Two Bills Drive

‘”What we had to ask ourselves is who is he as a kicker? We think he’s a good kicker. But probably at that level ($4.2 million), we wanted a great kicker."’

‘Lindell made 23 of 29 field-goal attempts and all 38 extra- point tries last season for a career-high 107 points. He’s made 58 of 78 career field-goal attempts, including seven of 12 from 50 yards or longer, and has six game-winning kicks. He’s also made all 96 of his extra-point attempts.’

‘Bryson ran for 967 yards and two touchdowns during his first four NFL seasons, all with the Buffalo Bills. Bryson will compete for the backup spot behind James Stewart.’

‘Lindell is not worried about the swirling winds that are common in Ralph Wilson Stadium during the winter. He played at Washington State and kicked for two years at Husky Stadium while the Seahawks’ new facility was being built. “For me it’s just about kicking the ball,” Lindell said.’

‘The 6-3, 330-pound Adams will enter his 10th NFL season after spending 2002 with the AFC champion Oakland Raiders. He spent six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and two with the Baltimore Ravens and has 29 career sacks.’

Of course, the Class of ’83 will be forever known as the “Year of the Quarterback,” because of the six signal-callers chosen in Round 1 — Elway, Marino, Jim Kelly, Eason, Ken O’Brien and Todd Blackledge. But the overall talent produced in that draft — from top to bottom — makes the quarterback story just one chapter of a blockbuster tale.

In addition to his physical skills, Lindell appeals to Bills officials because of his age, and his potential to stabilize the kicker position for several years.

PFW: Can Adams help the Bills reach the playoffs and possibly the Super Bowl?

Bikoff: Not by himself, but he is a step in the right direction. The Bills were all about offense last year and the defense seemed to get overshadowed even if they didn’t always deserve to be. This year, with Adams in the lineup the Bills will have to be more respected by teams, and earning some respect is a big key to victory. Now it is up to the defensive unit to come together and prove that the faith the front office has in their talents is merited.

Based on the opening weekend schedule of national games that the NFL released on Monday, here are the Week 1 possibilities for the Bills. Home: Miami, New England, Houston, or Cincinnati. Away: Miami, New England, Jacksonville, NY Giants or Kansas City.

‘A restricted free agent, Lindell signed an offer sheet with the Bills last week that his previous team, the Seattle Seahawks, has opted not to match.’

‘Bryson preferred to sign a one-year contract, hoping he can demonstrate to teams that his knee is 100 percent rehabilitated, and then be eligible for free agency again next spring.’

Here's a question that ought to be easy: How many players on the Buffalo Bills roster today were on the team two years ago?

Or put another way, how players have been here longer than Tom Donahoe and Gregg Williams?

‘"It feels great. I’ve only been here a couple of time before for personal reasons and I’ve only been really since yesterday. I haven’t gotten to see a whole bunch but I’m excited about the opportunity here and with everything I’ve seen so far. We have amazing fans, I’m really looking forward to that."’

‘"It would be an honor to play next to Pat (Williams)," said Adams during his visit to Buffalo on March 7. "You can’t go to war with someone that you can’t trust. Pat’s been a part of the family for a long time and he’s one of the best tackles in the league and together we can do some damage."’

The Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers will open September 8 on ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football (9:00 PM ET) against the Eagles in Philadelphia’s new Lincoln Financial Field, a rematch of the NFC Championship Game.