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Sporting News, The, March 4, 2005

BUFFALO BILLS

MOVING ON: The Bills, who plan to release QB Drew Bledsoe, think second-year QB J.P. Losman will give the offense more flexibility. The Bills want to keep LT Jonas Jennings and DT Pat Williams but might have to choose. Jennings is young but has durability concerns. The team will be thin at offensive tackle if Jennings and top backup Marcus Price, a free agent, leave. Williams, 32, has said he would take less money but still won't come cheap. Ron Edwards, Tim Anderson and Justin Bannan are younger options, but none has Williams' size, strength and quickness. FS Izell Reese likely won't be retained. Trey Vincent has taken over, and Rashad Baker is a promising backup. ACTION PLAN: The Bills have the money to replace Jennings and/or Williams. Expect them to re-sign Price, who could start at left tackle. Other left tackle options include L.J. Shelton, who could be cut by Arizona, and Brad Hopkins, a possible cap casualty in Tennessee. The market is thin at defensive tackle, so the Bills might go with Edwards, Anderson and Bannan if Williams doesn't re-sign. A veteran backup for Losman is a priority. Shane Matthews could return; he knows the offense and has starting experience. Brad Johnson, Brian Griese and Jay Fiedler, if they become available, are options. TEs Mark Campbell and Tim Euhus are coming off knee surgeries, so the Bills could pursue a veteran. Jermaine Wiggins (Vikings), Matt Cushing (Steelers) or Itula Mill (Seahawks) would fit the scheme and budget. RB Travis Henry is seeking a trade, so Mike Cloud (Giants) or Anthony Thomas (Bears) could back up Willis McGahee.--Allen Wilson

MIAMI DOLPHINS

MOVING ON: There will be lots of changes on defense, with OLB Junior Seau, FS Arturo Freeman and SS Sammy Knight likely to leave. Look for the team to find safety replacements among Yeremiah Bell, Jraft picks and perhaps a low-level free agent. DT Tim Bowens, who missed almost all of 2004 with a back injury, and DL Jay Williams, Jeff Zgonina and Bryan Robinson all could go. Expect the Dolphins to pick up a defensive tackle in the draft. The team is looking to trade LCB Patrick Surtain and perhaps RCB Sam Madison, depending on what it could get in draft picks. Will Poole and Reggie Howard likely can step in as replacements, though Howard struggled in '04. The big problem is changing so many players at once. ACTION PLAN: The team will focus on left tackle, though it wants to get its cap situation under control and won't spend a lot in the market. Possibilities include Jonas Jennings (Bills) or perhaps a cap casualty such as Brad Hopkins (Titans). The options aren't great, which could force the team to look to the draft. Expect Miami to sign a couple of low-priced veteran defensive tackles to provide depth. The team also could pursue a running back in the free-agent market or in a trade. Edgerrin James, Shaun Alexander, Travis Henry and Reuben Droughns are interested in Miami, but the team won't give up a lot of money and/or draft picks. Coach Nick Saban also would like to sign a quarterback to push A.J. Feeley after the team cuts Jay Fiedler. Ideally, such a player would be a veteran who is comfortable in that role. But that player might be hard to find considering Jeff Garcia, Drew Bledsoe and Kurt Warner want to start.--Jason Cole

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

MOVING ON: Keep an eye on LG Joe Andruzzi and No. 3 WR David Patten, both unrestricted free agents. Andruzzi is a huge team favorite and deserves big money, but he might not get it from New England. The team has to be careful because it is thin at guard. Russ Hochstein would be an adequate replacement, but the team would miss Andruzzi's experience and toughness. Patten will explore his options on the open market. The team is deep and young at wideout, so it could absorb his loss. P.K. Sam, who has good size, and Bethel Johnson, who has good speed, would compete for Patten's job. ACTION PLAN: Given the youth and depth on the roster, the Patriots will not be big players in the free-agent market, but they will try to bolster some positions, especially cornerback and inside linebacker. Coach Bill Belichick believes in having a lot of players who can cover, so he's sure to add a veteran or two. The most action will occur with the team's restricted free agents. Some, such as WR David Givens, DE Jarvis Green, RG Stephen Neal and OTs Brandon Gorin and Tom Ashworth, are key building blocks. They were either middle-or low-round draft picks or undrafted free agents, which makes them attractive to other teams because the Patriots won't receive much compensation if they tender low-end contracts and the players sign elsewhere. Givens, the team's leading receiver in '04, is a consistent red zone threat. The team must tender him the high-range offer of $1.3 million for next season or he surely will leave. Green doesn't start, but he plays a key role in the line rotation.--Michael Felger

NEW YORK JETS

MOVING ON: The team will lose some very good players. RB LaMont Jordan, who has been stuck behind Curtis Martin, is at the top of the list. With Martin expected to play at least two more seasons, the Jets can't afford to re-sign Jordan, who could start elsewhere. They likely will replace him in the draft. There also is a good chance RT Kareem McKenzie will be too expensive to retain. They then can sign a stopgap free agent, or move LT Jason Fabini to the right side--his natural spot-and make T Adrian Jones a starter on the left side. The Jets won't make a serious bid to re-sign TE Anthony Becht, who will be replaced by Chris Baker. Look for them to draft a tight end. ACTION PLAN: The strategy largely will be based on the players lost. The biggest needs are at offensive skill positions, in particular wideout and tight end. The team could use a big receiver in the Plaxico Burress mold but likely won't throw big money at a wideout, not with Santana Moss and Justin McCareins under contract. T.J. Houshmandzadeh might be affordable. The team might consider pursuing a trade for Randy Moss, but don't expect anything to get done. Titans WR Derrick Mason will be an option if he becomes a cap casualty. He worked with new coordinator Mike Heimerdinger in Tennessee. With QB Chad Pennington recovering from shoulder surgery, the team will think hard about veteran insurance and could sign Vinny Testaverde. The Jets also are trying to re-sign DT Jason Ferguson and will focus on special teams. They need a return man-Alien Rossum (Falcons) and Dominic Rhodes (Colts) are options-a punter and possibly a kicker.--Rich Cimini