Archives for June 2015

'“We thought we were going to get the record in 2008. We had 56,011 season tickets in 2008, and that was our goal that year. We fell a little bit short. We look back at the analysis over the last seventeen years (since Brandon joined the club in 1997), our average season tickets over that time frame has been 42,944.”'

'Rex Ryan joked that the organization paid Clay so much money he calls him “Cassius Clay.” After the Dolphins placed the transition tag on Clay, giving them the right to match any free agent offers, the Bills signed him to a five year, $38 million offer sheet, and lured him away from South Florida. Ryan and offensive coordinator Greg Roman have made no secret that they want Clay to play all three downs, essentially not coming off the field when the team is on offense.'

'The Bills said they will cap the season ticket sales around 60,000 if they get to that level. At this point, seven of the eight games will have tickets that are very hard to come by if you are not a season ticket holder. Only the home contest with the New York Jets has a limited amount of individual tickets remaining.'

'Graham gets the nod over Williams because of his playmaking ability, but there may not be a guaranteed starter all season. Expect Aaron Williams will be out there all the time (health permitting), but it'd also be fair to look for a healthy amount of switching things up from Rex Ryan with the safety position. All three will have a role.'

'“Since we agreed to purchase the Buffalo Bills in September 2014, we have been humbled by the fans and their outpouring of emotion when they learned this team would remain in Buffalo," said Bills Owner Terry Pegula. “Bills Season Ticket Members passionately support this team year after year and are the most loyal fans in the National Football League. We truly thank them for their commitment to this franchise. Like our fans, we are looking forward to a great 2015 season with our Head Coach Rex Ryan, the coaching staff, the players and the entire organization.”'

'“We look at route running like an art form, a lost art in this league,” said Lal. “We liken it to if you were trying out for ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Those guys work four, five, eight hours a day on footwork. We’re no different. We’re choreographers, dancers, whatever you want to call it, but there’s a choreography to route running.”'

'“I think it starts with intelligence, especially with offensive line,” Ryan said. “You have to be sharp and also” center is “part of a play-calling position. He can do that and obviously from a physical standpoint, you have to have a guy that can handle that type of heavy lifting. He’s really an ideal center.”'

'Watching world-class athletes look ordinary had to make all the weekend warriors in the stands feel pretty good, but in the end, this was a night that served one purpose: For the Bills to put on a show, interact with their fans, and raise money for a great cause spearheaded by one of the newest members of the team.'

'At this point, Ryan and the Bills seem happy with what they are getting out of Miller and Incognito. Their actions will tell the real story, though. Mathis was the top rated guard in the NFL by Pro Football Focus from 2011 to 2013, so he would be an enticing option for a team like Buffalo that wants to run the football often in 2015.'

'Ryan is delivering on his reputation of being a players' coach so far. The Bills will be back on the practice field Tuesday when they hold the first of three mandatory minicamp practices.'

'Sure, kids get to hear tips from a pro and sharpen their skills on the field. But Darues doesn't consider the event a win unless the players go home with something more. "Just inspire the kids to work a little harder. It's just really inspiring to me," said Dareus.'

'This was expected to be a work in progress. With everyone learning a new scheme the players have been primarily focused on the execution of their individual assignments during the installation process. Working with three different quarterbacks, who are rotating time under center with the first unit, has also lengthened the time it might take for the receivers and tight ends to develop chemistry with any one of the signal callers.'

'Keep in mind, the Bills are planning to sign defensive tackle Marcell Dareus to a massive contract extension sometime soon, and would need to rework at least one other contract (probably the one belonging to end Mario Williams) to make that happen. More contract maneuvering and perhaps a big-money cut or two are expected to happen between now and the start of the season, but none figures to be done to make cap room for a guard where they are feeling they’ve made an upgrade with third-round draft pick John Miller and free-agent signee Richie Incognito.'

'There's also the financial issue. Mathis was due to make $5.5 million this season, and while he may not be able to command that type of salary, he won't come cheap. According to Spotrac.com, the Bills have a little over $7 million in space for 2015, so they could make it work. However, if Mathis is hoping for a multi-year contract, things could get complicated. Buffalo has a lot of expiring contracts and can't afford to commit any more money to their 2016 salary cap than it already has. Does Mathis think the Bills are enough of a contender to take a one-year deal? Are the Bills willing to pay him enough to go for it in 2015?'

'"Booker Edgerson is the power behind this," Ed Rutkowski, the alumni foundation president, said. "For years, we've thought about doing something for prostate cancer. That's the disease for men. The NFL has done it for women with breast cancer, so we're trying to convince the NFL to give the same kind of dedication and support for prostate cancer that they've done for breast cancer with women."'