ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) - Marv Levy is a youthful 81. Trouble is, the Buffalo Bills team he's responsible for building into a playoff contender still isn't getting any older or more experienced.
Levy enters his second NFL draft as Bills general manager with nearly as many holes to fill as last year following another offseason of free-agent departures and disgruntled players who forced their respective trades.
``That hasn't always been my philosophy of `Youth Movement,''' Levy said. ``But I think this is the way it goes in the NFL nowadays. Every team after free agency is over, says, `Oh my gosh, we lost this guy, that guy.'''
As an example, Levy noted Indianapolis still won the Super Bowl despite losing star running back Edgerrin James a year ago as a free agent.
The comparison, however, falls short considering Buffalo hasn't approached the Colts' class since when Levy was still coaching and the Jim Kelly-led Bills reached the playoffs eight times in nine years through 1996. Buffalo has not made the playoffs in seven straight seasons, matching the longest drought in franchise history.
``Everybody has needs. Yes, we have them,'' Levy said. Then, with a wink, the Hall of Famer added, ``If we use all 42 of our draft choices wisely, we'll fill them all.''
For the record, the Bills have eight picks during the two-day draft, including four in the first three rounds, starting with No. 12 overall. But Levy is not entirely overstating the needs of a team that could be hard-pressed to match even last year's better-than-expected 7-9 finish under first-year coach Dick Jauron.
Besides losing two starters - cornerback Nate Clements and linebacker London Fletcher - to free agency last month, the Bills traded away another two. Running back Willis McGahee was dealt to Baltimore, while linebacker Takeo Spikes was dealt to Philadelphia.
Buffalo received three draft picks, including a third-rounder next year, from Baltimore, and defensive tackle Darwin Walker and a conditional 2008 draft pick in the deal with the Eagles.
The moves all but leave the Bills back at square one from a year earlier, when the team released numerous veterans, including safety Lawyer Milloy and defensive tackle Sam Adams, for salary cap reasons and traded receiver Eric Moulds to Houston.
Most draft projections have Buffalo selecting Mississippi inside linebacker Patrick Willis in the first round. But with all those needs, don't rule out the Bills taking a cornerback - say, Michigan's Leon Hall - or even California running back Marshawn Lynch if he is still on the board.
And a trade to move up or add picks isn't out of the question. The Bills last year swung a deal with Chicago to add a second first-round pick, with which Buffalo selected defensive tackle John McCargo.
Clements' departure is considered the most significant on-field blow, the team losing it's most talented and productive defensive player. In losing Fletcher and Spikes, the Bills will miss both their production and leadership.
At linebacker, Levy is interested in drafting a run-stuffing specialist to bolster a defense that finished 28th in yards rushing allowed.
The good news is the Bills' cupboard is not bare, particularly after they significantly bolstered their patchwork offensive line by adding guard Derrick Dockery and right tackle Langston Walker in free agency last month.
Better line play should not only help quarterback J.P. Losman, who has secured the starting job after a strong finish last season, but would also allow the Bills to use their tight ends as receivers more often.
The defensive line is set, and led by end Aaron Schobel, who earned his first Pro Bowl selection after getting a career-high 14 sacks.
Buffalo also received a big boost from its 2006 draft class, which produced five regular contributors, led by the starting safety tandem of Donte Whitner and Ko Simpson.
Assistant GM and chief scout Tom Modrak is confident the Bills are moving in the right direction.
``We have to have a good draft this year, obviously, but we're ready to step over the line to where we need to be,'' said Modrak, entering his seventh season in Buffalo. ``That's as straight as I can be. I think we're getting very, very close to being into the good stuff.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
