July is traditionally the slowest month in the NFL calendar as the players are resting up for training camp that will begin before they know it. There is a quiet optimism at the Bills facility right now as they look forward to the upcoming season. Three reasons for this excitement are, QB Trent Edwards, RB Marshawn Lynch, and WR James Hardy.

Edwards recognized that he broke down in the latter part of the season due to fatigue, so he has put on 10 pounds of muscle to play at 231 lbs. He has not missed 1 workout of mini camp and with his Stanford background, should be able to absorb the playbook much better this year. Last season he was getting reps with the third team, so he was not able to establish a leadership role, but firmly entrenched as the number 1 guy, he has taken over the team, and is ready to improve dramatically on last season. The coaching staff had enough confidence in him that they are going to allow him to make audible checks at the line of scrimmage, which they have not done with any other quarterback.

Marshawn Lynch is back and 100% healthy, which means that the offensive attack will be much more balanced than it was late in the season last year when he was out with an injury. Lynch has dealt with the legal issues he had stemming from a hit and run incident a couple of months ago, and is ready to put that behind him. Running behind the biggest offensive line in football, he is primed to break out during his sophomore campaign.

James Hardy is slated to start opposite WR Lee Evans, replacing WR Josh Reed as a threat when Evans is double- teamed. Hardy’s 6’6" frame is just what the doctor ordered for Edwards to be able to throw the fade to a tall receiver in the red zone. With Buffalo at the bottom of the league in offense last season, these three dramatic improvements give the Buffalo family reason for optimism.

Look for 1^st round draftee CB Leodis McKelvin to battle with CB Jabari Greer for a spot in the starting backfield defensively. McKelvin knows that he was not drafted where he was to sit on the bench and had made every effort to raise his game to the level of a starter in the NFL.

Off the field, TE Kevin Everett held his first annual benefit golf tournament to raise funds for spinal cord injury research, and it was a smashing success. Jim, Kelly, Jerome Bettis and Alex Van Pelt were a few luminaries to drop in on Briarwood country club for the event. Hardy and SS Donte Whitner also were involved in a charity event for United Way reaching out to the kids of Buffalo in Live United. Just shows these guys really do care!! Till next month, Out!!