Toronto Bills Blog

The Bills have signed defensive end Will Croner. The 6 – 2, 280 pound rookie free agent from Howard University was voted to the All-MEAC second team. Last year he had 64 tackles and an interception. He played offense his first two and one-half years of college ball before transitioning to defense. Croner will compete to make the Bills roster when rookie training camp opens next week.

Buffalo has signed two undrafted rookie free agents. Linebacker Antonio Coleman from Auburn and defensive back Dominique Harris from Temple have joined the squad. The 6 – 1, 248 pound Coleman had 24.5 career sacks and earned Southeastern Conference honors. Harris, at 6 – 2, 213 pounds, had 71 tackles, 2 sacks, and an interception. They will participate in Bills rookie minicamp which opens May 7.

Bills rookie Ed Wang made history as the first NFL player of full Chinese descent. The offensive tackle was born in Virginia to Chinese immigrant parents who were both Olympic athletes. The 6 – 5, 314 pound Wang played college ball at Virginia Tech. He was drafted by Buffalo in the fifth round. He is expected to increase mainland Chinese interest in pro football. Wang is already being compared to Yao Ming, the sensational Chinese basketball player for the Houston Rockets.

The Bills have signed two undrafted free agents. Safety Brett Johnson from the University of California and receiver Naaman Roosevelt from the University at Buffalo have joined the squad. Johnson had 107 career tackles, 3 interceptions, and 1 touchdown. Roosevelt had 268 career receptions, 3,551 receiving yards, and 28 touchdowns. The 6 – 0, 187 pound Roosevelt broke every receiving record for the Bulls. Last year he had 70 catches for 964 yards and 9 touchdowns. They will join the Buffalo draft picks for rookie minicamp which opens May 7.

Quarterback Levi Brown was drafted by the Bills in the seventh round. The 6 – 3, 229 pound Brown started 2 years at Troy. He has size and quick release. Chan Gailey, a former head coach for the Trojans, said he has a good arm and a chance to compete. He will join existing Buffalo quarterbacks Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Brian Brohm. He reunites with former Troy teammate Leodis McKelvin on the Bills squad. It is discouraging that Buffalo did not draft a name quarterback to compete for the starting job.

Buffalo drafted Marcus Easley in the fourth round. The 6 – 2, 210 pound University of Connecticut receiver had 48 receptions for 8 touchdowns and 893 yards last year. The draft was a dismal disappointment for the Bills again this year. It calls to question the judgment of new head coach Chan Gailey and general manager Buddy Nix. They failed to address the critical need for a quarterback and offensive tackle. Instead they took marginal players to fill positions that are not pressing. Expect another long and frustrating season. There will be no meaningful change until the team is sold and new management cleans house.

The Bills drafted two defensive linemen yesterday. Torell Troup from Central Florida was selected in the second round. The 6 – 2, 314 pound defensive tackle will play nose tackle in the new 3 – 4 defense as backup to Kyle Williams. Defensive end Alex Carrington from Arkansas State was taken in the third round. At 6 – 5, 285 pounds, the pass rusher will provide depth behind Marcus Stroud. The Bills incredibly did not draft a quarterback. Jimmy Clausen was taken by Carolina and Colt McCoy went to Cleveland. Without a future francise quarterback, the ten year playoff drought is unlikely to be broken.

Buffalo drafted running back C.J. Spiller from Clemson with the first round pick. The 5 – 11, 196 pound Spiller was named Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. He had 1,212 college rushing yards, 503 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns. He started only 19 of 52 games. We question the wisdom of taking another running back when the team already has Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. The Bills are in desperate need of a quarterback, offensive tackle, and nose tackle. This choice defies logic. Tim Tebow has already been taken by the Broncos. Fans can only hope that Jimmy Clausen is still available by the Bills 41st overall pick in the second round.

The NFL draft starts tonight in New York City. The Bills have a total of 9 picks, including the 9th, 41st, and 72nd overall. Fans can only hope that there will not be a repeat of the past decade’s failed drafts. The lack of standout talent on the Buffalo roster testifies to bad judgment and squandered opportunities. This will be 70 year old general manager Buddy Nix’s first draft for the Bills. Whether he takes a quarterback remains to be seen. He may opt for an offensive or defensive tackle. Rumors have him interested in pass rusher Derrick Morgan of Georgia Tech, who has ties to Chan Gailey. Yesterday’s schedule announcement with no prime time games points to the irrelevance that Buffalo has become as a national contender. The draft is a chance to start turning things around.

The Bills will play the Bears at the Rogers Centre on November 7. This will be the third regular season game in the 5 year Bills Toronto Series. They will also host a preseason game against Indianapolis in Toronto on August 19. The schedule announced yesterday calls for the Bills to open against Miami. They then play 3 playoff teams. There will be no prime time games this year. The bye is in week 6. Along with the rest of the AFC East, they will play the NFC North teams this season. The standout non-division home game is against Pittsburgh on November 28.