Brian questioned yesterday "Who doesn't love the new rookie salary slotting system in the new CBA?"

Well apparently Alex Marvez sees the potential evil:

The bad news: There is a greater risk that another group of players will head down the same path that left (Terrell) Owens’ bank account in tatters.

Such is the danger of giving college-aged men huge sums of cash that they might not only be unprepared to handle but will receive more than two-plus months before training camps open.

With so much spare time on their hands, rookies will face temptations and pressures that could cause the kind of spending they will later rue. Those who are particularly susceptible generally come from impoverished backgrounds. These players seek the kind of material possessions they lacked growing up, such as jewelry or a new car. Some also spend excessively on friends and family to reward them for their support leading up to NFL careers that usually don't last as long as many players think they will.

If you are interested (and I know some of you are). On the first night of the NFL Draft a large number of rookies were dropped into Madden NFL 12 which provided insight into what their ratings will be for Madden NFL 13. They are featured in Ultimate Team mode and any rookies that are obtained will later carry over to start with in Madden 13. Since then additional players have been added.

(#10) Stephon Gilmore: 73 overall
(#41) Cordy Glenn: 79 overall

Gilmore had the lowest overall rating in the top 20, and Glenn had the highest rating after Decastro (84) at 24.

According to Chris Brown at BuffaloBills.com:

Bills Assistant GM/Director of Player Personnel Doug Whaley will be devoting more of his energies toward college scouting now that he’ll be the one putting the draft board together for the Bills each year. Here’s his description of how he will be scouting the college talent personally.

"I would say I’ll be scouting the top rated players," Whaley said. "Now that doesn’t mean the top college programs. There could be top rated players from NAIA schools to the top programs in the nation. The way Buddy broke it down to me was he wants me to see the top rated players from across the country. So I’ll be racking up a lot of frequent flyer miles."

In case there are some Donte fans out there... Maybe Sports Authority knows somethin we don't?!?!

Anyway here is what DealNews had to day (BTW great website if you haven't heard of it):

Sports Authority cuts up to 87% off a selection of Reebok NFL Replica jerseys for men, women, and kids in its outlet section. Even better, during checkout each receives an extra 30% off. Plus, shipping is a flat 99 cents. All together, that's tied with last week's mention as among the best deals we've seen on these items. Sales tax is added where applicable. They appear to be all retired or traded players.

According to Mike Florio (PFT):

Last week, before the Bills traded running back Marshawn Lynch, we suggested that they should hold an auction for his services and then trade him to the highest bidder.

When the Bills traded Lynch, we assumed that the Bills had tried to max out the market. Apparently, they didn't.

Per Jay Glazer of FOX, multiple teams said that they would have been interested in Lynch -- and would have given up more than the Seahawks gave up for Lynch -- if the Bills had called. But they didn't call.

Said Glazer, "I'll figure out women before I figure out the Bills."

We've got $5 on "neither".

Sounds week-to-week to me.

According to Chris Brown:

Head coach Chan Gailey provided an update after the game on injured OL Andy Levitre.

"He couldn’t finish the game," said Gailey. "He couldn’t go back in. I don’t think it’s bad, but it was bad enough to keep him out the rest of the game. We’ll just have to see how he progresses during the week."

According to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora even though the Bills would appear to be sensical trade partners for A.J. Hawk, the Bills have told teams Marshawn Lynch is not available.

I am a BIG Hawk fan. I have been surprised by his tarnishing star in GB. He was a monster for the buckeyes with good technique and a nose for the football. He would be a GREAT addition to our weak and/or aging linebacking corps.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on September 15, 2010 8:49 PM ET
A.J. Hawk's agent wants to make it clear his client isn't asking for a trade. But Hawk wouldn't mind leaving town either.

"A.J. is a pro's pro and wants to do his part to help the team win, and his first priority is to be the best Packer he can," Hawk's confusingly named agent Mike McCartney told Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "But if some team called and wanted him to play on all three downs, I think he'd be excited about that."

Hawk didn't play a snap on defense last week because the Packers played in nickel and dime packages every single down. So it's not a shock he wants to get on the field. Just don't expect it to happen.

We wrote earlier Wednesday that Packers G.M. Ted Thompson was unlikely to trade for Buffalo's failed high draft pick. We doubt even more that he'll trade one of his own picks away.

The Packers brought Hawk back for more than $4 million this season knowing he's a role player. That hasn't changed. Finding a taker for Hawk at that price wouldn't be easy, and Thompson likely wants Hawk on the team anyway.

Hawk may get his chance to play every down away from Green Bay, but he'll probably have to wait a year.

UPDATE: Yes, the Bills make sense as a trade partner after this week. But NFL Network's Jason La Canfora says the Bills have told teams Marshawn Lynch is not available.

According to BB.com (Chris Brown):

Though the offensive line had its share of problems with penetration by Miami’s front, which stymied the run game and at times compromised pass protection, Demetrius Bell, who is coming off a long offseason rehabilitation fared well in his first regular season action since his knee injury late last season.

By all accounts of the people that know at One Bills Drive, Demetrius Bell was relatively consistent with his play Sunday. Bell got 41 plays, which was more than even Chan Gailey anticipated going in, knowing his previous high came in the Cincinnati preseason game when he got 21.

"He’s taken every challenge that we’ve thrown at him starting in the offseason with the rehab work," said Gailey. "He came through (the game) pretty good. He made some mistakes, but he did some really good things in the ball game. Overall his pass protection was pretty good during the ball game so I think he can handle the position. There’s no question in my mind he can handle the position. He has the athletic talent and he has the ‘want to’ and those are the two biggest things you have to have in this business."

The Bills left tackle wanted to go the whole game, but knew the coaching staff had a plan in place to spell him for a series or two as he played all but 13 of the 54 offensive plays in the game.

"I came out right at the time when he said he wanted to rest me," said Bell. "I didn’t feel I needed a break, but it was just something he talked about and something he wanted to do for me. So he stuck to the plan. It felt great to get back in a rhythm. I’ve still got a ways to go, but it’s coming to me slowly but surely."

"He played good," said Bills GM Buddy Nix. "He played 41 snaps yesterday and he played good, but we have to rest him because he’s coming off that surgery."

As for when Bell will be able to go every snap in a game is still an unknown, but Bell is playing with improved confidence even though he realizes he’s still a young player with less than a full season’s worth of starting experience.

"I wouldn’t say I’m a veteran at all," Bell said. "I’ve still got a ways to go before I consider myself a veteran. I’ve just got to get my stamina back up to where I was before I was injured last year. Just get my legs totally back up under me 110 percent."

Sounds pretty minor to me...

Paul Posluszny left the game with a knee injury early in the second half. But Poz was seen running on the sideline trying to test the knee and looked like he was moving pretty well, but Gailey would not label the injury minor or major so soon after the game.

"We’re getting further tests," said Gailey. "We’ll know more (Monday) or the next day. We’ll know exactly where we stand with him. It could be short term, it could be long term to be honest with you."

"I will say, for whatever weight this carries, that Bill Parcells is very disappointed in [Chad Henne]," Carucci said on WEEI on Friday. "But that's not what made Bill resign his position or anything."

According to Michael David Smith:

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said this week that he hates the Jets, while Jets coach Rex Ryan said he hates the Patriots.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is declining to escalate the situation.

Asked if the feeling of hatred was mutual, Sanchez said, "No, I love the Patriots. I love Tom."

Then Sanchez looked into a TV camera and said, "I love you, Tom."

So let's give Trent some credit, at least he hasn't been stupid enough to say he "loves" the Patriots/Brady.

Bills have one, that's right one player ranked in the Top 200 and none in the top 100. I know some of you will rip Scouts, Inc. but to be fair they have no incentive to be tough on the Bills.

All things being equal, every division should have 25 players and each team should have 6.25 players on the list. The AFC East has only 23 players, but the Buffalo Bills have only one representative.

The New England Patriots lead the way with nine players. The New York Jets have eight, and the Miami Dolphins five.

133T. Lee Evans, Bills receiver, Scouts Inc. ranking = 79

According to Allen Wilson of The Buffalo News:

Rookie Alex Carrington suffered an undisclosed injury, but Gailey said it was minor and he should practice next week.

Looks like San Diego is willing to "move on" past McNeill:
(From Sign-on San Diego)

"We lost a couple of great players today, and it hurts," Smith said in response to a question about the Chargers being better with Jackson and McNeill. "We are trying to build a championship team, and losing the services of both Vincent and Marcus just made that more difficult — but not impossible. In due time, Coach (Norv) Turner will name two new starters. We will rally as a team, compete and try to win as many games as we can."

According to Greg Rosenthal (PFT):

The Bills may not have a quality starting quarterback or much of an offensive line, but they sure have a lot of running backs.

Marshawn Lynch wasn't traded over draft weekend, and it looks like he won't move anytime soon. G.M. Buddy Nix wouldn't address whether he fielded calls about Lynch during the draft, but Seattle was reportedly interested.

"I've said time and time again, he's ours, he's here and we'd like for him to be here," Nix said.

According to PFT:
Buffalo Bills

Charles Brown, offensive tackle, USC.
Jarrett Brown, quarterback, West Virginia.
Levi Brown, quarterback, Troy.
Jimmy Clausen, quarterback, Notre Dame.
Erik Cook, offensive lineman, New Mexico.
Anthony Davis, offensive tackle, Rutgers.
Richard Dickson, tight end, LSU.
**Thaddeus Gibson, linebacker, Ohio State.
Everson Griffen, defensive end, USC.
Montario Hardesty, running back, Tennessee.
Colt McCoy, quarterback, Texas.
Arthur Moats, defensive end, James Madison.
**Arthur Jones, defensive tackle, Syracuse.
Russell Okung, offensive tackle, Oklahoma State.
Jason Pierre-Paul, defensive end, South Florida.
*Naaman Roosevelt, wide receiver, Buffalo.
John Skelton, quarterback, Fordham.
C.J. Spiller, running back, Clemson.
**Ben Tate, running back, Auburn.
Tim Tebow, quarterback, Florida.
**Cam Thomas, defensive tackle, North Carolina.
**Torrell Troup, defensive tackle, Central Florida.
**Mike Williams, wide receiver, Syracuse.
Corey Wootton, defensive end, Northwestern.
Jason Worilds, defensive end, Virginia Tech.
Doug Worthington, defensive lineman, Ohio State.

* = Confirmed "local" visitor
** = Believed to be private workout only

According to Jay Glazer:
FOXSports.com has learned the two biggest names for 2010: Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer and Southern California tight end Anthony McCoy.

Dwyer tested positive in February for amphetamines, but this appears unlikely to hurt his standing as a late first-round/early second-round selection in this week’s draft. A source said the positive test was triggered by a prescription medication that Dwyer has NFL clearance to use for a pre-existing condition...

McCoy, who is projected as a second-day pick, tested positive for marijuana

According to PFT:

In 2009, each NFL team was required to spend $107 million on player salaries. In 2010, plenty of teams currently would be below the minimum, if there were one.

Indeed, seven franchises would be under $100 million, if there were a salary cap in place.

We've obtained the salary cap numbers that would apply if the cap were still in place. Based on the numbers, the following franchises are, to date, taking full advantage of the lack of a salary floor: the Chiefs ($79 million), the Buccaneers ($79 million), the Jaguars ($81 million), the Bengals ($85 million), the Cardinals ($91 million), the Rams ($92 million), the Bills ($98 million).

Free agent wide receiver Josh Reed has scheduled a visit to New England.

A league source tells PFT's Mike Florio that Reed will visit the Patriots on Sunday.

Reed is coming off a season in which he was largely phased out of the Bills' offense, catching just 27 passes for 291 yards.

In 2008 Reed had a career-high 597 receiving yards on 56 catches.