Archives for July 28, 2013

‘”It’s two things really. It’s obviously the footwork and understanding what’s going on with the defense,” said offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. “Understanding the offense and understanding how that offense fits with the defense. Obviously we see multiple, multiple looks from (defensive coordinator Mike) Pettine. There are all kinds of things that we’ll face. So for a rookie quarterback to go in with a new system understanding how he’s going to utilize his footwork and then give him one million different looks, there’s a way that he just has to understand how everything fits.’

‘Williams led the Bills with 10.5 sacks last season. None of the team’s other edge rushers have proven they can effectively get sacks in the NFL.’

‘Doug Marrone can talk all he wants about quarterback competitions and players separating themselves from the pack and finding the guy who gives the Bills the best chance to win. It’s a nice spin for public consumption, but he shouldn’t be messing around with Kevin Kolb or any other passers during training camp.’

‘Said coach Doug Marrone of Scott: “That’s just unfortunate in this profession. We have expectations as coaches coming in and we didn’t feel that Chris fulfilled his expectation to us, to his teammates or the coaches. So we let him go.”‘

‘”We recognize the past, but we’re concentrating on the future,” Whaley said.’

‘Not that St. John Fisher is to blame for this, but since the Bills began training there in 2000 they have not qualified for the postseason, a run of futility currently unmatched in the NFL.’

‘The Bills haven’t stopped anybody the past three years, ranking near the bottom of the NFL in most of the key defensive categories, and establishing all-time team futility marks in the process.’

‘It’s EJ Manuel’s show now. And the sooner the better.’

‘Whaley says Byrd will be welcomed with ”open arms” once he reports.’

‘The Bills announced the move Saturday morning, as players were scheduled to take physicals at camp in suburban Rochester. The first practice is set for Sunday evening.’

‘Scott, 6-foot-4, 360 pounds, was signed by the Bills off the Tennessee Titans practice squad last year.’

‘”Everything that’s happened has been unfortunate, but it is what it is and I can’t let that distract me in any way with how big this is for this city and for the fans. And that’s my mindset.”‘

‘”We’re not going to do anything in the public or in the media,” Whaley started. “Just know that we have been in contact and lines of communication are open.”‘

‘Heading in to training camp, Smith had two years remaining on his initial four-year agreement signed with Buffalo. Owed a base salary of $2.75 million this year and $3 million the next, the Bills also would have been on the hook of paying a $500,000 roster bonus each year if the wide receiver had made the team.’

‘I tell people all of the time that it doesn’t change because every time I walked onto the field in my old role, I had the mindset of being the GM and how I would approach different situations. The mindset does not change, but the responsibilities have changed.’