Hardy on Leodis
Posted By: Chris Brown 10:58 PM ET
HARDY ON LEODIS: Upon arriving at St. John Fisher Thursday night I asked James Hardy if he talked to his draft classmate Leodis McKelvin to see how he was holding up with the reporting date passing by. Hardy said he had not yet spoken with McKelvin, but planned to call him Friday.
"I actually changed my number and haven't given him the new number so I don't know if he was trying to get in contact with me. I'll definitely give him a call and tell him to stay in shape and we'll be waiting on him."
Hardy arrives at camp
Posted By: Chris Brown 10:34 PM ET
HARDY ARRIVES AT CAMP: Bills 2nd round pick James Hardy arrived at camp Thursday night after signing his contract in Buffalo earlier this evening. Buffalobills.com was there when Hardy arrived.
He's excited about getting started and called signing his contract a dream come true.
Peters approach is peculiar
Posted By: Chris Brown 5:27 PM ET
PETERS APPROACH IS PECULIAR: When you look at the players on the Bills roster that have been rewarded with new contracts despite being early in their existing deals, you quickly see what Buffalo respects; commitment to team. That's what makes Jason Peters approach this offseason so peculiar.
Terrence McGee was extended three years ago, just two and a half years into his rookie contract, but the guy was a model professional and was in attendance for offseason work every year.
Just this offseason Brad Butler and Kyle Williams were both extended despite being just two years into their rookie contracts. But both of those players are also heavily committed to the team and the offseason program.
By no means am I suggesting that Jason Peters is not committed to the team and his teammates. However, I believe if he was on hand for all the offseason OTAs and mandatory minicamp and voiced his concerns in person about a new contract, the process would be a lot further along that it is now.
That being said, I think even now if he reports to camp and gets to work the Bills will still talk to him about a new deal. It seems all the Bills want is his commitment to what they're trying to do in 2008, and that starts with being on the field with his teammates.
Dockery talks about Jason Peters' status
Posted By: Chris Brown 3:20 PM ET
DOCKERY NOT WORRIED ABOUT PETERS SITUATION: Derrick Dockery arrived at camp a short time ago and when asked about linemate Jason Peters and whether the tackle's situation concerns him had the following answer.
"It doesn't concern me. You just have to have faith and trust in the people you play with. I haven't talked to him in a while, but if he's here, he's here. If he's not he's not. We'll just have to move forward."
Dockery also said when Jason gets back he'll be ready and one of the elite tackles in the game, which sounds like he's not expecting him to report today but having not spoken to him he likely doesn't know any better than anyone else.
Pick after Hardy signed
Posted By: Chris Brown 11:16
PICK AFTER HARDY SIGNED: With Denver's Eddie Royal signed to a 4-year deal worth $3.9M and $2.25M guaranteed, there look to be concrete parameters for James Hardy to get a deal done with the Bills.
Royal, also a wide receiver, will give the Hardy camp all the information they need in negotiating what they deem a fair deal. I'd be surprised if Hardy couldn't find agreeable numbers to make it to camp on time.
Heading out to camp
Posted By: Chris Brown 8:41 AM ET
HEADING OUT TO CAMP: I'm headed out to St. John Fisher. Players should begin arriving around lunch time and in the afternoon. We'll keep you up to date on anything and everything here on this blog and on the home page. Bills fans your offseason is finally over!
Pick before McKelvin signed
Posted By: Chris Brown 8:37 AM ET
PICK BEFORE MCKELVIN SIGNED: The New England Patriots just signed their top pick LB Jerod Mayo this morning according to the Boston Globe. Mayo was taken one pick before (10th) the Bills took Leodis McKelvin 11th overall.
This could help the Bills in paving the way toward completing a deal with McKelvin as there will be concrete parameters to work with. No word yet on what the contract numbers for Mayo were, but if McKelvin signs for 5 years he should be in the neighborhood of $18M.
What Hardy could be waiting on
Posted By: Chris Brown 8:35 PM ET
WHAT HARDY COULD BE WAITING ON: Bills 2nd round pick James Hardy has representation that like a lot of other agents wants to make sure he's getting a fair deal not only in terms of where he was picked but positionally as well. With that in mind it wouldn't be shocking to see the Hardy camp wait and see what the draft pick immediately after him gets in terms of a contract.
That's because the player taken one pick after Hardy was also a wide receiver in Denver's Eddie Royal. The Hardy camp may want to wait and see what Royal gets and make sure they get a little more having gone one pick before him in the draft.
