Archives for June 8, 2012

‘There is a bottom line to the question about the lawyer fees Erie County is paying to the legal team helping to negotiate a new stadium lease with the Buffalo Bills, and it is obvious enough that County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz should be able to understand it: The county is spending taxpayers’ dollars in a matter of taxpayer interest. The fees are public information.’

‘"I was only home for 2 1/2 weeks after the season ended," Jasper said. "I’ve been here since late January, getting in shape. I’ve done some amazing strength work with [strength coach] John Gamble. … Weight is no longer a factor. I’m in shape and I’m doing what they ask me to do."’

‘If Young isn’t happy about backing up Fitzpatrick in Buffalo, he’s doing an amazing job of hiding it. So far he’s saying and doing all the right things as he adjusts to life with his third team in three years.’

‘”I’ve always thought the more touches you get as a running back the better you get,” Jackson said after Tuesday’s practice. “To get that experience definitely was something that I think he needed. It was something that helped him grow as a running back. We got to see his potential.”‘

‘”Now for a guy to come in and say, ‘This is why you’re missing that throw low,’ or to actually have evidence for me to look at and say ‘OK, it looks like that’s something I really need to work on.’ For a guy to be as respected as he is, to be as knowledgeable as he is, that’s somebody that I’m going to listen to every time. I knew I had a long way to go with my mechanics but I just didn’t know how to find that person or how to improve at it. He’s going to be a very big help for me this year.”‘

‘”They had to go in and clean it out,” said Merriman of his surgery. “I had some small tears and just constant beat on it trying to play and practice week in and week for the last 2 1/2 years. I’m glad they went in and did it when they did because if they didn’t who knows. It could have been one of those things that’s much tougher to come back from.”‘

‘Middle linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, a second-year pro from LSU slated to start in Buffalo’s new 4-3 scheme, reported for organized team activities a good 10 pounds lighter than the 248 pounds he was listed at as a rookie. At his current weight, he said he feels “more comfortable and more explosive.” Said Sheppard: “I’m not 260 right now I can tell you that, like when I came into training camp last year. I just know what’s expected of me now. I know in the 4-3 defense you don’t have to be at 255-260. You have to be able to go sideline-to-sideline in this defense and be able to cover the receivers and tight ends up the seam. I’m just a lot more familiar. I know my body and I know what I need to do.”‘

‘Howard Eskin of WIP in Philadelphia reports Joe Banner is looking to buy an NFL team, and in addition to be the Bills, may be looking to buy the Cleveland Browns or the St. Louis Rams.’

‘”I’ve got my good and bad days. I haven’t been able to practice yet, full speed or whatever,” McGee said. “I’m really just trying to come out here every day, work hard with the strength coach and getting my strength back in my leg. Really just trying to get ready for training camp.”‘

‘”It is a different experience. I’d rather be here than anywhere in the world with our guys in here and doing what we love to do and learning a new scheme. It’s not too different from what we were doing before but it is a challenge to learn different things. I walk out a lot more on number two than I did last year. There are a lot of different things that I’ve got to get used to and that’s what OTAs are for.”‘

‘FB/TE Dorin Dickerson is being given a unique opportunity to add a different dimension to Buffalo’s offense as an H-back, something the Bills attack has lacked the past couple of seasons. “He’s more of an H-back type player than an on the line player,” said head coach Chan Gailey. “He’s good enough to block on the line some, but to say down in and down out that you would ask him to go line up against big defensive ends we wouldn’t do that. So we’re going to try to take his abilities and work things around to let him be successful.”‘

‘Year two I want to do better than year one. First and foremost I want everybody to be healthy and really play to the best of our ability and bring the defense out further than the defense has been.’