Two Bills Drive

‘"We’ve been pretty open about the situation right from the end of the season," Donahoe said. "If there’s a chance for Rob to come back the contract’s a factor. If they’re not receptive to that, it’s going to be difficult for us to bring him back. We can’t do it under the current number."’

Veteran LB Marvcus Patton, a starter for the Kansas City Chiefs the last three seasons, agreed to a six-year contract Monday. Patton was an eighth-round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills out of UCLA and played on all four of the team’s Super Bowl squad.

‘Asked the chances of Johnson taking a pay cut, Donahoe replied: “I don’t know. You’d have to ask Rob that question. I’m not good at mind-reading. And a pay cut is only the first step”, Donahoe added.’

[Q] On the possibility of Rob staying and accepting a pay cut…

[A] You would have to ask Rob that question. I am not good at mind reading, I failed that course in college. We have had discussions with David Dunn, we’ll have some more and see what happens. We have spoken a couple times.

‘On Monday, Bills general manager Tom Donahoe said he hasn’t ruled out using either a franchise or transition tag on Cowart prior to Thursday’s deadline. Such a move would at least give Buffalo the right to match any offer made to Cowart by any other team.’

‘Black, who turns 25 in April, had just four catches for 45 yards last season.’

Avion Black was the only Buffalo Bill taken in 19 picks taken by Texans.

Len Pasquarelli, ESPN.com senior NFL writer: The two-year veteran wide receiver is still very raw and only caught eight passes in 2001. But he has good size and decent speed, nice body control, and seems to have potential as a wideout and clearly can help in the kickoff return game. With a cap price of $460,000, he’s worth a gamble.

Buffalo two-year veteran wide receiver Avion Black is still very raw and only caught eight passes in 2001. But he has good size and decent speed, seems to have potential as a wideout and clearly can help in the kickoff return game. With a cap price of $460,000, he’s worth a gamble.

‘Texans General Manager Charley Casserly and head coach Dom Capers wouldn’t comment on specific players during a national conference call earlier this week, but they didn’t seem overly enthusiastic about Johnson when asked about him.’

Some catching up on the details of a few new contracts recently awarded to quarterbacks: The five-year deal signed by Alex Van Pelt of Buffalo is worth $5.4 million and it includes a $1 million signing bonus along with base salaries of $650,000 (for 2002), $750,000 (2003) and $1 million each for 2004-2006.

‘The Buffalo Bills have signed guard Robert Hunt and wide receiver Andre Rone, the team announced Friday. Both were free agents.’

‘Blank covets McKay, whose credentials are better than the three candidates he’s interviewed — Buffalo director of football operations Tom Modrak, New Orleans general manager of football operations Randy Mueller and Seattle senior vice president Mike Reinfeldt.’

‘Hunt, a guard, was in Kansas City’s training camp last year but was released at the end of preseason. He played for the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe in 2000. Wide receiver Rone spent three seasons on Detroit’s practice squad after being cut by Miami, where he had entered the NFL as a rookie free agent in 1998.’

No one believes Carolina will ever pay Sean Gilbert the $10 million he’s scheduled to make or that Rob Johnson will ever see the $11 million his contract calls for.

‘This could well be the off-season’s most interesting week for the Bills.’