ORCHARD PARK - Buffalo head coach Dick Jauron wasn't kidding when he indicated a team can't have enough cornerbacks.
Starting with first-round pick Leodis McKelvin, the Bills used three of their 10 draft picks on cornerbacks last weekend to retool what had been a ragtag defensive backfield last season.
“We needed numbers there,” chief operating officer Russ Brandon said following the Bills final selection on Sunday.
The three cornerbacks taken - rounded out by the aptly named Reggie Corner (114th) out of Akron, and Pittsburgh's Kennard Cox (251st) - allowed the Bills to restock a unit after the team cut Kiwaukee Thomas and elected not to re-sign Jason Webster this offseason.
It was also an indication that the Bills aren't convinced Ashton Youboty will develop into an NFL-caliber player.
Buffalo's third-round pick in 2006 out of Ohio State, Youboty was held out of all but three games in his rookie season, and showed few signs of progress last year. After starting two of Buffalo's first three games last season, Youboty missed the next five games with an ankle injury, and was unable to reclaim the starting job from Jabari Greer.
With McKelvin expected to immediately challenge Greer for the starting job opposite Terrence McGee, Youboty will have to compete with Corner and veteran free-agent addition William James for what's likely to be the team's final two spots.
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LOOK WHO'S BACK: It's looking more likely that Bills quarterback J.P. Losman will have to settle on playing the final year of his contract in Buffalo.
The chances of the Bills granting Losman's trade request grew slimmer after his value dropped further following the NFL Draft last weekend.
There were 13 quarterbacks selected in the draft, including five taken in the first three rounds by such teams as Green Bay, Atlanta and Baltimore, which were considered to have the most immediate need at the position.
Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon, on Sunday, said he didn't actively shop Losman this weekend, and then provided the strongest statement yet that Losman's not going anywhere.
“We're committed to J.P. being here,” said Brandon, who had previously said he “anticipated” keeping the quarterback.
Losman has one year left on his contract but his agent, Gary Wichard, went public with a trade request in January. Wichard said his client is unhappy after losing his starting job last season to rookie third-round pick Trent Edwards, who will remain the team's starter this year.
Wichard said that while Losman wanted out, he'd play out his contract if necessary before heading elsewhere as a free agent next spring.
Brandon said a request for a trade has never come up during several conversations he's had with Wichard.
Brandon then reiterated how important it is for a team to have two experienced quarterbacks in the event of injury.
“There are a lot of quarterbacks that started in this league last year, and we have two very good ones,” Brandon said.
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EXTRA POINTS: Second-round pick James Hardy, listed at 6-foot-5 is the tallest receiver ever drafted by the Bills, nudging out Justin Armour (fourth-round pick in 1995) and Chris Burkett (second-round pick, 1985), who were both listed at 6-4. ... Sixth-round pick RB Xavier Omon's 92 touchdowns rushing in four years at Northwest Missouri were five more than the Bills have scored this decade.
“We needed numbers there,” chief operating officer Russ Brandon said following the Bills final selection on Sunday.
The three cornerbacks taken - rounded out by the aptly named Reggie Corner (114th) out of Akron, and Pittsburgh's Kennard Cox (251st) - allowed the Bills to restock a unit after the team cut Kiwaukee Thomas and elected not to re-sign Jason Webster this offseason.
It was also an indication that the Bills aren't convinced Ashton Youboty will develop into an NFL-caliber player.
Buffalo's third-round pick in 2006 out of Ohio State, Youboty was held out of all but three games in his rookie season, and showed few signs of progress last year. After starting two of Buffalo's first three games last season, Youboty missed the next five games with an ankle injury, and was unable to reclaim the starting job from Jabari Greer.
With McKelvin expected to immediately challenge Greer for the starting job opposite Terrence McGee, Youboty will have to compete with Corner and veteran free-agent addition William James for what's likely to be the team's final two spots.
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LOOK WHO'S BACK: It's looking more likely that Bills quarterback J.P. Losman will have to settle on playing the final year of his contract in Buffalo.
The chances of the Bills granting Losman's trade request grew slimmer after his value dropped further following the NFL Draft last weekend.
There were 13 quarterbacks selected in the draft, including five taken in the first three rounds by such teams as Green Bay, Atlanta and Baltimore, which were considered to have the most immediate need at the position.
Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon, on Sunday, said he didn't actively shop Losman this weekend, and then provided the strongest statement yet that Losman's not going anywhere.
“We're committed to J.P. being here,” said Brandon, who had previously said he “anticipated” keeping the quarterback.
Losman has one year left on his contract but his agent, Gary Wichard, went public with a trade request in January. Wichard said his client is unhappy after losing his starting job last season to rookie third-round pick Trent Edwards, who will remain the team's starter this year.
Wichard said that while Losman wanted out, he'd play out his contract if necessary before heading elsewhere as a free agent next spring.
Brandon said a request for a trade has never come up during several conversations he's had with Wichard.
Brandon then reiterated how important it is for a team to have two experienced quarterbacks in the event of injury.
“There are a lot of quarterbacks that started in this league last year, and we have two very good ones,” Brandon said.
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EXTRA POINTS: Second-round pick James Hardy, listed at 6-foot-5 is the tallest receiver ever drafted by the Bills, nudging out Justin Armour (fourth-round pick in 1995) and Chris Burkett (second-round pick, 1985), who were both listed at 6-4. ... Sixth-round pick RB Xavier Omon's 92 touchdowns rushing in four years at Northwest Missouri were five more than the Bills have scored this decade.
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