Buffalo
Bills

The good news for Schobel and the Bills is that he didn't need surgery and was able to participate in all offseason workouts. He moved well and sounded optimistic about returning to full strength, although until the tackling begins, he won't know for sure what his future holds.

He said he feels some discomfort in the foot, "but after 10 minutes of warming up, it goes away and I don't think about it," said Schobel, whose 68 career sacks rank No. 2 in team history behind Bruce Smith.

Coach Dick Jauron is looking forward to having him back, anchoring his defense in a lineup that will now feature No. 1 draft pick Aaron Maybin at defensive end/outside linebacker giving Schobel some help.

"He's a tremendous player," Jauron said. "He wins a lot of matchups and we miss him when he's not on the field, so it's good to see him back."

OFFSEASON STANDOUT: Running back Fred Jackson not only landed the security of a long-term contract he was seeking, he slipped seamlessly into the starting tailback role. Jackson, a former Division III free agent, had a breakout season with 571 yards rushing and 37 receptions last year backing up Marshawn Lynch and will start the season as Lynch serves a three-game suspension for violating the league's conduct code.

LINEUP WATCH: Rookie safety Jairus Byrd missed OTA and minicamp work due to his college exam schedule, leaving Donte Whitner to take most of the first-unit reps at free safety. But the coaching staff is eager to see Byrd, a ball-hawking cornerback at Oregon drafted in the second round, in training camp at free. If he beats Whitner out, then Whitner, who is being supplanted at strong safety where he has started three seasons by veteran Bryan Scott, will be relegated to a utility role.

ROOKIE IMPRESSIONS: Defensive end Aaron Maybin, the team's No. 1 pick, is a physical specimen with a lot of easily recognizable athletic gifts. But what happens when the mayhem of an NFL Sunday unfolds and the 249-pounder is giving away 60 pounds to offensive tackles and guards is a question yet to be answered. The coaches hope he can develop a good repertoire of pass-rush moves so he can utilize his speed in getting to the quarterback. It's already apparent backup plans are in the works to use him in a linebacker role if he does get overmatched by bigger bodies up front. It's up to Maybin what happens.

Meanwhile, rookie guards Eric Wood and Andy Levitre made a good first impression with their work habits and eagerness. But veterans Seth McKinney and Kirk Chambers have already been in the NFL trenches and seen all the looks, so it won't be easy beating them out as first-year players. Fourth-round tight end Shawn Nelson was impressive catching the ball and if he can block just a little, will be in the starting lineup on Day 1.

INJURY WATCH: Wide receiver James Hardy, Buffalo's promising second-round draft pick a year ago, continues to rehab from ACL surgery. It's likely he'll start training camp on the physically unable to perform list to free up a roster spot in hopes he'll be able to contribute at some point this year.

CONTRACT TO WATCH: Quarterback Trent Edwards enters year three of a four-year deal he signed as a rookie in 2007 when he was a third-round unknown commodity, not an entrenched starter. His contract situation will move front and center with team bean counters if he proves he's really the real deal in 2009. He's due to make a base salary of $460,000 this season, which is far less than backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. That inequity can't last.

"I don't want a teammate like that," Krupa yelled. "Calls himself an athlete? What does he get a million dollars for?" She refused to shake Owens' hand at the end. "So cocky? For what? You got in the NFL?"

Said Owens as the two walked away for the cameras: "I feel really bad for your boyfriend."

--At least one Bills fan doesn't care if Owens becomes a locker room disturbance. Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly applauded the move to sign the controversial receiver during an interview with SIRIUS NFL Radio.

Asked who has to make the biggest adjustment, the fans to T.O. or T.O. to playing in a small-market, cold-weather city, Kelly said: "Well, I don't know. I guess it's a little premature to answer that one but T.O. for sure - when it starts to get really cold. But you know what? People talk about how he loves to talk and everything. People say he might be a disturbance in the locker room. You know what I say? I hope he is. We haven't had anything in the locker room. When you walk into a locker room on Monday and you don't know whether your team won or lost, something's got to change."

--The Bills have now sold out their first four regular-season games and continue on pace to hit the 55,000-mark in season ticket sales. The team has sold 53,000 season tickets with a solid two months to go. Last year, Buffalo sold 56,011 season tickets, second most in club history. The record is 57,132 in 1992, the height of the Bills' run to four consecutive Super Bowls.

What makes the current ticket sales numbers impressive and mystifying is that the Bills haven't made the playoffs in nine consecutive years, the economy is in the tank and there was a public outcry over retaining unpopular coach Dick Jauron. Having one fewer game to purchase (the Bills play one regular-season game in Toronto) helped the overall ticket cost.

--SS Donte Whitner is due back in a Cleveland courtroom on July 31 to resolve his disorderly conduct case. A plea deal may be in the works. Whitner is accused of pushing his way past police officers and refusing to leave the scene outside a nightclub in April.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I've always been impressed with Trent. From the very first day he was here, I thought he had command of the huddle, I thought he had a presence on the field and he's just matured. He's into his third year and he knows a lot more about the league and how it functions and how people play and what it takes to succeed. He's worked awfully hard the whole offseason process and he'll continue to work. I'm really happy with Trent and how he's committed himself." - Coach Dick Jauron on quarterback Trent Edwards, who enters his third season as the team's entrenched starter.

"I don't really think that's the right question," said Evans when asked the 1-2 question. "I think you have two very explosive players and you do what you can to get both players involved. Talking about who is No. 1, who's what, when the defense gives you a look, you take advantage of it to that side, and certainly for some games, it may go back and forth, but I think the biggest thing is just for us both to work together and win football games and get to the playoffs."

FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered)

--C Melvin Fowler (not tendered as UFA June 1).

--LB Teddy Lehman (not tendered as UFA June 1).

--QB J.P. Losman (not tendered as UFA June 1).

--DE Corey Mace (not tendered as ERFA).

--OL Jason Whittle (not tendered as UFA June 1).

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.

DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED

--CB Cary Harris (6/183): Terms unknown.

--CB Ellis Lankster (7/220): Terms unknown.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

--QB Matt Baker: ERFA; terms unknown.

--DE Copeland Bryan: ERFA; terms unknown.

--OT Kirk Chambers: Potential UFA; terms unknown.

--LB Keith Ellison: RFA; $1.01M/1 yr.

--LB John DiGiorgio: Potential RFA; terms unknown.

--DB Dustin Fox: Potential RFA; terms unknown.

--RB Bruce Hall: ERFA; terms unknown.

--QB Gibran Hamdan: Potential RFA; terms unknown.

--RB Fred Jackson: ERFA; $7.5M/4 yrs, $1.1M SB/$650,000 RB; 2009 cap: $775,000.

--WR Justin Jenkins: Potential RFA; terms unknown.

--FB Corey McIntyre: Potential UFA; terms unknown.

--LS Ryan Neill: ERFA; terms unknown.

--TE Derek Schouman: ERFA; terms un known.

--TE Jonathan Stupar: ERFA; terms unknown.

--S George Wilson: RFA; tendered at $1.01M; terms unknown.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

--QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: UFA Bengals; $6.9M/3 yrs, guarantees unknown.

--CB Drayton Florence: FA Jaguars; $6.6M/2 yrs, guarantees unknown.

--OG Geoff Hangartner: UFA Panthers; $9.6M/4 yrs, guarantees unknown.

--C/G Seth McKinney: UFA Browns; terms unknown.

--WR Terrell Owens: FA Cowboys; $6.5M/1 yr, $4M SB/$2.5M salary guaranteed.

--RB Dominic Rhodes: UFA Colts; 2 yrs, terms unknown.

--WR P.K. Sam: FA CFL; terms unknown.

--LB Pat Thomas: UFA Chiefs; 1 yr, terms unknown.

PLAYERS LOST

--LB Blake Costanzo (released).

--LB Angelo Crowell: UFA Buccaneers; $3M/1 yr.

--OG Derrick Dockery (released).

--CB Jabari Greer: UFA Saints; $22M/4 yrs, $1)M guaranteed.

--DE Anthony Hargrove: UFA Saints; terms unknown.

--OT Jason Peters (traded Eagles).

--C Duke Preston: UFA Packers; $2M/2 yrs, guarantees unknown.

--TE Robert Royal (released).