Archives for March 6, 2012

‘”I’m only about three and a half months post-op,” said Williams. “I just talked to the Bills training staff this past week and the good news is we have time on our side. This thing is more about giving it time than anything. So we’re taking it slow, doing some jogging and giving it enough time to heal and pinch down properly back into my foot. We should be full go by the time training camp comes around.”‘

‘He has been a very good locker room guy, he’s visible in the community, and looks like he’s having fun out there. More than anything else, he cares. When he’s screwed up, like after those big drops against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets, he has owned up to it and taken responsibility.’

‘”It’s important that you keep your own,” Nix said. “You can’t build if you’re losing good guys every year, and we’ve got a lot of them out there for different reasons. We play against them every Sunday. You can’t keep them all but you need to make the effort to do everything you can to keep them.”‘

‘”We were both in Indianapolis before the Super Bowl,” Fitzpatrick said. “I talked to him a lot out there. There’s been texts and different forms of communication. — A lot of the ones lately have been just talking through the process. He’s a teammate and obviously somebody I want back, but he’s also a friend. And it’s a really hard process to go through. There’s so many ups and downs in the negotiations and so many things that are said. There’s a lot of doubt that creeps in your mind.”‘

‘”You can’t build if you’re losing good guys every year and we’ve got a lot of them out there for different reasons. We play against them every Sunday. You can’t keep them all, but you need to make the effort to do everything you can to keep them.”‘

‘The Bills retain their No. 1 wide receiver and Johnson gets No. 1 receiver money and probably will lead the Bills in catches and receiving yards. But I still think he’d be a good No. 2 wide receiver on most above-average teams in the NFL.

‘Isn’t that a bit too lofty a goal for two guys who were seventh-round draft picks way back when? For two guys who, two years ago at this time, were backups in Buffalo — Fitzpatrick to Checkdown Charlie (Trent Edwards), and Johnson to the guy who bolted to the Ravens last year to become Mr. “Oh, I Needed To Catch That To Get to The Super Bowl, Didn’t I” (Lee Evans)?’

‘”I know personally, in the huddle, the worst it got — to my knowledge — is he barely could say a full play under one breath,” said Johnson, who signed a new long-term deal with the Bills Monday. “It started right at the halfway mark (of the season). I mean, everybody in the league is injured or is hurt in some way. When it’s your quarterback who’s got to throw, and it’s ribs — I mean, it’s tough. That’s the last thing I heard was it was ribs, or what-not.”‘

‘Johnson, who agreed to a five-year contract extension on Monday worth $36.25 million, told Fitzpatrick on Friday via text message that he would re-sign with the team if the Harvard alum got a “Mohawk mullet” with a message on the left side.’

‘Johnson, 25, led the team with 76 receptions last season, as the Bills finished 6-10. He has topped 1,000 yards receiving the last two seasons, has developed a strong relationship with Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, and is viewed upon as a key cog in the Bills’ youth movement.’

‘”The moment u’ve all been waiting for … Gr8 to have @StevieJohnson13 back!” tweeted Bills CEO Russ Brandon on Monday morning.’

‘The Bills didn’t disclose terms of the agreement, but a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Johnson received a five-year, $36.25 million deal that includes $19.5 million guaranteed and over $24 million in the contract’s first three years.’

‘”To be completely honest, everybody in this league wants to see what’s going to happen in free agency but I know where i wanted to be. It wouldn’t have made any sense…what’s the point of looking if you know where you want to be?”‘

‘”I want to thank the city of Buffalo because I represent you guys,” Johnson started off. “The way you look out for me I want you to look out for my teammates also. We represent you guys. A big thank you to you guys. You guys started this.”‘

‘County Executive Poloncarz: “I feel very confident that a lease is going to get done, my goal is to get it done by the beginning of training camp (this summer) and we’re going to try and get the longest lease we possibly can.”‘