Archives for July 2012

‘”Even if he wasn’t on my team and just checking out film, you could tell he’s going to be something special,” said wide receiver Stevie Johnson. “I’m happy to have him. He’ll have me getting ready for the top cornerbacks in the league. I think he’s going to be one of those dominant cornerbacks in the league.”‘

‘”I don’t consider my injury last year as serious as a lot of people say,” he said. “It was just a dumb bone that I fractured, but I was walking around on it two weeks later. It’s a non-weight bearing bone, so I’m fine, 100 percent ready to go and excited to be back out here.”‘

”’We have work to do, and we are all optimistic and excited to be here,” veteran defensive end Chris Kelsay said. ”If we can stay healthy with the guys we have, we will be making a push and we will be contending.”’

‘Dotson spent his first three NFL seasons with Miami before being signed to the Bills’ practice squad last September. He eventually appeared in two games last season.’

‘”I think this year might be the most excited I’ve been about it in a long time, just because my season being cut short last year,” the running back said. “I’ve been looking forward to getting back out here. I’m excited about it, especially with all the buzz we’ve got going on. Everybody’s behind us, fan base is behind us — we want to go out and make some plays. I’m looking forward to getting back out here.”‘

‘I’m not sure how much different this August will be, but it feels different going in. It’s hard to know what all the moves made in the spring will add up to. What I’m sure of is that this is the first time in what feels like a long time that the Bills head into camp without something hanging over them that’s making their fans angry. It seems as though even the blackout story has kind of blown by without too much fuss. This of course doesn’t speak for everyone. Still, it seems fans are heading in with a pretty clean slate for a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 1999.’

‘I think our mindset is where it needs to be. But you have mindsets and you can have attitude changes. You can have culture changes. But until you do it on the field on Sundays it does not count. We have to go with the mindset and the attitude that we are going with to produce victories on Sundays.’

‘Ferguson (6’3″ 248) made 28 starts in 49 appearances for Mississippi State in his college career with 101 tackles including 17 for loss and three sacks. The defensive end also has a measure of familiarity with the Bills having been one of the club’s tryout players during the Bills rookie minicamp this past May.’

‘Of Buffalo’s 90-man training camp roster, only 17 of them were inherited by current general manager Buddy Nix, hired on the last day of 2009. And among those enthused about the opening of training camp is Bills’ CEO Russ Brandon.’

‘”Yeah I definitely take a little pride in it,” said Moorman, who reported for his 12th training camp Tuesday. “It’s one thing to play 12 seasons in the NFL and it’s another to play 12 seasons with one team. It’s been nice to be part of this organization and the community and everything else.”‘

‘”I think we’re realistic enough to know the first year or two we didn’t have enough depth and enough playmakers to make a difference and probably contend all the way through the year,” Nix said. “But I think the feeling is different now. I think we do.”‘

‘”I don’t think anything has changed as far as the way we look at things and our attitude about things,” general manager Buddy Nix said. “But I do think we’re realistic enough to know that the first year or two we didn’t have enough depth and enough playmakers to make a difference and contend all the way through the year. The feeling is different now; I think we do.”‘

”’People have reason to be optimistic again,” added former general manager Bill Polian. ”It’s a tough row to hoe in that division, but they’re headed in the right direction.”’

‘Buffalo spent big on pass rushers in the offseason, landing prized two-time Pro Bowler Mario Williams and double-digit sack artist Mark Anderson in free agency, and both will be counted on to play prominent roles in the revised scheme.’

‘The best battle for a starting spot on the 2012 Bills will be on offense. Second round draft pick Cordy Glenn will be going up against second year pro Chris Hairston for the left tackle job. Hairston made seven starts in 2011 as a rookie and played like a rookie with some good days and some not so good days.’