Two Bills Drive

The extension is for one year and, added to the original two-year contract Centers signed last summer, ties him to the Bills through the 2003 season. Included is a Signing bonus of 250,000 with a reduction in salary from 800K to 750K giving him $1M for this season and a base of $1.1M next season.

‘"I think we’re starting to understand each other," said Bledsoe, who has looked comfortable in Buffalo’s first two preseason games. "I’m starting to know their body language. I can tell when they’re coming out of cuts and they know what I’m looking for."’

‘"No, I’m not going to do TV," said Williams, who’s outgoing personality has piqued the interest of Buffalo-area broadcasters. "I think I just need to concentrate a little bit more on football. Especially in my rookie year." What’s this? Big Mike without a Mic? "Well," the 370-pound, 6-foot-6 Williams added, "radio is a possibility. We’ll see."’

‘With a stable full of running backs already, Burns’ chances of making the Bills are not good. He would be more likely to end up on the Bills’ practice squad if he clears waivers. It does not matter to the 22-year-old Georgia native, all he wants is a chance to compete.’

‘After visiting the Bills for a few days, there’s no doubt in my mind that his reconstruction project is ahead of schedule but that his attempt to stay behind the scenes will fail.’

‘”The personality of this offence will develop through the course of the year,” Bledsoe says. “But I would say, in my opinion, I think we can be a very attacking offence. I think that we’ve got the weapons to get downfield in the passing game. “We can be a big-play offence, but, in order to do that, we also have to be very consistent in what we do. Because, if you take shots down the field, you’re not going to hit all of them.”‘

‘"He’s a smart player," Moulds said. "You can’t teach the instincts that he has. The guy knows how to get open. He hits the zones well. He knows man-to-man coverage, and he can go deep. You can’t teach those attributes. I think he has a chance to make the team, a legitimate shot. I hope he does. He’s worked hard."’

‘Flowers was one of the all-time good guys, but he joins Walt Patulski and Phil Dokes on the Bills’ Bust of Fame.’

Buffalo was on track to jump close to the .500 mark even before the Drew Bledsoe trade, and if all the other pieces continue to fall into place as expected, a nine-win season seems realistic. If Bledsoe shines and stays healthy, the Bills could be this year’s surprise team.

‘"I think camp should be a max of three weeks with two preseason games, maybe three at the most," said linebacker London Fletcher, who is wrapping up his inaugural Fisher camp after spending the first four years of his career with the St. Louis Rams.’

‘"Erik did everything we asked him to do, he worked hard, but for whatever reason it didn’t happen for him here."’

‘Bills offensive guard Corey Hulsey, a key backup, suffered a left knee sprain in Tuesday’s morning practice. He’s likely to miss today’s final practice at St. John Fisher College, but coach Gregg Williams said he’s not been ruled out of playing in Saturday’s third preseason game at Indianapolis.’

‘"They’ve got a good quarterback now and they’ve just got to give him a little bit of protection. I don’t know how far they can go, but I think they can definitely make the playoffs."’

‘The 24-year-old Flowers started six of 31 games during his first two seasons and had four sacks and one interception. He played little in Buffalo’s first two preseason games and was moved down the depth chart when the team signed Chidi Ahanotu yesterday.’

Basically, the "46" has worked twice in NFL history — the 1985 Bears and the 2000 Titans, where Williams cut his teeth. But each of these squads had premium talent and considerable good luck. Everyone else who has tried to use the "46" has paid dearly, since while most defenses are designed to cover up weaknesses, the "46" is designed to expose weaknesses and dare you to attack them.