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The Buffalo Bills reportedly are "very interested" in former Alabama safety Mark Barron just one day before the NFL draft. Here are some additional thoughts on Buffalo potentially adding a safety at No. 10:

• As we mentioned earlier, this smells like a smokescreen. The timing is peculiar. Barron hasn't been linked to the Bills this entire offseason, but suddenly that's the case on draft week. Buffalo could be one of the teams looking to trade down, and this may be a case of drumming up interest in the pick. Teams like the Dallas Cowboys (No. 14) and the New York Jets (No. 16) are strong targets for Barron. The Bills would benefit if one of those teams or someone else wants to move up to No. 10 to grab Barron.
• On the flip side, Buffalo does have the tendency to draft the best available player. Remember C.J. Spiller? The Bills were fine at running back and took Spiller with the No. 9 overall pick in 2010. Spiller is still fighting starting running back Fred Jackson for playing time three seasons later. It's debatable whether Barron is a top-10 pick, but that may be the case on Buffalo's board.
• Speaking of top 10, safety usually is not a position taken that high. The last time it happened in Buffalo, it didn't work out well. The Bills drafted former Ohio State safety Donte Whitner at No. 8 in 2006. The move was considered a major reach for the Bills, which turned out to be true. Whitner wasn't a bad player. He just wasn't a dominant player and was criticized for it in Buffalo. That is the kind of pressure that comes when a safety is drafted in the top 10. It's expected that safety must be a special talent.
• Finally, I think it's a mistake for Buffalo to draft Barron. Yes, Barron is a great prospect and the best safety in this draft. But the Bills are fine with George Wilson and Jairus Byrd at safety next season. Barron would have to compete to take one of those jobs, and it's possible Barron wouldn't start right away as a rookie. The Bills have other needs at left tackle, receiver, corner and linebacker where a rookie is sure to make an immediate impact. There should be quality players available at those four positions that can better help the Bills.

Here are the latest happenings Monday in the AFC East:

• The NFL Network reports Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is scheduled to interview with the Miami Dolphins.
• New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says he's excited for a reunion with offensive assistant Josh McDaniels.
• San Francisco 49ers safety and former Buffalo Bill Donte Whitner is on a roll. After ripping Bills coach Chan Gailey, Whitner also tweets his disapproval of McDaniels being allowed to go to New England before the end of the league year.
• Bills receiver coach Stan Hixon reportedly will join Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien at Penn State.
• Guess which player led the New York Jets in penalties this year?

Apparently Donte Whitner still has sour grapes from his exit last year with the Buffalo Bills. The San Francisco 49ers safety is in the middle of a playoff run and still found a way to rip his former team and former head coach Chan Gailey.

Whitner told the San Francisco Chronicle that the 49ers' culture under coach Jim Harbaugh is much better than what he had in Buffalo. Whitner added that Gailey would publicly assign blame when things were going bad.

According to the Chronicle, Whitner said Jets head coach Rex Ryan "will never throw his players under the bus, and he puts all the pressure on himself. Coach [Jim] Harbaugh does the same thing. A lot of coaches, when they don't want the pressure on them, don't want the hands pointed at them or the media to turn on them, they put things out to the media that really shouldn't be out there. 'Oh, this guy should have made this play or he should have done this.' That stuff never works, and players really understand that and locker rooms understand that."

Ouch!

The timing of this was random. Whitner had all offseason and even the regular season to rip Gailey and his former team. But to do it after the 49ers won the NFC West and has a first-round bye was convenient after a great year in San Francisco and a 6-10 year in Buffalo.

Whitner and the 49ers will host the New Orleans Saints Saturday in the divisional round.

PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills inside linebacker Nick Barnett knew bad news was coming this summer, and he still couldn’t fully accept it. Despite his eight seasons with Green Bay, the speculation was that the Packers had to trade or release him this offseason. Barnett had been placed on injured reserve in both the 2008 and 2010 seasons, and his heir apparent, Desmond Bishop, already was in place. It was a no-brainer move to most observers, even though Barnett was still thinking about the possibility of helping the Packers repeat as Super Bowl champions. “If you read my tweets,” he said, “that’s all I kept talking about.”

These days Barnett is talking about something different -- how he can help the Bills transform one of the league’s worst defenses into a sturdy, reliable unit. No team in the NFL was worse against the run in 2010 (Buffalo allowed 169.6 yards per game), and that was one key reason the team signed Barnett so quickly after the Packers released him in late July. At 30, he still has the quickness and playmaking ability that allowed him to amass 787 tackles, 15.5 sacks and nine interceptions during his Green Bay career. He’s also aware that his energy and leadership will be invaluable to a team that lost its top tackler, Paul Posluszny, in free agency.

Bills assistant head coach and linebackers coach Dave Wannstedt said Barnett already is the team’s best linebacker. Head coach Chan Gailey has raved about his new player’s approach. “He brings experience and speed to this defense,” Gailey said. “He’s a guy who always plays fast.” Added Barnett: “I’m just trying to be myself. I haven’t played since Week 4 [a dislocated wrist ended his season] so I’m still finding my way. But the biggest thing I wanted to bring to this team was an attitude. I want to help the younger guys relax and have fun out there because that’s what I do.”

Though Barnett needed some time to accept his release from the Packers -- “I’ve never been fired from anything before,” he said -- he quickly sensed that Buffalo was the right place for him. He liked the team atmosphere, the family environment and the die-hard fans who are the city’s trademark. In many ways, Barnett felt like he was going to a place quite similar to Green Bay. “The talent level is there,” Barnett said. “But like everything, it’s going to come down to communication and attitude. If we do those things, we’ll be productive.”

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Will Ryan Fitzpatrick be better? Yes. Fitzpatrick was a decent quarterback in 2010 -- 3,000 yards, 23 touchdowns, 15 interceptions -- especially considering that he was basically thrown into the job after the Bills gave up on former starter Trent Edwards. Fitzpatrick also has far more advantages coming into this season, despite not having an entire offseason to work with coaches. The major areas that he needs to improve? Accuracy and consistency. What he doesn’t have to worry about any longer? Proving to his teammates that he can lead this team and knowing whether the job is his alone. “Last season was interesting, but my whole career has been about being ready to show what you can do when the opportunity comes,” said Fitzpatrick, who spent his first five NFL seasons as a backup before getting his shot as a full-time starter three games into 2010. “One of the good things we have as an offense is that we have a lot of guys who’ve spent an entire season playing together and getting familiar with each other. When you look at the offenses in New England and Indianapolis, that continuity is what makes them so successful, and now we’re one step closer to that.”

2. Can Shawne Merriman return to an elite level? As long as he’s healthy. Right now the three-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker thinks that the strained Achilles that limited him to only three games last season won’t be an issue. The bigger challenge for him is finding a comfort level after registering only four sacks over the past three seasons. The Bills are banking on his getting up to speed in a hurry. For a team that tied for 27^th in the NFL in sacks last season (with 27), having a rejuvenated Merriman harassing opposing quarterbacks would be a much-needed blessing. “I don’t feel like I need to respond to people who’ve been counting me out over the last couple years because all you have to do is watch me practice,” said Merriman, who had 43.5 sacks in his first 60 career games. “It’s definitely been hard [not playing] but I also feel like I’ve done everything I’ve needed to do to get back. I can see good things happening this season.”

3. What role will C.J. Spiller play in the offense? One of the more disappointing aspects of the Bills' offense in 2010 was the lack of productivity from Spiller. Drafted ninth overall in last year’s draft, he was supposed to bring breathtaking speed and elusiveness to the Bills. Instead, Spiller wound up with only 283 rushing yards and 24 receptions in his rookie season. Those numbers should increase now that Buffalo has a less crowded backfield (the team traded Marshawn Lynch to Seattle midway through last season) and a greater sense of urgency about involving Spiller. “We need to get him more touches,” Gailey said. “We need to find more ways to get him in space so he can use that speed. He’s already grown as a runner because he’s better at running inside, and he’s shown more patience. The one thing I’d really like to see him improve on now is ball security. He had some problems with fumbles last year [Spiller had five fumbles and lost three], and we can’t have that.”

WELCOME SIGHT

Roscoe Parrish: The Bills' offensive players know that Parrish has developed into a valuable receiver after being used mainly as a returner early in his career. They realize it even more now that he’s healthy. After missing the last eight games of 2010 with a broken wrist, Parrish has been impressing teammates with his trademark speed and quickness. The explosiveness he brings to the offense after sitting out half a year also hasn’t gone unnoticed. “Now that he’s back, you remember how much he means to this offense,” Fitzpatrick said. “He really adds another dimension.”

PLAYER TO WATCH

Brad Smith: Don’t be surprised if Smith becomes a more dangerous playmaker in the Bills’ offense. He made his name as a kick returner/wide receiver/Wildcat quarterback with the New York Jets, and rule changes should allow him to increase his playing time in Buffalo. The NFL agreed to abolish the rule requiring teams to determine a third quarterback on game-day rosters -- that player could participate only in emergency situations, and his presence would prevent the team from using any other quarterback during a game. Now a player like Smith can be used far more often in Wildcat situations. Even if Smith appears as a quarterback in three or four plays a game, his involvement won’t limit his coaches’ options. “We were going to use him in a similar role anyway, but that rule really helps,” said Gailey, who has gained a reputation for finding creative roles for versatile players. “Now you don’t have to wonder about whether he needs to be listed as a third quarterback who can only play in emergency situations or if he can be used as a Wildcat quarterback whenever we like. It’s going to make a big difference.”

OBSERVATION DECK

• [+] Enlarge
  Rick Stewart/Getty ImagesFirst round draft pick Marcell Dareus has impressed his coaches in training camp.
  Rookie defensive end Marcell Dareus hasn’t needed much time to make a strong impression on his coaches. Wannstedt called him a “special kid with the right approach to the game,” and Gailey thinks it shouldn’t take long for Dareus to prove why he was worthy of the third overall pick in this year’s draft. “He’s a big, physical guy and he’s got an edge to him,” Gailey said of Dareus, who's 6-3 and weighs 323. “You have to like that about him.”

• Even though the Bills lost their second-best tackler from last season -- strong safety Donte Whitner -- the loss may not be as troubling as it looks. Though he was a strong presence in run support, the team thinks strong safety George Wilson can help the Bills more in the playmaking department. When Whitner was injured two years ago, the tandem of Wilson and Jairus Byrd gave the secondary a bigger boost with their pass defense skills.

• The emphasis on stopping the run is going to put more pressure on the Bills cornerbacks this season. Gailey believes he has the personnel to handle the increased responsibility, and Terrence McGee is essential to this approach. He has spent more time covering slot receivers in training camp, which will allow Leodis McKelvin and Drayton Florence to handle outside receivers when the defense faces three-receiver looks.

• Wide receiver Donald Jones is another player worth watching. When asked about teammates who have caught his eye early in training camp, Fitzpatrick said Jones had elevated his game in his second season. An undrafted rookie in 2010, Jones was a nice surprise in camp and finished with 18 receptions. This year he’s using his size and strength to make himself a tough receiver to handle at the line of scrimmage.

• The Bills recognize that their biggest challenge this season will be learning how to change expectations. Gailey has talked about the difference between hoping to win and expecting to win, and his players believe they can make great strides. Fitzpatrick agreed that last season, too many players were worried about losing their jobs as the team transitioned into Gailey’s tenure. This year, there is far more comfort and a sense of purpose on a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 1999. “We definitely need to take the approach that we deserve to win,” Fitzpatrick said. “And we have a chip on our shoulders. We hear all the people talking about how tough the AFC East is, and nobody mentions our name. That can be fuel for our fire, and we have to believe we can surprise people.”

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

A look at the free-agent priorities for each AFC East team:

Buffalo Bills

1. Add new blood: For the most part, most of the Bills’ free-agents-to-be would not be big losses. Buffalo should have plenty of money to spend once free agency does finally open. Obviously, this has been a losing franchise for some time now, and transforming the roster and changing the culture of the organization should be a very good thing. The Bills did take a fine step in the right direction in the 2011 draft, taking several prospects from big-college programs with winning histories.

2. Keep Paul Posluszny: Although inside linebackers generally are not difficult to find, Posluszny is the type of guy Buffalo needs to keep within the organization. He is productive, tough and able to lead the defense on every down. Last season wasn’t his best, but Posluszny was fantastic in 2009, and I fully expect him to get back to that form, especially playing behind what should be a vastly improved young interior defensive line.

3. Eliminate needs: I list the Bills’ three greatest needs as left tackle, outside linebacker and tight end. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but if Buffalo could knock out one or two of these needs in free agency, it would go a very long way in its rebuilding process. Jared Gaither or Doug Free could potentially fill Buffalo’s left tackle position for years to come, while Matt Light could hold down the fort and provide leadership until Chris Hairston or a future draft pick is ready. An outside linebacker such as Manny Lawson, Matt Roth or Mathias Kiwanuka could also be money very well spent to pose an edge presence opposite Arthur Moats, whom I featured in my Soon to be Stars series. Zach Miller is really the only free-agent tight end who would qualify.

Top free agents: Posluszny, Donte Whitner, Drayton Florence

Miami Dolphins

1. Add running back help: Miami used the 62nd overall pick in 2011 to select Daniel Thomas, a big, bruising runner with a lot of ability. But of course, Thomas is going to be a rookie this season, and fully counting on him to carry the load and learn the pass protections would be foolish. Miami needs a backup plan. Bringing back Ronnie Brown, or more likely, Ricky Williams, wouldn’t be a terrible situation. But just adding Brown or Williams wouldn’t be enough. Snatching up Ahmad Bradshaw or DeAngelo Williams would obviously be a huge addition and would push Thomas to backup status. Even bringing in a reliable back like Joseph Addai or Jason Snelling might do the trick as Thomas develops. Another option is to add a specialty player like Darren Sproles.

2. Find competition for Chad Henne: Personally, I am not ready to write off Henne. I believe in the approach that Miami has taken this offseason. The Dolphins have surrounded him with pieces to make his life much easier. But still, adding a veteran signal-caller seems like a must at this point. Suitable options include Marc Bulger, Donovan McNabb or even Vince Young, who is soon to be released by Tennessee. If quarterback remains a problem after this year, then Miami needs to sell the farm to draft its next franchise quarterback. But in the meantime, this would be my approach.

3. Make a splash on D: To me, the Dolphins’ three biggest needs are quarterback, running back and then free safety. Even if Miami didn’t add a defender of any sort in free agency, I would rank its 2011 defense among the best in the NFL. I am that high on this group. But what if the Dolphins could land a real talent at free safety? Imagine the possibilities. This is a deep free-agent class of safeties. I would love to see the Dolphins sign someone like Michael Huff or especially Eric Weddle. Even adding a solid player with upside like Brodney Pool would be helpful here.

Top free agents: Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Tony McDaniel, Richie Incognito, Tyler Thigpen

New England Patriots

1. Lock up Logan Mankins: Because the Patriots designated Mankins their franchise player, I didn’t include him among their top free agents. But New England does have to get him locked up. Mankins might just be the best guard in all of football. With Matt Light potentially leaving town, the Patriots cannot afford additional unrest along their offensive line. Mankins would be the ideal player to line up next to Nate Solder to help the rookie’s transition to the NFL.

2. Find a pass-rusher: I see outside linebacker as New England’s greatest need, followed distantly by wide receiver and defensive end. Although I expect Jermaine Cunningham to develop quickly into a solid starter, adding one more edge player who can be disruptive on throwing downs is something that still needs to be addressed after the team curiously ignored it in the draft. The name I like best for the Patriots here is Mathias Kiwanuka, if his health checks out. He is smart, versatile and has some experience at linebacker. Two other players who fit the bill are Matt Roth and Manny Lawson.

3. Acquire a deep threat: I am not as sold as most that New England must add a wide receiver who can stretch the field. But this is a tremendous organization, and the Pats just don’t have many needs, so picking up such a luxury player could be the difference between a Super Bowl championship or another early exit in the postseason. My favorite fit for the Patriots is Braylon Edwards. Edwards is immensely talented, and if submersed in this environment with Tom Brady throwing him the ball, he could quickly rank among the top wideouts in all of football.

Top free agents: Matt Light, Gerard Warren

New York Jets

1. Make critical decisions on their own players: The Jets have a lot of free agents, and they are one of the teams in the league with the least amount of money to spend as it stands today. New York has come very close to its goal the past couple of seasons, but this free-agency period is absolutely critical to staying among the best teams in the NFL.

2. Address wide receiver: Considering who is up for free agency, wide receiver has to be the biggest worry for the Jets right now. I greatly respect Braylon Edwards’ abilities, but Santonio Holmes is just the better player right now. In fact, I see Holmes as a top-10 wide receiver. He is incredible in the clutch. Mark Sanchez needs quality options to throw to at this point of his young career. If the Jets brought back Holmes, increased TE Dustin Keller's role and also found a bargain at wide receiver late in free agency (maybe Randy Moss or Chad Ochocinco), then I think they would be OK.

3. Don’t forget about the trenches: The Jets are a physical team that is strong on both lines of scrimmage. Two of their starting offensive line spots are uncertain at this point. And although they drafted Muhammad Wilkerson and Kendrick Ellis, rookie defensive linemen rarely make a major impact -- especially in a 3-4. Shaun Ellis is probably going to be playing elsewhere, and New York doesn’t have a high-end outside linebacker. So there are concerns up front. The Jets will have to sign some cheaper veteran options -- probably to one-year contracts -- to shore things up.

Top free agents: Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Shaun Ellis, Antonio Cromartie, Brodney Pool, Brad Smith

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com. Follow Matt Williamson on Twitter @WilliamsonNFL.

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

Readiness factor: The Bills will need every moment they can find to prepare for the season. Their offensive skill players gathered at quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's home in April. A larger contingent convened in Western New York for casual workouts in May.

Biggest challenge: Buffalo must find a defensive identity quickly. The Bills switched from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 with bad results last year. As it became obvious they had the NFL's worst run defense, they mixed their fronts. Head coach Chan Gailey has said that they will be a hybrid defense leaning toward a 3-4 base. Then he hired longtime 4-3 mastermind Dave Wannstedt -- not to replace defensive coordinator George Edwards, but as assistant head coach and linebackers coach.

Line in the sand: The Bills have a tenuous offensive line, although all the late-season starters are back. The line mostly has been mediocre and often riddled with injuries. Demetrius Bell has been a bargain at left tackle, but far from dominant. Right guard Eric Wood could eventually shift to center.

Key players without contracts for 2011: Inside linebacker Paul Posluszny and safety Donte Whitner have been two of the Bills' most prolific tacklers. Cornerback Drayton Florence is an overlooked free agent who could be popular on the open market. Disappointing former first-round pick John McCargo is a goner.

In a preview of the upcoming free-agency period, Alex Loeb (with the help of a few ESPN.com bloggers) takes a look at which teams will be most active on the open market.

Football Outsiders overlord Aaron Schatz busted out some research to illustrate the NFL's best tacklers against the pass.

And once again, New England Patriots inside linebacker Jerod Mayo looked strong.

Mayo led the NFL with 72 pass tackles, and his numbers look even more impressive when noticing he was one of only two non-cornerbacks in the top 12. Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway was tied for 10th with 61 pass tackles.

For added context on Mayo's production, the differential drops precipitously when looking solely at linebackers. San Francisco 49ers star Patrick Willis ranked eighth but had 20 fewer tackles than Mayo.

No other AFC East cornerback or linebacker ranked in the top 10 at his position.

Buffalo Bills safety Donte Whitner ranked eighth among his peers with 43 pass tackles, with New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather one behind. Miami Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell and Patriots safety Patrick Chung recorded 41 pass tackles, tying for 10th.

Schatz also broke down stop percentages on pass tackles. Football Outsiders defines a "stop" as preventing an opponent from gaining 45 percent of needed yards on first down, 60 percent on second down and 100 percent on third or fourth down.

New York Jets defensive back Drew Coleman made a stop on 36 percent of his pass tackles to rank 10th.

On the flip side, Bills sophomore Jairus Byrd had the worst stop rate among all NFL safeties. He made one stop on 37 pass tackles.

Mayo also scored remarkably well in a recent Football Outsiders report about broken tackles. Mayo allowed one ball carrier to break free while making 118 tackles, ranking second in efficiency among all defenders with at least 50 tackles.

ESPN's reports from Chicago indicate the latest labor proposal would allow players to become unrestricted free agents after four seasons.

That would clarify the market whenever it opens. Rules for the uncapped 2010 campaign didn't allow for unfettered free agency unless a player had been in the league six seasons. Any player with an expired contract and fewer than six years of experience was a restricted free agent, allowing teams to place qualifying tenders on them and receive compensation if another club tried to sign them.

Now it looks like players will be up for grabs -- with former teams receiving no compensation -- after four seasons.

Here are the AFC East players who would've been restricted with the six-year threshold but unrestricted at four years:

Buffalo Bills

• Keith Ellison, linebacker
• Quinton Ganther, running back
• John McCargo, defensive end
• Paul Posluszny, inside linebacker
• Donte Whitner, safety
• Ashton Youboty, cornerback

Miami Dolphins

• Tony McDaniel, defensive tackle
• Quentin Moses, outside linebacker
• Tyler Thigpen, quarterback

New England Patriots

• Logan Mankins, guard (franchise tagged)
• Quinn Ojinnaka, tackle
• Jarrad Page, safety

New York Jets

• Kellen Clemens, quarterback
• Drew Coleman, cornerback
• Antonio Cromartie, cornerback
• Nick Folk, kicker
• Santonio Holmes, receiver
• James Ihedigbo, safety
• Lance Laury, linebacker
• Brad Smith, kick returner
• Eric Smith, safety
• Steve Weatherford, punter

Mankins' situation remains uncertain because we don't know if franchise-tag rules will remain in place under the next CBA. They probably will, meaning Mankins should be back with the Patriots in 2011.

Football Outsiders produced its data on broken tackles for individual defenders last week. Now we can take a look at how each team fared when it came to taking down ball carriers.

The AFC East fared well overall through Football Outsiders' analysis. The New England Patriots allowed the fewest broken tackles and the lowest percentage per play in the league. Opponents broke 44 tackles on 1,058 defensive plays (4.0 percent).

Patriots inside linebacker Jerod Mayo was second among all NFL defenders (minimum 50 tackles) with a 0.8 broken-tackle percentage. Nose tackle Vince Wilfork was one of five defensive linemen with zero broken tackles and at least 40 tackles.

The New York Jets were fifth-best, yielding 50 broken tackles on 976 defensive plays (4.6 percent). Sione Pouha was in Wilfork's select club, while inside linebacker Bart Scott gave up only two.

Also in the NFL's upper half were the Miami Dolphins. They ranked 15th at 5.5 percent, allowing 60 broken tackles on 969 defensive plays.

The Buffalo Bills were 23rd. They allowed 70 broken tackles on 1,062 defensive plays (6.3 percent). They were buoyed by the efficiency of linebacker Paul Posluszny and safety Donte Whitner. Posluszny ranked sixth among all defenders with only 2.6 percent of his tackles getting broken. Whitner ranked sixth among defensive backs at 3.7 percent.

Three of the NFL's surest tacklers resided in the AFC East last season.

Football Outsiders charted broken tackles and found the trio of New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo, Buffalo Bills linebacker Paul Posluszny and New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott were given the slip a total of six times.

Mayo was responsible for one broken tackle against 118 successful tackles for a failure rate of 0.8 percent. That was second to only Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews, who Football Outsiders didn't catch with any broken tackles.

Posluszny had three broken tackles, but with 114 takedowns, he tied Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison for sixth with a 2.6 percent inefficiency rate. Posluszny had just three broken tackles in 2009, too.

Ball carriers broke two of Scott's tackles. He made 62 tackles, giving him a 3.1 percent inefficiency rate. That placed him eighth on the list of best stoppers.

Football Outsiders also revealed the worst tacklers, but nobody from the AFC East appeared on either the overall competence list or among those who allowed 10 or more broken tackles.

Specifically among defensive backs, however, Miami Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis was fourth in terms of inefficiency. Davis allowed nine broken tackles. With 44 successful tackles, ball carriers broke free 17 percent of the time.

Buffalo safety Donte Whitner ranked sixth on the good side. He had four broken tackles, 105 tackles and a 3.7 percent inefficiency rate.

As a reminder, tackles are not official NFL stats and will vary, depending on the evaluator. Tackle numbers that appear on NFL.com come from the game books produced immediately after a game. Teams keep internal tackle stats while reviewing their game film and treat them as numbers of record.

ELMA, N.Y. -- The only footballs that exchanged hands were when long-snapper Garrison Sanborn fired a few through his legs.

Other than that, about 30 Buffalo Bills conducted a workout sans pigskin Monday morning at Sahlen's Sports Park in the bucolic suburbs. The Bills staged their first mass gathering of the labor stoppage, but merely getting together was more important than the practice.

"When you add a ball to the mix it just brings out the competitiveness and aggressive nature in us," Bills safety and team NFL Players Association representative George Wilson said. "We're just moving at a slow pace."

Several key players were there, including quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, running back Fred Jackson, receiver Lee Evans, safety Jairus Byrd and three-fifths of last year's starting offensive line.

Injuries were on the minds of most players. Going too hard and getting hurt could put seasons or contracts in jeopardy. Any player injured while not working out under the supervision of the team could be placed on the non-football injury list and could be forced to repay bonus money.

"You have to be smart about it," left tackle Demetrius Bell said. "Don't go out there too hard and hurt yourself. Get a good sweat, get your work in and get off the field."

As long as the lockout wears on, offseason routines are being disrupted. At this time last year, all four AFC East teams had held their rookie camps. The New York Jets held three organized team activities by this point, and the Miami Dolphins had conducted two. The Dolphins staged last year's mandatory minicamp May 28. The others were in mid to late June.

Workouts such as the one the Bills are participating in this week help keep the players focused on football.

"We're accustomed to coming in, getting breakfast, getting taped, having the typical warm-up," Wilson said. "The routine is out. But being pros and being at this level, we have to be able to know what we need to do to be ready.

"The trust is there. I truly believe that after the season we had a year ago, the guys are working to get that bitter taste out of their mouths. We definitely want to have high expectations to be more competitive and put ourselves in position to have one of those playoff spots.

"They say championships are won in the offseason because of the work that you put in, the closeness of the team. But the good thing about this is all 32 teams are experiencing this. All 2,000-plus players have to endure the same plight. So it's all about who handles this lockout the best and once it's all over, who gets ready the fastest."

Two draft picks, linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and defensive back Da'Norris Searcy, showed up. But Wilson wouldn't let them take part in drills for insurance purposes.

"I'm not allowing them to get on the field during any of the agility or conditioning or anything," Wilson said. He noted the rookies could extract usefulness from "putting faces with names, getting more acquainted with guys from their position."

Buffalo Bills

For many rookies, opportunities for playing time will be limited if the lockout drags into the summer because they won't have time to learn what they need to know, writes Allen Wilson of the Buffalo News.

Safety Donte Whitner is leaving the door open for a return to Buffalo.

Miami Dolphins

Former Dolphins coach Don Shula feels for the current NFL coaches who are trapped in the labor dispute.

The Sun-Sentinel's Andrew Carter looks at some veteran quarterback options for the Dolphins, including Matt Leinart, Vince Young, Brady Quinn, Carson Palmer and Tarvaris Jackson.


New England Patriots

Although there were some questions about Ryan Mallett in the run up to the draft, none of them concerned his throwing ability.

Mallett's father said his son wants "payback" after the Dolphins traded up in the draft but did not take the Arkansas quarterback.


New York Jets

Rex Ryan explained his reasoning for turning the week leading up to the Jets' AFC divisional playoff game against the Patriots into a matchup between himself and Bill Belichick.

Seventh-rounder Greg McElroy joined Mark Sanchez's "Jets West" camp to work out with teammates.

Buffalo Bills

Bills seventh-round pick, nose tackle Mike Jasper, is a heavy-duty investment.

CBSSports.com's Clark Judge writes the Bills aced the draft, despite not getting a quarterback.

The Bills are unlikely to re-sign unhappy safety Donte Whitner, says general manager Buddy Nix.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Herald's Armando Salguero looks at the Dolphins' remaining options at quarterback.

The Dolphins are hosting "A Celebration of Jim Mandich's Life" Wednesday night at Sun Life Stadium to honor their former tight end and broadcaster.

New England Patriots

Quarterback Tom Brady is "working out aggressively" and is on course to start the season on time despite offseason foot surgery, reports ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss.

While some may scratch their heads at the Patriots' draft, you can't fault them for drafting left tackle Nate Solder, writes Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald.

New York Jets

Despite not showing up for the first two days of quarterback Mark Sanchez's "Jets West" camp, free-agent receiver Braylon Edwards "doesn't want to go anywhere else" and hopes to re-sign with the Jets.

LaDainian Tomlinson wants to be the NFL's "best third-down back."

Head coach Rex Ryan told David Letterman on Monday that former Jets assistant coach Sal Alosi deserves another shot at the NFL.

ESPN.com's NFL bloggers continued their series ranking the top 10 NFL players by position this week with the safeties.

As expected, Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu and Baltimore's Ed Reed dominated the positional Power Rankings this week. No other safety received a vote higher than third place.

The AFC East wasn't shut out, though. Donte Whitner of the Bills was No. 7 on the list. The Patriots' Brandon Meriweather ranked No. 8 on the list. NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert ranked Whitner No. 3 overall and NFC West blogger Mike Sando ranked Meriweather the highest among the eight panelists at No. 5.

Click here to see the entire top 10.