Two Bills Drive

‘Ruben wasn’t eight Pro Bowls good; we all knew that. But he wasn’t as hapless as his worst critics suggested. He was flagged too often and the team surrendered way too many sacks, but it was no easy task pass protecting for the likes of Rob Johnson and Drew Bledsoe.’

‘”We saw the workout (in Houston). We had more people at the workout than anybody else in the league. We know what his abilities are. It appears there would be a lot of hoops you’d have to jump through to do the contract. Right now, from what we’ve heard, we wouldn’t be comfortable with it. I just had a talk (Monday) morning with Tom and told him what our position would be. If they’re interested in our position, we can talk further.”‘

‘Brown, who played in his eighth straight Pro Bowl last month, says he will continue to live and raise his family in Orchard Park. He thanked the fans for what he called “some of the happiest years of my life.”‘

‘Donahoe said the decision to release Brown was based on a number of factors and that to single out one area – his playing ability, absence from the final game, or the effect on the salary cap – would be incorrect. “I think the coaches did a very thorough job of talking about it and analyzing it and based on the fact that it was a new staff and we are trying to go in a different direction this might be the best decision to make,” Donahoe said.’

‘”We have released Ruben. We talked to him this morning. Coach (Mike) Mularkey spoke to him and indicated that we have decided to go in a different direction. Publicly I’d like to thank Ruben for all that he has done for the Buffalo Bills, things that he’s done on the field and off the field. I believe that our staff felt that coming in we wanted to go in a different direction. It’s probably best for both parties.”‘

”’We still have interest in Drew Henson, but we still have not been shown a way to do a contract that would make us comfortable,” Donahoe said. ”And until we can be shown that, it really doesn’t serve any purpose to bring him in (for a workout).”’

Buffalo cornerback Antoine Winfield (my guess: Cincinnati, which will throw more money at a quality cornerback than any other team).

This month’s wallpaper by TBD Alumni ‘Moose’ is starting DE Aaron Schobel (#94).

‘However, the move allows the Bills to save more than $4 million. Brown was due to make $2.7 million in 2004 and would have received a $1.8 million bonus if he was still on the Bills’ roster Wednesday, the first day of free agency.’

‘I know there were questions surrounding the way the season ended last year and I have chosen to keep those issues personal. Many of those issues have been resolved and my life has moved on from that point.’

‘By tendering offers on the team’s Restricted Free Agents (RFA) – a player who just finished his third season in the league and his contract is about to expire – the Bills will be given draft-round compensation should the players sign elsewhere.’

‘The salary cap is the maximum each club may spend on player salaries in a capped year. For 2004, that amounts to 64.75 percent of leaguewide “Defined Gross Revenues” (divided by 32 teams), made up of preseason, regular-season and postseason gate receipts and radio and television rights. The cap is in effect 365 days a year. From March 3 to the day before the season begins, a club’s top 51 salaried players count towards the cap, plus pro-rated signing bonuses, incentives, etc., but not base salaries of other players on the roster up to 80. Thereafter, all salaries on a club’s roster count towards the cap. The maximum salary cap for 2004 is $80,582,000 per club. The minimum club salary is $67,337,000. Player benefits are $12,865,000 per club above the salary cap number.’

‘Brown, who missed only eight games in nine seasons, started 15 games last year before being excused by the team from playing in the season finale against the New England Patriots last December.’

‘”He’s played at good level for a long period of time. He’s been on the leaders on our team,” Donahoe said. “It just boils down to when you have a new staff come in there are changes that are inevitable. Ruben won’t be the only change as we move forward, but he obviously is a significant chance for what he did here.”‘

‘Brown came under fire after he missed Buffalo’s regular season finale against New England. The team had excused him from playing after he had spoken out against then-offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride.’