Archives for March 2004

‘Bills Vice President of Communications Scott Berchtold said quarterbacks coach Sam Wyche has not made plans to scout the unrestricted free agent, as sources told The News on Wednesday. Berchtold said he could not comment on the possibility of a future visit by the Bills with Volek but that none currently has been set.;

‘Volek visited with the Atlanta Falcons for a second time on Thursday and has already mulled over two contract proposals, said agent Ken Staninger. Volek has also met with Denver and Green Bay.’

‘Also yesterday, Buffalo Bills officials denied they had planned to send quarterbacks coach Sam Wyche to Nashville on Sunday to visit with Volek, but they would not comment on whether they now planned to visit with Volek at any other point in the coming days.’

‘”I don’t know about the Buffalo thing,” Staninger said. “The only thing I do know is they talked to Billy [Wednesday] about coming down there. Sometimes people are coming through to look at college players and such, and could stop and take a look along the way. But if it’s scheduled, I don’t know anything about, and you’d think as his agent, that if anything was scheduled, I’d know about it.”‘

‘Fullback Sammy Morris signed a two-year deal to be a backup, agent Mark Slough said. Morris signed a two-year contract and will be introduced today at a news conference. The Dolphins won a mild bidding war with division-rival New England for the former Buffalo back. ”It was down to Miami and New England. Miami stepped up and was more aggressive,” Slough said.’

‘Morris, who played his first four NFL seasons in Buffalo, will replace the departed Femi Ayanbadejo (Arizona) as Rob Konrad’s backup and play a prominent role on special teams.’

‘The Dolphins also agreed to a two-year contract with Sammy Morris, a pass-catching running back who played the past four seasons in Buffalo. Morris, 6 feet and 220 pounds, had 14 catches for 100 yards and 19 rushes for 70 yards last season. He could replace fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo, who left for Arizona, or back up Ricky Williams if Travis Minor leaves as a restricted free agent. Morris is considered an excellent special-teams player, with 38 career tackles.’

‘Morris spent the first four years of his NFL career in Buffalo. A little undersized for full time duty in the backfield, Morris caught 14 balls for 100 yards last season. He ran for another 70. Miami gave Morris a two year deal.’

‘The Dolphins have agreed to a two-year contract with Sammy Morris, a pass-catching running back/fullback who played the last four seasons in Buffalo.’

‘”I don’t think there was any one that was better timed than that one and it wasn’t due to my skill of trying to time the tackle,” Stratton said. “I think it was due to my fear that Lincoln was going to catch the ball and his feet were going to hit the ground before I got to him and then I might miss him. So I was driven more by fear than anything else. It was a good collision. I felt it and I knew that he felt it. I didn’t know what would happen. I was happy in some ways that he was not coming back into the game because he had already given us fits, but I was also happy that he didn’t seem to be that badly hurt. So it sort of worked out well.”‘

I met Winfield in April 1999 after Buffalo drafted him 23rd overall. I wrote for the independent Bills publication Shout!, and was assigned to ghostwrite an ongoing diary chronicling a player’s rookie year. We chose Winfield, figuring there wouldn’t be any better subject than the team’s first pick. As it turned out, there probably weren’t many better subjects in the NFL.

‘The Bills are fully committed to Drew Bledsoe for the 2004 season and are not expected to be eager to bring in a quarterback who would be considered a serious threat to their starter. Volek, given his apprenticeship in the Titans’ system, would be more of a threat than Henson. Bledsoe is due to receive a contract bonus in November and his future with the team beyond this year depends on his performance.’

‘Sunday, the Bills are scheduled to meet with Volek in Nashville.’

‘The Dolphins and free-agent fullback Sammy Morris started contract negotiations Wednesday but didn’t reach an agreement. The Dolphins want Morris, who played with Buffalo the past four seasons, as a backup to Rob Konrad after Femi Ayanbadejo signed last Saturday with Arizona.’

The Bills are in need of a backup TE to play behind Mark Campbell. Roland Williams is a free agent since being released by Bucaneers. The talks between Williams and the Bills are considered to be in the preliminary stages at the moment.