Archives for February 2014

‘The Buffalo Bills come into the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine with a much different mentality than they did in 2013, but the importance to get it right is as high as ever.’

‘”There’s more quality at the top end of this draft than I’ve seen in a long time and from a position standpoint,” Mayock said. “I think offensive tackle is particularly deep. You can go three rounds, four rounds deep this year, and get a starting offensive tackle.”‘

‘”You have a better feel for the players,” Marrone told Buffalobills.com. “We have a lot of players that are coming back on this team. I got a chance to know quite a few of them at all different levels not just what you see on the field. I think in turn they got a chance to know me. Everyone knows the direction we want to head and what the challenges are and where we have to go. We’re excited we’re now working for 2014.”‘

‘Although being deemed your team’s “franchise” player sounds like an honor, players don’t view it that way. Franchise tags take away a player’s chance – many players consider it a right – to discover what their value is on the open market.’

‘Admar will offer the subcontractors on the renovation project access to necessary construction equipment, including aerial lifts, light towers, generators and earth movers, officials said. The company already has lifts, light towers and generators onsite during the season.’

‘”We’ve had a lot of good players,” said Pagac. “I think the things the majority of them have in common are: No. 1, they were good people. No. 2, they loved football. And No. 3, they all thought football. They were very football intelligent. That’s very important.”‘

‘”I’m excited about it, because he’s so hungry to be great,” Downing said this week of Manuel, in his introduction to the Western New York media. “He wants to do the little things well. He wants to prepare better than any quarterback in the league. He really has that drive and that motivation to be great.”‘

‘The most realistic solution to keeping the Bills in Buffalo, some say, could be a major renovation or rebuild of Ralph Wilson Stadium, probably costing half of the $800 million or more needed to build a new stadium.’

‘”We’re going to use Jim in this role,” explained Bills head coach Doug Marrone. “Here’s someone who’s always working ahead for us, a day ahead, schematically during the year. He’s someone who has experience at all the skill positions. He has coached receivers, coached quarterbacks. He will have his input in helping young players progress in those groups.”‘

‘”Both of them have a great background in football knowledge,” Marrone told Buffalobills.com. “It’s great for us because you bring in two people who are very bright and very smart. They’ve been around for a while and both have had success. So you bring them in and you’re talking about teaching them a system, and who better to evaluate a system than two guys coming in. What are the weaknesses of the system? What are the strengths of the system? What can we do to make it better? That’s the process we’re going through right now.”‘

‘”I was going through some personal issues, and I didn’t think it would be fair to Doug or the Buffalo Bills to even consider it at that point,” Moore said. “I had to get some things in my personal life together, so that’s really primarily why. That was probably the biggest sticking point. … It just wasn’t the right time and it wasn’t the best situation.”‘

‘Cuomo’s new stadium working group raises the bar when it comes to dialogue surrounding the team’s future. It also represents a welcome opportunity to carefully and thoughtfully develop viable options for maintaining the franchise’s presence in the community.’

‘Here are the Bills top areas of need as they prepare for the draft…’

‘”I don’t really want to talk about that as much,” Johnson said of the Pats. “I don’t want to say that I forgot those years. That really made up Pepper Johnson. But in order for me to move on, I have to start that process. I can’t keep going back to my relationship or my career with the Patriots. We can just move on. Hey, it’s all built up. It’s in this big old belly. … I have a lot to offer, and I’m definitely going to do it.”‘

‘”Our primary current operations focus is, as it must be, on the modernization process that is occurring presently here at the Ralph Wilson Stadium campus. We have to bring it home safely, on time, on budget and with a level of quality we can all be proud of. We are confident our fans will be excited about the numerous changes taking place on our stadium campus and we look forward to being near completion by the start of the 2014 season.’