Archives for April 16, 2003

The Bills roster consists of 21 of the team's original draft picks, 46 players signed as a free agent, three players acquired via trade, and two players claimed off of waivers. In addition, 14 of 22 (64%) starters last season were drafted by the Bills: 8 on offense, 6 on defense.

Liddell, who grew up near Rich Stadium, has always been a big fan of the Buffalo Bills and was a huge fan of Kelly, Reed and Lofton. While growing up, Liddell would go to the Bills training camp. “As a little kid I remember going to training camp and I always remember the guys that stayed and signed autographs for the kids. I want to be able to do that and take the time for kids, because that is special for them. I want to make sure that I can give something back,” said Liddell.

I think the NFL will miss John Butler, the 56-year-old Chargers GM who died of cancer on Friday. I really liked Butler, even though we had a major falling-out late in his tenure in Buffalo. This is why I liked him so much: He was a big man in so many ways. We hadn’t spoken for three years until the Friday before this year’s Super Bowl in San Diego. I was at the Chargers facility, in their front offices, doing the media pool report while covering the Raiders, and I ran into Butler. He was angry with me because I had agreed to be a regular guest on the radio show of a former Bills coach, Chuck Dickerson, who often was brutally frank and critical of the Bills.

Gary would be a backup with the Chiefs or at either of his other free-agent stops, Buffalo and Detroit. But neither the Lions nor the Bills have halfback issues like the Chiefs.

That’s not to say, however, that all trades that fit into this category are busts. The deal that secured quarterback Drew Bledsoe a year ago legitimized the Buffalo Bills, made them immediately competitive, and dramatically moved forward for GM Tom Donahoe a refurbishing of the franchise. There is no player in this year’s draft, none at the No. 14 spot he forfeited to New England, likely to have meant more to the Bills than Bledsoe means to the health of the team.

Signed with the Bills on 1/22/03 as an unrestricted free agent…released by the Seahawks on 8/27/02 before the start of the 2002 season…originally signed by Seattle on 1/23/02 and attended Seattle's 2002 training camp.

April 17, 1999 – CB ANTOINE WINFIELD IS BILLS' 1999 NO. 1 PICK

CB Antoine Winfield from Ohio State was the Bills' No. 1 pick (23rd overall) in the 1999 NFL Draft.

Lucius Sanford, an outside linebacker with Buffalo for nine seasons, had a tendency to hit running backs head-on, lift them off their feet and plant their backs on the field. Offensive linemen have ‘pancake blocks.’ Sanford had ‘pancake tackles.’

Numbers Assigned: Antonio Brown (19), Sam Gash (33), Rian Lindell (9), Sammy Morris (31), Izell Reese (43), Dainon Sidney (37).