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Fisher battling to stick with Bills
By JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer
August 23, 2002
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- Six years after completing military combat survival training, defensive end Bryce Fisher faces another challenge -- keeping his job with the Buffalo Bills.
While he would never compare football with the grueling demands he faced in the Air Force, Fisher is sure of one thing. This Saturday's preseason game at Indianapolis might be his last chance to make an impression and return for a second season with the Bills.
``This is for survival in the league,'' Fisher said Thursday. ``It's just a matter of playing better because there's no excuses in our job. Just like there's no excuses in the military.
``I have to make plays this weekend.''
Fisher is one of a number of Bills players whose jobs are on the line as the team has until Tuesday to cut its roster by 10 to meet the NFL maximum of 65. And it didn't help Fisher's chances when Buffalo bolstered its defensive line by signing veteran free agents Chidi Ahanotu and Shawn Price this past week.
The additions led to the immediate departure of defensive end Erik Flowers, a former first-round draft pick, who has since signed with Houston.
Flowers' release stung Fisher both professionally -- knowing he could be next -- and personally because a close friend was cut.
``Both of us knew where we were and that we had to make a play this coming weekend,'' Fisher said. ``He didn't get that opportunity. And now I'm still around here partly because he's gone. So I have to do it this weekend.''
Coach Gregg Williams hasn't indicated how many defensive linemen he plans to keep. But he noted that Fisher remains in the mix.
``There's a bunch of those ends all clustered together, and he just needs to keep plugging away,'' Williams said. ``Bryce, production-wise, is right on schedule. ... He's doing what he needs to do.''
Surprised to hear those comments relayed to him, Fisher politely disagreed.
``I feel I can play a lot better than I have been,'' he said. ``I've watched myself on film doing things, stuff I shouldn't be doing. And I know better.''
Fisher had an inconsistent rookie season, hampered in part after he broke his right hand. Appearing in 13 games, two of which he started, Fisher was credited with 33 tackles and three sacks.
After bouncing along the line, including a stint at nose tackle, Fisher believes his chances are improved now that he's back playing on the right side, a move he requested before the start of training camp.
``I feel that's where I play better,'' he said. ``And because I've been asking them so much to play me on the right side, I have to go out and show them why I've been asking so much.''
That Fisher has made it this far is a testament to his desire.
Buffalo's seventh-round pick in the 1999 draft, Fisher wasn't allowed to join the team on a full-time basis until he fulfilled his Air Force obligations, which ended in June 2001.
In the two years before, Fisher used up all his military leave to attend Bills spring practices and training camps, in part to prove he remained worthy of the team's trust.
Fisher considers the challenges of this year's training camp as no different.
``Every year, there's always going to be a guy who's 6-foot-4, 265, 270 pounds, running a 4.6, who looks better on paper than me,'' said Fisher, small by NFL standards at 6-3, 253. ``It might be that Napoleon complex or something, but I constantly feel like I'm having to prove myself to everybody. ... I'm used to being the underdog.
``This is no different. I just feel that as long as I keep fighting, good things will happen.''
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