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Organized Team Activities Get Started
Evans, Royal, Held Back: Lee Evans and Robert Royal are the only players that had offseason surgeries that are limited in the organized team activities. Dick Jauron said that Evans and Royal likely will not participate fully until training camp. Evans participated on a limited basis last week but Royal did not practice at all. Evans had surgery to clean up his shoulder and Royal had knee surgery. Both players should be ready to go when training camp rolls around. Injury Page.
Thomas Involved In AF2 Venture: Five years after losing it's Arena Football team, Buffalo has been awarded an arena football 2 team that will being play in 2009 if a lease agreement could be reached with the HSBC arena. Thurman Thomas is a minority owner of the team and Jim Kelly may also have an interest in it. The majority owner is Rochester businessman Bob Bartosiewicz.
Thursday May 22, 2008
First Week Over: The first week of four OTA weeks is over and Dick Jauron said it went really well. There is a lot to work on and it wasn't real sharp but that is expected this time of year. The installation of the offense has begun and it has gone well but slowly with things being relatively new. The coaches use this time to look at different groups and different mixes of guys. The coach said he's real happy with the development of Trent Edwards saying he's gotten bigger and stronger.
Jauron Hasn't Talked To Peters: Dick Jauron did not want to get into the players that are absent saying he coaches who is there. He knew J.P. Losman would not be in most of the week since he talked to the quarterback. He said he has not talked to Jason Peters and didn't give any insight on if he's out because of a contract dispute.
Season Ticket Sales Passes Goal: The Bills announced today that they have passed the 50,000 mark in season tickets giving them the most amount of season tickets since 1993. Dick Jauron knows the fans are optimistic that is why sales are good but it needs to translate on to the field.
Peters Wants Raise? Jason Peters is the lone Bill that has missed the entire first week of the organized team activities. The team has not said why he has missed the voluntary workouts. Reports have surfaced that part of the reason may be that he wants a new contract. Peters signed a long term contract extension in 2006. It's already outdated by today's standards for an all-pro left tackle. He is the third highest paid player on the team's offensive line making about $4 Million a year. Peters has three years left on his current deal and the team has more pressing needs like locking up Lee Evans and Angelo Crowell who are in the final year of their contracts. What do you think the Bills should do? Take our poll on our homepage and let us know!
Wednesday May 21, 2008
Evans Absent: Day three of the organized team activity is underway. J.P. Losman, Jason Peters, and Lee Evans are not in attendance. Losman was there for the first day but will miss the rest of the week because of an out of town commitment. Peters has yet to show up for the voluntary camp. Evans worked on a limited basis on Monday and Tuesday as he continues to recover from off season shoulder surgery.
Tuesday May 20, 2008
Day Two Of OTAs Over: The team held their second 90 minute practice of the week this morning. Brian Moorman and Mike Viti were back after missing Monday's workout. Jason Peters remains out of the voluntary workouts. J.P. Losman was there on Monday but will be out the rest of the week because of an out of town commitment. Leodis McKelvin took some first team reps as the team reduced the workload for Terrence McGee according to the team's website.
Schumer, Goodell To The Rescue? For those who have following the three part series in the Buffalo News, today's article gave a ray of hope about the long term future of the Bills in Buffalo. The news spoke to Senator Chuck Schumer and Commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell said he'll fight to keep the team in Buffalo as long as it's financially viable. The key to that may be getting the big pocket people in Toronto to invest in games at Ralph Wilson Stadium as is part of the regionalization plan. Schumer is a big name in Congress as he is involved in the committee that handles the league's anti-trust exemption. He has been the main player in supporting the Bills. He re-iterated that he's committed to keeping the team in Buffalo and praised Goodell for not forgetting his Western New York roots.
Miller Honored: Former Bills play by play man Van Miller will be honored with his induction into the New York State Brodacasters' Association Hall of Fame. He will be inducted in a ceremony on June 24th in Bolton Landing.
Monday May 19, 2008
Evans Says Offer Made: Lee Evans would not comment on contract negotiations with the Bills but did say that there was an offer put out there by the Bills. It doesn't appear like anything is imminent but discussions are underway on a new deal as the Bills have labeled Evans a priority as he has one year left on his rookie deal.
Bell Banged Up: 7th round draft pick Demetrius Bell was banged up in the first practice of the OTAs today. According to the Bills official website he walked off under his own power.
Hardy Says No Gun: James Hardy spoke to the media for the first time since his Mother's day altercation with his father back home in Fort Wayne. He said it was blown out of proportion and no gun was involved. He knows the public perception was against him and vows to never let that happen again. It appears that he will be spending less time back home in Fort Wayne since he says he gets into negative situations back home.
OTAs Underway: The Bills have started the first of four days of organized team activities this week. Only three players were missing from the first 90 minute practice according to Chris Brown from the team's official website. Brian Moorman, Mike Viti, and Jason Peters were not in attendance for the first voluntary workout. No word on why they aren't there although they aren't required to be in attendance. That is phenomenal attendance for the first day. In attendance but not practicing are Melvin Fowler and Robert Royal.
Saturday May 17, 2008
OTAs Set To Start: The Bills are set to start their organized team activities on Monday. They are part of the 14 week offseason conditioning program. The OTAs are for four weeks and teams are allowed only up to four 90 minute practices per week. They are voluntary and the team will practice from 10:30am - 12 noon Monday through Thursday this week. No hitting is allowed or blocking but players can wear helmets.
Wednesday May 14, 2008
Hardy On Incident: James Hardy released a statement regarding the incident with his father over the weekend. He said, "I realize what the public perception could be pertaining to this incident, however that was not the reality of the situation,” he said. “This situation that has been blown out of proportion has been very hurtful and frustrating for me and my father. There was a misunderstanding and a misinterpretation of the situation. I would like to first apologize to the fans of Buffalo and the Bills organization for any distractions this may have caused. I would also like to apologize to my fans in Indiana and the children who look up to me because it has been hard on me and I know it’s been equally hard on them to hear something of this nature. I do understand that this opportunity with me being drafted by the Buffalo Bills is a blessing and a privilege and not a right. So I ask that my fans just continue to keep me in your prayers and I will continue to strive to be the best I can be on and off the field.” No charges are going to be filed against Hardy as his father won't press charges. His father indicated that his son is still upset that he was in prison while the younger Hardy was growing up.
Tuesday May 13, 2008
Bills Speak To Hardy: The Bills spoke to James Hardy after the report in the Fort Wayne Gazette that alleges he brandished a handgun while arguing with his father. The team then released this statement, “we have spoken to law enforcement officials and they have informed us that they looked into this and have no plans to pursue the matter any further. We also spoke to James last night and will continue to speak with him today, but indications are that this matter has been resolved.”
Hardy Altercation: A report out of Fort Wayne says that James Hardy allegedly pulled a gun on his father during an altercation on Sunday. The report cites a police report that had the wide receiver's name edited out. No charges were filed and the police don't expect to file charges. Hardy does have a permit to carry a gun. There was a reported argument and then Hardy allegedly showed a gun but left. Since nobody was hurt it won't be pursued further.
Denney, Everett Gone: The Bills made two moves according to WGR that were expected administrative moves. Kevin Everett and WR Chris Denney are officially off the team. They have both been placed on the Waived/Failed Physical list. The move was necessary for Everett to apply for long term disability which would pay him $224,000 each year and a one time $75,000 payment from the Player Health Reimbursement Plan. The Bills plan to honor the final year of Everett's contract and helped him get three full years of NFL service last year. Front Office.
Monday May 12, 2008
Reich Looking To Coach: Former Bills QB Frank Reich is looking to get into the NFL as a coach. Jim Kelly always thought of Reich as another coach on the sidelines and after serving time as the president of a seminary Reich is following the new dream. He was an intern with the Colts last summer and will attend their OTAs and minicamp as a volunteer coach. He says he wants to get back into teaching people and would love to do that in the NFL with leaving his faith as his highest priority.
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