Kaspers Korner

John Clayton of ESPN reports that the Seattle Seahawks resigned linebacker Leroy Hill.

The Kansas City Cheifs announced that they signed unrestricted free agent center Eric Ghiaciuc.

The Cleveland Browns announced they claimed linebacker Bo Ruud off waivers.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Detroit Lions released cornerback Travis Fisher.
Tim Graham of ESPN.com reports the Buffalo Bills are installing the No Huddle offense.

The Denver Broncos announced they cut running back Selvin Young.

The New England Patriots announced they traded for Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Alex Smith for a undisclosed 2010 draft pick.

The Cincinnati Bengals announced that kicker Shayne Graham signed his franchise tender today.

According to the Associated Press, former National Football League running back Lawrence Phillips faces eight new felony chargers for two assaults four years ago on his girlfriend at the time.

Beaver County Times, via Pro Football Talk.com, reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers released center Jared Retkofsky.

Buffalo Bills fans have been wanting to see the Bills bring back the No Huddle offense.  Bills fans have finally got their wish.

According to Tim Graham of ESPN.com, the Bills offensive coordinator Turk Schoner will install the No Huddle offense.

Schonert knows the offense like the back of his hand, because he was the back up quarterback to Boomer Easiason on the Cincinnati Bengals when head coach Sam Wyche who pioneered it.

As stated in Graham’s article the Bills have all the weapons to be able to run the offense.

Also, the offense will help out the offensive line as they will be in shape for it, which is not the case for opposing defenses.

Back in high school part of my work out routine was running 10 100 yard sprints with 30 seconds of rest in between.  Doing this at first was extremely hard, and was very tiring.
However, there was one drawback to the offense.  That being the defense was on the field more.

This time around the defense is well suited for the no huddle.  The reason being that the Bills substitute so much on defense.

Back in the early 1990’s the Bills never substituted, so that means their defense did wear out a little bit more than usual.  However, that is not the case now.

The one thing that I am worried about is Bill Belichick, because in Superbowl 25 Belichick was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.

In that game the defense shut down the offense allowing them to 17 when in the regular season they were putting up 45 points in many games.
So, let the chess match begin.

The New York Daily News reports that Brandon Sumrall, who was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants, failed his physical.

The Seattle Times reports that defensive end Patrick Kerney had surgery to remove bone chips in his left elbow.

Buffalo Bills Vice President and Assistant Director of College & Pro Scouting, as well as daughter of owner Ralph Wilson, Linda Bogdan died after a long battle with cancer, according to various media outlets in Buffalo.

The New England Patriots announced they released linebacker Bo Ruud.

The Miami Herald reports that there are only seven players that were here from previous regimes.

According to ESPN.com, former Atlanta Falcon quarterback Mike Vick will be released from prison on May 20th to finish his sentence at home.

The Kansas City Star reports that the Kansas City Chiefs fired vice president for player personnel Bill Kuharich.

The Indianapolis Star reports that Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay refuses to renegotiate the lease on Lucas Oil Stadium.  Government officials are asking for the Colts to pay more, because of misbudgeting by the government organization that maintins the Colts stadium.

The Associated Press reports that Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santanio Holmes was arraigned Wednesday on a misdemeanor marijuana charge stemming from a traffic stop from last October.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that the New Orleans Saints released defensive tackle Hollis Thomas.

The Indianapolis Star reportst that the Indianapolis Colts re-signed linebacker Freddy Keiaho.

The Detroit Free Press reports that the Detroit Lions released tight end Michael Gaines and quarterback Drew Henson.

The Washington Post reports that the Washington Redskins claimed running back Marcus Mason off waivers.

The Arizona Republic reports long time Los Angeles Times reporter Bob Oates died on Monday at the age of 93.

According to Pro Football Talk.com, the Denver Broncos released fullback Andrew Pinnock.

Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson has stated in the past that he will not pass on the franchise to his family.  Bills fans finally have their answer.

The only female scout in the National Football League past away in Buffalo Bills scout, daughter of Ralph Wilson, Linda Bogdan.

I remember learning that one of Wilson’s daughters was in the organization from listening to former Buffalo Bills defensive line coach Chuck Dickerson when he had his radio show on WGR 550 AM.

When Wilson announced that he will not pass on the team to his family recently I wondered why he would not pass it on to someone who is in the organization, and loves football.

The answer is that he couldn’t as his daughter had developed cancer that eventually claimed her life Tuesday.

I cannot begin to fathom what it must of been like for Wilson to see his own daughter slowly slipping away.

The team will be sold to the highest bidder upon his death.  Hopefully, a owner will emerge that will keep the team here in Buffalo.

Until that day there is only one thing that Wilson needs to do dedicate himself to making the Bills rise to glory once again, because that is what she would want.  For it is the very reason why she get into scouting in the first place.

Many Buffalo Bills fans were upset when the Bills took defensive end Aaron Maybin over defensive end Brian Orakpo.  The call of Maybin over Orakpo was the right one.

Many people are upset, because Orakpo you knew what you were getting, because he was a four year starter.  Maybin on the other hand has started only one year.

The big difference for the Bills is what Hall of Fame Bills guard Joe Delamiellure stated that the Bills need players that are from around the northeast, because of Buffalo’s weather.

Maybin is use to cold weather playing his college career in the cold as he played at Penn State.  Orakpo has only played a few as he played most of his games in warm weather.

Also, the biggest thing that Maybin has on his side is his support system.

According to Chris Brown of the Bills official website, Maybin is being mentored by former NFL linebacker Lavar Arrington.  Also, Maybin has come into contact with Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis as a kid and Shawn Merriman when he was being recruited by the University of Maryland.

The most important part is that Maybin’s father is an ordained minister in Buffalo.

Simply, Maybin knowns that to be the best you must learn from the best, which he is by keeping in contact with Arrington, Lewis, and Merriman.

Maybin was the right call, and it would not surprise me that his career takes off right away.

When Buffalo Bills traded left tackle Jason Peters BuffaloBill.com reporter Chris Brown wrote on what the Bills felt of their current tackles.  Brown’s report was dead on in the end.

Brown wrote that the Bills believe that second year tackle Demitrius Bell made tremendous strides as a rookie to the point that they believe he could start at right tackle.

That would allow the Bills to move Langston Walker from right to left tackle.  Fortunately, Walker already has some experience at left tackle, because of the hold out of Jason Peters right up to training camp, and his injury late in the season.

The move of Walker to left tackle is not permant as it will dependent on how good Bell becomes shows in games next season.

The switch of Bell to left tackle could come as early as week nine this season when the Bills have a bye.  The Bills did that in the 2006 season at the bye they moved Jason Peters from right tackle to left tackle.

For the first time in a long time the Bills have a line that mostly will comprise of their own draft picks.

In the end the Bills playoff hopes rests on the development of the offensive and defensive lines.

According to ProFootballTalk.com, Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer has agreed to a free agent deal with the New England Patriots.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, the Miami Dolphins will use quarterback Pat White as the starting quarterback in the wildcat offense, and will compete for playing time in the base offense.
Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com reports that the Denver Broncos are shopping defensive end Jarvis Moss who was the 17th pick overall in the 2007 Draft.

In an interview with NFL Network, 49ers coach Mike Singletary confirmed Ball State quarterback Nate Davis has dyslexia.

According to NFL.com, New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese stated they will not over spend to get veteran wide receivers, because he feels the wide receiver class in 2009 was very good.  They did go on to select wide receive Hakeem Nicks who is considered.

The Shreveport Times is reporting that LSU wide receiver Demetrius Byrd has been upgraded to good condition and taken out of intensive care.

The New England Patriots have announced they traded cornerback Ellis Hobbs to the Philadelphia Eagles for two fifth round pick in the 2009 Draft.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo offered the Arizona Cardinals a second round pick for wide receiver Anquan Boldin, but was shot down.

According to the Associated Press, the Seattle Seahawks recinded the franchise tag on linebacker Leroy Hill.

The New Orleans Times Picayune reports the New Orleans Saints signed Texas guard Cedric Dockery and Texas A&M cornerback Danny Gorrer to undrafted free agent contracts.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay blasts government officials for their calls to renegotiate the lease only after five months.  Right fully so goverment made that deal and now they must live with it, according to the Indianapolis Star.

The Florida Times-Union reports the Jacksonville Jaguars signed 18 undrafted free agents.

The Washington Post reports that the Washington Redskins signed undrafted quarterback Chase Daniel.

The Buffalo Bills front office has been bashed in the media now for a while.  With the way the draft went down this is make or break for the front office.

According to Chris Brown of the Buffalo Bills website former National Football League quarterback, now ESPN analyst, stated that the Bills had the best draft of all 32 teams, because he believes the Bills selected a lot of players that will help them win football games right away.

Of the Bills eight draft picks the first six have chances at starting right away, or playing major roles on the team.

What made the draft great for the Bills is that they also thought outside of the box when it came to positions of need.

The Bills addressed their linebacker need in the fifth round by taking Nick Harris who was a safety in college.  However, the Bills beleive he will be better suited at linebacker, since he is 6′2 and 238 pounds already.

Just his physical stature gives him an advantage over current starter Keith Ellison.  Ellison is just 6′0 and 229 pounds, which makes him dissapear at times.

The Bills believed that they needed a player at the free safety position that would provide turnovers.   They got that in Jarius Byrd who playerd his entire career at cornerback in college.

The pick is a solid pick, because Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has known Byrd since high school when he was an assistant coach for the Saint Louis Rams.  Fewell has been following his career since, which means he knows what he is exactly getting in Byrd.

The steal of the draft for the Bills came in the fourth round when the Bills selected tight end Shawn Nelson.

Nelson was rated as a round two talent by many draft experts.  Everyone in Bills country should be estatic about Nelson as he is the verticle threat Bills fans been looking for as he ran a 40 yard dash in 4.56 seconds in the spring.

Nelson is both a polished route runner, but is considered a bit raw on run blocking.  However, according to Brown’s blog Nelson states that he is working hard at it and improving all the time.

What makes Nelson an exceptional route runner is that he was converted to tight end from wide receiver.  Also, Nelson was the main weapon for Southern Mississippi’s passing attack, which means he was doubled team all the time, but still made plays despite this.

If this draft class does not come in right away and contribure it will be a huge dissapointment.  If that happens it is house cleaning time for the front office.

The San Francisco 49ers unveiled their new uniforms at their annual draft party.

According to ESPN, agent Drew Rosenhaus stated in an interview he believes his client Anquan Boldin will be traded by the end of round one of the 2009 Draft.

John Clayton of ESPN.com reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers gave wide receiver Hines ward a four year contract extension woth $22 million.

Tom Curran of NBCSports.com reports that an article on National Football Post.com stating that Kansas City Chief quarterback Matt Cassel signed a contract extension is wrong.

In an interview with Rich Eisen of NFL Network, commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith expressed optimism on getting a new Collective Bargaining deal done.

It is too early to see if the 2009 draft will go down as one of the best in Buffalo Bills history.  At first glance the Bills had a great draft.

Many fans are upset that the Bills by passed defensive end prospect Brian Orakpo for defensive end Aaron Maybin.  The fact of the matter is that Maybin should be a Pro Bowl player.

Many are worried about Maybin’s weight being 250 pounds.  However, people are forgetting in 2002 one of the best Defensive Ends in the league right now in Dwight Freeney was also 250 pounds.

Not only do they have that in common both players were selected with the 11th pick overall, which in the 10 drafts previous to the 2008 draft had nine out of 10 picks made the Pro Bowl.

With the draft pick they got in the Jason Peters trade the Bills took center Eric Wood.  Wood is expected to be moved to start at the left guard position, which according to the Bills front office did well playing at in the Senior Bowl.

In the second round they got their defensive back that has tremendous skill to be a play maker at the free safety position in defensive back Jarius Byrd.

Byrd in college played cornerback and in three years recorded 17 interceptions.  Drafting Byrd allows the Bills to leave Donte Whitner at the strong safety position.

Then the Bills did what I hoped they would do and that is not standing pat, and trade back up in to the second round.

The Bills traded their third round pick and first fourth round pick to move up to the 51st pick to take offensive lineman Andy Levitre.

Levitre played both guards and tackle position in college and according to the Bills offensive line coach Sean Kugler, who addressed the media after the second round, feels that he is so versitle that he will take the Organized Team Activities to figure his best position.

The fact of the matter is that offensive tackles Demetrius Bell and Kirk Chambers will have to bring their A game to crack the starting lineup.  Especially, since according to Kugler Levitre, and Wood, are gym rats, which means that it will come down to their technique for them to instant impact starter, because they are already so strong.

The fact of the matter is that they took two offensive lineman and a defensive lineman in the first two rounds of the draft.

Now, it is up to the coach staff to put things together as they finally have the talent.  That includes defensive tackle once they realize that defensive tackle John McCargo is better than fellow defensive tackle Kyle Williams.