Archives for June 2013

‘”I know a little bit more than the other guys, but I don’t consider myself a vet,” Dowtin said. “I haven’t really played a year in the league yet. It’s one of those things where if I do know a little more, I can help the guys around me. We’re all learning together.”‘

‘As a defensive coordinator who would know, Pettine sized up the enigmatic Tebow this way: “He’s a unique athlete. He’s not the most orthodox NFL quarterback, but he finds a way to get it done. And I think those guys that are change-up types are the ones that can give you some trouble.”;

‘”Just teach them some good morals about things that should be done and the way things should be done in the world.”‘

‘As far as his ex-Buffalo teammate Jim Kelly, who is home recovering after having surgery on Monday to remove cancerous cells from his upper jaw, Talley said the Bills’ brethren knew about it for several weeks before it came out in the national media.’

‘Kelly’s wife, Jill, posted a note on her Twitter account Wednesday, saying ”there’s a long road ahead,” but doctors are pleased with her husband’s recovery. She said the next step is awaiting results of bone tests.’

‘It wasn’t a complete shutdown by the Bills’ defense on Day 2 of mandatory mini-camp, but that side of the ball was getting the better of team work for the majority of the practice.’

‘”They’ve made no secret about it that there’s a competition around here and that involves a few different players. I’m just glad to be a part of it. May the best man win,” Legursky said. “No hard feelings either way, but nobody’s in this league to be a backup, so everybody that’s in that competition is playing their best ball trying to make it and that includes me.”‘

‘The majority of the focus at next month’s training camp will be on Manuel and while Doug Marrone maintains the competition will determine the starter, one would think the organization would dearly like to see Manuel win the job. It’s possible Manuel could be the guy even if he isn’t the clear cut winner but at the very least, keeps the race close.’

‘The defensive unit’s pressure packages consistently kept the offense off balance. Buffalo’s pass defenders were getting hands in the passing lanes to force incompletions Tuesday. On Wednesday they registered interceptions.’

‘”When you look at it from a standpoint of reps … there’s just not enough reps to really do a good job evaluating,” Marrone said of a three-way competition. “I think it’ll be a lot clearer for all of us, or especially for myself as a coach, with the amount of reps that Kevin and EJ will get. … If you’re going around and you’re giving three players reps, it’s tough to keep track of that, honestly. And we keep track of everything.”‘

‘”It feels good after spending so much time in free agency and not on a squad to have a team that wanted me to be a part of their organization and trusted me to come in here and take some pretty quality snaps,” Legursky said. “Coming to a new organization, I have to prove everything again, and I’m fine doing that.”‘

‘I’m not out to change the world or the NFL or what you believe.My plan is to change me and how I operate.’

‘”I know what it’s like to have your team not do well. I know what it’s like to say, ‘Hey, do I want to wear this Bills shirt today? Or do I not want to (be mocked) when I walk around?'”‘

”’The more reps you give them, I think it’s going to be easier to tell it apart,” Marrone said, a day after the team released veteran backup Tarvaris Jackson. ”I believe that we’ll be able to see it at training camp. I think the players on the team are going to be able to see that separation. And that’s the most important thing.”’

‘Byrd is not required to attend practice because he has not signed the one-year, $6.9 million contract the Bills offered by designating him their franchise player in March. The move allowed Buffalo to retain the fourth-year player’s rights before he was eligible to become a free agent.’