Two Bills Drive

'We had this bond as a team you don’t see on many teams—maybe any other team. There’s maybe the three best players on the team, all Hall of Famers, and they knew this coach on their team was hurting, and they just had to be there for him. Bruce was so important to them, even though he wasn’t their position coach or head coach. I will always remember that.'

'“Bruce DeHaven was not only one of the premier special teams coaches the history of the NFL, he was also a premier special person,” said Levy. “His work ethic, his love for and his dedication to the game, his caring about those players from whom he was able to bring forth their maximum talents and who revere him are all signature features which distinguished him.” '

'Maybe the most intriguing element is Ragland. Of the trio, he was considered the most specific fit for Ryan's 3-4 defense. As the Bills search for Ryan's replacement, there is speculation they might either end up with a defensive coordinator (such as former Jacksonville Jaguars coach Gus Bradley) who uses a 4-3 scheme or a head coach with a defensive background (such as Carolina Panthers DC Sean McDermott) who also uses a 4-3.'

'"Buffalo is instead planning to move on from Taylor, despite the fact that their scoring has increased dramatically since he arrived," Schefter wrote on ESPN.com.'

'The fact that they're not reaching out to former head coaches is a clear sign that they don't want anyone who has the clout to challenge Whaley and demand to be the most empowered figure in the football department. No one with an alternative will be interested in coming to work under Whaley.'

'Ratings for the Bills televised games this season dropped by about six percent from a year ago, which isn’t that significant considering the decline in NFL ratings the early part of this season.'

'“We have a lot of work to do this offseason,” general manager Doug Whaley acknowledged during a mid-December radio appearance on Buffalo’s WGR 550, pre-playoff elimination, pre-Rex Ryan firing, and pre-regrettable press conference. “It could be that we have a whole new team next year, when you think about it. You’re going to have a lot of new faces coming in.”'

'Richard, 37, played in the NFL from 2002-2006 with the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers. Following a two-year stint at USC as a graduate assistant, Richard joined Pete Carroll in Seattle. Richard worked with Seattle's defensive backs before being promoted to the team's defensive coordinator in 2015.'

'Brown finished second in the NFL with 149 total tackles. He added four sacks, four passes defensed, one interception and two forced fumbles in 16 starts. Brown was signed to be the team's top reserve at inside linebacker, but was promoted to a starting role after second round pick Reggie Ragland tore his ACL. Brown was named a 2017 Pro Bowl alternate.'

'If the Bills let Taylor walk, Cardale Jones will be the only quarterback under contract for the 2017 season. He has tons of potential but is still considered a work in progress. Regardless, the team needs to add two quarterbacks to the roster between now and training camp.'

'The same report said Rob Ryan mixed man coverage and zone coverage too much, saying the scheme was “all over the place.”'

'Richard has spent his entire coaching career in the NFL, since 2010, with the Seahawks in various roles, being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2014 when Dan Quinn became the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.'

'"Winning is like shaving,” Kemp once said. “You do it every day, or you wind up looking like a bum.” In Buffalo, the Bills are still searching for a razor that works.'

'However, sources told Schefter the surgery was not a surprise to the Bills and that team doctors recommended that Taylor visit Meyers. The team was "fully aware" of the possibility of surgery, and Taylor did not act independently from the Bills, sources said.'

'He also was seventh in Total QBR last season, and ninth in 2016. People in that company get major dollars.'