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Bills Add 23 Free Agents  The breakdown of the 23 signings include 5 defensive backs, 4 linebackers and offensive linemen. They also rounded out their receiving and running backs corps by signing three wide receivers and running backs, and 1 tight end. They completed their signings by adding two defensive linemen and a Quarterback. Here's a quick look at the newest Bills: The signings getting the most press, are WR Kwame Cavil and DB David Byrd. Cavil slipped out of the draft because of his slow time in the 40. He is considered a big and physical wideout with good hands, he may step right in as a slot receiver. With a good camp, he may become the third choice right away. Byrd is a defensive back with a lot of talent but missed much of last season because of a stabbing incident outside a bar. If he can show his problems are behind him he has a shot at getting some good playing time They dipped in to the small schools for their fourth arm in camp. QB Phil Stambaugh is from Lehigh College in Pennsylvania. He has an NFL caliber arm and size, his has no mobility however. He may challenge Mike Cawley for the third QB spot. LB Kenyatta Wright is also an intriguing prospect. He is an intelligent, explosive player who may challenge for the open dime backer position. He also has a chance of making the team as a backup to Sam Cowart. He fell out of the draft because of a disappointing senior season. The Bills took one other inside linebacker, Keith Kelsey from Florida was signed along with two outside backers Dustin Cohen and Fred Jones. Jones is a tweener between the line and backer positions. He was a big time player at Colorado. Cohen is an instinctive player who also makes plays but isn't a big physical presence on the field. Rounding out the front seven defensively the club took DE Jarret Procell and DT Nate Williams. Procell is a limited prospect from Louisiana Tech, Williams can be a player if he can overcome numerous injury problems. He is very athletic and will have a chance to learn behind the established players on the line. Besides Byrd the club added three more corners and a safety. The corners were needed since they did not draft any. Reggie Durden is a very good athlete corner who is very small at just under 5' 8". Jay Hill has good size for a DB and has a great work ethic but at 25 years old his age works against him. The other DB taken was Courtney Jackson from Arizona State. The one safety they signed was Asaki Adams. He has a chance to make the team as a special teams player. He is a good athlete who has some range. His size is a detriment but the lack of depth at safety gives him a chance. Turning to the offense, the club added a running back and two fullbacks to help replenish the depth lost when Sam Gash and Thurman Thomas were let go. The halfback signed was another small school prospect. Jason Corle comes from Towson St. He is a third down type of back. He will have trouble making the team because of the depth at that specialty. The fullbacks were Josh Roth from the University of Buffalo, and Phillip Crosby. Roth is a tweener who has speed but is not that big, he will probably not make the team. Crosby is more in the Gash mold. He is strickly a blocking back who doesn't carry the ball much. If the club is planning on using a Gash-type back he has a good chance of making the team. Besides Cavil the club filled out its receiving depth by signing two more wide out and a tight end. WR Corey Jones missed most of last season with injuries, but was the leading receiver the season before. His size is an issue as he weighs under 170. The other wide receiver is Corey Sullivan. He was 4th round pick Avion Black's teammate at Tennessee St. and some people considered him a better prospect than Black. TE is Ivan Gustafson comes from tiny Whitworth College in Washington. He is small, and can be looked at the running back position also. He probably is just training camp fodder since there is no room at TE. Finally, the Bills inked four offensive linemen. The two tackles they signed were Shane Cook and Jon Carman. Cook is a quick learner but he may not be physical enough for the pros. Carman will add some depth to the line in training camp, he has good size but little athletic ability. They also signed Guard Mike Tosaw and Center Spencer Riley. Tosaw is a prototypical guard from Missouri State. Riley is durable and has all the intangibles but he isn't a great athlete. Other news this week, The club announced they will be putting two new names on the wall of fame this year for the first time in its history. Former AFL star DB George Saimes and the late DB Bob Kalsu will be inducted at a yet to be determined home game this season. Saimes was a five time all star and is on the all time AFL defensive team. Kalsu played only one year in the league and was the only player killed in Vietnam. His induction marks the 30th anniversary of his death. They will be the 15th and 16th players inducted to the wall. In a front office move, the club promoted Director of player personnel DB Dwight Adams to Vice President of Player Personnel. Adams is largely responsible for the club's solid drafting over the last decade despite notoriously bad drafting positions. Former Bills DB Sam Gash is now out on the open market looking for a team. He has told his agent he wants to remain in the AFC East. That would leave the Jets as the one team that may be interested in him. The Dolphins were interested until they picked up a fullback in the draft. The Giants are also very interested in him. In Other former Bills news, WR Kamil Loud signed with Atlanta. He is expected to compete for the fifth wide receiver spot with the falcons.Week in Review index Front Office Page Back to Bills Daily Homepage |