Archives for March 2012

‘Williams is Buffalo’s most dynamic defensive roster acquisition since Smith, the Hall of Fame defensive end who spent the first 15 years of his NFL career (1985 to 1999) with the Bills. Williams also was considered the top defensive player on this year’s free-agent market.’

‘In the bigger picture, the Williams signing affirms that Buffalo can bring a big-time free agent to a sometimes-frigid NFL outpost as something more than a desperate circus-like attempt to sell tickets a la Terrell Owens in 2009. Depending on how the Bills fare, this could become the kind of watershed acquisition needed to rejuvenate a franchise that had become irrelevant, like the 1993 addition of Reggie White did for the Green Bay Packers.’

‘The signing of Williams and the willingness of the Bills to spend this kind of money sent a message to the rest of the NFL how serious they are about winning.’

‘”I told him, ‘if you’re here and everything goes right, we’ll have the best d-line in the league,’ ” Kyle Williams said. “He said, ‘I agree.'”‘

‘Williams is at the team’s facility, and has been in discussions with Buffalo since free agency began Tuesday. Selected first overall in the 2006 draft by Houston, Williams had a franchise-best 53 sacks in six seasons with the Texans.’

‘The deal is reportedly worth up to $100 million, with $50 million guaranteed.’

‘The collective relief that the fan base feels over the Bills getting in on, and signing the biggest name defensive free agent and making him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL is immense.’

‘”Welcome Mario!!! Bills d is not playing games homie!!!”‘

‘Williams and his fiance Erin spent time at the home of Jim and his wife Jill. The Kelly’s told them what to expect about life in Western New York. “Whatever I can do to him comfortable and make him feel like we all know here who the city is, and how friendly it is and how everybody here breaths football,” said Kelly.’

‘Hey, I’m not guaranteeing the playoffs in 2012, but I am going on record as saying I think they will break the 12 year drought at long last. If I’m wrong, I’m sure I’ll be reminded of it, but with any kind of good health at all, the 2012 season is going to be a whole lot of fun if you’re a Bills fan.’

‘”With the guys we have up front now, it’s more than the players they are; it’s the people they are,” Morrison said. “Mario’s a great guy. Marcell (Dareus) just wants to learn, he loves to ask questions, he loves to work. And Kyle (Williams) is a bulldog. You have guys that want to work hard like that, it makes it so much easier. I talked to (fellow linebacker) Nick Barnett this morning, and was saying that these are the kind of guys we want in front of us, and now it’s up to us.”‘

‘”I want you to remember good things come to the people that wait so you have been waiting and we have a good thing here,” said Bills GM Buddy Nix. “I just want to tell you it is an exciting day for us and our football team. We got a lot better. For our organization it has been a long day or a long two days but it’s worth the wait.”‘

‘The Buffalo Bills made a cannonball-size splash in free agency with the signing of DE Mario Williams. Naturally the players already on Buffalo’s roster are ecstatic about the addition. Here is a small sampling of the reaction from Bills players.’

‘”When I was called and asked to help in the recruiting process I said, ‘Tell me where I’ve got to be and what I’ve got to do,'” Kelly said.’

‘The Bills’ offer eclipses the six-year, $91.5 million deal that Chicago gave defensive end Julius Peppers in 2010, a source has told The News. Peppers got $42 million guaranteed, and the package made him the league’s top earning defender. It’s believed Williams’ decision will not be solely based on financial considerations. He wants to feel comfortable with his new team and have a good chance to win.’