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Things are going fast and furious at the start of NFL free agency.

Here are some notes on the latest happenings in the AFC East:

• The New York Jets have announced they re-signed linebacker Bryan Thomas, who was an unrestricted free agent.
• In other Jets news, they have reportedly expressed interest in free-agent quarterback Chad Henne. But the interest isn't as strong on Henne's end, most likely because of Mark Sanchez's recent five-year $58.25 million contract.
  
• The Miami Dolphins will be one of the first teams to meet with free-agent offensive tackle Eric Winston.
• In addition to Mario Williams, the Buffalo Bills also are expected to meet with former New Orleans Saints receiver Robert Meacham Tuesday night.
• The New England Patriots are expected to re-sign receiver and special team's ace Matthew Slater.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 1:

All Along the Hightower. Over the past three seasons, the Arizona Cardinals were 6-1 in games in which Tim Hightower carried the ball at least 14 times. What jumps out, given that winning percentage, is that there were only seven such games in three years. The Cardinals were a passing team for the first two of those years under Kurt Warner and were using Beanie Wells in a lead-back role last year, so Hightower's chances were limited. It should not be thus in Washington, where I'd expect Mike Shanahan to feed Hightower the ball early and often in an attempt to help keep the Giants' pass rush off newly minted starting quarterback Rex Grossman. Hightower also has 10 fumbles over the past two years, so keep an eye out for that and don't be surprised to see Ryan Torain and/or Roy Helu factor into the run game if Washington gets enough chances to run it.

Giants love Washington. What did Justin Tuck mean Wednesday when he told Redskins beat writers he felt the Giants had the Redskins' number? Well, New York has won five straight games against the Redskins in Washington -- the Redskins' longest home losing streak to the Giants since they lost seven straight from 1957-63. In the five games of the current streak, the Giants have outscored the Redskins by a total of 157-71, or an average of about 31-14 per game.

The Eagles are coming for Sam Bradford. Philadelphia rushed five or more defenders on 41.2 percent of their defensive plays last year. That was the fifth-highest percentage in the NFL and it could go up this season, given the stated commitment of new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and new defensive line coach Jim Washburn to be more aggressive up the field. Opposing quarterbacks hit on 51.7 percent of their passes and gained 5.7 yards per attempt when the Eagles rushed five or more. Oddly, Rams quarterback Sam Bradford saw five or more rushers more than any other quarterback in the league last year. He completed 57 percent of his passes for 6.6 yards per attempt against five or more rushers.

DeMarcus Ware will make Rex Ryan jealous. As great as the Jets' defense has been under Ryan, he has not had a player remotely like the Cowboys' star outside linebacker. Ware has recorded at least 11 sacks in each of the past five seasons -- an NFL-best 72 over that span. During that same five-year stretch, the Jets have not had a single player record 11 sacks in a season. Their highest individual total in that stretch was Bryan Thomas' 8.5 sacks in 2006.

I expect the Giants to throw it early. I know, the Giants want to run in general, but if they're watching tape of their old buddy Barry Cofield and the Redskins' run defense from the preseason, they'll see Washington has toughened up in the middle. By contrast, with starting safety LaRon Landry out and cornerback Josh Wilson still finding his way, the secondary looks as though it could be the weak point of the Redskins' defense. If the Giants' line can keep Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan away from Eli Manning, I'm thinking Manning looks downfield early in an effort to establish the lead that eventually helps the Giants run.

While yakking with a key starter from last year's New York Jets squad this week, I asked a question I posed on the AFC East blog last month and have addressed regularly in my weekly chat.

What team is the class of the division? The New England Patriots, coming off 14 victories and another title? Or the Jets, who knocked the Patriots out of the playoffs and reached their second straight AFC Championship Game?

"Until we dethrone them," he said, "the Patriots are the class of the AFC East. That's the bottom line. There's no other way to slice it. You've got to knock them off the pedestal. That's goal No. 1, winning the division. That's the easiest way to get to the ultimate goal of the Super Bowl."

That comment alone wasn't enough for the player to request anonymity, but the next part of our conversation made him feel it was necessary for the sake of diplomacy and because he wants to keep his job next season.

I wanted to know more. To extract his veteran insight on the state of the Jets, I asked what his game plan would be if I could appoint him general manager for the next couple months.

How would he get the Jets over the hump from runners-up to AFC East champs and into the Super Bowl? He must have pondered that very question over the past few months because, without much thought, he rattled off six key steps to propelling the Jets upward.

Here they are, in order of what he felt was most important, along with his reasoning:

1. Re-sign receiver Santonio Holmes.

"You have to do that," our embedded analyst said. The Jets have three prominent free-agent receivers, but Holmes must be the priority over Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith. Holmes missed four games while serving a suspension but made 52 catches for 746 yards and six touchdowns. He was a clutch performer and added a couple more touchdowns in the playoffs.

"If I had to choose between Santonio, Braylon or Brad Smith -- I don't think you can re-sign them all -- I'll take Santonio because of his body of work," the Jets insider said. "He's more established."

Smith averaged 28.6 yards on kickoff returns and scored two touchdowns, and was the club's third-leading rusher with 299 yards and a TD as a gadget quarterback. The Jets led the NFL in average start position after a kickoff (at the 31.5-yard line). But the insider said revamped kickoff rules would neutralize Smith's impact in 2011.

The possibility of signing Plaxico Burress is intriguing and could help the Jets cope with any inability to re-sign Edwards or Smith. As for whether Burress would be a problem for head coach Rex Ryan, the insider laughed.

"With everything we have in our organization, he'd be just one of the guys," he said. "He wouldn't stand out like a sore thumb.

"Guys just love playing for Rex. With Rex's personality and the way he runs the show, Plaxico would just fit right in. Rex doesn't have problems with guys who have so-called character issues or big personalities. Rex is a big personality himself. A guy like Plaxico would do well with the Jets."

2. Get inside linebacker David Harris signed to a long-term contract.

Harris led the Jets with 119 tackles. He recorded three sacks, 14 quarterback hits, a forced fumble and a recovery.

He signed his franchise tender and is under contract for next season, but he'll be a free agent again next offseason unless the Jets broker another deal before then.

"I've got to lock up David Harris," the insider said. "He's one of the more underrated defenders in the league. I've got to get him signed long-term."

3. Re-sign cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

Another significant free agent, Cromartie helped limit opposing quarterbacks to a 50.7 completion percentage -- lowest in the league by far -- and a 77.1 passer rating. He notched 42 tackles, three interceptions and a team-high 18 passes defensed.

Besides, the Jets invested too much in him to let him stroll for nothing this summer.

"If I gave up a second-round pick for the guy, I don't want to see him walk out the door," the insider said. "That would be a high draft pick I'd wasted.

"Plus, with no offseason to monitor the young players, I don't know what I have with Kyle Wilson. The team hasn't had a chance to coach him up. He didn't do the things the team expected last year. So I need to get Antonio Cromartie back to make sure I shore up the secondary."

4. Find a pass-rusher or two.

One of the Jets' biggest perceived weaknesses heading into the offseason was their inability to generate a more formidable pass rush last season.

"This team has a defensive scheme that can be dangerous with a pass rush," the insider said. "We had a great group, but that'll make my defense even stronger."

Outside linebacker Jason Taylor's status is in question. The Jets cut him, but it's not unfathomable he could return. Last year's regular starters, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas, are under contract. Thomas recorded a team-high six sacks last season, while Pace had 5.5 sacks. Taylor added five more. Those aren't fearsome numbers.

Football Outsiders charted the Jets for 117.5 hurries (seventh in the NFL), but just 38 quarterback hits (tied for 23rd).

5. Sign a free-agent right tackle.

The Jets released Damien Woody after the season, but published reports before the lockout indicated the club was interested in bringing him back.

Woody can't provide many guarantees in what would be his 13th NFL season. Although he has been to the Pro Bowl, is one of few players on last year's roster who owns a Super Bowl ring and started 13 games last season, there are injury concerns. He battled knee problems before an Achilles' injury landed him on injured reserve in the playoffs.

There don't appear to be any solutions on the roster. Last year's second-round draft choice, Vladimir Ducasse, was a tackle at Boston College but was unable to win a job at guard. Woody's reliable backup, Wayne Hunter, is a free agent.

6. Identify a safety to solidify the secondary, looking first at Brodney Pool.

The Jets' best safety, Jim Leonhard, is coming off a broken shin that had him limited to a scooter during rehab. Pool, Eric Smith and James Ihedigbo all are free agents.

Pool started 12 games. He ranked fourth in tackles with 63. He registered a sack, an interception, nine passes defenses, a forced fumble and a recovery. Smith started six games and was fifth with 57 tackles. He also made an impact on special teams (19 tackles), as did Ihedigbo (27 tackles).

"I would try to get Brodney Pool or Eric Smith back," the Jets insider said. "Both played well down the stretch, but I think Brodney Pool was a guy who, as it got later in the season, really picked up the scheme and became a playmaker at the safety position."

I found the insider's opinions to be insightful. Nowhere among the list of issues to address were quarterback Mark Sanchez, left guard or kicker Nick Folk. The obviously aren't major concerns with this veteran player.

Once the lockout concludes, we'll see how much the anonymous player's wish list jibes with Mike Tannenbaum's.

A lot of money will go bye-bye if the NFL work stoppage eliminates offseason workouts.

That's a legitimate possibility if owners and players can't hammer out a deal well before training camps normally would begin.

ESPN's Adam Schefter has compiled a list of the NFL's richest workout bonuses and the attendance percentages required to earn them.

New York Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson has the biggest incentive in the league at $750,000. He must attend 85 percent of the workouts to collect.

Other big AFC East bonuses:

• Miami Dolphins inside linebacker Karlos Dansby: $500,000
• Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Shawne Merriman: $500,000
• New York Jets defensive end Bryan Thomas: $500,000
• New York Jets defensive end Mike DeVito: $350,000
• New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady: $250,000
• New York Jets outside linebacker Calvin Pace: $250,000
• New York Jets inside linebacker Bart Scott: $250,000
• New England Patriots defensive end Ty Warren: $250,000
• New England Patriots outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain: $200,000
• Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall: $200,000
• New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson: $200,000
• New England Patriots inside linebacker Jerod Mayo: $180,000

Brady, however, is covered if there aren't any 2011 offseason workouts. His 2012 bonus will inflate to $500,000 in that case.

» NFC Draft Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: biggest team needs.

Buffalo Bills

Where would you like to start?

Offense? How about left tackle, right tackle, tight end and -- if there's a great one still on the draft board -- quarterback?

Defense? How about the line, outside linebacker, inside linebacker, cornerback and safety?

Special teams? OK, the Bills are fine there.

But kicker, punter and running back are about the only positions the Bills can draft third overall and not help themselves.

The most pressing needs, however, are tackle and outside linebacker. The Bills haven't drafted an offensive tackle earlier than the fifth round since taking Mike Williams in the first round in 2002, and their line play shows that. They have tried to coach up late draft picks (Demetrius Bell, Ed Wang) and rummaged through free agency (Cornell Green, Mansfield Wrotto, Jonathan Scott, Jamon Meredith) rather than acquire that prized blindside protector.

The Bills were so desperate at outside linebacker they plucked the injury-ravaged Shawne Merriman off waivers last year and then, even though he got hurt again minutes into his first workout, gave him a contract extension.

They can't bank on Merriman to anchor their pass rush. Yet even if he can contribute, they'll need more help. The Bills recorded 27 sacks last year. Only three teams had fewer.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins probably will need a running back. They could stand to upgrade at quarterback if they can.

But they definitely need interior offensive linemen.

They recently re-signed left guard Richie Incognito to an extension, but they still have problems at center and right guard. Although they have two solid book-end tackles in Pro perennial Bowl left tackle Jake Long and veteran Vernon Carey, they've been a mess in between for the past three years.

The Dolphins need to upgrade their power running game. Despite having a capable and healthy backfield tandem in Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams last season, the Dolphins ranked 21st in rushing yards, 29th in yards per carry and 29th in rushing touchdowns.

A stud running back certainly can help, and the Dolphins might have little choice but to take one with their 15th selection. Brown's and Williams' contracts are up. That's why so many draft analysts project the Dolphins will take Alabama running back Mark Ingram and then address the O-line later.

New England Patriots

Funny how things work for the Patriots when it comes to draft picks. The reigning AFC East champs might have the fewest needs but have the most draft picks at their disposal.

The Patriots went 14-2 last season and own two draft choices in each of the first three rounds. So the Patriots have the flexibility to go any number of directions.

The most obvious need is outside linebacker. The Patriots' entire outside linebacking corps mustered 13.5 sacks last year. Dolphins outside linebacker Cameron Wake generated 14 sacks all by himself.

Offensive line is another concern because there are so many question marks. Right guard Stephen Neal retired. Left guard Logan Mankins is upset. Left tackle Matt Light isn't signed. Nick Kaczur is coming off serious back surgery. The timing is right to bring in some fresh O-line blood.

The Patriots had one of the NFL's most entertaining backfields last year, with BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushing for over 1,000 yards and Danny Woodhead making the Jets look foolish for cutting him. But each running back has his limitations, and the Patriots could be on the lookout for an all-purpose back adept at catching a pass and converting a third-and-short.

New York Jets

The Jets are in a weird spot. They finished the season as a team with talent at virtually every position.

But they have a crowded group of free agents and couldn't bring themselves to sign any (aside from giving inside linebacker David Harris the franchise tag) until a new collective bargaining agreement was in place. The Jets want to know what the new salary cap is before moving forward.

That leaves a lot of loose ends for the Jets heading into the draft. Will they need a receiver to replace Santonio Holmes or Braylon Edwards? A cornerback to replace Antonio Cromartie?

The needs we can bank on are outside linebacker and safety.

The Jets must generate a better pass rush and still need to recover from the Vernon Gholston pick that set them back. Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas is competent, but no star. He led the Jets with just six sacks. Calvin Pace had 5.5 sacks. The recently released Jason Taylor added five.

Safety is an area of emphasis because they could have stood to upgrade even before Brodney Pool, Eric Smith and James Ihedigbo became free agents. Jim Leonhard is a Rex Ryan favorite but recovering from a broken shin.

Sports labor squabbles often are described as billionaires arguing with millionaires over money.

While that's a catchy rhyme that sums up fan frustration, the phrase is not entirely true.

Inspired by a blog entry from the minister of all things AFC South, Paul Kuharsky, I looked at NFL Players Association files to count up the number of AFC East players scheduled for $1 million base salaries in 2011.

Granted, up-front bonuses and incentives can make base salaries misleading. But base salaries are the only figures that create a common ground, player for player.

You'll see a vast majority of NFL players make much less than $1 million a year. Although many will make seven figures before they walk away from the game, careers are short and treacherous. They'll never see that kind of cash again for the rest of their lives.

That's why they're fighting for every dollar now.

Of the 226 players under contract in the AFC East, only 62 of them (27.4 percent) will make base salaries of $1 million or more.

The NFLPA hasn't acknowledged any franchise tags that have been signed. Those players are marked with an asterisk and not factored into the totals.

Buffalo Bills

• Receiver Lee Evans, $3.275 million
• Cornerback Terrence McGee, $3.2 million
• Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, $3.195 million
• Defensive end Spencer Johnson, $3 million
• Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, $2.75 million
• Defensive end Dwan Edwards, $2.6 million
• Center Geoff Hangartner, $2.55 million
• Outside linebacker Chris Kelsay, $2 million
• Running back Fred Jackson, $1.75 million
• Defensive lineman Kyle Williams, $1.75 million
• Kicker Rian Lindell, $1.45 million
• Punter Brian Moorman, $1.425 million
• Cornerback Reggie Corner, $1.2 million
• Receiver Steve Johnson, $1.2 million
• Safety Bryan Scott, $1.15 million
• Linebacker Andra Davis, $1.1 million
• Receiver Roscoe Parrish, $1.025 million
• Safety George Wilson, $1.025 million
• Cornerback Leodis McKelvin, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 19

Players under contract: 54

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 35.2

Miami Dolphins

• Nose tackle Paul Soliai, $12.47 million*
• Tackle Jake Long, $11.2 million
• Receiver Brandon Marshall, $6.5 million
• Tackle Vernon Carey, $4.15 million
• Safety Yeremiah Bell, $3.7 million
• Defensive end Randy Starks, $3.625 million
• Inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, $2.7 million
• Inside linebacker Channing Crowder, $2.5 million
• Tight end Anthony Fasano, $1.9 million
• Cornerback Benny Sapp, $1.9 million
• Inside linebacker Tim Dobbins, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Will Allen, $1.5 million
• Safety Tyrone Culver, $1.25 million
• Fullback Lousaka Polite, $1.25 million
• Receiver Davone Bess, $1.013 million
• Kicker Dan Carpenter, $1.005 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 15

Players under contract: 55

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 27.3

New England Patriots

• Quarterback Tom Brady, $5.75 million
• Cornerback Leigh Bodden, $3.9 million
• Tackle Nick Kaczur, $3.4 million
• Defensive end Ty Warren, $3.1 million
• Center Dan Koppen, $2.9 million
• Safety James Sanders, $2.8 million
• Tight end Alge Crumpler, $2.4 million
• Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, $2.3 million
• Receiver Deion Branch, $2.2 million
• Receiver Wes Welker, $2.15 million
• Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, $1.2 million
• Offensive lineman Dan Connolly, $1.025 million
• Inside linebacker Gary Guyton, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 60

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 23.3

New York Jets

• Quarterback Mark Sanchez, $14.75 million
• Inside linebacker David Harris, $10.1 million*
• Cornerback Darrelle Revis, $6 million
• Tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, $5.615 million
• Inside linebacker Bart Scott, $4.9 million
• Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, $3.855 million
• Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas, $3.2 million
• Guard Brandon Moore, $2.75 million
• Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, $2.425 million
• Center Nick Mangold, $2.26 million
• Defensive end Mike DeVito, $2.125 million
• Safety Jim Leonhard, $1.95 million
• Receiver Jerricho Cotchery, $1.8 million
• Defensive tackle Sione Pouha, $1.28 million
• Quarterback Mark Brunell, $1.25 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 57

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 24.6

PITTSBURGH -- When he needed a moment to compose himself, Jason Taylor reached down and adjusted the twin microphones on the lectern although they didn't need to be moved at all.

Taylor's eyes were glassy. If he hadn't been crying before he took his turn at the New York Jets' postgame news conference, then he was on the verge. Taylor came close to tears a few more times when answering questions about his future an hour after falling five points short of his first Super Bowl.

"So close," Taylor said, his voice barely above a whisper. "So close you could see it."

The Jets' enthralling season ended Sunday night in Taylor's hometown. The Pittsburgh Steelers jumped out to a 24-0 first-half lead and then held on for a 24-19 victory at Heinz Field.

Taylor always will be remembered as a Miami Dolphin, spending 12 of his 14 seasons with the aqua and orange. But the Jets presented his best opportunity to be a champion.

Taylor's career is in the gloaming. He knows he might have played his last down, whether it's up to him or not.

"There's so many emotions going through me right now," Taylor said. "Getting to this point and then losing ..."

Taylor paused and looked downward. His left hand jiggled the microphones.

"We'll cross that bridge."

Plane rides home after a season-ending loss provide some of the most poignant times for teammates. They're like wakes at 30,000 feet. You're not supposed to look forward to them.

But Taylor, expressing a need to soak in every last moment of what could be his final breaths as an NFL player, lamented that flying from Pittsburgh to New Jersey takes only an hour.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but I know one thing," Taylor said. "This team as you see it tonight will never be together again regardless of whether Jason Taylor is back or anybody else is back. It will not be the same football team. That's sad in its own right."

Taylor will turn 37 before the next season begins. He said his return would be up to Jets head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum. Taylor signed a two-year contract with the Jets last April, but a clause tied to his sack output voided the second year.

With a slew of tough roster decisions to make, Taylor's not a priority. The Jets have several important free agents to address, including receivers Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith, defensive end Shaun Ellis, linebacker David Harris and cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

Taylor's five sacks were a modest output, but only one behind team leader Bryan Thomas. Taylor will lead all active players with 132.5 career sacks if he were to play a 15th season.

"I pride myself on being a play-maker and a game-changer," Taylor said. "While I might not be the same as I was a few years ago, I still need to do more."

His career will be debated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was selected for six Pro Bowls. He was a first-team All-Pro three times. But postseason success eluded him until this year.

He hadn't been to the playoffs since the 2001 season and hadn't won a game since 2000. He'd never before won playoff games and never advanced to the conference championship round.

"I've had some really, really good teammates throughout my career, played on some good teams and fun teams," Taylor said. "But I can't think of another experience I've had that was as fun as this.

"I've seen a lot in this league and, obviously, saw this game for the first time."

Taylor must now sort out the emotions of reaching the precipice of his career dream and the reality that the odds of returning to the final four are against any player -- even Tom Brady.

There's a healthy chance Taylor won't play again. And even if he does, there's an even greater chance he won't match this season's success.

ESPN.com senior writer Tom Friend shared the story of Taylor and his ailing agent, Gary Wichard, and how Taylor had devoted his 2010 season to Wichard.

"It wasn't meant to be, you know?" Taylor said. "Sometimes God has a different direction for you. You don't always understand it, but it is what it is."

PITTSBURGH -- Halftime thoughts from Heinz Field, where the New York Jets are getting whipped by the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-3 in the AFC Championship Game:

• The story so far has been the run games. The Steelers have been dominant. Rashard Mendenhall is stomping all over the Jets' defense. He has 17 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown already. Poor tackling has doomed the Jets.
• The Jets, meanwhile, have rushed for 1 yard as a team. They had minus-2 yards with 6:51 left in the half.
• From ESPN Stats & Information: The only team to win the AFC or NFC Championship after trailing by 14 or more points at halftime was the 2006 Indianapolis Colts. They trailed the New England Patriots 21-6 at the intermission.
• The Steelers scored their final points of the half on an Ike Taylor strip sack that William Gay collected and ran in for a 19-yard touchdown with about a minute left. Mark Sanchez was hurt on the play but returned to the game and looked good in the hurry-up offense. The Jets managed a field goal, but their signs of life probably came too late.
• Sanchez's stat line so far: 7 of 15 for 63 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions.
• Ben Roethlisberger: 7 of 14 for 96 yards and no touchdowns with one interception. He ran 2 yards for a touchdown.
• The Steelers kept the opening possession for 15 plays and more than nine minutes. Their time of possession in the first quarter was 10:49. The Jets had one series. They haven't scored a touchdown in 14 straight first quarters.
• The Jets repeatedly wound up in 3rd-and-long situations. They converted a 3rd-and-10 on their first series, but were done in by third downs with 14, 12, 7 and 17 yards to go.
• The Jets caught their first big break with 12:32 left in the half. The Steelers had a fourth-and-1 situation at the Jets' 32 and tried to pass. Roethlisberger dumped a pass to Mendenhall, but the ball caromed to Bryan Thomas for an interception.
• The Steelers lost Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey to a left ankle injury at the end of the opening drive. Pouncey is the best lineman on an otherwise pedestrian offensive line, but they continued to run well without him. He was replaced by Doug Legursky.

The Buffalo Bills have made some controversial personnel moves over the past two weeks.

They dumped quarterback Trent Edwards, their opening-day starter.

They traded Marshawn Lynch, their leading rusher, for a fourth-round draft pick.

They're perhaps the worst team in the league, but their top prospects can't get on the field.

They didn't feel rookie quarterback Levi Brown was worthy of their practice squad but re-signed him to the active roster.

One of the moves that really flummoxed Bills followers had nothing to do with the lineup. The Bills last week signed outside linebacker Chris Kelsay to a four-year contract extension worth about $24 million. In addition to the extension, he received an immediate $2 million bonus.

Kelsay has been a nice player for the Bills, but nothing phenomenal. He's a standup guy in the locker room. He has been a starter for seven seasons and has missed only two games since the Bills drafted him 48th overall in 2003. He has 22 sacks in 114 career games.

Readers have asked for my take on the contract, but I decided to hold off until I could gather enough information on how the deal was broken down.

With help from NFL Players Association documents and the Elias Sports Bureau, I can give you a look at Kelsay's deal with league-wide context and then ask: How would you choose to spend $5 million a year on a defensive player?

The way the math is done, Kelsay's per-year average works out to $5 million. The average consists of base salaries plus what the league calls "likely to be earned bonuses" divided by the length of the deal.

"Likely to be earned bonuses" are incentives that are easy to reach or that a player has a history of achieving. "Unlikely to be earned bonuses," such as winning the Super Bowl MVP or leading the league in kickoff return yardage (don't laugh; these types of things actually appear in some deals), are not factored into the annual average.

To determine whether Kelsay was worth the new contract, I did what a lot of agents would do when it's time to negotiate a contract for a specific client. They research for comparable players, using key criteria such as age, games played, statistics and team success.

I asked the Elias Sports Bureau to run a crosscheck of its data base to find all of the 4-3 defensive ends and 3-4 outside linebackers who are 30 or 31 years old (Kelsay will turn 31 on Halloween) and have played at least 100 games.

The list is surprisingly small. The attached chart gives the complete rundown of 10 players who fit the description with their sack totals and average annual salary.


Of that group, Kelsay is the highest-paid 3-4 outside linebacker and fourth overall, behind superstar defensive ends Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney and three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. All three have at least twice as many sacks as Kelsay.

"The thing you don't want to do is take your core guys and your leaders out of your system," Bills general manager Buddy Nix said Thursday, the first time he commented on Kelsay's extension. "We decided, obviously, that we've got four, five or six guys like that. They maybe are not great players, but good players that set the tone for what you want everybody else to be.

"Chris Kelsay is a good player. He exemplifies what we want players to do and how we want them to be. So that's the reason he's here."

Strange as it might seem, Kelsay's average per year actually went down with his new deal. The NFLPA still had him categorized as a defensive end heading into 2010 because that's the position he played his entire career before the Bills switched to a 3-4 scheme.

His average salary was $5.75 million, making him the 15th highest-paid defensive end regardless of age or experience. He was listed ahead of Robert Mathis, Shaun Ellis, Trent Cole and Chris Long, who received a gaudy contract as the second overall draft pick in 2008.

With all that in mind, I ask again why the Bills needed to sign Kelsay to an extension, and why now? Who else would have paid Kelsay this much? Did the Bills feel like they would be in danger of losing him as a free agent?

I think those are good questions.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- A few observations and updates from the first half of Monday night's game at the New Meadowlands, where the Baltimore Ravens lead the New York Jets 7-6:

• The Jets survived losing Kris Jenkins after six games last year, but that doesn't mean they can shake off a prolonged absence because of another knee injury on the second Ravens possession. Jenkins is one of the best nose tackles. When healthy, he might be unsurpassed. If the injury is a season-ender, then you have to wonder if he might call it a career. Jenkins contemplated retirement before returning from last year's knee injury.
• The Jets have been undisciplined, committing 10 penalties for 100 yards. Those flags gave the Ravens five of their 12 first downs.
• The Jets have allowed more penalty yards than they’ve gained. They have 84 yards of total offense.
• New York's defense generally was impressive. On Baltimore's opening play, Shaun Ellis and Bryan Thomas waylaid Joe Flacco with a collision sandwich that you'll see on highlight packages all year. Flacco fumbled, the first of three Baltimore turnovers before halftime.
• Antonio Cromartie will be high risk/high reward this year. The Ravens showed Darrelle Revis a healthy dose of respect and targeted Cromartie with success for much of the first half. He gave up big receptions and committed two penalties (holding and pass interference). But Cromartie made a spectacular interception near the end zone and dashed off on a 66-yard return to flip the field.
• A big problem for the Jets was their third-down defense. The Ravens converted six of eight third downs. The Jets led the NFL last year by allowing offenses to convert only 32 percent of their first downs.
• Braylon Edwards committed two costly penalties in the second quarter. He was called for illegal motion to wipe out a gorgeous 33-yard strike from Mark Sanchez to Dustin Keller at the Baltimore 4-yard line. Edwards later ran into kicker Billy Cundiff on a 46-yard field goal to give Baltimore a first down. Baltimore eventually scored its only touchdown on the extended drive.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Jason Taylor has started a grassroots campaign to win over New York Jets fans one at a time.

"You've got to campaign a little bit for votes and cheers," Taylor told me after Wednesday morning's public practice in the new Meadowlands stadium. "This is my new fan base. I can appreciate it. I can appreciate the boos, and I really can appreciate the cheers."

Taylor easily signed the most autographs. As the players lined up for a Cal Ripkenesque jog along the edge of the field to high-five fans, Taylor lagged behind and signed as many signatures as he could.

"You never want to go to the wall to sign autographs and have nobody want it or throw it back," Taylor said. The fans didn't. They were giddy over watching him perform penance.

Taylor didn't hide his disdain for the Jets during his 12 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He ragged on the Jets' fans, their stadium, their chant, their perceived arrogance under coach Rex Ryan.

When Taylor emerged from the tunnel for a practice attended by an announced crowd of 12,000, he braced for a negative reaction.

"This is the first time I've been around the fans in a big setting," Taylor said. "The previous practices weren't attended like this one was. Out of the tunnel, I was walking with [linebacker Bryan Thomas] and told him on the way out 'Here come the boos. Watch.' Sure enough, they came.

"But it makes you smile. At least they know who you are and they're looking for you."

The Jets' new outside linebacker has some help from a welcoming committee. Nose tackle Kris Jenkins and inside linebacker Bart Scott are helping to make sure the fans embrace him.

"Bart already said 'I don't want to hear anybody booing and giving you a hard time. You're one of us now,'" Taylor said.

During the practice, Jenkins went into a corner of the stadium and asked the crowed to serenade Taylor.

Jay-son Tay-lor! Jay-son Tay-lor!

Jenkins then asked Taylor to go over and say hello.

"But I made him go with me," Taylor said. "I was worried they were going to draw me over there, and someone was going to throw a beer on me.

"They've been chanting my name up here for 12 years. It's what they say after the name I'm working on changing. It was a nice reception. They were smiling this time, where in years past it wasn't always smiles."

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Falling

Vernon Gholston, Jets outside linebacker: Whether or not the Jets are able to convince free-agent Jason Taylor to sign with them, the courtship says all you need to know about what the club thinks of Gholston. The Jets drafted him sixth overall in 2008 to get after opposing quarterbacks. Two seasons later, he has zero sacks. Gholston has started three games. He has been a healthy scratch for three games. The Jets apparently don't expect him to break out in 2010. The Jets' interest in Taylor doesn't bode well for outside linebacker Bryan Thomas, either.

Rising

Patriots' 2011 draft: The Patriots received pleasant news Easter evening: The Eagles traded quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. Either of the two other teams vying for McNabb -- the Bills and Raiders -- would have been problematic for the Patriots. The Patriots would love for the Bills' muddled quarterback situation to remain the same and wouldn't want to face McNabb twice. Had McNabb landed in Oakland, he would've provided a mammoth upgrade over JaMarcus Russell and almost certainly improved its record. The Patriots obtained the Raiders' 2011 first-round draft pick in the Richard Seymour trade.

Although decorated sackmaster Jason Taylor has been in the NFL for 13 years, he never has been schmoozed like a superstar free agent.

He spent the first 11 years of his career with the Miami Dolphins, then was traded to the Washington Redskins before returning home.

Now he's being wooed by the best defensive team in the league.

Taylor spent Wednesday listening to the New York Jets make an impassioned pitch. He and his wife, Katina, will spend the night and visit with general manager Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Rex Ryan some more Thursday.

His agent, Gary Wichard, didn't expect a decision to be made for a few days, but couldn't say for sure. Wichard said Jason and Katina Taylor likely will return to their home in Weston, Fla., and take the weekend to sort out their plans.

"This is a guy that I can honestly say the contract is not a motivating factor," Wichard said. "The only things that matter are winning, enjoying football and getting a Super Bowl ring."

Taylor, an unrestricted free agent, hadn't expected to address his future until after the draft. But the Jets are bound by the "final eight" plan for the uncapped season. They're prohibited from signing an unrestricted free agent until they lose one, and kicker Jay Feely departed last week when he signed with the Arizona Cardinals.

"As soon as they got the freedom to come after a free agent, Jason was their No. 1 guy," Wichard said. "He was their target."

Taylor is the NFL's active leader with 127.5 sacks. He has been voted All-Pro three times and selected for six Pro Bowls. He was defensive player of the year for 2006 and won the league's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for community service the following season.

Ryan has been interested in Taylor for a year, but Taylor refused to entertain the idea of joining a bitter rival. Taylor walked away from a heap of guaranteed money with the Redskins in hopes of returning to the Dolphins after a season apart.

A year later, Taylor is intrigued by the Jets. They owned the No. 1 total defense, scoring defense and passing defense last year. Taylor would provide an outside pass-rushing element that was missing last year. Taylor recorded seven sacks last season. The Jets' starting outside linebackers, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas, combined for 10 sacks.

"Rex has been a big Jason Taylor supporter, a fan forever," Wichard said. "He's talked about him for years.

"He wants to be able to take Jason and line him up and put him in different situations to get to the quarterback, which is right up his alley.

"Hey, it's the No. 1 defense in the NFL, and when Rex Ryan, the No. 1 defensive coach in the NFL picks up the phone and aggressively comes after you, you've got to listen."

This development might be difficult to digest, so I'll give you a slice now and come back with more analysis in a bit.

Jason Taylor, a proud Miami Dolphins defender for a dozen years and a sworn enemy of everything Fireman Ed chants for, is visiting with the New York Jets on Wednesday.

And it doesn't sound like the Jets will be willing to take "no, thanks" for an answer. They will try to buckle Taylor's knees with an aggressive presentation.

ESPN's John Clayton reports the Jets will go after the NFL's active sacks leader as though he were a blue-chip college recruit, giving him a tour of their sparking new stadium and playing highlights of his career on video scoreboards that are said to be mesmerizing.

Taylor's plan was to take his time this offseason and sign with a team closer to the start of training camp. Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Rex Ryan will push him to sign with them immediately.

When he still was an unrestricted free agent a year ago, Taylor professed his disdain for the Jets.

"There are a few teams that are not on the list," Taylor said of the teams he would consider. "We can all figure out which ones those are, but I have no top three."

Asked specifically about the Jets, he gritted his teeth.

"It'd be very, very, very difficult. Very difficult," Taylor said with a grin. "But at the end of the day, if you can't find a job anywhere else and the Jets call, I guess you've got to retire or go play.

"The Jets are the Jets. I've had a lot of history saying bad things about Jets fans. The fireman hat guy [Fireman Ed], and all of the people in New York that are Jets fans are not the ones that are working on Wall Street. I've said all of those things. So I've got to leave it at that."

Taylor doesn't seem to be at a stage in his career where he would have to choose the Jets or retire. Miami Herald columnist Armando Salguero reported Wednesday the Dolphins recently reached out to Taylor and agent Gary Wichard.

Taylor is coming off a season in which he registered seven sacks.

The Jets' starting outside linebackers, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas, combined for 10 sacks.

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Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 7:

	Mike Stobe/Getty Images
	Mark Sanchez is coming off of a five-interception game against the Bills.

Mark Sanchez better outperform JaMarcus Russell. In 20 years, Sanchez can only hope he looks back on last Sunday's five-interception nightmare as the worst day of his NFL career. But in reality, the New York Jets rookie will have many more opportunities to turn in a worse performance.

This week, Sanchez will be on the same field as Russell, the embodiment of awful quarterbacking. Russell, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007, already has been slapped with the "bust" label. If Russell outplays Sanchez, Jets fans will be calling for Kellen Clemens.

The key to victory for the Buffalo Bills is getting Jake Delhomme to throw. But can they? Delhomme and Sanchez are tied for the NFL lead in quarterback turnovers with 10 interceptions and two fumbles apiece. The Bills' defense proved it could catch when it snagged five interceptions -- and another on special teams -- against the Jets.

The problem, though, is that Delhomme might not throw often enough. The Carolina Panthers can run, and the Bills own a run defense that's projecting among one of the worst in league history. The Bills are allowing an average of 181 rushing yards a game. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have the Panthers ranked eighth in rushing offense.

The New England Patriots have recorded consecutive shutouts only once in franchise history. Not to jinx the Patriots' defense, but they would match a club record Sunday by blanking the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Wembley Stadium. The only other time the Patriots have recorded back-to-back shutouts was in December 1982 against the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks.

The Patriots are facing their second straight winless opponent. They shelled the Tennessee Titans 59-0 last week in Gillette Stadium. Next up is a team that averages 14.8 points per game, 27th in the league. The New York Giants shut out the Buccaneers at home in Week 3.

The Dolphins need to hit the turf running out of their bye week. There won't be any time to wade back into the season. They get to play the undefeated New Orleans Saints.

The Dolphins had built up some nice momentum. After an alarming 0-3 start, the Dolphins climbed back to divisional relevance with confidence-restoring victories over the Bills and Jets.

Just as the Dolphins were getting rewarded for their efforts, the NFL forced them to take a Sunday off. The extra week of first-team reps no doubt will help quarterback Chad Henne get comfortable in the starter's role. But the Dolphins must avoid a slow start against the Saints and pick up where they left off.

Kris Jenkins' absence will force systemic changes to the Jets' defense. The behemoth nose tackle was so big he has his own gravitational pull. With Jenkins out of the lineup, the Jets' constellation will shift around, probably gravitating more to a 4-3 than the 3-4 scheme he anchored.

Jenkins is irreplaceable, and with nose tackle the keystone of a 3-4 defense, the wise move will be to change the front. Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas is a former defensive end.