Two Bills Drive

‘”We were in the mix. It was our understanding that Lawyer’s agent would give us a chance to counter, but we never got a callback from him.”‘

‘It didn’t matter that Milloy is just what the Vikings’ defense needs. All that mattered was money and Vikings owner Red McCombs’ reluctance to part with any more of it.’

‘According to his peers, Levy was the first coach to draft players solely for punt and kick coverage teams.’

‘The four-year contract is worth $15 million, nearly two-thirds of that in the first two seasons of the deal. Milloy will receive a $5 million signing bonus and base salaries of $2 million for 2003 and $2.75 million for 2004. The Washington Redskins, who finished as the runner-up team in the Milloy sweepstakes, offered about $6 million in the first two years of their proposal.’

‘Though the Bills disclosed no contract figures, their deal with Milloy is believed to be for four years at $15 million, including a $4.75 million signing bonus and a $2 million base salary this season. The contract averages $3.75 million per season.’

”’Buffalo was the team that set the market, set the tone,” he said. ”Drew Bledsoe called me. Sam Gash called me. They got everybody on the phone that they needed to early in the process.”’

‘If Milloy was looking for a way to get back at the Patriots for the way they treated him, he couldn’t have picked a better place to go, an AFC East rival with intentions of making a run at the division title.’

‘Antwan Harris, Chris Akins, Aric Morris and Je’Rod Cherry all could take Milloy’s spot, although coach Bill Belichick didn’t say who would start.’

‘“I will tell you this that everybody that plays against Lawyer is aware of where he is and aware of his ability to make big plays,” Bledsoe said. “As far as his speed, his aggressiveness, his physical style, I haven’t seen a falloff at all.”’

‘With his original signing bonus, Milloy was to count for 5.8 million dollars against the salary cap this season. The Patriots were hoping to soften the salary cap hit, but could not reach an agreement with Milloy and waived him.’

‘A Patriots captain the last four years, Milloy will get his chance at revenge this Sunday when the Bills open the NFL season at home against New England.’

‘Milloy will have the chance to face his former team on Sunday when the Bills host the Patriots.’

‘”We need to get our focus where our focus needs to be and that’s on New England,” Donahoe said. “It would be great if we get the player, but if we don’t get him we’ve got a very important game to play and it’s going to need all of our attention.”‘

‘I am on record as picking the Bills to win the AFC East, a prediction made on the strength of their earlier signings. I am beginning to have second thoughts about selecting the Kansas City Chiefs as the winner of the AFC championship. Right now, the Bills have moved into that territory.’

‘Milloy, 29, spent the last seven seasons with the New England Patriots, who selected him in the second round of the 1996 NFL draft out of Washington. He went on to appear in all 112 games for the Patriots since that time and has started the last 106 straight contests for New England.’