From the Ground Up: A Buffalo Bills Franchise (M10)

[Daniels]

Sources: Frazier accepts Bills offer

Former Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier accepts the Buffalo Bills head coaching job.

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK -- According to sources within the Bills organization, the Bills have hired Leslie Frazier to serve as their next head coach.

Frazier served for two years as the Vikings defensive coordinator, and prior to that had worked as DC for the Cincinnati Bengals and as an defensive backs coach for the Indianapolis Colts.

The Vikings and the Bills both use the Tampa 2 scheme, so this is a very good fit. Frazier has already assembled a staff, and it likely includes former Redskins defensive backs coach Jerry Gray as defensive coordinator, former Rams star receiving Henry Ellard as offensive coordinator and Gary Zauner as special teams coach.

All reportedly have three year contracts with the team, with Frazier's contract supposedly being worth up to $3.94 million.

[Daniels]

Notable Retirements

Broncos - Ty Law (CB)
Colts - Matt Stover (K)
49ers - Isaac Bruce (WR)
Giants - Jeff Feagles (P)
Jaguars - Jeff Garcia (QB)
Lions - Jason Hanson (K)
Packers - Ahman Green (RB)
Panthers - John Kasay (K)
Panthers - Muhsin Muhammad (WR)
Patriots - Junior Seau (LB)
Patriots - Kevin Faulk (RB)
Redskins - Todd Collins (QB)
Redskins - Derrick Brooks(LB)
Saints - John Carney (K)
Saints - Mark Brunell(QB)
Vikings - Brett Favre (QB)

[Daniels]

Bills maintain Brohm, Owens

Bills re-signings

Brian Brohm (QB) 56 OVR - 1 year, $1.16M
George Wilson (S) 76 OVR - 5 years, $18.08M
Steve Justice (C) 73 OVR - 4 years, $11.76M
Terrell Owens (WR) 86 OVR - 2 years, $13.20M
Josh Reed (WR) 76 OVR - 1 year, $3.31M
Kendall Simmons (G) 74 OVR - 5 years, $13.21M

[Daniels]

Bills Free Agent Signings
Adam Vinatieri (K) 80 OVR - 2 years, $2.20M
Xavier Omon (RB) 61 OVR - 1 year, $950K
Domenik Hixon (WR) 71 OVR - 2 years, $3.04M
Randy McMichael (TE) 75 OVR - 1 year, $1.32M
Ephraim Salaam (T) 73 OVR - 1 year, $2.99M

[Daniels]

2010 NFL Draft Selections
1st round (8th overall): WR Delino Sims (Georgia)
With all of the first round corners gone, the Bills address a position that will be needed once T.O. is gone. Delino Sims is an undersized but blazing fast (4.32 40) WR who has the ability to jump up with the best of corners and come down with the ball. Sims should be very productive in the NFL, but Mike Williams should have too.

2nd round (40th overall): QB Jermain Smith (Utah)
Here's an interesting fact: All current Buffalo QB's have one year left on their contracts. At 6'4'' and 231 lbs, Smith is huge and has 4.56 40 time speed to compliment that. His throw power is off the charts, but accuracy is a problem. Jermain Smith might not be the quarterback of the future for Buffalo, but he will likely compete for the starting job for this year and be a decent backup the rest of his career.

3rd round (72nd overall): LT Brock Covington (Wisconsin)
Still looking for a franchise LT after trading Jason Peters last year to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Bills make a smart selection here in Covington. He has great strength and pass blocking, and his 6'5'' 312 lb stature will be hard to get around. Covington will be compared to Joe Thomas because of his Wisconsin playing days, but the two are completely different players.

*TRADE ALERT*
Buffalo Bills send:
RB Fred Jackson (83 overall)
WR Josh Reed (76 overall)
for
San Diego Chargers third round selection (79th overall)

3rd round (79th overall, from San Diego): OLB Keron Drovin (Maryland)
The Bills kind of reached here. Don't get me wrong, Drovin is a great player and could become a starter in this league at LOLB, but he was projected to go mid-4th round. Regardless, Drovin is a great tackler and has perfect size for an OLB. Drovin was a workout warrior at the combine and impressed scouts, raising his previously projected 6th round selection all the way to 4th round.

4th round (104th overall): RT Kameel Adams (Iowa State)
Kameel Adams is an obvious selection at this pick. Out of the charts blocking strength puts him far ahead of the other tackles at this point in the draft. I've argued all along that Adams was very under ranked because of his small school, but Adams has the opportunity to be a star at the next level in another small town. Adams only has competition from a 5th round, 71 overall RT named Brad Butler. Expect him to win the starting job come training camp.

5th round (136th overall): G/C Anderson Copper (Utah State)
Another small school offensive line prospect for the Bills and this one has many similarities to Kameel Adams. His blocking strength is out of this world, but footwork needs to be worked on. His stature isn't as big as Adams, and he is a bit smaller than most OL in the NFL (6'3'') but Copper should be an average NFL starter for his career, but a great run blocker.

6th round (168th overall): OLB Albert Lee (S.D. State)
Lee might be the most uninteresting selection of this entire draft. He started out as a starter and continued starting all the way through his college career. He never had any breakout seasons, but always got the job done. Lee will be an average NFL backup at best.

7th round (200th overall): SS Moe Biggers (Nebraska)
With a gaping need at SS, the Bills needed to fill that need quickly in this draft. Personally, A.J. McFadden and Elliot Ramella (the two other SS prospects on the board) are much better prospects for the NFL and will likely start. Biggers will be a mediocre backup for years to come. Biggers started off with a great Sophomore year, but production dropped big time his Junior and Senior years. He has great potential but his off-the-field problems and terrible work ethic will make this kid hard to work with.

[romo_maniac]

Looking good!

[Daniels]

*Draft Results*

Spoiler

WR Delino Sims (82 overall, A potential)
QB Jermaine Smith (62 overall, D potential)
LT Brock Covington (57 overall, F potential)
LOLB Keron Drovin (83 overall, A potential)
RT Kameel Adams (81 overall, A potential)
RG/C Anderson Copper (81 overall, A potential)
LB Albert Lee (55 overall, F potential)
SS Moe Biggers (82 overall, A potential)

Overall, a great draft class. A few guys I would've expected to be better and unfortunately are terrible, but overall I got a bunch of great players out of this draft.

[hatisback]

I've always thought that to build a good offensive line you always start on the outside and work your way in. Nice job picking up that RT in the later rounds. Good luck.