Buffalo Bills
Bills likely to continue Toronto games
There’s growing optimism that the Buffalo Bills will renew their deal to play games in Toronto beyond this season. And Bills fans shouldn’t worry about losing more than one regular-season game a year north of the border.
That was the message delivered by Rogers Communications Media president Keith Pelley in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday.
”We continue to have dialogue, just as we did at the Super Bowl in Indy, and we’re optimistic that an agreement could be reached,” Pelley said. ”We’re definitely interested in continuing the relationship with the Bills in Toronto.”
Pelley wouldn’t provide specifics on the length or terms of a potential extension to the existing five-year deal, but did say that Rogers is not looking to expand the number of regular-season games the Bills play in Toronto.
”No,” he said. ”At this point, without getting into any details of the conversation, I think that it would be a deal that would that would certainly work for both sides. We’re not looking to increase the number of games.”
That’s a switch from before, when Rogers vice chairman Phil Lind expressed interest in Toronto hosting more than one regular season game.
The Bills-In-Toronto series enters its final year after the team and Rogers negotiated a five-year, $78 million agreement in 2008 to have the Bills play five annual regular-season and three preseason games at Toronto’s Rogers Centre.
Though talks are ongoing, it’s expected the new deal would be similar to the existing contract.
Bills owner Ralph Wilson told The AP in December that he’s optimistic an extension would be reached, while adding that Rogers is asking to cut ticket prices, which could reduce the overall value of the deal.
For the Bills, the series has served as an opportunity for the team to expand its market into Canada’s largest city and financial capital. For Rogers, it was regarded as an opportunity to bring the NFL to Toronto, and for the communications giant to build ties with North America’s most lucrative sport.
The series has so far paid off for the Bills, who have experienced a significant boost in season-ticket sales from fans in southern Ontario, who now represent about 15 percent of the team’s base.
On Tuesday, Bills CEO Russ Brandon noted that negotiations with Rogers were under way.
”Our core goal is to continue to regionalize our franchise,” Brandon said, ”and continue our series in Toronto, which has served us so well.”
The Bills announced Tuesday that they are losing their preseason game at Toronto this summer as a result of scheduling conflicts at Rogers Centre. The preseason game will now be played at Orchard Park.
The Bills will still play their scheduled regular-season game at Toronto, which will be determined once the NFL schedule is released in the next two months.
Pelley said he offered the preseason game back to the Bills because Rogers Centre was running out of open dates in August. The Blue Jays have a lengthy 10-game homestand that spans two weekends, and Pelley said another event that has yet to be announced has been added to the calendar.
Pelley called the series a chance for Rogers to bring a premium event to Toronto, and showcase the Bills.
”The bottom line is, the Bills are premium content, and that’s what we’re obviously looking to bring to Rogers Centre,” Pelley said, noting Rogers has a ”terrific” relationship with the Bills. ”It’s a complete partnership, and that’s what we’ve tried to build. And if we are to be successful in extending the deal, then the partnership will get stronger.”
Pelley did acknowledge some hiccups, and added Rogers is still attempting to address fans’ concerns that Ontario laws are more strict in limiting their ability to tailgate the same way they can at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Another issue has been the price of tickets, which initially averaged about $180. Rogers has responded by offering more than 10,000 tickets for under $100.
The Bills also announced Tuesday that there will be no increase to their season-ticket prices, and have dropped prices for certain sections by as much as $15 per seat for the upcoming season.
The Bills already had among the NFL’s lowest ticket prices. And they’re coming off a season in which they failed to sell out their final three home games last year.
The team’s season-ticket base dropped to 37,555 last year, down from 44,000 the previous season. The Bills blamed the drop on the NFL lockout wiping out most of the offseason, when the team generates most of its sales.
”Everyone in the organization is committed to building upon our strong foundation,” Brandon said, ”and taking a significant step forward this year.”
Bills drop preseason game in Toronto
The Buffalo Bills’ scheduled preseason game in Toronto this summer is moving back to Orchard Park as a result of a scheduling conflict.
In unveiling their season ticket-price plan Tuesday, the Bills announced they will not play what was supposed to be their third and final preseason game at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. It’s unclear what the scheduling conflict is at the downtown facility.
The Bills, however, will still play their annual regular-season game north of the border.
This is the fifth and final year of the Bills-In-Toronto series. Buffalo reached a $78 million deal with Rogers Communication in 2008 to play five regular-season and three preseason games in Canada’s largest city.
Bills CEO Russ Brandon says the team is in negotiations to extend the agreement with Rogers.
Buffalo Bills lose preseason game at Toronto
The Buffalo Bills’ scheduled preseason game in Toronto this summer is moving back to Orchard Park as a result of a scheduling conflict.
In unveiling their season ticket-price plan Tuesday, the Bills announced they will not play what was supposed to be their third and final preseason game at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. It’s unclear what the scheduling conflict is at the downtown facility.
The Bills, however, will still play their annual regular-season game north of the border.
This is the fifth and final year of the Bills-In-Toronto series. Buffalo reached a $78 million deal with Rogers Communication in 2008 to play five regular-season and three preseason games in Canada’s largest city.
Bills CEO Russ Brandon says the team is in negotiations to extend the agreement with Rogers.
Report: Bills won’t use franchise tag on WR Johnson
The Buffalo Bills won’t use the franchise tag on wide receiver Stevie Johnson is they can’t reach a long-term deal before March 5, according to Rodney McKissic of the Buffalo News.The Bills are reportedly exchanging numbers with the receiver but are far apart in contract negotiations.Johnson would earn $9.4 million if given the franchise designation. The Bills haven’t used the tag since 2006, when they made cornerback Nate Clements their franchise player.Johnson had 76 catches for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns and became the team’s first receiver to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
Buffalo Bills: Ralph Wilson Jr. Makes Me Want to Shout for All the Wrong Reasons
Ralph Wilson Jr. is the unequivocal culprit behind the Buffalo Bills’ humiliating franchise dysfunction. He could be the reason why, one day, they leave the Western New York area.
Yes, I’m eternally grateful to Wilson who brought the Bills to Buffalo. Without him, who knows if my embryonic interest in sports would have blossomed into steadfast fanhood. But 52 years with no championships (23 of which I’ve endured) and the current 12-year playoff drought have brought me to this column.
Wilson’s wrongdoings have become a common yearly practice and have made it extremely hard to imagine the Bills returning to relevance, much less advance to a Super Bowl.
It isn’t just the 93-year-old’s frugal ways— they’re just the beginning. It’s deeper than that. It’s layers upon layers of egotistical decisions that have sent the Bills into a seemingly irreversible tailspin with Wilson as the owner.
He bought the team in 1959 for an absolutely ridiculous $25,000…
Examining the Bills: Part 3 Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
We can talk about the receivers and tight ends, we can hypothesize which free agent pickup would be a great fit for Buffalo, and we can examine which draft pick would be able to help put the passing game over the top, but, in the end, it all comes down to Stevie. In the last month of his contract as of the writing of this article, the Bills’ “superstar” wide receiver has just begun exchanging contract offers with GM Buddy Nix and Ralph Wilson again (the first time since November), but the deal isn’t as cut and dried as it could be.
Coming off of his second consecutive 1000 yard season in Buffalo (surprisingly, the only Bills receiver to do that), Johnson’s 76 catches for 1004 yards and seven TDs would have almost guaranteed him a payday even with the injury problems, but that’s not the whole story with Steve. Twice this year, Johnson was flagged for inappropriate, excessive TD celebrations, with the second landing him in such hot water with Coach Chan G…
Bills not expected to tag Stevie
—NFL can begin using franchise tags on their prospective free agents today but don’t expect the Buffalo Bills to extend that offer to wide receiver Stevie Johnson.
A league source told The Buffalo News that Johnson’s isn’t expecting to receive the franchise tag from the Bills and despite swapping contract proposals recently the two sides are far apart on negotiations. The franchise tag option hasn’t been discussed during negotiations with Johnson the source told The News.
Johnson’s agent, C.J. LaBoy, was unavailable for comment.
The Associated Press first reported the development citing a person familiar with discussions. Johnson’s representatives counter a Bills offer last week and the two sides agreed to meet at this week’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
The Bills haven’t applied the franchise tag since 2006, when they designated cornerback Nate Clements, the team’s first-round pick and 21st pick overall in 2001. Clements signed the $7.2 million offer, under the condition th…
2012 NFL draft: Possible selections for the Buffalo Bills
The 2011 Buffalo Bills improved upon their 4-12 record from 2012 but missed the playoffs for the twelfth consecutive season. The Bills have not made the playoffs since 1999 and now own the longest standing playoff drought in the NFL. While unable to break the playoff drought they were able to beat the eventual AFC East and AFC Champion New England Patriots for the first time in 15 games. The 2011 Bills became the only team to win two consecutive games in which they trailed by 18 or more points. They overcame a 21-3 deficit to the Oakland Raiders in Week 2 and 21-0 against New England in Week 3. The team started off hot with a 5-2 record and relied on Ryan Fitzpatrick and Fred Jackson who was leading all rushing categories early on before suffering a season-ending injury. They would go on to lose eight of their final nine games eliminating them from the playoffs. One bright mark for the Bills was wide receiver Stevie Johnson who became the only Bills receiver in history to record two…
Report: Buffalo Bills and Stevie Johnson Far From Agreement on New Contract
Since 2010, Stevie Johnson has emerged as one of the top wide receivers in the league for the Buffalo Bills after breaking the 1,000-yard mark in each of the last two seasons while totaling 17 touchdowns. While the Bills would love to bring back the former Kentucky standout for a fifth season in 2012, it looks like that may be more difficult than originally expected.
According to the Associated Press via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com, Johnson and the Bills are “far apart” when it comes to reaching an agreement on a new contract. The two sides would like to get a deal done before free agency kicks off on March 13 and considering the report claims the organization isn’t expected to use the franchise tag on their top wideout–there’s a good chance Johnson could end up hitting the open market in a few weeks.
If that does end up happening, that could mean bad news for the Bills considering there are plenty of teams out there looking to add depth …
Buffalo Bills And Steve Johnson Far Apart In Contract Talks
A source, who’s closed to the ongoing contract talks between the Buffalo Bills and wide receiver Steve Johnson, says the two sides remain far apart from getting anything signed.The source also adds that Johnson believes that the Bills WON’T put the franchise tag to keep Johnson with the Buffalo Bills, the AP reports.It’s expected that more talks will continue between the two sides, and that a meeting is expected between Johnson and the Bills this upcoming week in Indianapolis at the NFL combine.
Stevie Johnson to the Patriots might make sense
Earlier we reported that the Buffalo Bills and wide receiver Stevie Johnson are still far apart in their current contract talks.
Albert Breer of the NFL Network brought up a great point on Sunday when he tweeted that Johnson would be a good fit with the New England Patriots.
Breer mentioned that Johnson has “killed” the Patriots over the past couple of seasons. He also give Jets cornerback Darelle Revis a lot of problems and he’s the vertical threat that the Patriots need.
Evan Silva of Rotoworld.com replied to Breer’s tweet and added that no one gets open more against Revis then Johnson. And that’s big point, since the Jets and Patriots are bitter division rivals.
The only way the Patriots will have a shot if they’re even interested is if the Bills and Johnson can’t agree on a new contract and they don’t place the franchise tag on him.
A Look Back at the Bills Draft Picks at the 2011 NFL Combine
With the 2012 NFL combine less than a week away (starting Wednesday Feb. 22nd), let’s take a look back at some of the Bills draft picks last year and see how they were reviewed after last year’s combine.
Marcell Dareus (Defensive tackle picked 3rd overall)- According to espn.com-
“The combine could not have gone much better for Dareus, who looked good while weighing in at 6-foot-3 and 319 pounds and then ran a 4.94-second 40 (unofficial) with a 1.69 10-yard split, very impressive times for his size. He also looked strong and powerful during position-specific drills. ”
Aaron Williams (Defensive back picked 34th overall)- According to espn.com-
“Williams is a good athlete for his size (6-0½, 204) but has just enough stiffness in his hips to cause concern, and while his recovery speed is adequate it is certainly not elite. Throw in less-than-ideal ball skills and it’s not a good recipe for a cover corner.
His size is not far off the average for a sa…
Draft Picks From Trades Could Be Big Help to Bills
While Lee Evans and Marshawn Lynch are both gone from western New York and the Buffalo Bills, their impact on the franchise has not totally left yet. Buffalobills.com has learned that draft picks from the trades sending both players out of Buffalo have been finalized.
The Lynch trade from the 2010 season will now be a fifth round pick in this upcoming draft, that will either be the 11th or 12th in the round. While the Lee Evans trade from this past off-season will lead to a fourth round pick for the Bills, being the 29th in that round.
With those two picks officially announced, the team will go into draft day with nine picks, as well as the possibility of one more compensatory pick that could be added.
As the team looks to build off a season with a 6-10 record the extra picks could be a huge plus in adding depth to the roster going forward.
Buffalo Bills Looking for Pass Rushers
With the NFL draft and combine coming up in the next weeks and months the Buffalo Bills have one major need and interest, speed on defense.
Defensive Coordinator Dave Wannstedt addressed the media Thursday afternoon and mentioned how the transition from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense will cause major changes in the type of defensive players the team is looking for.
“(We need) three linebackers who can run, not the big 3-4 linebacker. We’re looking for guys who can run and make plays.” Wannstedt said according to buffalobills.com.
The defensive coordinator also mentioned how important he thinks defensive lineman Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus will be to the team’s scheme, as well as getting players who can get to the quarterback.
Getting a player that can get to the quarterback could very well be the team’s number one target in the draft, as they hold the tenth overall pick. After watching the team play last season (and the Giants winning the Super Bowl) I have to …
Buffalo Bills player profile: Stevie Johnson
There are 92 people with the name Steve Johnson in Kentucky, and to Buffalo Bills’ fans two years ago he was just some wide receiver with a crazy hairdo that was replacing Terrell Owens. After a breakout year and a solid follow up effort, Johnson has made a name for himself and has risen to the top of the NFL lists. Steve Johnson Jr., who prefers to be called Stevie, was born July 22nd, 1986, in San Francisco, California and attended Chabot College in Hayward, California from 2004-2006 before transferring to the University of Kentucky. No. 13 was not much of a factor during the 2006-07 season for UK, as he only had 12 receptions for 159 yards and one touchdown, but it was his performance against Clemson in the Music City Bowl that began his ascension. The next season, Johnson came out of nowhere to become the exciting go-to guy on the Wildcat offense as a senior. He started all 13 games and had 60 receptions for 1,041 yards and 13 touchdowns. Stevie Johnson was projected as a …
