0000

Unless an NFL coaching staff is in the first year (or two) of its current regime with their team, most NFL coaching staffs enter training camp and the pre-season with a pretty good idea of which 53 players will be on their team. Entering his fourth season at the helm of the Buffalo Bills, it's very likely that Dick Jauron and his coaching staff - most of whom have been here as long as he has - have a firm grasp on what their opening day roster will look like.

Injuries and unexpected performances obviously can change the game, but the general idea remains valid. These guys know who they'd like to go into battle with.

It's therefore unsurprising, then, that the Bills are essentially defined depth-wise at most offensive positions, as well as along the defensive line. The picture becomes much fuzzier, however, when talking about linebackers and defensive backs. The Bills have 24 players currently on their roster playing in their defensive back seven. 21 of them have very legitimate shots to make the roster.

Even breaking this down into general positions (outside linebacker, inside linebacker, cornerback, strong safety, free safety), the competition is fierce and the flexibility is envious. We've broken this down by position, and then placed every player into three categories: roster locks, in the hunt, or on the bubble.

Outside Linebacker
Locks: Kawika Mitchell, Keith Ellison, Nic Harris
- Mitchell and Ellison are locked in as starters. Harris, a fifth-round pick out of Oklahoma, has had a strong camp, looked very active in the Hall of Fame Game, and is a certainty to make the team. He might be the first linebacker off the bench if either starter goes down as well.

In the Hunt: Jon Corto, Ashlee Palmer, Alvin Bowen
- Corto has made a strong impression on the coaching staff - strong enough, in fact, to make him one of a very few players that the staff might try to force onto the roster. Palmer has opened some eyes with his raw athleticism as well, but no one is sure at this point how soon he'll be available after spraining his ankle against Tennessee. Jauron confirmed Tuesday night that he'd miss at least a week. Bowen had a strong pre-season performance as well; though he had fallen behind Palmer a bit in the pecking order, Palmer's injury gives Bowen another shot to make an impact now that he'll get more reps.

Inside Linebacker
Locks: Paul Posluszny
- Not a ton to add here. Pretty obvious, really.

In the Hunt: Pat Thomas, Marcus Buggs
- The beauty to these two players is that, while they've been taking middle linebacker reps pretty much exclusively throughout camp, both can play outside as well. Right now, we'd be inclined to say that Thomas is closer to making the roster than is Buggs - but Buggs has a bit more than a fighter's chance. The coaches like him, and he (as well as Thomas) give the team a boost on special teams.

So, yeah. Literally every linebacker on the roster - right now, there are nine of them - has a chance to end up on the final roster. Every single one of them. That clearly won't happen, but your guess as to which one (or two, or three) gets cut is as good as ours. Palmer's injury is very unfortunate.

Cornerback
Locks: Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, Drayton Florence, Reggie Corner
- McGee and McKelvin are entrenched as the starters. The coaches have been very pleased with Florence; barring an injury to the veteran, the competition for the starting nickel role is all but over. Corner has had a very productive off-season to date (including a pick-six in the Hall of Fame Game), and he provides great depth and special teams ability.

In the Hunt: Ashton Youboty, Ellis Lankster
- At least one of these players will still be with the team. There's a chance both could stick. But each player is out of "lock" territory for different reasons; for Youboty, it's his injury history, and for Lankster it's his status as a vastly unproven seventh-round draft pick. Both players are obviously talented. They have some work to do, however, if they want to secure roster spots.

On the Bubble: Cary Harris, Lydell Sargeant
- Both of these rookies are listed here simply because the Bills are deep at this position. Both have talent, and the coaches obviously like both of them as well. One or both could wind up on the practice squad.

Free Safety
Locks: Donte Whitner, Jairus Byrd
- The safety position is wide open, folks. Whitner is the jack-of-all-trades defensive back of this team and a defensive co-captain; obviously, he stays. Byrd is a lock as well as a second-round draft pick, though as he's still recovering from sports hernia surgery and on the PUP list, questions remain as to how quickly he'll be able to contribute.

In the Hunt: Ko Simpson
- Byrd's injury has given Simpson an opportunity to take a lot of reps this pre-season, and he's been the second-team free safety throughout camp. He played well against the Titans. Depending on how the numbers game shakes out, Simpson is an experienced option with an excellent chance of making the roster - even though he's been a popular "cut" throughout the off-season.

On the Bubble: Antwain Spann
- The most Spann has done in his very short time with the team is get Dustin Fox waived. He's known for his special teams prowess, but how much of an 'in' does that give him when every safety on the roster can contribute in that area?

Strong Safety
Locks: Bryan Scott, George Wilson
- Some may be surprised to see Wilson's name here, but you shouldn't be - Wilson was a special teams captain last year, has outstanding leadership qualities, and can contribute defensively. I wouldn't be overly shocked to see him released, mind you - that's a testament to how closely contested the safety position is right now - but Wilson has things going for him that others just don't right now. Scott continues to impress as a run defender. He can play.

In the Hunt: John Wendling
- If there's one safety that has an 'in' as a specialist, it's Wendling, who for two years has been a key centerpiece to Bobby April's coverage units. The guy simply isn't going to contribute defensively, though, which takes him out of "lock" range. The coaches love him, though. The chances that he makes the team again as a pure specialist are quite good.

We just discussed 24 football players. Only three of them have less than a fighter's chance at making the final roster. At a bare minimum, the Bills are likely going to keep 16 of these players (a minimum of six linebackers, and a minimum of ten defensive backs). Y'all can try, if you like, to pick out five names to cut. Every player here can contribute in some way. The competition is wide open. This is a good problem for the Bills' coaching staff, but they've clearly got some difficult decisions to make.

Owens highlights growing Bills injury list

Brian Galliford — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:00:14 -0000

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The big news out of Buffalo this morning is, of course, the toe injury of Buffalo Bills WR Terrell Owens. After spraining his toe at an undisclosed point in the Bills' 21-18 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the Hall of Fame Game, Owens missed the Bills' Tuesday walk-through as well as their evening practice. Head Coach Dick Jauron described Owens as "day to day," and would not speculate on whether or not the star receiver will play in this Saturday's pre-season contest against the Chicago Bears.

Unfortunately for Buffalo, Owens isn't the only player injured. Fellow WR Steve Johnson, who returned to practice late last week after a rib injury sidelined him, re-injured the rib when he got tangled up with rookie CB Cary Harris in a drill on Tuesday. Harris landed on Johnson to re-aggravate the injury; from what Johnson told BuffaloBills.com last night, he will likely miss practices for the rest of this week as well as his second straight pre-season game.

Injuries seem to be a constant issue in Buffalo, and it's for that reason that the Bills have had to sign six street free agents over the past few weeks. C Christian Gaddis is the latest, joining WR Shaine Smith, DE Ataefiok Etukeren, DT Derrick Jones, DT Corey Mace and S Antwain Spann as players that have joined the Bills since training camp opened on July 25. However, one injured player did return to the field last night - and as he's a key figure on a revamped offensive line, Brad Butler's return is an important one.

Keeping track of the O-Line
Butler participated fully for the first time since injuring his back early last week, and looked good as he re-assumed his spot as the starting right tackle. It's still unclear if he'll play this Saturday - the coaches and trainers will likely wait to see how his back responds to a full practice load - but for now, the return is good news. Meanwhile, Butler's understudy, Demetrius Bell - who has impressed this pre-season - took reps with the second unit at left tackle.

With Butler back in the fold, Buffalo's entire offensive line is once again healthy. The more they play together this pre-season, the better.

Linebacker dinged, too
Arguably the most impressive Bills linebacker in the Hall of Fame Game was undrafted rookie free agent Ashlee Palmer. It would figure, therefore, that Palmer suffered a severe ankle sprain in the game and could be looking at missing a significant chunk of practice time. Alvin Bowen took his reps with the second unit on the weak side (as well as a few reps on the strong side with the third unit).

Meanwhile, BuffaloBills.com reports that Pat Thomas and Marcus Buggs continue to flip-flop with the second and third units at middle linebacker. Buggs started with the second unit against the Titans; it's therefore logical that Thomas is gearing up to get those reps against the Bears. This is one of the more unique battles going on at the moment; no matter the winner, both of these guys have excellent opportunities to make the final roster.

More lineup changes to note
Aaron Schobel continues to get a lighter work load, but rather than Ryan Denney taking his first-team reps last night - as usually happens - Chris Ellis took those reps, and took advantage of the opportunity by registering two would-be sacks on Trent Edwards, cleanly beating Langston Walker on both plays. That's what we like to hear. Now we just need to see it in a game.

RB Xavier Omon, who impressed against the Titans, was injured in practice and missed some reps. The injury is not considered serious, but Bruce Hall gladly took his reps.

With Owens and Johnson missing time, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish and Justin Jenkins shot up the depth chart. Jenkins has had a strong camp and pre-season, and other than an ugly pass interference call against Tennessee, has impressed. Ponder for a moment, however, the prospect of the Bills playing any meaningful games without Owens. Who wouldn't mind if T.O. sat out the rest of the pre-season? We're not advocating it. It's just a thought.

CB Ashton Youboty continues to sit with a lingering groin injury. Three cornerbacks with whom Youboty is jockeying for time - Drayton Florence, Reggie Corner and Ellis Lankster - continue to reap the benefits of his sitting out.

Wednesday
Buffalo has a practice scheduled for the early afternoon on Wednesday. It is doubtful that players such as Owens, Johnson and Palmer will practice. Butler should continue to work; it will also be interesting to see if Youboty returns to action.

Keys to a successful Buffalo Bills pre-season

Kurupt — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:00:10 -0000

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Last season, I ran a series in which I provided my opinion about the keys to a Buffalo Bills victory each week. I'm sure I was correct with some of those ideas a few times, but mostly it was just a bunch of gibberish and unfulfilled hopes. To get ready for the pre-season, I thought it might add a little intrigue if I came up with a set of keys for surviving and getting value out of these five games. Please note: some of these will be obvious. I know that; you know that; even Dick Jauron knows that, so no need to heckle me like some of you heckled Chris Kelsay at camp last week. Remember, we have five pre-season games to work with this year, so there will be advantages and disadvantages to this heavier pre-season load.

Get Trent to the regular season unscathed. This one falls on the obvious scale somewhere between "Brian is a fan of Lost" and "the sun rises in the east." You don't need me to tell you how important it will be to keep Trent Edwards healthy. For all intents and purposes, his health (and play on the field) will be the biggest factor for how this season plays out. He needs to get his work in against other teams this summer, but he also needs to make it out alive. As you may recall, Trent was hurt last pre-season - albeit in practice - and missed the final two games heading into the regular season. Let's hope we don't have to go through that again.

The Battle of the Dereks. This should be one of the more hotly-contested position battles during the five games, with the best Derek - Derek Fine or Derek Schouman - more than likely securing the starting position heading into the season. I'll be looking for the better blocker, because I think they are both solid enough receivers. Each has underrated athleticism, a good pair of hands and an improving skill set. Unless one really falters, the winner of this battle will be the one who holds up better as the blocker. After these two, I'd like to see Shawn Nelson get comfortable as a receiver first and a blocker second. Jonathan Stupar has a solid chance of making the team as the fourth tight end if the team goes in that direction. He just needs to continue his strong camp and perform with the lights on.

Offensive line, please don't be offensive. The two rookie guards, Eric Wood and Andy Levitre, need to prove they are capable of starting right away; more importantly, they need to prove they won't be overwhelmed. Both have the opportunity and talent to play right away, they just need to take advantage of it and nail down the starting roles. Wood appears more ready at this point, already playing like a hardened veteran, but the extra game should really come in handy for Levitre. Also, with a new starter at each OL position, steady improvement and efficient play is what we'll be looking for out of them. Gelling into a formidable unit prior to the Patriots game would also be welcome. Keeping Trent upright and healthy is the main priority, while gelling is an obvious 1A.

Trent Edwards, Good. J.P. Losman, bad. I see a lot of Losman in Ryan Fitzpatrick, and I'm not talking about beard crafting. He's a mistake-prone player that is known for his questionable decision making on the field. He needs to show less of that this pre-season and more of the efficient quarterback we're looking for to backup Edwards. Fitzpatrick - and to a lesser extent, Gibran Hamdan - needs to prove they are capable players to keep us sane and to make the coaching staff comfortable heading into the season should either be called upon.

Know the no-huddle. It's out there. The league knows the Bills having been working extensively on the no-huddle offense this summer. The element of surprise will not be there, so in order to be effective running this, the team needs to really get comfortable using it this pre-season. I'm not talking about perfecting it (yet), but the offense needs to get the reps in it and needs to have some success. If the plan really is to utilize this throughout the season, then the work needs to be done over the next month to iron out the kinks and see how it works against other defenses. Getting a test run of the new wildcat setup with Roscoe Parrish at quarterback might also be worth trying out.

Defensive bubble players need to crackle, not pop. The starting lineup for the defense is pretty much set in stone at this point, but the battles for roster spots should be fun to watch. John McCargo has been having a good camp thus far, but he needs to carry that over to where it really counts. Even though there is little competition for the fourth DT spot, a poor pre-season could result in the team looking elsewhere for a rotational piece. Nic Harris has a roster spot locked up, but there are a number of other linebackers fighting for what is likely only two more backup roles. Pat Thomas and Alvin Bowen are probably leading the way right now, but Jon Corto, Marcus Buggs and Ashlee Palmer will all have their chances to prove they belong on the opening day roster. The team could keep seven linebackers depending on numbers at other positions. The top five cornerbacks are set, but will the team keep a sixth? Ellis Lankster was a major surprise during the spring and has carried it over to training camp. A strong performance over these five games could vault him onto the opening day roster. The battle for backup safety jobs will also be one to watch, with Ko Simpson, George Wilson and John Wendling likely going after two spots. Special teams play will factor in heavily here, although the players that demonstrate the most ability to help defensively could win out.

Fighting for a nickel. This position battle might be the closest and toughest to predict at this point. Drayton Florence is getting first team reps now and looks to be the favorite, but strong performances in the five pre-season games out of Ashton Youboty or Reggie Corner could win them the job. Remember, Youboty won the starting nickel job last year with a great preseason highlighted by a number of big plays and solid tackling. He might have to do it again to win the job back, assuming he can stay on the field. Corner has been solid, but might not be able to win the job even if he plays well simply because the other two players are getting the job done. No matter how this battle plays out, each of the three will contribute this year. My money continues to be on Florence to win the job. By adding Lankster to the group, this unit is pleasantly deep.

Perfect the wedge. With the new wedge rules in place for kickoff returns, it'll be important for Bobby April and his return unit to get the new formation down pat. April needs to see which players work best in the new formation of two groups of two blockers a few yards apart, even if it's with smaller guys. It'll take time to get used to this new setup; perfecting it by the end of the pre-season is necessary. We have one of the most dynamic return men in the NFL in Leodis McKelvin, so we cannot waste potential big returns and good field position on systematic errors. I have faith Bobby April will have it all worked out come September.

Terrell Owens: I'm well over 1,000 words in without mentioning these two. It just had to be done to keep the Earth spinning.

Be ready. Last year, the team was pretty well prepared for the season heading into Week 1, and it showed, as the team started 4-0. It needs to happen again. With a tough opening slate including road games at New England and Miami, and a pair of games against the AFC South (New Orleans and Tampa Bay), both sides of the ball need to be ready to roll. Hopefully, last year's 0-6 record against AFC East foes and a 2-8 finish will be the nadir for the Dick Jauron era, because a slow start this season might quickly result in the end of that era.

Survive. Beyond keeping Edwards healthy, we absolutely have to hope for no major injuries. It's bound to happen, but I really don't want to see this scene play out in real life. A strong pre-season, coupled with no major injuries, would result in a major success for the next month. Hope for the best.

***

Feel free to add your keys to the pre-season games in the comment section. There are plenty more to choose from, but I figured these were the most important. It doesn't matter if we go 5-0 or 0-5. What matters most is steady improvement, health and a full head of steam headed into New England. We'll definitely need it.

Recapping week one of Buffalo Bills training camp

Brian Galliford — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:30:09 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills are now nine practices deep into 2009 training camp, and after eight full days of hard work, the entire team is getting Sunday off to rest and recuperate. The pads go back on on Monday as the team prepares for its first pre-season game of the year, which takes place a week from today in the Hall of Fame Game.

A lot has happened to this point - in terms of players performing (or not), in terms of lineup surprises, and in terms of who is not in camp. We were fortunate to have representation at camp seven days, and have recaps here for those in the reviewing mood: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7. (You'll have to rely on bigger-name sources for Day 8 coverage; we'll be back camping next week.)

This post is not intended to recap every significant development; you'd be reading for the rest of the afternoon if that was the case. Instead, we'll focus on each position after the jump, giving you some of our general impressions based on what we've seen and heard, with a specific focus on the big story lines for the Bills heading into the regular season.

Quarterback. Trent Edwards is looking pretty comfortable. Not all of his throws have been pretty - defensive backs have made a lot of plays on his passes, actually - but the encouraging sign is that he's making many more big plays himself. He and Terrell Owens have quickly established a good on-field rapport, though, as with Edwards and any other player, the rest of the relationship is a work in progress. Trent's also looking more comfortable making his reads and with his footwork. Signs are encouraging. Meanwhile, steady improvement has been the name of the game for backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. He was awful when camp opened, but has leveled off to the point where we don't have to have nightmares about our backup QB situation every night.

Running Back. Marshawn Lynch looks great. He is his usual explosive (in the short area), difficult-to-tackle self. Fred Jackson has been pulling off his best Swiss Army knife impression, running the Wildcat and catching passes as a receiver in addition to his running back duties. Veteran free agent signee Dominic Rhodes is in great shape, running hard, and looks quick with the ball in his hands. He is easily the best receiver of this group; even when Lynch returns, Rhodes will get playing time.

Fullback. Nothing to see here. The position has been completely eradicated from Buffalo's offense as they transition to the no-huddle, and if Corey McIntyre wants to make the team, he'll have to do it as a specialist.

Wide Receiver. Terrell Owens has been outstanding. The man, quite simply, is a freak. His skills don't look diminished a bit, no matter what the "experts" tell you. As long as he's happy this season, the man will produce. Lee Evans is his usual self. Josh Reed is going to have a monster year, folks, provided Owens and Evans are on the field. He might lead the team in catches. Seriously. Before injuring his ribs, Steve Johnson was off to a great start as well. He's got a bright future. Roscoe Parrish has been running the Wildcat in an effort to find ways to get the ball in his hands offensively. One young receiver has been impressing as well - Shaine Smith might be just a street free agent, but he's been making plays, and is very long and athletic. Keep your eye on him.

Tight End. Derek Schouman currently has the inside track to start over the more talented, yet slightly less polished Derek Fine. Schouman looks quite impressive - he's a reliable short-area receiver, and his blocking has been outstanding thus far in camp. He routinely handles defensive ends with ease. Jonathan Stupar is a similar player, and he's been very solid throughout the first week as well. He might find a way to sneak onto the roster. Shawn Nelson is currently dealing with a foot injury, but his outstanding athleticism is apparent when he's on the field. He's easily got the softest pair of hands of this group, and he's a willing, yet highly unpolished blocker. His impact might not be immediate, but Nelson will be a player in this league.

Offensive Tackle. Outside of quarterback, this area has easily been the biggest worry for the fan base, but Langston Walker and Brad Butler are playing well. Butler has struggled some with bull rushes, but he's still re-learning tackle techniques, so that's to be expected. Once he fixes pad level issues, he'll be fine. These two are known commodities and play consistently, so as long as their shortcomings aren't anything more than physical - and thus far, they haven't been - the Bills should be alright offensively. Demetrius Bell has shown tremendous improvement in his second year; you're going to see him on the field a ton in the pre-season. Jonathan Scott has been solid as well, and has a shot to make the roster.

Offensive Guard. Eric Wood is a freaking monster. He's huge, athlhetic, strong, and tenacious. He's a leader. Buffalo's offensive line has been physically talented over the past few years, but there wasn't any leadership up front. Wood is that player. He might be an offensive captain next year; the kid oozes leadership. Andy Levitre has been impressive as well, though not anywhere near the level Wood has; Levitre is improving, but don't be surprised if he's beaten out for the starting left guard job by Kirk Chambers, a dependable veteran who doesn't make a lot of mistakes. Levitre has some growing up to do. Seth McKinney doesn't stand a chance to beat out Wood at right guard, but he's been solid as well, and he'll be a valuable reserve this season.

Center. Geoff Hangartner, unsurprisingly, has picked up the intricacies of Buffalo's no-huddle offense quickly. There isn't an awful lot to report here, as we've had a tough time keeping an eye on him, but no news isn't necessarily bad news. Brandon Rodd has been getting second-team reps at center; he's a big, thick kid that in all likelihood will end up back on the practice squad. He has some talent.

Defensive End. Chris Kelsay, surprisingly, has been the bright spot. Chalk it up to going up against Butler in practice if you'd like, but Kelsay has recorded numerous sacks and pressures, and his run defense has always been solid (when he's not getting faked out on a misdirection play, that is). Aaron Schobel is showing no ill effects of his Lisfranc foot injury, though he hasn't been particularly effective rushing against Walker in practice. Chris Ellis is looking great as a reserve; his upper body strength has improved tremendously, and he looks pretty quick out on the field. He might be ready to make an impact. Still, Aaron Maybin cannot get here fast enough - this is not an athletic group of people.

Defensive Tackle. Marcus Stroud is Marcus Stroud. Nothing to worry about here - the guy can play. Kyle Williams has been borderline dominant to this point; he might now take the crown as the Bills' best pure run defender. John McCargo was putting together some nice work before a hamstring injury sidelined him. This group isn't particularly deep (Spencer Johnson helps, of course), but all four of these guys can play. If there's a young player to be stashed on the practice squad for depth in the event of an injury, it's David Lindquist.

Outside Linebacker. Kawika Mitchell has looked solid on the weak side, and Keith Ellison has found himself making plays in the backfield on more than one occasion on the strong side. No one has come close to unseating Ellison for his starting job. Nic Harris has flashed some promise as a reserve, but his technique work currently leaves a lot to be desired. Alvin Bowen and Ashlee Palmer are easily the best athletes at this position; they're quite fast, and both have a chance to make the roster as reserves and specialists. Don't count out Jon Corto, either - he's revered by Bobby April, and he's not a bad linebacker, either.

Inside Linebacker. Paul Posluszny has been outstanding against the run, and he looks far more comfortable defending the pass and blitzing than he did a year ago. He's much, much less tentative. Pat Thomas and Marcus Buggs have been splitting second-team reps at the position, with Thomas looking a hair better. We're going to miss John DiGiorgio, however; he's a much more physical defender than either Thomas or Buggs.

Cornerback. Just like with any veteran, you can safely say that Terrence McGee has been his usual self. Not many big plays, but a lot of pass break-ups and few big plays given up. Leodis McKelvin, on the other hand, has been far more up-and-down, and he's spent a lot more time down than up. Owens and Evans are brutalizing this kid. Here's to hoping it doesn't ruin his confidence. On the other hand, he's also made some beautiful plays, including a couple of gorgeous interceptions. Once Leo gets himself consistent, he's going to be quite the ball player. The battle at nickel corner rages on, but only technically - Drayton Florence has distanced himself early from Reggie Corner and Ashton Youboty (and right now, we'd place Corner slightly ahead of Youboty as well, but that should change quickly once the team starts playing games). Ellis Lankster continues to surprise; he's a great athlete.

Free Safety. Donte Whitner has seen every first-team rep here, and that's not likely to change for a long, long time. Buffalo's coaching staff is very anxious to get Jairus Byrd onto the field, but as he's currently on the PUP list recovering from sports hernia surgery, the idea that he'd line up next to Whitner as a starter is borderline absurd. Ko Simpson has been dependable as the second-team safety, though his climb to a roster spot is still an uphill one. Antwain Spann, recently signed from the Patriots, will be watched with interest over the next couple of weeks - he's got some talent, but his role has yet to be clearly defined.

Strong Safety. Bryan Scott has been excellent, recording a few interceptions and taking one back for a score. He's even gotten some reps here and there at linebacker, in the event that the Bills have to deal with a bunch of injuries there. George Wilson has made some nice plays running with the twos at this position. John Wendling appears to be nothing more than a solid run defender and specialist; we still maintain that he, too, should make a move to linebacker.

Specialists. Rian Lindell is Rian Lindell. Brian Moorman is Brian Moorman - but circa a few years ago, when he was awesome, and not last year, when he was just very good. Ryan Neill and Garrison Sanborn will duke it out for the long-snapping duties, but let's be honest, we're not at camp to watch long snappers. We'll chart them both during pre-season games. One last note - Leodis McKelvin has looked absolutely fantastic returning kicks. He's in line for a possible Pro Bowl season in that department.

New England Patriots Links 7/30/09 - The Rap Sheet is open

MaPatsFan — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:24:37 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

6 months ago: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass during the second day of football minicamp at the team's training facility in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday morning, June 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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The Boston Herald's new Patriots beat reporter opens up his blog, The Rap Sheet:

I’m Ian R. Rapoport, the Boston Herald’s new Patriots beat reporter. It’s been a few weeks since the announcement that I took this job covering your team, and the work can finally begin. ‘Bout time.

Karen Guregian gives us A closer look at key Patriots

Fred Taylor [stats]

6-1, 228

Running back

Skinny: At age 33, he may no longer be considered an elite back, but Taylor bears watching because he seems like a man on a mission. He wants to win a ring. He wants to dispel any injury-prone reputation he may have inherited. He also wants to stick it to the team (Jaguars) that essentially gave up on him. Even with 11,271 rushing yards in the books, there’s some gas left in his tank.

LOCAL SHOTS

Karen Guregian Breaks down five issues to watch at training camp. Tom Brady, anyone?
Mike Reiss long snapper Jake Ingram finally signs
Shalise Manza Young Reports on key battles to watch when Patriots open training camp
Mike Reiss Former Patriot Antwain Spann to workout with Bills. A ploy for intel?

LONG SHOTS

Joe Fortenbaugh (NFP) Players on the comback trail. Brady tops the list.
Steve Wyche (NFL.com) Giant David Tyree in the fight of his career
Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) Viking Sage Rosenfels moves past Brett Favre
Pete Prisco (CBSSports.com) Puts Brady at #2 behind Fivehead. I'll take that given he missed an entire season.

New England Patriots Links 7/29/09 - Power Ranking fever

MaPatsFan — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:43:52 -0000

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com powers Pats to #1

"The Patriots sit in the top spot because they have the deepest team with the best coach and they get Tom Brady back," Prisco writes. "That doesn't mean they're the Super pick yet. I will make that choice later in the summer, but you can bet they will get strong consideration."

Shalise Manza Young of the Providence Journal lists the teams to beat in 2009

PITTSBURGH STEELERS: All but two of the Steelers' starters from the Super Bowl return, including reigning defensive player of the year James Harrison, who received a tidy contract extension. Defense has always been Pittsburgh's calling card, and it's no secret what the unit is going to throw at opposing offenses, The problem is, they do what they do extremely well.

LOCAL SHOTS

Mike Reiss Jersey changes. The departing Antwain Spann's 28 goes to Darius Butler
Jim Donaldson Takes a trip down memory lane, rooting for the old-time owners
AP Brett Favre decides to stay retired
Mike Reiss Patriots sign DB Herana-Daze Jones and release OL Jermail Porter
Chris Gasper Why the Patriots should be confident at corner
Chris Gasper Crable, Warren among five on PUP list

LONG SHOTS

Bleeding Green Nation Eagles Defensive Coordinator, Jim Johnson, loses his battle with cancer
Don Banks (SI.com) Power ranks New England at #1, Steelers at #2, and Colts at 10
Jack Bechta (NFP) An excellent story on why players hold out

Patriots changes by position: Safety

MaPatsFan — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:11:41 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

7 months ago: New England Patriots' Patrick Chung (25) works a drill against defensive back Jamar Love, left, during football minicamp at the team's football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Friday morning, May 1, 2009 Chung was the Patriots' first pick in the 2009 rookie draft chosen in the second round as the 34th pick overall. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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Continuing our series examining changes to the Patriots' positions, we take a gander at Safety. Writing these can be a bit precarious; as hytholdaeus pointed out in his comments, we're adding players at a breakneck pace. Let's also keep in mind that the roster is VERY fluid right now. Many guys will turn into training camp fodder and won't have a locker come cut day.

2008 Roster: Rodney Harrison (IR'd 10/22 with a thigh injury), Brandon Meriweather, Tank Williams (IR'd in preseason), James Sanders, Raymond Ventrone, Antwain Spann

2009 Roster: Brandon Meriweather, Tank Williams, James Sanders, Patrick Chung, Brandon McGowan, Raymond Ventrone, Antwain Spann

Rodney Harrison - The $64,000 question is, "Will Rodney return?" He dabbled a bit in broadcasting with booth time at the Super Bowl and said he was "testing the waters", but has he successfully scratched the itch? Can he turn the motor off? Does Belichick think he can add value? Whether or not his body will do what his mind wants it to is the question and can only be answered by himself and Belichick, but I believe his greatest contribution would be a Bruschi-like role, an on-field mentor, if you will. Bring him back for a year just to tidy things up a bit. If he decides to stay away, I believe it'll be because of some of the rules changes that came about this year.
Brandon Meriweather - Having worked under the mentorship of Rodney for two years, Brandon has come along nicely. He also had to jump in right quick when Harrison went down. If Brandon can develop that prowler instinct that his teacher has, I believe he'll be the future of that position for a very long time.
Tank Williams - I was practically crying when Tank went down last season. I was sooooo stoked to see what he could do, this hybrid safety/linebacker dude. A player in this position with the instincts and football IQ to pull off coverage and pass rushing is VERY dangerous to the opposition. We suffered a great deal with the pass rush and if we don't end up with a pass rushing OLB, Tank could fill that gap as well as the "other" back on nickel and dime packages.
James Sanders - Whew, thank goodness we resigned Sanders. A super productive free safety, he's always making solo tackles as an FS or on special teams. In his fifth year as a Patriot, New England wisely signed him to a three year deal worth approximately $9 million. James' knowledge of the playbook is second to none, therefore considered a valuable asset. I'd love to see him grow as a playmaker as well.
Patrick Chung - The new kid on the block, Patrick was NE's #1 2009 draft choice at 34 (thank you Matt Cassel and KC Chiefs!!). How he plays at a pro level remains to be seen, but he reminds me of Tank in that he's more of an "in-the-box" kind of guy and could be used quite a bit on rushing/blitzing packages as well as dime/nickel formations. Not a deep coverage guy, he could do well roaming the middle ground between deep safety and linebacker.
Brandon McGowan - Acquired today (dang, I have a headache), has five years of experience and could potentially be another nail in the coffin for a Rodney Harrison return. A solid backup guy, he'll add depth, but will have to battle it out for a fourth spot; Meriweather, Sanders, and Chung are the most likely top three.
Raymond Ventrone - Classified as a safety, but primarily special teams, Ventrone won't vie for a top spot on the defense. He may be brought in every once in a while, but that's about it.
Antwain Spann - Like Ventrone, Antwain is a special teams guy. I consider stability at this position just as important as other positions; Belichick is a special teams hound and hates when mistakes are made. I say give guys like Raymond and Antwain credit. That and Antwain was willing to give up his #28 to Fred Taylor. Class begets class and Fred decided to wear his college #21. Cool.

Analysis

Is it the end of an era? Are we seeing the departure of fan favorite, Rodney Harrison? Given the current crop of safeties who have been brought on and the rules changes "softening" the game in many a defensive player's eyes, I think we're not far away from his departure. Sad. RODNEY...DAH...MAN!!

The top two guys will be Meriweather and Sanders with Chung rotating in as he gains experience. Tank (gotta love a guy named Tank) will be used in very specific packages requiring a hybrid guy and/or someone to prowl the line or edges. McGowan, if he makes the roster, will add depth when needed.

I'm stoked to see what will happen. Losing Tank last year was a major blow, IMO, and I can't wait to see what he'll contribute. We were very thin at safety (same as many other positions) and things were getting a little dicey.

Alright, let's hear it.

Poll

Was 2008 Rodney's last season?

Yes

158 votes

No

95 votes

253 votes | Poll has closed

On the Patriots, what do the numbers 21 and 28 have in common

MaPatsFan — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:23:07 -0000

Yes, there multiples of 7. I may be old enough to pause a bit when running through my times tables or, more accurately, old enough to quickly whip up a spreadsheet to do the calculations, but I'm not totally stupid (16 year old daughter in the background rolls her eyes). More to the point, 21 and 28 are the numbers of two of the classiest players on our team. When Fred Taylor joined the Patriots as our newest running back, there was speculation as to what number he'd wear. With 11 years in the NFL, all with Jacksonville, Taylor had always worn 28 on his back. When he came to the Patriots...put the brakes on. Antwain Spann wore 28. Being the classy underclassman that he is, Mr. Spann said:

If Taylor wants 28, the number he wore with the Jaguars, the player currently donning it is willing to give it up. Soft-spoken defensive back Antwain Spann might try to bring Taylor down on the practice field, but he's not about to stand in his way if he wants 28.

“If he approached me, I’d do the right thing and respect him. He’s been in the league a long time, that's a future Hall of Famer,” Spann said. “For me, I’m not established yet. It’s not about a number for me. It’s about trying to earn a roster spot.”

Fast forward to today. Antwain is still wearing 28 and Fred chooses 21:

Veteran running back Fred Taylor, who wore jersey No. 28 throughout his career in Jacksonville, will don No. 21 as a New England Patriot.

Safety Antwain Spann wears No. 28 in New England, and he said he was willing to give it up for Taylor. But Taylor must have preferred 21, which he wore at the University of Florida.

I think I need a tissue, I'm having a moment...I'm a little verklempf right now. Seriously, does Belichick breed classy players or simply attract them? Mr. Taylor, you're a future HoF'er and I'm just getting my career started. #28 is yours if you want it. That's ok, Antwain, it's your number and you were here first. I think I'll choose 21, the number I had in college.

I LOVE this team!!!!!

Antwain Spann will hand over #28 if asked by Fred Taylor

MaPatsFan — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:29:44 -0000

Things like this define a class guy. New to the team? Heck, I don't care, have my number. You earned it through many years in this league:

But don't expect any jersey-number fireworks when it comes to new Patriots running back Fred Taylor and No. 28.

If Taylor wants 28, the number he wore with the Jaguars, the player currently donning it is willing to give it up. Soft-spoken defensive back Antwain Spann might try to bring Taylor down on the practice field, but he's not about to stand in his way if he wants 28.

"If he approached me, I’d do the right thing and respect him. He’s been in the league a long time, that's a future Hall of Famer," Spann said. "For me, I’m not established yet. It’s not about a number for me. It’s about trying to earn a roster spot."

via cachemediasrv.patriots.com