Archives for March 2012

‘2012: Base salary of $5.9 million, signing bonus of $19 million, workout bonus of $100,000. Total money paid: $25,000,000. Notes: 2012 base salary is fully guaranteed. Unofficial cap number: $9,166,667.’

‘Still, while making a guy feel welcomed and paying him a king’s ransom were important hurdles to clear for the Bills, landing Williams also took convincing him they are serious about winning. That’s why signing him was so unexpected.’

‘Morrison will back up second-year pro Kelvin Sheppard at middle linebacker in Buffalo’s new 4-3, but he can also play outside. The 6-2, 245-pound product of San Diego State entered the NFL in 2005 as a third-round pick of the Oakland Raiders. He played the 2010 season for Jacksonville before joining the Bills as a free agent last summer. He saw action in 14 games with the Bills in a backup role. For his career, Morrison has 771 tackles, 6.0 sacks, seven interceptions and 18 passes defended.’

‘”In my experience (in the NFL), you don’t get a lot of guys who are up front with you, there is a lot of blowing smoke from certain outlets,” Williams said. “The No. 1 thing coming here and them embracing me, the comfort level that surrounded me, and even seeing Jim Kelly was a big plus for me. He did some heavy recruiting. He showed me some of his hunting pictures.”‘

‘With Williams aligned on the defensive right, Marcell Dareus and Chris Kelsay should enjoy more isolated matchups on passing downs. Dareus, in particular, should benefit from the attention directed towards Williams. As the one- or three-technique aligned over the top of the guard, he will have the opportunity to work on his opponent’s edges without having to worry about fending off assistance from an additional blocker. Given Dareus’ ability to lead the team with 5.5 sacks while receiving little help from his teammates, the addition of Williams to the lineup could lead to defensive fireworks.’

‘Bills Chief Executive Officer Russ Brandon today announced that over 1,000 new season tickets were purchased and over 1,000 season tickets were renewed in the past 24 hours.’

‘No longer can the Bills be satisfied with progress. Buckle up Bills fans, this team should have playoffs on the brain.’

‘The Buffalo Bills and Mario Williams are a match made in football heaven, one that immediately gives the Bills legitimacy in the pass rush and at the box office, while providing a potentially game-changing buzz around the league that is already being compared to Green Bay’s landmark signing of Reggie White.’

‘My primary concern has always been that he doesn’t have the Alpha mindset that most great football players have. Players who possess that mindset tend to live and die with their football performance as it defines them. Mario isn’t that guy, and I’m not a fan of paying out of the nose for players who aren’t consumed by football.’

‘”I think the number one thing was coming here and seeing them embrace me and definitely the comfort level of everybody that surrounded me when I got here,” said Williams “This is what people bleed, breathe and live, so I am really happy for the opportunity to be part of it. I had to duck and dodge a little bit because there were a lot of people out there and I did not want to get run over by anybody, but that is great. That’s what you want and you want a fan base like that. This great city definitely offers that.”‘

‘The Bills paid a huge price to get this guy – $50 million guaranteed and a potential $100 million if he plays out his contract. But they had to do something to turn around the losing culture around One Bills Drive.’

‘Many Bills fans felt that the signing brought vindication for all of the trite and even nasty comments the city has absorbed from major league athletes over the last few years.’

‘Thank God we’ve had a string of those bluebird days, the kind when the sun shines and the sky is clear and it’s so warm people break out the shorts. Imagine what he would have thought if he arrived during one of those miserable March weeks when the snow crusts up on the street curbs.’

‘"I am ecstatic," said the 27-year-old Williams. "I feel like this is a great opportunity for me, the team and for us to succeed and get better. This city is looking for that and looking for the Bills to be where we need to be at for the fans of this great city."’