Two Bills Drive

‘Monday will be a bittersweet day for the man who was a backup fullback on the Buffalo Bills’ 1965 American Football League championship team.’

‘It is believed Johnson changed his mind about the Texans because the situation offered no guarantee for how many starts he would get before the coaching staff decided Carr was ready.’

‘Johnson balked at the Texans’ one-year, $1 million offer, and the team’s apparent desire to groom rookie David Carr as the starter.’

‘Terms of the contract were not released, but it is expected to be similar to the one-year, $1-million deal Johnson was offered by the Houston Texans last week.’

‘In Tampa Bay, the former Southern California star will be reunited with two of his Trojans teammates in Keyshawn Johnson and linebackers coach Joe Barry, with whom he roomed.’

‘Two weeks after Gruden was introduced as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ new coach, Johnson agreed to terms on a free agent contract Saturday.’

‘”I can’t wait to get to work with Coach Gruden and his staff,” Rob Johnson said in a statement released by the Bucs. “He is a special coach and this team has special players. I look forward to competing and contributing here.”‘

‘Clearly, the Bucs organization believes that Johnson possesses too much physical skill to ignore, but it’s not his athletic ability that has ever been questioned. Johnson never fit in with the Bills and did not make himself a part of the Buffalo community. He never bought a home, even rented an apartment, and lived in a hotel during the season there.’

‘In Rob Johnson, who threw for Gruden Friday morning and delayed his original flight out of Tampa to begin immediate negotiations that evening, the Bucs have found another intriguing option, an intelligent and tough passer with a strong arm and excellent mobility.’

‘Donahoe said the Bills have not decided on whether to try tackle John Fina at center.’

‘Dinkins is the most intriguing of the seven players the Bills are shipping overseas.’

‘The $2.3 million the county has set aside for rehabilitation work at Ralph Wilson Stadium will allow the team to replace the outdoor grass practice field with an artificial-turf field, according to county officials.’

‘He is looking to secure a starting role and has targeted Houston as his most desired destination. However, Johnson reportedly was put off by the Texans’ plans to draft David Carr at No. 1 overall and immediately begin grooming him as their starter. He also was said to be unhappy with the Texans’ offer of $1 million for one year.’

‘As for Johnson’s visit with the Bucs, the team has three quarterbacks on its roster (Brad Johnson, Shaun King and Joe Hamilton), but Gruden has said he planned to bring in more to work out with the team, which has a quarterbacks camp scheduled March 25.’

Dave Moore, a tight end who played at Pitt, said he wants to come back and play in Pittsburgh. Instead, he might be reunited with his former Panthers quarterback in Buffalo. Moore, an unrestricted free agent from Tampa Bay, was considering an offer from the Bills, where he would be reunited with former Pitt quarterback Alex Van Pelt. The Steelers talked with Moore yesterday about a position where he would compete with Jerame Tuman for their No. 2 tight end job and also serve as their long-snapper. However, Buffalo has made him an offer where he could become their No. 1 tight end.’