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Front Office Report (Last Updated on March 11, 2010)
Welcome to our 2010 edition of our exclusive Front Office Section! This page will keep you updated on all the moves by the front office! Included is a look at the 2010 free agents and what we think the team will do with them. This will be the one page to look at all roster and front office moves made during the calendar year. We will also have a list of all 2010 player contract signings, restructurings, & extensions as well as the details behind them as they become available! You can also take a look back at all the 2009 moves and contract details as well.
Here is a look at the 2010 free agents and what we predict will happen to them. There are 8 unrestricted free agents and the Bills have already decided not to bring three back. With an entirely new coaching staff coming in there will likely be a great amount of turnover.
Unrestricted Free Agents
These free agents are free to sign with any team they want in the off season with no compensation to the Bills. (They may be given compensatory draft picks for players lost in next year's draft.) DE Ryan Denney - Informed he will not be offered a contract. LB Chris Draft - May re-sign for depth next year. S Todd Johnson - Likely not to be re-signed. OG Seth McKinney - Not likely to return. WR Terrell Owens - Informed he will not be offered a contract. Visited Cincinnati. WR Josh Reed - Informed he will not be offered a contract. Visited New England. S/LB Bryan Scott - Re-signed with Bills for 2 years 3/4. OG Kendall Simmons - Won't be re-signed.
Restricted Free Agents
Since there is no new CBA agreement you now need six years of service before becoming an unrestricted free agent. That makes the list of restricted free agents larger. The Bills have the right to match any offer any of these free agents get or receive compensation in the form of draft picks for each player lost. The round of the pick depends on where the player was drafted and/or the price of the qualifying offer given by the Bills. The new regime may let more restricted players walk since they have no allengiance to them.
LB Keith Ellison - Tendered at $1.176M (6th round compensation). OG Richie Incognito - Not tendered an offer. TE Joe Klopfenstein - Re-signed with Bills 3/11. S George Wilson - Tendered at $1.759M (2nd round compensation). QB Gibran Hamdan - Not tendered an offer. Signed with Toronto of CFL 3/10 CB Ashton Youboty - Tendered at $1.176M (3rd round compensation) TE Derek Schouman - Tendered at $1.684M (2nd round compensation). OT Jonathan Scott - Not tendered an offer. Signed with Pittsburgh 3/9
Exclusive Rights Free Agents
These players have no bargaining power and will remain with the Bills if they want them.
LB Marcus Buggs - New regime may see no need for small player. LB Jon Corto - Should be tendered for special teams prowess. OG Christian Gaddis - Likely to be tendered for depth. CB/S Cary Harris - Should be tendered, showed promise at end of season. TE Jonathan Stupar - Likely to be tendered. RB Justice Hairston - On IR all year. Won't be tendered.
NFL Free Agent Players OT Cornell Green - Signed - 3/8 DT Marlon Favorite - Signed - 3/2 DT Rashaad Duncan - Signed to future free agent contract - 1/15 DT Lonnie Harvey - Signed to future free agent contract - 1/15 OL Jason Watkins - Signed to future free agent contract - 1/15
Coaching Staff/Administration Asst. to head coach Darryl Daye - Hired 2/19 Asst. OL coach Bobby Johnson - Hired 2/17 Asst. ST coach Stan Kwan - Hired 2/16 Asst. LB Coach/ST DeMontie Cross - Released 1/4; Re-Hired as ILB coach 2/11 Asst. GM/Dir. Pro Personnel Doug Whaley - Hired 2/10 Co-Strength & Conditioning Coordinator Eric Ciano - Hired 2/9 Co-Strength & Conditioning Coordinator John Gamble - Hired 2/9 Defensive Coordinator George Edwards - Hired 2/4 Def. Quality Control Coach Adrian White - Released 1/4; Re-Hired 2/1 Special Teams Coach Bruce DeHaven - Hired 2/1 WR Coach Stan Hixon - Hired 2/1 QB Coach George Cortez - Hired 2/1 Offensive Coordinator Curtis Modkins - Hired 1/27 OL Coach John D'Alessandris - Hired 1/27 Off. Quality Control Coach Kevin Patullo - Hired 1/27 TE Coach Bob Bicknell - Hired 1/27 Def. Assistant Giff Smith - Hired 1/27; named DL coach 2/11 DB Coach George Catavolos - Released 1/4; Re-Hired 1/27 DL Coach Bob Sanders - Released 1/4; Re-Hired 1/27; Named OLB coach 2/11 Head Coach Chan Gailey - Hired 1/19 GM Buddy Nix - Promoted 12/31 from National Scout CEO Russ Brandon - Promoted 12/31 from COO
Players OL Brad Butler - Announced Retirement 2/18 TE Derek Fine - Released 2/16 WR Justin Jenkins - Released 2/16 S John Wendling - Released 2/16 LB Ashlee Palmer - Released 2/16 DE Jermaine McGhee - Released 2/16 DT Marcus Smith - Released 2/16 C Marvin Philip - Released 2/16
Coaching Staff/Administration OC Alex Van Pelt - Released 1/4; Hired as Tampa Bay QB coach 2/1 Asst. OL Coach Ray Brown - Released 1/4; Hired as SF Asst. OL coach 1/27 WR Coach Tyke Tolbert - Released 1/4; Hired as Carolina WR coach 1/21 RB Coach Eric Studesville - Released 1/4; Hired as Denver RB coach 1/21 VP of Pro Personnel John Guy - Fired 1/20 DC/Interim Head Coach Perry Fewell - Released 1/4; Hired as Giants DC 1/14 Special Teams Coach Bobby April - Released 1/4; Hired as Eagles ST coach 1/14 OL Coach Sean Kugler - Released 1/4; Hired as Steelers OC coach 1/14 TE Coach Charlie Coiner - Released 1/4 LB Coach Matt Sheldon - Released 1/4 Off. Quality Control Coach Nathaniel Hackett - Released 1/4 Assistant Chuck Lester - Released 1/4 Strength and Condtioning Coach John Allaire - Released 1/4
Here is where we will list contract details that we obtained through various media outlets. It is an approximation since the Bills do not release contract details. We will list all new contracts, restructured deals and extensions that happen in the 2010 calendar year. Some players may be asked to restructure their contracts which would convert base salaries into signing bonuses to save cap money. This practice usually puts teams in a bad cap situation in future years so it isn't likely this off season since the team is in good cap shape.