Two Bills Drive

@ Tony Banks and Jim Miller are the only fulltime starters from last season on the this year’s list of 15 unrestricted free agent QBs. The Bills might look at Miller and Saints quarterback Jeff Blake, who will be traded or cut, now that they’ve released unpopular starter Rob Johnson.

‘GM Tom Donahoe said that the team has released the frequently injured seven-year veteran. “I just think it’s time we both moved on,” Donahoe said. The departure of Johnson, 28, will save the Bills a whopping $6.15 million on their 2002 salary cap, as Buffalo avoids paying his $4 million base salary and $2.15 million roster bonus that was due Friday. The Bills will have to carry a $5.075 million cap charge for Johnson, the remaining prorated share of his signing bonus. The club has discussed with New Orleans Saints officials a trade that would bring veteran quarterback Jeff Blake to Buffalo, a deal that could take place as early as this weekend if some hurdles are overcome.’

@ The Bills today announced that the club has released quarterback Rob Johnson and defensive back Ken Irvin.

Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly and Goo Goo Dolls’ bass player Robby Takac announced a rally Saturday to protest a plan to close Children’s Hospital. ”This is something that’s dear to my heart and very special to me,” Kelly said Thursday. ”You can look at all the great things that the Buffalo Bills and myself have done in the past. But when it comes to family … this is about as important as it gets.”

‘Releasing Johnson and saying goodbye to Cowart would give the Bills cap room. It would also leave them with at least as many holes as they took into training camp last year.’

‘Yet this is still Sam Cowart, the playmaker and leader-by-example in the locker room. He doesn’t TALK a good game…he plays one.’

@ Al Bemiller was the center for the Bills from 1961-1969 and still lives in Buffalo. Right now he is working for the NY state correctional services as a recreational leader in a prison.

@ A number of Bills players have made the transition from player to broadcaster and Fred Smerlas, Paul Maguire, Ron Pitts and Ahmad Rashad are just a few.

‘When asked how he felt about leaving the Bills, Johnson sounded more relieved than disappointed.’

”’I’m kind of happy,” he said. ”It hasn’t been an easy situation there. Every off-season there’s been something, whether it was me or Doug (Flutie), or new coaches, so it’ll be a fresh start.”’

‘Working in Cowart’s favor is that his was only a partial tear. Healy said his client has been given second positive opinions by noted orthopedic surgeons in New York, Alabama and Florida.’

‘"Everybody’s saying, ‘What’s going to happen tomorrow?"’ Healy said. "From our point of view, if nothing does happen tomorrow or even the next day, we have not foreclosed the possibility of still working out something with the Bills."’

Len Pasquerelli rates Sam Cowart 24th best free agent.

Played just one game in 2001 and coming off Achilles surgery, yet asking for a $10.5 million signing bonus. If he regains his sanity, will have a market, since a few more teams are switching to 3-4 front.

‘The Buffalo Bills have elected not to offer safety Keion Carpenter a new contract, allowing him to become a free agent on Friday.’

@ Chris Brown of WGR reports that Safety Pierson Prioleau has been tendered a qualifying tender offer of $563,000. He joins Shawn Bryson, Jay Foreman, Sheldon Jackson, and Keith Newman as Restricted Free Agents who rights have been kept. Chris Watson and Keion Carpenter have not yet. The Bills have decided not to tender Craig Heimburger an offer; in addition Kenyatta Wright was not tendered an offer but may be back in the Spring.