NFL Nation: Reggie Corner
Richard A. Brightly/Icon SMIMark Sanchez is set to earn $14.75 million in base salary next season, the most in the AFC East.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
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
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
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
Players under contract: 57
Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 24.6
AP Photo/ David DupreyTrent Edwards has the starting quarterback job locked up after another solid preseason performance.- If there was any doubt before -- or if Bills fans were in denial and still clinging to hope Brian Brohm would win the gig -- Trent Edwards is Buffalo's quarterback.
- On the first possession, Buffalo had minus-12 yards aside from a pass interference penalty. The Bengals sacked Edwards the only time he tried to pass. But Edwards rebounded on the second drive, methodically taking the Bills down the field. He completed all five of his passes for 48 yards and connected with Roscoe Parrish for a 12-yard touchdown.
- Edwards' stat line: 13-of-17 for 153 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. He had a 122.9 quarterback rating.
- C.J. Spiller had another brilliant game. He ran 12 times for 52 yards and two touchdowns and two receptions for 33 yards in a half of work. He had a 20-yard run and a 26-yard reception.
- As mentioned in my notes column following the Bills' victory over the Indianapolis Colts last week, Spiller is going to have a lot of negative-yardage runs because of his style and the Bills' offensive line. He had runs of minus-7 and minus-11 yards. But he's a threat to break away every single time.
- The Bills showed off a little Wildcat. Spiller took a direct snap and ran 6 yards for a first down. In case you were wondering, Edwards remained on the field, split wide right. In the fourth quarter, rookie running back Joique Bell also took a direct snap and ran for 4 yards.
- Parrish is one of those players fans always want to see more of, but size always seemed to be an impediment to increased involvement. Think Leon Washington with the New York Jets. Maybe new Bills head coach Chan Gailey has been able to figure something out. Parrish caught all four balls thrown to him for 56 yards and a touchdown.
- Maybe the Bills were showcasing Ryan Fitzpatrick for a potential trade (hello, Arizona?). Otherwise, Brohm can't like the fact he quarterbacked only two series late in the fourth quarter. Brohm threw one pass, an incompletion.
- Buffalo's secondary didn't have the same success against Carson Palmer that it did against Peyton Manning. Palmer completed all but two of his 11 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns for a 142.2 rating.
- Second-year outside linebacker Aaron Maybin, the 11th overall draft choice last year, may have gotten some traction. He didn't start even though Reggie Torbor was out with an undisclosed injury. Chris Ellis started instead. But Maybin did force J.T. O'Sullivan into an intentional grounding call with some heavy pressure in the third quarter and sacked Jordan Palmer twice in the fourth quarter.
- James Hardy, a second-round draft pick in 2008, didn't make much of an impression in his bid to stay on the roster. He had one catch for 30 yards (great pass from Fitzpatrick) and a drop. That was all.
- Undrafted rookie receiver David Nelson had another strong game: two receptions for 34 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown.
- Third-year cornerback Reggie Corner looked like he might be on the roster bubble in a deep defensive backfield. He helped himself in the fourth quarter by intercepting Jordan Palmer and dashing 20 yards for a touchdown.
- Reserve cornerback Ellis Lankster, meanwhile, had another rough night. Quan Crosby beat him for a 44 yard pass play one series after Corner's touchdown. Lankster broke up a pass on fourth-and-goal from the 6, but he got away with pulling on
- The Bills strength in recent years has been their special-teams play. Special teams coordinator Bobby April bolted for Philadelphia, and the transition to Bruce DeHaven has not been smooth. Their kickoff coverage unit has been awful. The Bengals averaged 32.7 yards per return and rarely started a drive insider their own 30-yard line.
The New England Patriots have future Hall of Famer Randy Moss and slot receiver extraordinaire Wes Welker. The Miami Dolphins traded for Brandon Marshall. The New York Jets can put three 1,000-yard receivers -- Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes, Jerricho Cotchery -- on the field at the same time.
AP Photo/Rick HavnerJairus Byrd gets excited about facing some of the high-profile receivers who call the AFC East home."Opportunity," Byrd said. "That's the biggest thing. Any time you have those marquee guys come into your division, it just presents opportunity for you to step your game up to get better, to push yourself to a limit where you separate yourself."
The Bills have a multitude of question marks. Quarterback, left tackle, No. 2 receiver, Marshawn Lynch, a switch to a 3-4 defense, nose tackle, Aaron Schobel's status.
Yet one area of comfort can be found in the secondary.
Buffalo's defensive backfield is good, young and deep.
"We can be, honestly, as good as we want to be," said Byrd, who tied for the NFL's interceptions lead as a rookie last year. "We're so deep back there, everyone's going to have a role. And as long as everyone can accept their role and be the best at it, I don't see why we can't be as good as we want to be."
The Bills' secondary isn't star-studded. Byrd is the only one to have made a Pro Bowl as a defensive back. But it was good enough to rank second in the NFL in pass defense and second in interceptions.
Bills coach Chan Gailey has glowed about his unit.
"I've gone to a lot of teams," Gailey said at the NFL owners meetings. "I don't know that I've ever gone to a team that the secondary -- I'm talking corner and safety position -- is as strong as we have right now overall.
"When I went to Dallas, when I went to Miami, when I went to Pittsburgh they were all good. But I'm not so sure that this isn't the strongest group."
Left cornerback Terrence McGee went to a Pro Bowl as a kick returner. Right cornerback Leodis McKelvin, coming off injured reserve, was the 11th overall pick two years ago. Drayton Florence started 13 games at right cornerback last year. Reggie Corner started six games at left cornerback.
Safety Donte Whitner was the eighth pick four years ago. George Wilson emerged as the starting strong safety after Bryan Scott was moved to linebacker out of desperation.
"We have a lot of pride," Byrd said. "We're very confident in our abilities. We know we have some challenges ahead, but I think we're all working hard and we're ready to take them on."
The inactive lists were just distributed with no surprises. Cornerback Terrence McGee is back after missing three games following minor knee surgery, but Reggie Corner will start on the left side anyway.
New York Jets inactive list
- Quarterback Erik Ainge (third QB)
- Quarterback Kevin O'Connell
- Offensive lineman Robert Turner
- Defensive end Ropati Pitoitua
- Linebacker Kenwin Cummings
- Linebacker Ryan Fowler
- Cornerback Dwight Lowery
- Cornerback Donald Strickland
- Quarterback Brian Brohm
- Receiver Steve Johnson
- Receiver James Hardy
- Left tackle Demetrius Bell
- Defensive tackle John McCargo
- Defensive end Chris Ellis
- Defensive back Cary Harris
- Cornerback Ashton Youboty
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| Andrew Mills/US Presswire | |
| Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez blames himself for the team’s loss to the Bills. |
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Mark Sanchez climbed the steps up to the podium and stopped for a moment to gather himself. He peeled a scribble of black athletic tape off the bottom of his shower sandal, buying himself a couple extra seconds. Then he drew a deep breath and emphatically exhaled before assuming his position behind the lectern.
Sanchez, the New York Jets rookie quarterback, was going to try to answer questions after Sunday's deplorable performance at the Meadowlands.
He threw five interceptions to facilitate a 16-13 Buffalo Bills overtime victory, the Jets' (3-3) third straight defeat.
"Just an embarrassing day," were the first words Sanchez spoke into the microphone. "I just gave that team the win. Credit to them for catching all those passes."
None of the outside factors mattered, not the opposition, a missing go-to receiver or the unlucky bounces.
The weather wasn't the reason either. His arm was warm enough, the ball dry enough.
Sanchez simply wasn't good enough.
"It was just a poor day accuracy-wise, a couple misreads," Sanchez said. "I really let this team down. There's no excuse for that."
Interceptions weren't his only problems. Sanchez fumbled with nobody around him 38 seconds before halftime. He fell on it at the Buffalo 32-yard line, but the Jets had to call their final timeout and, two plays later, had to hurry Jay Feely off the sideline for a 44-yard attempt that sailed too far left.
Sanchez also took a bad sack in the fourth quarter, turning a second-and-8 into a third-and-24 with about 4:30 remaining in regulation.
Sanchez was so wretched, head coach Rex Ryan considered yanking the player who looked so smooth through the Jets' first three games, his teammates started calling him the Sanchise.
On Sunday, the offense was disenSanchised by his interceptions, which have become commonplace.
In a 14-point loss to the New Orleans Saints two weeks ago, Sanchez chucked three interceptions -- Darren Sharper took one back 99 yards -- and lost a fumble in the end zone for another touchdown. Sanchez bounced back with a decent game last Monday night, but the Miami Dolphins still beat the Jets.
"In six games, we have three losses, and I feel like two of those losses you can blame on No. 6," Sanchez said, referring to his jersey number. "It's not a good feeling. I've got to turn this thing around."
Over his past three games, Sanchez has completed 36 of 80 passes for 429 yards and one touchdown with eight interceptions. He has a 26.5 passer rating for those games. He also was sacked seven times.
"Mark is going through a learning curve," Jets right tackle Damien Woody said. "We just have to ride it out. We are going to have a tough stretch, but he is still our quarterback."
Jets fans frequently booed him Sunday. If his struggles resume, fans will begin to wonder if Kellen Clemens would provide an offensive spark.
The Jets' defense is playing well enough to win. The Jets' running game is holding its own, especially Sunday. Thomas Jones ripped off runs of 64 and 71 yards on his way to a 210-yard day, the best of his career. The Jets amassed 318 rushing yards, second-most in franchise history.
But their blue-chip quarterback has been throwing it away. The Jets became only the seventh team in NFL history to have a 200-yard rusher and lose the game. What's worse, the Bills won their first AFC East game since 2007, and they pulled it off with their backup quarterback.
"You're not going to win too many games throwing five picks," Ryan said. "I thought about pulling him, but I still believe in him.
"He gives us the best chance to win, and he will remain our quarterback."
Those weren't acrobatic interceptions by the Bills (2-4), who picked off six passes total. Sanchez hung passes up for grabs or sent them right into their receptacles. Rookie safety Jairus Byrd came down with two interceptions. Linebacker Paul Posluszny absorbed one with his torso. Reserve defensive backs Reggie Corner, George Wilson and John Wendling had one apiece. In fairness, Sanchez did not throw the pass Wendling intercepted: Punter Steve Weatherford, who bobbled a snap on Jay Feeley's 50-yard field-goal attempt early in overtime, tossed a prayer that Wendling snatched.
"We had their quarterback under stress all day long," Posluszny said. "Our defensive line really put a lot of pressure on Mark Sanchez, forcing him to move around a lot and make him uncomfortable. Any time you can do that to a quarterback, it usually works out for your back seven."
The golden boy from Southern California never had bestowed five interceptions in a game at any level. He threw four his entire senior season at Mission Viejo High, five his entire sophomore season at USC. He tossed 10 as a junior at USC, but three was the most he ever threw in a game, a 28-0 laugher over Arizona State.
Sunday was Sanchez's first game in the type of weather a New York quarterback has to cope with on a regular basis. The wind was gusty, the air frigid, the sky gray.
"I don’t think it affected me at all," Sanchez said. "To be totally honest, I don't know if I could have played any worse. The ball wasn't slipping out of my hands. The weather isn't a factor when you're making all the wrong reads. The weather isn't a factor when you're missing Dustin [Keller] wide open over the middle.
"There's no way I can blame it on the weather. The wind didn't blow the ball to the defenders."
True enough. Sanchez went into Sunday with five interceptions. Three of them were thrown in the Superdome, another in Reliant Stadium with the retractable roof closed.
The dazzling first impression Sanchez made in his NFL debut against the Houston Texans has been nullified. He threw for 272 yards and a touchdown, becoming just the fourth rookie to win his NFL debut on the road on opening day.
Despite being composed in managing the Jets to a 3-0 start, Sanchez hasn't eclipsed 175 yards passing since his debut. He has fumbled at least once in four of his six games.
After the game, Sanchez's teammates gave him encouraging nods, slapped him on the pads, offered words of support.
As he stood behind the podium at his news conference, Sanchez was self-deprecatingly confused.
"I don't know how they do it," Sanchez said. "It says a lot about how they feel about me and the kind of faith they have in me. So I have to perform.
"It's the first time something like this has happened to me, and hopefully it's the last."
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Some random thoughts from Thursday night's preseason finale in Ralph Wilson Stadium, where the Detroit Lions beat the Buffalo Bills 17-6.
The Bills' first-team offense didn't play, ensuring it finishes the preseason without a touchdown. The first-unit offensive line went a few series, but none of the skill players did. Trent Edwards, Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, Terrell Owens and Lee Evans all got the night off.
For the record, the Bills' first unit played 16 series. It ran 78 plays for 269 net yards. The possessions ended in nine punts, three interceptions, two fumbles, one field goal and halftime.
Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson looked like Montana and Rice. Of course, it must be noted the Bills opened with their second-string defense. But it sure was fun to watch Johnson perform. He had two catches for 46 yards and had a 34-yard touchdown nullified by a holding call.
The Bills' second-team defense showed flashes against the Lions' first-team offense. Rookie pass-rusher Aaron Maybin got to Stafford for a strip sack the Bills recovered. Defensive tackle John McCargo also notched a sack in the first quarter. Reggie Corner intercepted Stafford on the opening play of the second quarter.
Rookie guards Eric Wood and Andy Levitre played the entire first half. The rest of the starting line came out a few series earlier, but head coach Dick Jauron wanted the newbies to get as many game reps as possible. Before they exited, left tackle Langston Walker was flagged for holding and center Geoff Hangartner committed a false start.
Steve Johnson shook off a rough start to make a couple of sensational plays. Johnson dropped a pass and was whistled for a false start in the first half. But he played most of the game and became Gibran Hamdan's favorite target in the second half. Johnson made a pair of phenomenal catches for 27 and 33 yards despite tight coverage in the third quarter.
Rough night for tight ends Derek Schouman and Jonathan Stupar. Schouman fumbled the ball on consecutive receptions in the first quarter. He gathered the first one himself, but lost the second. Stupar dropped two passes in the first half.
Rookie defensive back Ellis Lankster is fun to watch. The seventh-round draft pick keeps standing out. He made some mental mistakes, but there's a crackle about him. The stat team credited Lankster with three tackles, including one for a 1-yard loss. He had a 23-yard punt return.
The Bills' punt return team burnt by another fake. In the Hall of Fame Game, the Tennessee Titans ran a brilliant fake that sprung punter A.J. Trapasso for a 40-yard touchdown. The Lions ripped off a 20-yarder at the end of the third quarter Thursday night.
CANTON, Ohio -- What a rush it must have been for Reggie Corner, bolting up the sideline into the end zone in his Buffalo Bills uniform after intercepting a pass in the stadium where he played high school football.
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| Jason Miller/US Presswire | |
| Buffalo Bills cornerback Reggie Corner intercepted a pass from Titans rookie quarterback Alex Mortensen, son of ESPN's Chris, for a touchdown. |
Now Corner's wondering if it might come back to haunt him.
The quarterback Corner intercepted is Titans rookie Alex Mortensen -- of the ESPN Mortensens.
That's right. His father is Chris Mortensen, who was watching from the press box.
"Wow. Hopefully, he don't bad-talk me," Corner said with sheepish grin when informed who he victimized in the fourth quarter.
The play would turn out to be Alex Mortensen's last.
The undrafted free agent from Arkansas relieved third-stringer Patrick Ramsey. Mortensen completed his first NFL pass, a 10-yard gain to running back Rodney Ferguson for a first down.
His next pass sailed past tight end Craig Stevens and straight to Corner. Ramsey went back into the game on the next possession.
"The quarterback's a good quarterback," Corner said. "He showed poise for the most part. It's preseason. Everybody makes mistakes."
But will Corner be monitoring Chris Mortensen on ESPN in the coming days?
"I'm pretty sure I'll hear about it if something goes sideways," Corner joked.
CANTON, Ohio -- Stifling is the best word I can come up with.
The Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans broke a sweat just thinking about playing tonight's Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at Fawcett Stadium.
Temperatures reached the mid-90s this afternoon in Northeast Ohio. While the heat has eased a tad as shadows have gotten longer, it's still a sauna here.
Both teams are on the field, showing off their AFL throwback uniforms. The Bills are in their white-on-white duds and white helmets with the red buffalo. The Titans are honoring their origins in Houston Oilers gear. They're wearing blue jerseys, white pants and blue helmets with the derrick.
Only things missing are kickers in single-bar facemasks.
Here are a few pregame notes and storylines to follow for tonight's game:
- Terrell Owens will be making his Bills debut. Don't expect him to play long, though.
- The Bills will operate their no-huddle offense against a live opponent for the first time.
- New left tackle Langston Walker will get to face right end Kyle Vanden Bosch.
- Gibran Hamdan, not Ryan Fitzpatrick, is listed as the No. 2 quarterback on Buffalo's pregame depth chart.
- Marshawn Lynch, who will be suspended for the first three games, is listed as the starting running back.
- Rookie guards Eric Wood and Andy Levitre are in the starting lineup.
- Bills cornerback Reggie Corner is a Canton native and played high school games at Fawcett Stadium.
As competitive as the AFC East was last year, what happened this weekend at the draft could make the difference in deciding the playoffs.
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Eleven victories last year weren't enough to get the New England Patriots into the postseason. With quarterback Tom Brady coming back from his knee injury and with some new blood on board, the Patriots are the favorites to win the AFC East.
The New York Jets, desperate to get over the hump, made two splashy trades to acquire two potential offensive stars.
The Buffalo Bills -- stuck on 7-9 for three straight seasons -- made some head-scratching picks, ignoring tackle and loading up on defensive backs, a position that was relatively healthy.
Best move
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| James Lang/US Presswire | |
| Trading up to draft Mark Sanchez was a bold move for the Jets. |
They parted with two substantial draft picks and three players who might not have started in 2009 to get the franchise-caliber quarterback they believe in.
For that alone, regardless of how Mark Sanchez pans out, the Jets deserve credit for pulling off the deal.
Sanchez gives the Jets the best leading-man candidate in decades. He's their earliest-drafted quarterback since they selected Joe Namath first overall in the 1965 AFL draft.
The Jets began the process of drifting away from Chad Pennington in 2007, when they drafted Kellen Clemens in the second round.
They obviously haven't been satisfied with Clemens as an option. They wanted him to seize the job last summer, but Pennington outplayed him. The Jets, eager for a solution, boldly traded for Brett Favre and cut Pennington. Favre lasted one season before arm problems forced him to retire again, putting Clemens back atop the depth chart.
In eight months, we'll have a better idea of what Sanchez can do for the Jets, but we probably won't know how great the pick was for three years.
But the Jets gave themselves their best opportunity in generations to find a star quarterback. For that alone, they've made the best move of the draft.
Riskiest move
The Buffalo Bills traded Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters a week before the draft and didn't select a tackle.
You can look at this three ways: 1) the Bills are confident veteran Langston Walker and second-year project Demetrius Bell can handle the tackle positions; 2) they might be working on a trade for someone like Levi Jones after the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Andre Smith; or 3) Buffalo's front office doesn't know what it's doing.
Buffalo went with Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin, Louisville center Eric Wood, Oregon defensive back Jairus Byrd, Oregon State guard Andy Levitre, Southern Miss tight end Shawn Nelson, Oklahoma linebacker/safety Nic Harris, Southern California cornerback Cary Harris and West Virginia cornerback Ellis Lankster.
Maybin and Wood can easily be justified as first-round choices. But the Bills are adding a variable to Wood's future by moving him to guard after he started 49 straight games as Louisville's center.
What's with all the defensive backs?
The Bills seemed to have their secondary penciled out heading into the draft: Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin or Drayton Florence at cornerback and Donte Whitner, Bryan Scott and George Wilson at safety.
McKelvin was the 11th player chosen overall last year. He is
expected to step in for Jabari Greer, a free agent who went to the New Orleans Saints. The Bills brought in Florence for help. Ashton Youboty and Reggie Corner also are on the roster.
Whitner was the eighth overall pick in 2006.
Within the next nine picks after the Bills selected Levitre, three tackles went off the board. The Minnesota Vikings took Oklahoma's Phil Loadholt. The New England Patriots drafted Houston's Sebastian Vollmer. The New York Giants chose Connecticut's Will Beatty.
Most surprising move
Patriots overlord Bill Belichick passed on a variety of striking defensive prospects when he moved totally out of the first round to gather more draft picks.
Southern California linebackers Clay Matthews and Rey Maualuga, Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis and Illinois cornerback Vontae Davis were around, but the Patriots weren't interested.
None of these decisions seemed like a surprise when it happened, but if someone were to tell you before the draft that the Patriots would have at least one crack at those prospects -- in some cases, two or three cracks -- you would've bet your last penny they'd draft one. Each would look natural in Patriots' gear.
It's not like we misread the Patriots' needs either. The Patriots were going after those positions. They drafted defensive backs Patrick Chung and Darius Butler in the second round and linebacker Tyrone McKenzie in the third round.
You can't argue with Belichick's judgment when it comes to player evaluations, especially on the defensive side.
Still, to think none of those players landed in Foxborough, Mass. seems strange.
File it away
In what could go down as a classic example that Bill Parcells and his acolytes know more than everybody else, the Dolphins drafted Patrick Turner from Southern California in the third round. He was the 13th receiver off the board, and that might have been a reach.
Scouts Inc. rated him the 38th best receiver in the draft. Pro Football Weekly's draft guide ranked Turner 30th, saying he "has no upside" and that he benefited from facing single coverage because the Trojans' offense was so loaded. Lindy's Pro Football ranked him 18th.
But Turner is 6 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 223 pounds, and the Dolphins don't have much size at receiver. They made a boo-boo when they signed free agent Ernest Wilford to provide a big target, but he played so small he usually wore street clothes on game day.
Turner caught 49 passes for 741 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
"I feel I bring a red-zone threat," Turner said. "I feel I bring a lot of mismatches. I feel like I'm a possession receiver.
"I feel that in the fringe area, to be a bigger guy, I feel I run pretty good routes, and I feel sure-handed, like I can contribute."
If Turner works out, he'll make Parcells look like an even bigger genius.
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Buffalo Bills aren't stoked by the idea, but they're prepared to move on without cornerback Jabari Greer.
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An NFL source close to negotiations told me Saturday morning that the Bills and Greer's agent, Mark Bloom, aren't in the same area code on financial terms. The Bills have offered five years and $20 million, but Greer is looking for closer to $7 million or $8 million depending on the length of the contract and guarantees.
What hurt the Bills' chances of re-signing Greer was Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kelvin Hayden re-signing Thursday for five years, $43 million.
Greer is the Bills' most important free agent, but it looks like they'll lose him. He's one of the top five most attractive free-agent cornerbacks and would do much better on the open market than what the Bills are offering.
"I'm excited about the opportunity of my life," Greer said. "I'm in position to have the opportunity to evaluate what I'm worth. It'll be fun. I'm interested to see what other teams are going to do.
"It's kind of like being recruited in college all over again. I'll be visiting teams. They'll be interviewing me. I feel fortunate to be in this situation. It makes me feel young again."
If they can't close the gap in negotiations, it will be a positive development for Buffalo's other starting cornerback, Terrence McGee, who is entering the final year of his contract.
The Bills viewed Greer and McGee as an either-or proposition with two players from last year's draft, Leodis McKelvin and Reggie Corner, emerging on the depth chart.
Greer missed six games with a knee injury last year, but started all 10 of the other games at right corner after fending off McKelvin, the 11th overall draft choice, in training camp. Greer had 43 tackles and two interceptions, returning both for touchdowns. He defensed nine passes and forced a fumble.
The Buffalo Bills placed slot cornerback Ashton Youboty on injured reserve Friday, giving them one fewer defensive back for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots in Gillette Stadium.
The Bills' secondary is hurting something fierce. Strong safety and captain Donte Whitner, who also had been filling in for Youboty in the slot, is out with a separated shoulder. Right cornerback Terrence McGee isn't quite 100 percent recovered from his sprained knee.
Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel and his targets, especially slot receiver Wes Welker, couldn't be happier. Welker has caught at least six passes in every game this year. The only other receiver in NFL history to have done that is Jimmy Smith for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2001.
Here is what the Patriots should expect to face Sunday.
Strong safety: Bryan Scott.
The sixth-year pro has played in every game, starting two at free safety. Scott has one sack. He was the Atlanta Falcons' starter in 2004 and 2005.
The hard-hitting Whitner has 37 tackles, one sack and two forced fumbles. He could be out a few weeks.
Free safety: Ko Simpson.
He temporarily lost his job to Scott because he wasn't playing up to snuff. Simpson started 15 games as a rookie in 2006, but suffered a season-ending leg injury in last year's opener. He has 30 tackles.
Slot cornerback: Reggie Corner.
The fourth-round draft choice worked at this position almost exclusively in training camp and preseason, while 11th overall selection Leodis McKelvin worked on the outside. Corner was inactive the first four games.
That Whitner filled this role when Youboty couldn't play doesn't speak well of where McKelvin is in his development. For perspective, the Patriots drafted linebacker Jerod Mayo with the 10th overall pick. Mayo has been an every-down player from the hop.
Right cornerback: McGee.
Sunday will be McGee's third game back after missing two with a sprained knee. He looked like a burnt matchstick after Miami Dolphins receiver Ted Ginn got through with him, but McGee played more press coverage in last week's loss to the New York Jets. That's a good sign. The Pro Bowl returner has 26 tackles, two interceptions and five passes defensed.
Left cornerback: Jabari Greer.
Greer is the only Bills defensive back to start every game. He has 34 tackles, two interceptions (both for touchdowns) and a team-high seven passes defensed.
The Bills drafted McKelvin and Corner and signed free-agent Will James because they didn't think they were strong enough at Greer's position, but Greer fended off all challengers in camp.
The Buffalo Bills had two weeks to get ready for the San Diego Chargers but that wasn't enough time for the Bills' secondary to get healthy.
Bills coach Dick Jauron already has ruled out starting cornerback Terrence McGee, who suffered a knee injury in Week 4. Another cornerback, Ashton Youbouty, is listed as questionable with a sore foot.
"He is very limited in team [drills] and very limited in the look-squad stuff," Jauron said of Youboty. "So we're just trying to get him through it. Again, we'll just have to see how that thing feels at game time."
That should be troubling for Bills fans. The Chargers have the No. 8 ranked passing offense and are coming off a game in which Philip Rivers targeted the New England Patriots corners for several long gains. Rivers threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns. He did so without Chris Chambers, who's listed as doubtful for Sunday.
The Bills might need to lean on rookies Leodis McKelvin and Reggie Corner more than they'd like.
Asked if the Bills will need to get creative in how they line up in the secondary, Jauron simply replied "Absolutely."
Listed as questionable on the Bills' injury report are Pro Bowl defensive end Aaron Schobel (foot) and starting center Melvin Fowler (elbow). Duke Preston would start if Fowler can't go.New England Patriots
- For Patriots fans ready to curl into a fetal poisiton, Eric Mchugh of the Quincy (Mass.) Patriot Ledger has a soothing mantra for you.
- Boston Globe reporter Christopher L. Gasper writes the Patriots aren't in a tizzy over their 0-3 record: "Right now, as far as we're concerned we're 0-3 in the preseason," CB Ellis Hobbs said, "but we're still 0-0."
- Boston Globe writer Mike Reiss saw "breakdowns in seemingly every area" of Friday night's 27-17 loss to the Eagles.
- The Patriots can't seem to figure out how to win without Tom Brady, writes Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald.
- Matt Gutierrez's impressive second-half performance leads off Guregian's notebook from Friday night's defeat.
Buffalo Bills
- Olean Times-Herald sports editor Chuck Pollock checks in with healthy MLB Paul Posluszny.
- Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle gets caught up the DE Chris Kelsay, who's trying to rebound from a disappointing 2007.
- Buffalo News scribe Rodney McKissic gives a peek at how rookie CB Reggie Corner is navigating his learning curve.
Miami Dolphins
- Miami Herald writer Jeff Darlington tells us how the Dolphins handle their cuts.
- Palm Beach Post columnist Greg Stoda gets laughed at when he asks the Dolphins if they're pursuing Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt.
- Edgar Thompson of the Palm Beach Post breaks down the offseason veteran imports and their chances of making the 53-man roster.
- Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reporter Harvey Fialkov writes about RB Ricky Williams' maturation.
- New York Times writer Dave Caldwell walks down memory lane as the Jets prepare to pick up and move from their Long Island headquarters.
- Dave Hutchinson of the Newark Star-Ledger wonders if Brett Favre is in shape to play the first half and perhaps into the third quarter tonight against the Giants.
- New York Daily News reporter Rich Cimini updates the offensive line's evolution.
