Archives for January 10, 2012

‘”We’re going to draft a tackle if we can,” he said. “If there’s one there is what I mean. If there’s one there that we think can play we’re going to draft a tackle. You can never have too many tackles.”‘

‘ “Listen guys, I want to win. That’s what I came here for. That’s what I want to do. I want to do whatever I can to help that along. And we’ll use all of our resources and make the best decision we can.”‘

‘"My expectations are that we’ll take a big step," the Bills’ general manager said Monday. "If we get these guys back, which we think we will, that are injured, and we add some to this mix, that we should take a big step next year."’

‘Now, they’re stuck in the worst of ruts. They haven’t won because they haven’t attracted players who can make a difference. They’ve had personnel problems because they’re miles away from winning. They’ve gone around and around for more than a decade, a franchise spinning its wheels, going nowhere.’

‘Of course as any Bills fan knows, that’s really easy to say, and other Bills leaders have said it before. But since John Butler and Wade Phillips left town in 2000, none of them – not Tom Donahoe, Gregg Williams, Mike Mularkey, Marv Levy or Dick Jauron – has been able to back it up.’

‘Nix said the club has made several proposals and that discussions are on-going with Johnson who has been the club’s leading receiver the past two seasons. He had 1,004 yards this season on 76 catches with seven touchdowns.’

‘”Obviously, we’re not happy about that, and I don’t think Stevie is, either,” said Nix, who then went on to defend the player. “He tries to do the right thing when he’s playing, and he tries to do the right thing in practice and in the locker room. He’s not a criminal. He made a mistake. It cost us, and he paid the price.”‘

‘”He’s a Bill for 14 months. A year from March the 13th,” Nix lectured. “Fred and I have talked. We want to extend Fred. I’d like for Fred to finish his career as a Bill. He’s meant a lot to us. I’ve got great respect for him. I’ve told him that. We’re going to try to get something done. Does it matter if we do it now or if we do it next week or a month from now? As long as we get it done before the season starts it’s all the same really.”‘

‘”He fits in,” Nix continued. “You know I know that you think about the antics and the penalties and obviously we’re not happy about that. I don’t think Stevie is either. We’re around him a lot. I know the things he does at practice. He practices hurt and I think he’s a team guy.”‘

‘Unless you think Ryan Fitzpatrick is a complete waste of time, you have to agree that Nix has the list of off season needs down to a tee: another big time receiver to help Stevie Johnson(more on him in a moment), pass rushing help in the form of one defensive end and maybe two, another offensive tackle, a linebacker and two cornerbacks.’

‘”Next year. My expectations are that we’ll take a big step. If we get these guys back, which we think we will, that are injured and we add some to this mix that we should take a big step next year,” said Nix.’

‘Nix says he is committed to keeping good players. Tight end Scott Chandler is also looking to be re-signed. Nix says he has the go-ahead to spend to the salary cap, but adds the Bills also have leverage. “I guess my point is those guys are probably more productive and more important to us than they may be to somebody else.”‘

‘”If a guy’s there in free agency that fits what we need, we’re going to be aggressive,” Nix said when asked if drafting a pass rusher is a top priority. “We’re going to try to do whatever we can do.”‘

‘”I think our stipulations were what we put on him after the first time. He knew what the consequences were. He did it,” Nix said. “I’m convinced that he thought he’d have to pay a fine but I don’t think he’d get a penalty. I don’t think he would intentionally do something to hurt our team. I really don’t. I know him. He tries to do the right thing when he’s playing and he tries to do the right thing in practice and in the locker room. He’s not a criminal. He made a mistake. It cost us. And he paid the price.”‘

‘”There were proposals made during the season,” said Nix. “The last one we made their stance was we’d like Stevie to concentrate on the season and finish out the year and start the talks at the end of the year. There has been dialogue since the season was over and it will continue.”‘