Archives for March 2009

‘Peterson (6’1″ 238) is a 10-year veteran who played his last six seasons in Jacksonville where he played middle linebacker and served as defensive captain. He did have a falling out with Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio, who removed him from the starting lineup for six games last season.’

‘Amy Pfister, of Prestige Home Realty of East Aurora, the real estate agent who listed the one-of-a-kind property, said it was purchased by the first person who looked at it. Pfister declined to confirm the buyer was Lynch, but sources familiar with the deal said Lynch is the new owner.’

‘Keiaho is another smallish but fast linebacker who fits the Tony Dungy-style defense that Buffalo runs. A three-year veteran, he was a restricted free agent this year, and the Colts did not make him a tender offer. If they had done so, they would have gotten a third-round pick in return if he signed with another team. It’s possible the Colts’ tight salary cap situation was the reason, since Keiaho would have commanded a $1.01 million offer.’

‘An offshoot of Leonhard’s signing is that twice a year he’ll now face the Bills, the team that gave him his shot in the NFL. Leonhard understands why Buffalo let him walk, but you don’t make it in the NFL as an undersized, undrafted free agent unless you’re fueled by pride and heart. So, yes, those games against the Bills will have added meaning.’

‘Coles would’ve helped. He’s 31, but he’s manning a position where players can maintain relatively long careers. Plus, aging isn’t the worst thing that could happen to a player who hasn’t leaned on speed exclusively to find success.’

‘Denney went to the Harvard program last offseason, and Butler has been to both the Harvard and Wharton programs.’

‘"There’s a difference between loyalty and self-interest and I want them (the Bills) to know that as long as the opportunity is here, I’m going to be here," Greer said. "But if the opportunity is someplace else, then I have to do what’s best for my family."’

‘Defensive end: Buffalo’s anemic pass rush ranked 26th in large part to Pro Bowler Aaron Schobel missing 11 games with a foot injury. With no guarantee he’ll ever regain his past form, the Bills need to shop for their next great end, likely using the 11th overall pick in the draft at this spot.’

‘Bills scouts spent a good amount of time studying pass rush candidates at the Indianapolis Combine, trying to get a handle on whether spending the No. 11 overall pick on such a player will be worth it. Penn State’s Aaron Maybin, who had tremendous production at Penn State last fall with 12 sacks and 20 tackles for loss, helped his cause by weighing in at 250 pounds. He played in college at 234 and there was concern about his ability to hold weight on his 6-foot-31/2 frame. The Bills, who ranked tied for 28th in sacks in 2008, aren’t likely to fill their need for a big-time speed rusher in free agency. "I feel really comfortable at this weight and I feel as though I can either go up or I can go down," Maybin told reporters. "So I feel this weight is a functional weight for me."’

‘"Today we learned of Marshawn’s guilty plea to the misdemeanor violation. He has accepted responsibility for his actions and apologized for his mistake. The league is now reviewing the matter under the NFL Personal Conduct Policy."’

‘This is the second incident involving the 22-year-old Lynch and the law in less than a year as he was behind the wheel of a vehicle that struck a woman in downtown Buffalo in a May 31 hit-and-run case.’

‘Bills free agent LB Angelo Crowell will visit the Bucs next week, according to his agent, Todd France.’

‘”Today I pled guilty to a misdemeanor violation of having a firearm in a vehicle. I am embarrassed by my recent arrest and conviction. I deeply regret that I placed myself in this situation. I have made mistakes in the past. Although I have learned many lessons over recent years, I obviously have not learned enough. I apologize to my family, the Buffalo Bills organization, my teammates, the Buffalo community, and Commissioner Goodell. I have already learned from this recent mistake and am sincerely committed to being a more responsible citizen and better representative of the NFL.”‘

‘”I talked to the defensive coordinator and they really like me,” said Keiaho. “They want to shore up the SAM linebacker position. They talked to me about that. It’s an exciting possibility. Whatever happens I’m sure they’ll be fine. Keith Ellison is a great player and whoever they bring in here will do a great job. They have a quality staff.”‘

‘Lynch pleaded to a misdemeanor charge of having a concealed firearm in a vehicle and was sentenced to 80 hours of community service and three years of probation, said Shiara Davila-Morales, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. The community service will be performed in Oakland, Calif.’