Two Bills Drive

‘”The one thing you do is establish a plan before free agency begins, and we think we’ve got a pretty good plan,” Donahoe said. “But 48 to 72 hours into free agency, it could be blown to smithereens, the whole plan, and then you have to regroup.’

‘If the Bills don’t get a free agent defensive linemen they like at a price they like, there is always the April draft, which is top heavy with quality players at tackle and end. “It’s extremely deep,” Donahoe said.’

‘Riemersma, a seventh-round draft pick in 1996 from the University of Michigan, has started 64 of 90 career games, catching 204 passes for 2,304 yards and 20 touchdowns.’

‘Riemersma, who ranks second behind Pete Metzelaars as the Bills’ most accomplished pass-catching tight end, had completed the third of a four-year deal which was to pay him $3.5 million next season. His release did not come as a surprise after Bills president Tom Donahoe said he was prepared to cut Riemersma if he failed to take a significant pay cut earlier this month.’

Orchard Park, NY – The Bills today announced that the team has released tight end Jay Riemersma and safety Billy Jenkins.

‘By releasing Riemersma, 29, the Bills created $3.5 million in cap room, an amount equal to his scheduled base salary for 2003. Buffalo must still count $1.372 million, the final segment of a previous signing bonus, against its spending limit for this year.’

It’s smart that agent Tim McGee is urging his client Peerless Price to sign the Bills’ franchise-tag offer within a week, which would pay the Bills receiver $5.01 million this season. Though Buffalo could afford that contract, it would not behoove the team to be carrying that salary cap number for a perceived No. 2 receiver, particularly when the team has other needs to fill when free agency opens Friday.

The NFL has announced that its 11-game preseason television schedule will feature the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, August 16 on ESPN. The Bills will travel to Tennessee to take on the AFC South champion Titans in an 8:00 PM kickoff.

The Buffalo Bills Booster Club has elected a new Board of Directors including a new slate of officers and trustees for the 2003 season.

What are the categories of free agency? What is the time period for free agency signings this year? Can a club decide to withdraw its franchise or transition designations on a player? Questions such as these are answered in this Q&A

‘The Bills had very preliminary contact Wednesday with the Atlanta Falcons about a trade for the veteran receiver, according to a league source.’

‘”It’s not so much a strategy as much as we have no choice,” McGee said. “If we can’t get what we want, we’ll take the bird in hand — the $5 million.”‘

”Obviously, Buffalo has granted permission to talk to other teams [about a trade],” said Price’s agent, Tim McGee, who was not otherwise specific. So, have Falcons officials spoken with McGee or Buffalo officials? ”No comment,” Ray Anderson said.’

‘McGee said he’s advising Price to sign the Bills offer to keep his options open. At the very least, the move would prevent the Bills from lifting the offer and forcing Price to become a free agent at a time when teams would have already used up most of their salary-cap room to make offers.’

With the free agency period set to begin on Friday, February 28, the first order of business for President and General Manger Tom Donahoe is to begin the process of exercising their option to make contact offers to their young players, who in effect remain tied to the team.