Jason Peters traded to Philadelphia Eagles / Photo: Newscom

The Eagles are hoping they get the same Jason Peters that made the Pro Bowl two years ago (and I emphasize two years ago). But first they need to negotiate a contract with him. Jason was scheduled to make a base salary of $7.2 million over the final two years of his contract. So I guess you could say he’s underpaid for his high-profile position and he knows it. That’s why he’ll demand more from the Eagles. Of course, Philadelphia is desperate for an OT with Tra Thomas having left for Jacksonville via free agency and Jon Runyan also a free agent (an old, injured one at that). So they’ll probably accommodate his wishes with a deal that will come back to bite them sooner than later.

I’m going to give the victory to the Bills on this trade. Sure, they lose a talented (but erratic) two-time Pro Bowler. But with the offseason additions of center Geoff Hangartner and O-lineman Seth McKinney, they’re working on depth. And I expect the Bills to look at a tackle with one of their two first round picks. This Draft is loaded with talented tackles and the Bills will need to groom a replacement for Jason.

Source: NFL.com Wire Report

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Bills Trade Jason Peters to Eagles

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

In one of the more surprising moves this offseason, the Buffalo Bills signed enigmatic receiver Terrell Owens to a one-year, $6.5 million contract today. On one hand, this acquisition makes sense for Buffalo. They need the offensive weaponry. The Bills’ offense the past two seasons has been anemic. They were 30th in total offense two years ago and only improved to 25th in total offense last season. And quarterback Trent Edwards’ first two seasons — while showing flashes of brilliance — were nothing that would make me think he’s on the same path as, let’s say, youngsters like Baltimore’s Joe Flacco or Atlanta’s Matt Ryan. So, they need all the help they can get, even with ample offensive talent in players like receivers Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish, running backs Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson and Pro Bowl tackle Jason Peters. And I really like some of Buffalo’s younger receivers — James Hardy, Steve Johnson and tight end Derek Fine. In one possible scenario, Terrell will demand double-team attention and allow his teammates to potentially thrive. But that’s not his style. He’ll demand the ball and the glory.

All that being said, I think this signing is a form of desperation (is it really about ticket sales?) and I don’t think it’s a good fit. Terrell has earned — really earned — a poor reputation as the malcontent diva nobody wanted. And I think this deal got done so quickly because the Buffalo Bills were the only team that wanted T.O. Sure, agent Drew Rosenhaus will tell you other teams were interested in Terrell’s services, but I have to believe Orchard Park, NY would’ve been at the bottom of Terrell’s list of places he’d like to play football. (I guess this is one of the few places T.O. hasn’t burned a bridge with a former coach or owner.) So, I don’t think he had many — if any — other options.

In Buffalo, I think T.O. is in a perfect position to “bully” his quarterback and head coach — something he has become known for. Trent will be entering only his second full season as the Bills’ starting quarterback and he will, most likely, be at the receiving end of many a T.O. rant. And head coach Dick Jauron is one of the more mild-mannered head coaches in the NFL. T.O. will have a license to run his mouth and could destroy any hopes this team had of developing a solid chemistry and making a long overdue postseason run.

Source: BuffaloBills.com, Photo: Newscom

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Buffalo Bills Sign Terrell Owens

Here is the AFC Pro Bowl roster. Starters are listed in bold.

OFFENSE

QB: Peyton Manning, Colts; Brett Favre, Jets; Jay Cutler, Broncos
RB: Thomas Jones, Jets; Chris Johnson, Titans; Ronnie Brown, Dolphins
FB: Le’Ron McClain, Ravens
WR: Andre Johnson, Texans; Brandon Marshall, Broncos; Reggie Wayne, Colts; Wes Welker, Patriots
TE: Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs; Antonio Gates, Chargers
T: Joe Thomas, Browns; Jason Peters, Bills; Michael Roos, Titans
G: Alan Faneca, Jets; Kris Dielman, Chargers; Brian Waters, Chiefs
C: Kevin Mawae, Titans; Nick Mangold, Jets

DEFENSE

DE: Mario Williams, Texans; Dwight Freeney, Colts; Robert Mathis, Colts
DT: Albert Haynesworth, Titans; Kris Jenkins, Jets; Shaun Rogers, Browns
OLB: James Harrison, Steelers; Joey Porter, Dolphins; Terrell Suggs, Ravens
MLB: Ray Lewis, Ravens; James Farrior, Steelers
CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders; Cortland Finnegan, Titans; Darrelle Revis, Jets
S: Ed Reed, Ravens; Troy Polamalu, Steelers; Chris Hope, Titans

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: Stephan Gostkowski, Patriots
P: Shane Lechler, Raiders
KR: Leon Washington, Jets
ST: Brendon Ayanbadejo, Ravens

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2009 AFC Pro Bowl Roster

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Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jason Peters informed the Buffalo Bills today that he plans to end his summer-long holdout and report to One Bills Drive tomorrow, one day before the Bills open their 2008 season against the Seattle Seahawks. The team has already made the decision that Jason will not play Sunday against Seattle. And that’s obviously a good move. Bills Chief Operating Officer Russ Brandon issued this brief statement today:

“It is our understanding that Jason has filed a re-instatement letter with the National Football League and that he is reporting to One Bills Drive tomorrow morning.”

Jason is finally making some sense after racking up close to a million dollars in fines by missing training camp and the preseason. All around the league, players are getting their coveted contract extensions (sorry Anquan Boldin) because they are actively involved with their teams. And that’s really all the Bills have been asking of Jason. Russ Brandon stated that the organization would be willing to discuss Jason’s contract situation provided he reported to the team. This tells me good things could happen for Jason if he would just show up. It’s not a guarantee that he’ll get what he wants. The only guarantee is that he won’t get what he wants if he stays away. So reporting has been and continues to be a no-brainer.

It’s unclear what kind of shape Jason will be in. And how soon he’ll be able to get up to speed is to-be-seen. But the team has to feel good about his return.

Source: BuffaloBills.com, Photo: Newscom

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Jason Peters to End Holdout

If you’re wondering what the extent of Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Langston Walker’s injured left arm is, rest assured it’s just a bruise according to head coach Dick Jauron’s postgame presser following an impressive 20-7 preseason win over the Indianapolis Colts tonight:

“Langston had a bad bruise. We took him in for x-rays and the x-rays were negative so we’re optimistic. He got wacked by something and it was either one of them or one of us that hit him. I think it might have been one of us, which is nobody’s fault. It happens.”

Langston is so big (he’s 6′8″ and 366 pounds), I don’t know how anything could hurt him. The initial injury report had coach Jauron telling NFL Network’s Adam Schefter the injury was “not a good one.” Naturally, with left tackle Jason Peters still a holdout, this statement had Bills fans in an uproar. Coach Jauron was hesitant to say that Langston would be ready for the home opener in 13 days, but according to BuffaloBills.com, it’s believed he will be fit to play come September 7. Whether or not Jason Peters will be joining him is TBD.

Source: BuffaloBills.com

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Langston Walker Injury Just a Bruise

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The Buffalo Bills broke training camp outside of Rochester, NY yesterday without Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jason Peters who hasn’t reported to the team since last season. Jason has missed 21 practices, 16 walkthroughs, two preseason games and 28 total days since camp opened July 25. That translates to the Bills fining him more than $420,000 — or about $15,000 for each day he’s missed. And that doesn’t include the $8,600 Jason was docked for missing two mandatory minicamp practices in June. The fines get steeper once the regular season begins. He’ll be fined a percentage of his salary for each week he’s absent. But who’s counting?

I understand the reason for Jason’s absence. He’s scheduled to make a base salary of $3.25 million this season. That’s considered low for a player who protects quarterback Trent Edwards’ blindside. He’s currently Buffalo’s third-highest paid offensive lineman, behind guard Derrick Dockery and right tackle Langston Walker. I’ve heard varying stories on the Bills’ willingness to negotiate with Jason — a.) that they won’t negotiate a new deal until after the 2008 season and b.) that they won’t negotiate any kind of a new deal or extension until Jason reports to the team.

What’s so unusual is that Jason and his agent aren’t talking to head coach Dick Jauron or any Bills execs. I guess it’s in Jason’s best interests to get with the program because it doesn’t look like anything is going to get accomplished under the current standoff.

Source: NFL.com

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Jason Peters Holdout Continues

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

In the first of eight games the Buffalo Bills will play in Toronto through 2012 (five regular season and three preseason), the first team offense looked very sharp in a 24-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Quarterback Trent Edwards was 9-of-11 for 104 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a critical 22-yard run from his own endzone. Tight end Robert Royal caught both of those TD passes from Trent. Wide receiver Lee Evans had three catches for 55 yards. And despite missing Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters (still a training camp holdout), the offensive line was outstanding in both protection and run-blocking. With or without Jason, this group will ultimately be the key to Buffalo’s offensive success or failure this season. Trent Edwards concurred:

“We did a good job up front stopping their front four. There was plenty of time to throw the ball and that allowed our receivers to get open down the field, and allowed me plenty of time to be accurate with the ball.”

The play of the game was Bills rookie first round Draft pick Leodis McKelvin’s 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Buffalo already has one of the NFL’s best return team duos in Terrence McGee and Roscoe Parrish, but Leodis is getting a lot of work in the preseason so he figures to get into the mix down the road. With a near-sellout crowd of 48,400 fans in attendance at Rogers Centre (pretty good for a preseason game), it was a great start to the series with the game coming down to the final play.

Source: BuffaloBills.com

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Bills Beat Steelers in Toronto Series Debut

The New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers lead the AFC’s 2008 Pro Bowl squad with a conference-high eight players each. New England’s eight All-Stars equals a franchise high set by the 1985 Pats. The AFC roster includes 18 first-time All-Stars, including Cincinnati WR T.J. Houshmanzadeh, who leads the NFL with 101 receptions.

Among a group of talented AFC quarterbacks, four-time All-Star Tom Brady of New England, who leads the NFL in passing yards (4,235), TDs (45) and passer rating (119.7), will be the starting QB in his fourth Pro Bowl. Tom is one of seven Patriots that will start for this year’s AFC squad. Joining him to aid the AFC passing attack will be Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning, who will make his eighth Pro Bowl appearance, and first-time selection Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh, who ranks third in the NFL with 29 TD passes.

San Diego’s duo of running back LaDainian Tomlinson and fullback Lorenzo Neal have been named starters for a second year in a row. Earning his fifth Pro Bowl honor, L.T. ranks second in the NFL with 1,311 rushing yards this season and has passed the 1,200-yard rushing mark for the seventh consecutive year. Lorenzo, in his 15th NFL season, has been selected to his fourth Pro Bowl and third as a Charger. Adding to the AFC’s explosive backfield will be Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker and Joseph Addai of Indy. This is the second consecutive Pro Bowl trip for Fast Willie, who leads the NFL with 1,317 rushing yards. In his second NFL season, Joseph Addai ranks second in the AFC with 11 rushing TDs and will make his first Pro Bowl trip. Once again, Jacksonville’s Fred Taylor has been snubbed despite averaging a gaudy 5.1 ypc. He’ll need to lead the league in rushing to get consideration.

Four receivers are named to each All-Star squad. And it has to be nearly impossible to come up with just four. Chosen for the AFC’s 2008 team are New England’s Randy Moss, the NFL’s receiving yardage (1,343) and TD (19) leader. Randy records his first Pro Bowl appearance since 2004 (because he was lost in the black hole for several years) and sixth overall. Lined up across from Randy will be Reggie Wayne of Indianapolis, who will make his second All-Star game in consecutive seasons. Two first-time selections from clubs in Ohio will round out the AFC All-Star receiving foursome — Cleveland wide receiver Braylon Edwards, whose 13 TD receptions ranks second in the AFC, and the aforementioned T.J. Houshmandzadeh of Cincinnati. I know this is a very elite list of receivers and it’s incredibly hard to pick just four, but I could make a case for Wes Welker (Pats), Chad Johnson (Cincy) or even Brandon Marshall (Denver) in this group.

Representing the AFC at tight end will be nine-time all-star Tony Gonzalez (big surprise) of the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego’s Antonio Gates, who will play in his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl and start for the second year in a row.

Pittsburgh’s 10-year veteran guard Alan Faneca will make his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl trip and will be joined at the other starting guard position by first-time All-Star Logan Mankins of New England, who has helped pave the way for the league’s top-ranked offense. San Diego’s Kris Dielman, a former undrafted free agent who has been a mainstay for the Chargers offensive line this year, will make his All-Star debut.

AFC starting center Jeff Saturday will book his trip to Hawaii for his third consecutive Pro Bowl. First-time AFC All-Star Dan Koppen of New England will back him up.

Assigned to keep the pocket clean against a talented group of NFC edge rushers are a group of AFC All-Star tackles — New England’s two-time Pro Bowler Matt Light and first-time Pro Bowl selection Jason Peters of Buffalo. Jonathan Ogden of Baltimore will play in his 11th consecutive Pro Bowl in his 12th NFL season.

Lining up in the middle for the AFC defensive front are starting interior linemen Albert Haynesworth of Tennessee and New England’s Vince Wilfork. Both linemen will make their first appearances in the All-Star game. Accompanying Vince and Albert will be San Diego’s Jamal Williams, who has secured his third consecutive Pro Bowl berth.

Ranked second in the AFC with 11.5 sacks, Kansas City defensive end Jared Allen will make his Pro Bowl debut as a starter and will be joined by Tennessee defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, who will play in his second Pro Bowl in three seasons with the Titans and his first as a starter. Miami’s Jason Taylor will cap off this trio with the sixth Pro Bowl of his career.

Two first-time All-Stars — Mike Vrabel of New England and Pittsburgh’s James Harrison — will start at outside linebacker for the AFC. Mike has tied his career-high with 9.5 sacks and James leads the league’s top-ranked defense with 8.5 sacks. Joining them at outside linebacker is Shawne Merriman of San Diego, who tops NFL linebackers with 11.5 sacks. Shawne will make his third consecutive All-Star game appearance.

Roaming the middle of the AFC defense will be middle linebackers Ray Lewis of Baltimore and DeMeco Ryans of Houston. DeMeco, the 2006 NFL Defensive Rookie of Year, will start in his first Pro Bowl, while Ray-Ray, a 12-year veteran, will record his eighth appearance in Hawaii.

Interceptions are plentiful for the trio of AFC All-Star cornerbacks. Starter Champ Bailey of Denver has earned his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl selection and will be teamed up with two first-time All-Stars. New England’s Asante Samuel will start opposite Champ and Antonio Cromartie of San Diego, who leads the league with 10 INTs, will make his All-Star debut in his second season.

Indianapolis strong safety Bob Sanders earns his second consecutive AFC All-Star berth and Ravens ball-hawking free safety Ed Reed is a four-time Pro Bowl choice in six NFL seasons. Four-time Pro Bowl selection Troy Polamalu of Pittsburgh will join them as a reserve.

The AFC special teams unit is comprised of four players, including two first-time Pro Bowl honorees. Cleveland kick returner Joshua Cribbs is making his first trip to Hawaii. Joshua leads the NFL with a 30.9-yard average and is tied for second in the league with two scores. Tennessee kicker Rob Bironas, who leads the NFL with 31 field goals and set the NFL record for most field goals in a game earlier this season, will make his All-Star debut. San Diego wide receiver Kassim Osgood, who will serve as the AFC’s special teamer, makes his second consecutive trip to Hawaii. Concluding the special teams group will be Oakland’s veteran punter Shane Lechler (third Pro Bowl). Shane leads the NFL with a 49.0 average and has placed 21 of his 63 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.

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Patriots, Chargers Lead AFC All-Star Squad, 18 First-Time Selections Named