Archives for March 2003

‘And just think. Donahoe still has plenty of plans to peruse and the salary cap room to roam, and opening day is still over five months away.’

The Buffalo Bills have signed restricted free agent kicker Rian Lindell to an offer sheet. Lindell, 26, has kicked for the Seattle Seahawks the past three seasons and has connected on 74.4 percent (58 of 78) of his field-goal attempts.

Izell Reese joined the Broncos as an unrestricted free agent from Dallas, signed April 1, 2002. Reese has played in 71 career games and started 30, displaying great versatility by making starts at both strong and free safety, as well as at cornerback.

Safety Izell Reese, who most recently played with Denver, is visiting with the Bills today. Reese started 15 games at free safety and posted 58 tackles (48 solo), a half sack, five passes defensed and a forced fumble, while also adding three tackles on special teams for the Broncos last season.

‘It seems unlikely the Seahawks will try to keep Lindell. They tendered him a one-year, $609,000 offer, which gives them the right of first refusal. It’s a significant raise over the $375,000 he made last year. But Lindell, 26, was looking for a long-term deal.’

‘The Buffalo chapter of the National Football Foundation nominated Patulski, who played four seasons with the Buffalo Bills.’

‘”Nothing is changed from our end,” general manager Tom Donahoe said. “We’d like to have Sam. We have what we feel is a very fair offer (on the table). The decision is really up to Sam.”‘

‘”We watched him on tape and we played against him two years ago, so we’ve see him kick enough,” Donahoe said. “He’s a young kicker who has a big strong leg and we think not only does he have great range, he can also help us with kickoffs.”‘

‘Former Buffalo Bills coach Marv Levy will be the keynote speaker Saturday night at the Sheen Housing “Building Hope Together” gala dinner at Monroe Country Club in Pittsford.’

‘The 6-foot-2, 248-pound Newman, who’s from Tampa, spent his first four seasons in Buffalo, including two when Phillips was the Bills’ coach. He started 40 games at strongside linebacker the past three seasons. Newman, 26, will compete with strongside starter Matt Stewart and projected weakside starter Will Overstreet.’

‘The Seahawks tendered Lindell a $605,000 offer last month, so they retain the right to match the offer. But because Lindell entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie out of Washington State in 2000, the Seahawks will not receive draft-pick compensation from the Bills if they decide not to match.’

‘Lindell, 26, was tendered a one-year, $605,000 offer late last month to remain in Seattle. He made $375,000 last season, in which he made 23 of 29 field goals but did not have a touchback on a kickoff. The Bills are in need of a kicker after they were unable to reach a deal with Mike Hollis, an unrestricted free agent.’

‘The Jaguars took another hit to their depth at wide receiver when Bobby Shaw signed a three-year, $2.7 million deal with the Buffalo Bills.’

‘Newman was a fourth-round draft pick in 1999 from the University of North Carolina and had spent his four-year National Football League career with Buffalo. His signing reunites him with Falcons defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who coached him with the Bills.’

‘Shaw played in all 16 games for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season and made 10 starts. He caught a career-high 44 passes for 525 yards and one touchdown and averaged 12.4 yards on 24 punt returns, including a 69-yard score.’