Archives for March 2009

‘There were reports that stated veteran cornerback Drayton Florence was likely to return to play for the team that drafted him in the San Diego Chargers, but when it came down to hard numbers the Bills made an offer the free agent couldn’t turn down as he agreed to terms Buffalo late Tuesday.’

‘Former Yale running back Dick Jauron, who ran for a then-school-record 2,945 yards from 1970-72 and was the first Bulldog to win the Bushnell Cup as the Ivy League MVP, is one of 76 players on the 2009 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.’

‘A year ago, Florence was considered one of the prize cornerbacks of free agency. He left the Chargers to sign a six-year, $36.1 million deal with the Jaguars, but his experience in Jacksonville was not a good one.’

‘The Bills have signed cornerback Drayton Florence to a two-year, $6.6 million contract that can be worth $7.3 million with incentives.’

‘The four-year veteran appeared in 11 games making a pair of starts at fullback. McIntyre also saw time on special teams where he recorded five tackles as a coverage player.’

‘Buffalo’s newest quarterback has only seen action as a pro in two years, both rotten.’

‘Thomas also pulled no punches regarding running back Marshawn Lynch, who was arrested on gun charges last month in California. “If I was the GM [general manager], he’d be out of there,” Thomas said.’

‘If Greer does not get a big offer from Tampa, however, that could open the door a little wider to the prospect of a return to Buffalo. The Bills have made a substantial offer to Greer.’

‘Who knows, maybe the Bengals will surprise us all by making Coles a hefty offer, but the bet here is the Bills can get LC once they decide it’s ok to overpay him because he’s their best option to help Evans and Trent Edwards.’

‘Still, with the center tandem of Duke Preston/ Melvin Fowler turned loose as free agents and Dockery cut, it would behoove Buffalo to extend Peters to keep the offensive line 60 percent intact.’

‘”The team I can’t stomach the most when I watch them is probably the Buffalo Bills,” Thomas said to laughs. “I’m serious. They stink.” Why? “They need some better football players,” Thomas said.’

‘Sometimes, it’s just simple. If Denver is silly enough to deal Jay Cutler, you see what it will take to get him. WIll the Bills do it? I highly doubt it, but let’s just toss this out there with every other dream deal out there. Someone is going to do it, and unless Cutler moves to Iceland to help export woollen goods and ferro-silicon alloys, the move will work out for the buyer.’

‘”I think it’s almost a tie between Jim Kelly and Jack Kemp because Jack won the two AFL championship games. Joe Ferguson was a great quarterback too, but between Kelly and Kemp I’d give Kelly a slight edge from the way he ran the K-Gun so he gets the nod.”‘

‘In Dockery’s case, that specifically means adding a lineman who won’t fizzle at great expense. His agent claims his client didn’t fit the Bills’ scheme once Sean Kugler took over as offensive line coach. He’s right: Buffalo was looking for quick blockers who use their strength and don’t react slothfully off the snap. Not providing rather fundamental traits means a player won’t suit many teams anywhere. The former and current Redskin seldom recognized situations quickly and failed to exert his will through strength when he did. Forget anyone from the opposing front seven: The guard only dominated a share of the salary cap.’

‘One thing we have learned about free agency is the spending decreases after the first wave of signings. The money will always be there for star players, but after that teams are looking for bargains. Perhaps that’s what the Bills’ approach is this offseason. After the failed Dockery experiment, they will be a lot more deliberate in paying big-money contracts in the future.’