Archives for March 12, 2015

'“I think I’ve been in this league long enough to know that you’ve got to compete in everything that you do,” said Cassel, who was introduced to the Western New York media on Wednesday, a day after his trade from the Minnesota Vikings became official. “You have to earn every opportunity you get, so I know there’s going to be competition.”'

'“It shows they’re serious about winning and winning now,” Felton said Wednesday, after being introduced as the Bills’ first unrestricted free-agent signing of the offseason. “From the ownership to the head coach to the general manager, everybody is on the same page and that is what is so exciting about being here.'

'“I think that if you look at teams that have had success and won Super Bowls and gone deep in the playoffs, they all have a good running game and they do play a physical style of football,” Felton said. “It’s difficult because I think when you look at college football nowadays, it’s a lot of spread offenses so it is harder to find a good fullback. Guys like me and Vonta Leach before me and Sam Gash before him, it’s important for us to continue doing what we’re doing. It’s usually a cyclical league and it will come back around.”'

'"I think that we definitely can achieve the level of success and I think I can achieve that level of success," he said. "I think it's about consistency. I think everything at the quarterback position comes with consistency. I still think I've got a lot of football left in me."'

'"I think I've been in this league long enough to know that you have to compete in everything you do," Cassel said. "You have to earn every opportunity that you get. I know that there is going to be competition and I know that EJ (Manuel) is here. He is a young, talented player and I expect that there is going to be a competition. Again, you have to go out and earn your opportunity in this league."'

'Meanwhile, the Bills also have Marqueis Gray and Chris Gragg on the roster at the tight end position. Both players are young, cheap and have shown some promise.'

'"To win a championship and bring the Lombardi Trophy down Delaware Avenue, and stop on Chippewa would be a hell of a time for all of us," Brandon said. "You're only in this business to win.'

'"So, I called my agent to see exactly what was going on, and he said it was true," McCoy said in his introductory press conference Tuesday. "We talked about it and my first reaction definitely was, I was disappointed just because my team didn't really … I didn't know what was going on. I had been in Philadelphia my whole life. For the six years, it was great. But, once I sat down and relaxed, I had some thought to myself. I talked to my family and I felt it was the best move. I felt like a team actually wanted me. It was possible to make this trade go through. They want a player and a running back that's going to give them everything they have, 110 percent. So, at the end of the day, I'm happy to be here."'

'Williams' contract extension is worth $10.5 million and presumably lowers his scheduled $6.4 million cap hit for the 2015 season. Williams, a former fifth-round pick and nine-year veteran, graded out as the seventh best defensive tackle in the NFL on Pro Football Focus for the 2014 season. He has 34.5 career sacks and at least five in four of the last five seasons.'

'Jackson has one year left on his contract, and his job is safe for now. But the Bills are spending aggressively in free agency, so it's tough to take anything off the table.'

'“It’s night and day from when I was a rookie, when my head was spinning, just trying to figure out what I’m doing out there. Now it’s completely different. I think you grow every single year. You come to know more about your strengths, and the things you want to work on as well.”'

'Whether or not the Dolphins match Buffalo’s offer for Clay, Whaley and Ryan have made clear their rather retro strategy, given the lack of quarterbacks any better than Manuel or Cassel in free agency or the upcoming draft. By devoting so many resources to maintaining one of the league’s best defenses while rebuilding a pitiful running game, they want to make the position as irrelevant as possible.'

'"It was a special year we had," Felton said of the playoff season of 2012. "The Vikings treated me well, and they were always up front with me. So there's no hard feelings."'

'Green is a gifted athlete, but Strevay said he is just as impressed with his dedication. “A gift is only good if you work hard on it.”'

'Chandler led Buffalo's tight ends in catches and yards in each of the past four seasons, including last year when he had 47 receptions for 497 yards. He has 17 touchdowns in 65 career games with the Bills. Chandler scored six times in both 2011 and '12 to match the franchise's single-season record for TDs by a tight end.'