Archives for August 2011

‘"Yeah, since I’ve been at Harvard I haven’t had this opportunity," said Fitzpatrick, 28. "In my first six years in the league I was able to get so much knowledge. But it was never really my offense. I wasn’t able to take ownership. Hopefully, this will be a great year, because I’ve taken ownership from Day One."’

‘"I come from a place where everyone tells me I can’t do something, you’re not good enough and you don’t fit in here. I think we have a group of guys who feel that way, too. We may be not the most respected group of guys because of whatever reason. I think we are so talented right now that we are going to prove a lot of people wrong."’

‘”I think people expected him to come in and do exactly what he did at Clemson, which was probably unfair,” said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. “There are not many people that can come in their rookie year and just dominate the NFL.”‘

‘A former star quarterback at Edinboro, Harris, 25, said he wouldn’t have been able to join the Bills until Thursday because of the league’s collective bargaining agreement rules about non-rookie free agents. That’s nine days before their first preseason game. "I imagine with the time slotted for me to learn, they decided to go in a different direction," said Harris, who worked out for the Bills in January.’

‘”It was great to see everybody and most everybody made some kind of play out there,” said head coach Chan Gailey. “It was great. It was good to see those guys. I didn’t see much of Nick (Barnett) because I’m watching the offense obviously. I’ll have to go watch it on film. It looked like he got around the ball a couple of times. Drayton made a play or two. I saw that. I thought Tyler did some nice things for not ever having taken a snap in our offense, at least the one here. So it was good.”‘

‘Whitner told the Buffalo reporter he had "a change of heart."’

‘Whitner, 26, who reportedly signed a three-year contract worth $11.5 million, ranked fifth in the NFL with 140 tackles last year, the only season in his five-year career in which he’s played 16 games. The deal signaled the end of free-agent safety Dashon Goldson’s four-year tenure as the Niners’ new regime continued to aggressively retool a defense which ranked 24th in the NFL against the pass last year. Goldson took to his Twitter account shortly after Whitner’s signing was reported.’

‘The Bills also waived defensive back Domonic Cook, who was signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University at Buffalo.’

‘Bills GM Buddy Nix has intimate knowledge of Davis’ game having had a hand in the drafting of the LSU product five years ago. Davis found it difficult to crack the starting lineup in his time with the Chargers due in part to the talent in front of him on the depth chart and injuries.’

‘Since his rookie season of 2007, the LSU product has had trouble climbing San Diego’s depth chart with the likes of Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers and Malcolm Floyd on the roster in recent years. Injuries have also played a role in keeping Davis from developing into a productive talent.’

‘”I’m definitely excited to go out there, but good things come to those who wait. Patience is a virtue and all those good sayings,” said Barnett. “I’m just waiting to get out there. I’m excited. It’s going to be fun.”‘

‘Cincinnati thought it had Whitner, who agreed to terms to a two-year deal with the Bengals Thursday afternoon. It would have been the Bengals’ biggest free-agent acquisition to date. But San Francisco swooped in late with a better contract for three years at $11.5 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Whitner accepted the offer, while leaving the Bengals empty-handed.’

‘”I see him being used in a similar role,” Gailey said about his Smith. “He can play some receiver and quarterback, and gives you a lot of versatility. He can play special teams, cover kicks and return kicks. He can do a lot to help a football team win games.”‘

‘”It’s definitely encouraging when your GM is talking about you being the top three guys and they’re happy,” he said. “Now I just have to try to work my (tail) off to not let him down.”‘

‘”(He brings) an awful lot of knowledge and experience,” Gailey said. “Whatever he says (the players) hang on every word. You can’t put a value on that type of credibility when you walk on the practice field. We’ve got a very good relationship so I think it’s a win-win for a football team.”‘