Archives for June 2016

'"You would probably have to ask my wife about that," Smith said. "I forget a lot of things sometimes. I'm not one to sit here and complain. While I did not know the severity of what continuous head traumas could do to an individual and the mind and so forth, I'm not going to sit here and complain. I'm very blessed to be standing here."'

'"Obviously, you always have great respect for what your (league) partners" want, "but we have to focus on what makes sense for us, what makes sense for our community, for our business partners," Brandon said at the NFL owners meetings.'

'“For the 30th year, we wanted to go big, and what better way to go big than a helicopter full of 500 golf balls and Rex Ryan?”'

'Lawson, however, won't be ready for start of the season after having surgery last month to repair a shoulder injury. He played through the injury during his four years at college, and then aggravated it during the Bills rookie camp last month.'

'"It felt great to finally get the deal done and be part of the Buffalo Bills," Lawson told the team's website. "I've been waiting for this opportunity. It's something I dreamt of as a kid — have a chance to play in the National Football League."'

'A 6-3, 270-pound Clemson product, Lawson finished his collegiate career with 167 tackles, 46.5 tackles for loss, 20 sacks, 29 quarterback pressures, and two forced fumbles. His 25.5 tackles for loss led the nation. Lawson was named a consensus first-team All-American last season.'

'“I think that’s one of the things Terry's going through," he said. "And trying to see what it will take to make sure that the Bills can remain here on a successful basis. That’s (the Pegulas) objective. I know that’s their commitment. We fully support that. We have league funding that’s available to help in that kind of circumstance.”'

'The Bills now have all but one of their draft picks signed to a rookie contract. All but fourth-round pick and quarterback Cardale Jones have signed their individual rookie deals.'

'The immediate future of Shaq Lawson is a little dimmer than his long-term potential. Lawson underwent offseason shoulder surgery that will keep him out of action likely into the start of the regular season. The Bills boasted that Lawson was an immediate starter for their team, but a flare up of his shoulder during the team's rookie minicamp was enough evidence for them to shut him down for the short-term and get the long-term corrective surgery. When Lawson gets back on the field, he'll need to have only a small learning curve in order to get on the field immediately. The hope, when he does get back, is that they'll have even a better player than they did when they first drafted him in April. More realistically, it's a wait-and-see approach as to how effective he'll be in 2016.'

'Even though Clay can do all the little things at the tight end position, the Bills should look to try and unlock all the big things that went missing from Clay's game for weeks at a time. There was a big message from the organization this offseason that they want to get the ball over the middle of the field in the passing game more and more, and the biggest recipient of that will be Clay. If Taylor can better take advantage of those areas, then Clay stands to grow quite a bit statistically. He has the talent to do it, he just needs the chance.'

'“Well I think that’s one of the things that Terry’s going through and trying to see,” Goodell said. “What does it take to try to make sure the Bills can remain here on a successful basis? That’s their objective, and I know that’s their commitment. We fully support that, we have league funding that’s available to help in that kind of circumstance. Stadiums are important, just in making sure that the team here can compete not only throughout the NFL, but also compete in this environment. You’ve got great facilities here [in the NFL" target="_blank"> now, and the Bills have to stay up with that.”'

'“Stadiums are important, just in making sure the team here can continue to compete. Not only throughout the NFL, but also compete in this environment,” Goodell said. “You’ve got great facilities here [in the NFL" target="_blank"> now, and the Bills have to keep up with that.”'

'"My golf game suffers between the job and 14 year old twin girls and I don't get around to play very much golf," said commissioner Roger Goodell. "Jim's been a really good friend for a lot of years, someone I admire and respect and I wanted to be here for."'

'"I’m still engaged in meetings and things like that," said Lawson. "Engaged in practice and watching film. I continue to watch film like I’m still out there playing. I’m taking a lot of mental reps. I’m not physically able to do it, but a lot of mental reps. Seeing things with the older guys, things like that."'

'“For him to really make our football team, he’s got to be our punt returner,” Bills coach Rex Ryan said last week. “That’s what we tell him. I don’t care if you catch 100 balls, 1,000 balls, whatever it is. He was telling me today that he’s got a guy, even when he goes on vacation, that he’s catching punts with … so he knows how important that is to him.'