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NEWS ARCHIVES - MAR 11TH - MAR 17TH, 2013 PREVIOUS WEEK

Bills Fairly Quiet In First Week Of Free Agency

Manny LawsonJones To New England: WR Donald Jones is staying in the AFC East. He will try to make the Bills pay for not tendering him an offer by signing with the New England Patriots. Jones was the number two wide receiver the last two years and was a restricted free agent until the Bills decided not to tender him making him unrestricted. Front Office Page.


Thursday March 14, 2013

Pettine On WGR: Mike Pettine spent a few minutes on WGR this morning he re-iterated that the team has talent on defense and they are looking to add a few pieces and go after it. He also said again that they will be a hybrid defense not a true 3-4 or a true 4-3. In this defense they need tall, lanky, speedy guys on the edge and that is where Manny Lawson fits in. He is excited to have a player as talented as Mario Williams and they will put him in a position to succeed. There is still an ongoing process of roster evaluation. They will get to continue that when the guys hit the field in April for the voluntary mini camp and offseason conditioning program. They are building a foundation on defense from the beginning. He is using some of the things he had in New York and adding things from what the other coaches bring to the table. The playbook will not be finalized for that reason until the get ready to go to training camp.


Wednesday March 13, 2013

Bills Lose Rinehart: One possible replacement for Andy Levitre is no longer an option as Chad Rinehart agreed to a one year deal with the Chargers. Many thought the Bills would re-sign the backup lineman who stepped into the lineup on several occassions the past two years and played well. The loss of the two offensive lineman leaves six of their own free agents still on the market.

Lawson Introduced: The newest Bill Manny Lawson was introduced to the Buffalo media this afternoon. He said it is hard to not want to be part of this organization and this coaching staff. He looks forward to jawing back and forth with his old college teammate Mario Williams. What spoke volumes is how much they wanted him and needed him in Buffalo. He sees himself fitting in by making plays. He has played in several types of defensive schemes and will play wherever they want him to. In talking to Mike Pettine, he will get the chance to rush the passer more based on the packages they have in. He is a defensive end in a linebackers body that can drop into coverage and rush the passer along with bluffing those coverages. He called himself a hybrid player who fits in well with the hybrid scheme they are trying to establish.

Bills Sign Lawson: The Bills dipped into the free agent market today by signing OLB Manny Lawson away from the Bengals. He signed a reported four year deal this morning after coming to town last night for a visit. He is best suited for the strong side in a 3-4 scheme. He struggled a bit in Cincinnati's 4-3 defense last year but played well in the 3-4 defense in San Francisco before his two seasons with the Bengals. His best season was in 2009 when he had 68 tackles with 6.5 sacks and three forced fumbles for the 49ers. He played with Mario Williams in college. Depth Chart.

Fitz Speaks: Joe Buscaglia of WGR spoke with Ryan Fitzpatrick by phone last night and he called it a hard day for him since they will be leaving an areas where they loved the fans and their neighbors and gained some lifelong friends. Fitzpatrick said the move wasn't a surprise since he was in constant communication with Buddy Nix and they tried to workout a solution but it couldn't be done. He enjoyed playing for the team and said it stinks the way it worked out. He also said he felt bad for Nix when he heard about the deadspin article. He told WIVB-TV "I think the fans were a great experience. This is four years of my life that I'll really look back on with fond memories," I wish we could have been more successful. I wish I would have been able to do more the last few years to really get the fans what they deserve, and that's a Bills team that's a winner and to get back in the playoffs."

The quickest way to get breaking news during the free agency frenzy from Bills Daily is to follow us on twitter!


Tuesday March 12, 2013

McKelvin Deal Breakdown: The deal Leodis McKelvin signed isn't as big as previous thought. The Buffalo News has a breakdown of the contract that is potentially worth $17 Million over four years and includes a $4 Million signing bonus. His base salary will be $2 Million this year, $2.1 Million next, $3.1 Million in 2015 and 2016. His cap figure for this year is just over $3 Million. Contract Details.

Levitre To Tennessee: The Bills have already lost their top free agent as Andy Levitre has signed with Tennessee for nearly $8 Million a year. A deal that makes him the fourth highest paid guard in the league. ESPN reports it is a 5 year deal worth $39 Million while they is a report that it is a 6 year deal worth $46.8 Million. Either way, that is too rich for the Bills blood and a lot of money for a guard especially with Eric Wood due to become a free agent after next year. Levitre played in every game in his four years in Buffalo and was solid and dependable and will be missed. There is now a pretty big hole at guard. Front Office Page.

Bills Release Fitzpatrick: The Bills have decided to cut ties with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. They used the post June 1st designation so he will count only $3 Million against this year's cap and $7 Million against next year's cap. He reportedly turned down a restructured deal for far less money. WGR reports he was offered $3 Million a year with additional $4 Million in incentives on a new four year deal. Buddy Nix said in a statement, "we kept every possible option open right down to the wire when we had to make the decision on whether to keep Ryan. In the end, we had to do what we feel is best for our football team and it was a very difficult decision. Ryan did some great things as our starting quarterback. He is a class act, a terrific guy with a great family and has been involved in many charitable endeavors in our community. But difficult decisions often have to be made and so we are moving forward. We wish Ryan and his family the best of luck in the future and offer him our sincere thanks for everything he has done for the Bills.”

Bills Release Statement: The Bills released a statement about the deadspin phone conversation taping,"we are aware of the report on Deadspin involving a phone conversation with Bills GM Buddy Nix. We have made the league aware of the report and are reviewing it with legal counsel." NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says NFL security and the league's attorneys are looking into the Bills/Bucs wiretap story.

Illegal Phone Conversation: Deadspin got their hands on a phone conversation between Buddy Nix and Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominik that pranksters were able to setup. It ia an illegal call since neither side knew they were being taped. In New York one side needs to know while in Florida both parties need to consent to the taping. Despite the disgusting way the call was taped that violated both men's privacy Nix said a couple of note worthy things. Both men complained about the three day negotiating period being great for the players and agents and bad for the club. Nix said the team is having trouble signing their own players. He said Ryan Fitzpatrick needs to figure out what he is going to do since they can't pay him that much to be a backup. That could be an indication they are trying to restructure the deal or give him a pay cut. He also said they need to get his hands on a franchise quarterback. He did say they don't believe they are moving anyone.

Free Agency Frenzy Set To Begin: At 4pm free agency begins and expect signings to happen fast and furious especially since teams have been talking to agents for the last three days. The Bills will likely lose Andy Levitre very quickly as Tennessee is expected to make a huge run at him. The Bills are expected to be active but not make the big splash they did last year with the signing of Mario Williams. They will likely look to add a number two wide receiver, a linebacker or two, and a guard to replace Levitre assuming he signs elsewhere. They also have until tomorrow to decide if they will pay Ryan Fitzpatrick his $3 Million bonus. They can also release him or restructure his contract. Follow us on twitter all day long for constant updates. We will also be updating this page shortly after the free agency period opens this evening. Take our poll on our homepage and let us know what you think they will do.

The quickest way to get breaking news as free agency starts is to follow us on twitter!


Monday March 11, 2013

McKelvin Signs Deal: The Bills re-introduced Leodis McKelvin to the media today. Doug Marrone confirmed that they expect McKelvin to challenge for the starting job opposite Stephon Gilmore. McKelvin called it a new start and a new beginning with a new coaching staff. He plans on going out and showing them what he can do and expects to challenge for the starting job.

Free Agency Looms: Tomorrow at 4pm the frenzy begins as free agency starts. It is basically already underway as teams are talking to agents during the open period that is going on right now. This means that signings will happen very quickly tomorrow. The last word was that the Bills had not offered Andy Levitre a deal yet, if that is true he likely will be gone quickly as the top rated guard on the market. The Bills have seven other unrestricted free agents to deal with as well as try to fill holes with their own signings. It will be an interesting week. We will keep track of everything for you with our free agent tracker on our home page and on twitter with the latest rumors and news.

The quickest way to get breaking news from Bills Daily during the free agent frenzy is to follow us on twitter!



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