Two Bills Drive

'"This is going on my 10th season, and the fullback has slowly been dying out," Tolbert said during a news conference Friday. "You get a guy like Coach McDermott, who believes in us. He not only brings in myself, but also Patrick DiMarco.'

'Graham, who turns 32 in July, has been a remarkably durable player throughout his 10-year career. He missed three games as a rookie in 2007, but since then has played in all 16 games nine years in a row.'

'Graham had one year remaining on the four-year, $16 million contract he signed with the Bills back in 2014. The Bills will save $4.05 million on the salary cap by cutting Graham.'

'"Versatility, smarts, intangibles, toughness is where you start, McDermott said. "And then you look at the skill set on the field – ball skills, the ability to take the football away and score on defense or set up our offense in scoring position will be big for us moving forward, and just the ability to run the defense and be that quarterback in the secondary was big for us."'

'"Just being around each other we got to know each other a good deal," Tolbert said Thursday after getting signed by the Bills. "He called me and he's like, 'I need you. I want you.' And I'm like, 'I got you.'"'

'Ok, so no video games. But what about the fullbacks? The Bills signed Patrick DiMarco and Mike Tolbert, two players who have been Pro Bowlers at the fullback position. What's up with loading up at that position?'

'"Could the Bills be all in on O.J. Howard? Yes, according to a scouting contact with the team," said Miller. "Now that Tyrod Taylor is locked up, the team won't be forced to go quarterback early. Howard, according to the scout, is a player the Bills love."'

'In his first season with the Bills, Alexander started in all 16 games and set career-highs in multiple categories. He recorded 76 total tackles, 12.5 sacks, six passes defensed, one interception and three forced fumbles.'

'"He called me and he was like, 'I need you. I want you.' And I'm like, 'I got you,'" Tolbert said Friday, two days after signing with the Bills in free agency.'

'The Bills will save $4.05 million in 2017 salary-cap space by releasing Graham, who was set to earn a $500,000 roster bonus Monday as part of a $5.65 million cap number in the final season of his contract.'

'The former Turner-Carroll High School product registered 214 tackles and 2.0 sacks with the Bills, along with five interceptions and a defensive touchdown. After a career-year in 2015, Graham slowed down in 2016 with just 58 tackles, nine passes defended, one sack, a recovered fumble, and an interception.'

'Removing Graham from the roster means one thing: Sean McDermott is getting his way with who goes and who stays on the roster. He wants players that can play multiple roles, and while Graham has past experience playing cornerback, he's on the decline of his career and made way too much money to keep on the roster.'

'Obviously the free agent acquisitions of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer changed the veteran dynamic at the safety position for Buffalo.'

'Both Mike Tolbert and Micah Hyde referenced respect in their initial comments and how it was instrumental in their decision to sign with Buffalo. For Tolbert it was his personal respect for head coach Sean McDermott having played in Carolina the past five seasons. Even though they were on opposite sides of the ball, he had frequent interaction with McDermott.'

'“I think I can take steps in every aspect of my game,” said Taylor in an appearance on the John Murphy Show. “I’ve been in the league going on seven years, but I just finished my second year as a starter. I think I’ve taken steps in the right direction each game and I definitely think towards the end of last year that I was playing some of my best ball. So I’ve got to build off that and there are definitely some areas to clean up personally and as a team.'