This contract, which has an option for a fifth year, is a great one for the 6-foot-1 190 lb. corner from South Carolina.

Gilmore was a star for the Gamecocks as he started 40 games in his three year career, including being a two-time all conference selection in one of the toughest conferences in America, the SEC.

Gilmore,, who was the second corner taken in the draft behind Morris Claiborne from LSU, is happy to be able to get the contract done and out of the way.

”I wasn’t going to let it be a distraction. I wasn’t really worried about it,” he said in a statement released by the team. ”I knew it was going to come through. Now I can just focus on football and do what I want to do.”

The Bills have already seemed to make room for the rookie by releasing veteran corner Drayton Florence last week, and Gilmore seems to be relishing the opportunity.

The three day rookie-mini camp has already seen Gilmore play well as he was breaking up passes and making plays in his first days in a Bills uniform.

It will be exciting and interesting to see how he comes in and plays with the veterans, as he will be part of a hopefully strong, new-look defense in Buffalo.

The other corners on the active roster right now include, Ron Brooks, Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, Prince Miller, Justin Rogers, and Aaron Williams. 

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Quarterbacks:
Ryan Fitzpatrick – The “Amish Riffle” electrified the Bills’ offense in 2011.  Fitzpatrick threw for just under 4,000 yards (3,832 yards) and added an impressive 24 touchdowns, as he was a critical cog in the Bills’ 5-2 starts. “Fitzy” unfortunately is the true definition of a gun-slinging quarterback, as he threw a NFL-leading 23 interceptions.  Fitzpatrick will always test the defense downfield, which can be amazing, but can also be disastrous for any fantasy owner.  He will always have games with 2-3 touchdowns, but he will mix them in with 2 or 3 interception games as well. Fitzpatrick is a better bench quarterback for now, or a mid-level starter in leagues that start two quarterbacks.

Vince Young – After coming into Western New York a couple weeks ago to workout with the Bills, the team was reportedly done with contract negotiations with Young.  Then out of nowhere, the Bills offered him a one-year, $2 million dollar contract last week. He will likely win the backup role over current second-string quarterback, Tyler Thigpen, and thus see a heavy dose of playing time this preseason to get acclimated with the playbook.  There will be a small number of Fitzpatrick “haters” who will draft Young based on his career 31-19 record, but they will quickly find out about the pitfalls of waiting on a backup quarterback to overcome the starter, that is unless your name is Tim Tebow.

Running backs:
Fred Jackson – Jackson was on top of the NFL in rushing yardage with over 900 yards, before a horribly timed broken leg in week 11 that cost him the remainder of his career season.  Jackson averaged a stellar 5.5 yards per carry on the year though and was the main beneficiary of the Bills’ newly implemented down hill running game.  Buffalo rewarded him for his hard work with a two-year extension this off-season and Jackson will be a great fantasy back to grab after the third round that will still receive 20-plus touches a game.  Jackson has become the definition of a fantasy workhorse and head coach Chan Gailey will certainly pound the rock inside with “Fast Freddy”.

C. J. Spiller – Spiller truly showcased his versatility last season, by playing both running back and wide receiver, as the team’s injury concerns were at an all-time high. However after the aforementioned Jackson injury, Spiller was brought back into the backfield permanently. Spiller started six games in Jackson’s absence and the former Clemson Tiger averaged 73.3 rushing yards and 31.2 receiving yards per game during that time. On top of averaging 104 yards per game in his brief six-game starting stint, Spiller scored five touchdowns as well. Spiller can be an amazing fantasy flex player with only 10-15 touches per game and will be one of the premier sleepers heading into the 2012 season, as the Bills finally seem dedicated to getting the ball in his hands.

Wide Receivers:
Steve Johnson – Johnson should be 100% healthy following his groin surgery earlier this month, which is an exceptionally good sign considering the amount of money Buffalo just paid the receiver.  He is extremely physical for a wideout his size and has deceptive speed always seems to catch opposing cornerbacks sleeping over the top.  He has become one of the premier fantasy receivers in the game, and even better, comes well after the top 10 wideouts are already off the board. Fantasy owners should expect another 1,000 yard-season and 7-10 touchdowns.

David Nelson – Nelson had a very surprising 2011 fantasy season.  He caught 61 balls with 5 touchdowns and turned out to be a huge waiver wire find for Bills fans around the fantasy universe.  Nelson will have a tougher time this year with all the competition at the position, so homers should avoid him if possible in 2012.

T. J. Graham – Graham was a third-round pick out of North Carolina State and is an absolute burner on the outside.  He has the raw speed to be able to get behind any cornerback in the game, which can lead to a lot of long scores for fantasy owners. Graham will need to polish his route running to get consistent playing time, but his blazing speed will get him on the field, one way or another.  He is a late round pick at best in deeper fantasy leagues, but could surprise with 5-7 long scores.

Tight End:
Scott Chandler – Chandler was the leading tight end through the first three weeks of the 2011 season with an outstanding 4 touchdowns.  He lived in between the hashes early on and was Fitzpatrick’s safety blanket in the red-zone.  However, as the year wore on he stopped getting separation from the defense and eventually was barely part of the team’s passing attack. The Bills brought Chandler back by re-signing him to a two-year deal this off-season, and the team would not have brought him back to not get involved offensively.  He should benefit from the Jackson coming back healthy and taking more pressure of him in the middle of the field.

Check back closer to the start of the season for my full fantasy football report of the Buffalo Bills.

This past week the Buffalo Bills have been holding their annual rookie mini-camp with both drafted and undrafted rookie prospects.  This is the chance for the team to get a first good look at not only the players that they drafted, but other players that they didn’t pick in the three day draft.

Here is a list of all of the players invited, as well as their college and position.  Broken down into three main categories

1st year players
87 – Kevin Brock – TE – 2011 practice squad
93 - Jay Ross – DT – 2011 practice squad
62 – Jake Vermiglio – G – 2011 practice squad
68 – Keith Williams – G – 2011 practice squad
69 – Mike Jasper – G – 2011 practice squad

Draft choices and undrafteds
3 - John Potter - K - Western Michigan 
6 - Shawn Powell - P - Florida State 
7 - Aaron Corp - QB - Richmond 
11 - T.J. Graham - WR - NC State 
27 - Stephon Gilmore - CB - South Carolina 
33 - Ron Brooks - CB - LSU
35 - Chris Douglas - RB - Missouri State 
36 - Delano Howell - DB - Stanford 
39 - Cris Hill - DB - Virginia Tech 
40 - Garrick Williams – LB - Texas A&M 
41 - Nick Sukay - DB - Penn State 
42 - Ian Wild - DB - Mercyhurst 
45 - Tank Carder - LB - TCU 
53 - Nigel Bradham - LB - Florida State 
61 - David Snow - C - Texas
63 - Mark Asper - OL - Oregon 
66 - Zebrie Sanders - OT - Florida State 
73 - Paul Madsen - OL - Colorado State 
77 - Cordy Glenn - OT - Georgia 

Tryout players (wearing red jerseys – R)
1R Taylor Boggs - C - Humboldt State 
2R Zach Brown - RB - Pittsburgh 
3R Vince Browne - DE - Northwestern 
4R Derek Buttles - TE - Maine 
5R Roddell Carter - WR - Alabama-Birmingham 
6R Nick Clark – LB - Alfred
7R Dominic Cook - DB - Buffalo 
8R Gino Crump - WR - Arizona 
9R Dorin Dickerson - FB - Pittsburgh 
10R Sean Ferguson - DE - Mississippi State 
11R Kevin Fitzpatrick – WR - Marist 
12R Corey Hart - DE - Alabama A&M 
13R Johnny Hollins - DT - Texas Southern 
14R Brian Smith – LB – Notre Dame 
15R Byron Mulkey - DB - Buffalo 
16R Nick Saenz - S - Houston 
17R Derek Session - WR - Maine 
18R Bernard Smith - DE - Louisiana-Lafayette 
19R Alex Tanney - QB - Monmouth College 
20R Jeff Thomas - LB - Indiana
21R Logan Walls - DT - Georgia Tech

With one of the Bills top players, Fred Jackson, being an undrafted player it is only fair to give each of these guys chance.  You never know who you’ll find.

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“He’s done some great things,”  head coach Chan Gailey said on the quarterback.  ”(Buddy Nix (the team’s GM)) thought that was a great guy for us to bring in because we’ve talked all along about wanting to continually try to bring in guys who can compete for jobs. And he can compete for a job. I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Young will be able to compete for a starting job with the current quarterbacks on the roster, and bring in a strong resume with him into camp.  Young was not only able to win a national title in his final college game at Texas vs. USC in one of the greatest games in college football history, he was also able to earn the NFL Rookie of the Year award for the Tennessee Titans as well as win quite a few games under center for Tennessee.

Outside of just a resume, Young has the tools to match.

“He’s got a great arm. When he worked out here, he threw it very well,” Gailey added.  “Everybody knows his mobility. He brings you that, and he’s won football games in the NFL. That’s another positive.”

“He’s another playmaker for us and they’ll find ways to get him in there to compete. He’s another good signing for us so we’ll see what happens,” said running back Fred Jackson. “I’m sure he can still play. He’s a playmaker and made plays all the time when he had the opportunity.”

While Jackson did make sure to clearly state that he knows Ryan Fitzpatrick is still the team’s starter, and he’s ready to go into battle with Fitz, it is nice to see him so excited by the move.

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While the move may not come as a surprise when you think of that fact that the Bills were the only team to bring the quarterback in for a work out, it is a surprise when you consider the team we are talking about here, the Buffalo Bills.

This is a team and franchise that for most of my football following life of 22 years they have failed to be aggressive and actually make good, smart moves.

This off-season though has turned things on it’s head.  From the signings of Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, to the re-signings of Stevie Johnson and Fred Jackson, and even the  drafting of Stephon Gilmore it seems like every move this team has made has been a good one.

I’d like to add this one to the list.

Bringing in a solid backup quarterback can be the difference in a successful season.  While more often than not that guy will not see the field, the fact that he is their in case something does happen, and that he can push the other players in practice is a huge plus for me.

I could not be happier with the Bills moves this off-season so far and I can’t wait to see where it all ends up in the fall.

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This was a big move for the team and the fans as they took care of one of their own, and re-signed arguably the team’s best player on offense (934 yards in just over nine games this past season) who is also a huge fan favorite in Western New York.

Looking at Jackson’s stats over his career he has had one 1,000 yard season (1,062 yards in 2009) and two 900 plus yard seasons (the last two years).  While these numbers may not blow anyone away, from a leadership point, as well as the fact that he was one of the league’s top running back last season before the injury this was a move the team absolutely had to make.

Having Fred Jackson on the roster can be a huge plus for team’s other running back, C.J. Spiller. Even though Spiller was a top 10 draft pick coming out of college, I’m still not 100% sure that he can be an every down back in the NFL at this point in his career.

Bringing Jackson back in the fold as the clear number one running back should be able to help Spiller both on and off the field.  Not only will Spiller be able to be a compliment and use his speed and game-changing abilities in limited amounts, like I believe he should be used right now, he will also be able to learn how to grow up and be a professional in the league.

From everything that I have read and seen from Jackson he is the ultimate pro’s pro, and a great face for this franchise that clearly needs one from their current group of players.

When the Bills (finally) end their long playoff drought I want and hope Jackson will be a part of it, and with this two year contract extension I have a feeling that he very well could be.

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Jackson has lead the team in rushing each of the past three seasons and the former Division III College star has become the lifeblood of the Buffalo offense. He gives the Bills a powerful downhiller runner that they do not get with Clemson speedster, C. J. Spiller. Jackson averaged a respectable 5.5 yards per attempt last season and showed that he can handle the brunt of the team’s running attack.

Keeping Jackson in Buffalo through 2014 was the latest of general manager, Buddy Nix’s huge off-season moves and for the first time in over 20 years the Buffalo Bills are finally spending some money. The team has really tried to turn their team around and is finally giving credence to the phrase “No one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills”.

However, over the past couple of years the team has been working very hard to fill out their  special teams unit and really help winning the field position battle.  The team drafted place kicker, John Potter, in the last round of the draft, and the kid can quickly come in to take over the kickoff duties, as current kicker Rian Lindell does not have a strong enough leg to consistently get touchbacks.

Buffalo also got a lot deeper at the linebacker position through the draft, by selecting guys like Florida State’s Nigel Bradham in the fourth round and TCU’s Tank Carder in the fifth round.  The duo will likely have to make a living on fourth down to start their careers, but could end up seeing starting time towards the end of their contracts.  The unit will also be returning last year’s rookie standout, Da’Norris Searcy.  The defensive back gets down the field like a bullet and his 218-pound frame allows him to layout opposing returners.

The only question remaining is which player will return the few kickoffs that allowed under the new return regulations. The new NFL rule changes make the return game almost non-existent, so each kickoff or punt return is more important then the next. Buffalo currently has more quality returners then they know what to do with.  The team will need some of these young players to step up, especially with the departure of former returner, Roscoe Parrish.  The loss of Parrish will allow more balls to go around, so look for some new faces in the backfield for the opening day kickoff.

Lets take a quick look at the current return men on the roster:

RB/WR C. J. Spiller – Spiller remains one of the most dynamic players on the Bills’ roster; with 9 kick returns, 13 punt returns, 39 receptions, and 107 rushes.

WR T. J. Graham – The rookie who has 4.3-speed will instantly bolster one of the all-around fastest special teams’ units in the game.

QB/WR Brad Smith – The Bills’ signed a big four-year, $15 million dollar contract to bring in Smith because of his return skills, but he averaged a very disappointing 18.8 yards per return.  This number is less then the yardage he would have gotten from the touchback.

CB Justin Rogers – The corner out of Richmond lead the team in 2011 with an impressive average of 28.7 yards per kick return in his first season.

RB Johnny White – White is a special team’s coach dream player.  He is fast, elusive, and can hit.

CB Leodis McKelvin – McKelvin scored an 80-yard score last year versus the Denver Broncos late in week 16, and he was the only player to return a touchdown on the team.

CB Terrence McGee – McGee did not return any kickoffs last season, due to some nagging hamstring and knee injuries. DeHaven expects McGee to be back at 100 percent this year, so expect the veteran to get a little time returning kicks in 2012.

The Bills special teams unit is really looking to make a difference this year.  They are very fast, confident, and more importantly very young. Special Teams often get pumped up by having a strong defensive unit in front of them, and the Bills have spent a lot of money this off-season doing exactly that.  Look for Buffalo to be back amongst the top third of the NFL on special downs in 2012.

However, Buffalo obviously had the depth at the position to make the move after they grabbed Stephon Gilmore out of South Carolina in the first round.  The kid is very physical and his phenomenal tackling ability projects him to be a shutdown corner in the near future.  Gilmore will certainly help fill the void left by Florence’s departure and the rookie now has a chance to crack the starting lineup.

The team will also be returning some veterans at the position with Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, and Reggie Corner.  Buffalo will also be returning 2011 second round selection, Aaron Williams, who missed the majority of his rookie season with a knee injury.  These players will get the majority of the work with Florence gone and it will now be up to them to make plays in the new-look Buffalo defense.

Despite players saying that the workout went well no offer was made.  Bills receiver David Nelson, (who caught passes for Young during the workout, was one of those players who has high praise for Young.

“He looked good,” Nelson said on the workout.  “Big guy. Physical and aggressive. He’s in shape. He’s definitely in shape working out and working hard.”

I’m a little surprised the team didn’t consider making an offer to the free agent, especially considering they have been the first team to contact him this off-season.

While the team is committed to Ryan Fitzpatrick I still wish they would have at least given an offer to Young.  Although he is not the exact prototype of Buffalo quarterbacks in the past, I still feel like he could have been productive in Western New York if he was needed.

The way that the Bills ran their offense last year, with a lot of receivers and a spread type attack, that could be greatly suited to a signal caller like Young who can not only pass but run as well.  With the field and defense spread out he would be able to have strong running lanes if he needed them.

While I know that right now it looks like this signing (or not signing) is not that big of a deal, to me it really is.  Last year as the Bills fell apart late in the year it was later learned that Ryan Fitzpatrick was playing with broken ribs.

With that known it makes me much more nervous that Fitz could get hurt again, and if he does this team could be in a lot of trouble.  With playoff aspirations that this team and fan base have, not having a solid backup quarterback (much like the Chicago Bears last season) could be a major downfall.

There is still time for an offer, let’s hope they make it.

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