Bills presser tomorrow at 9:15am

[X-Era]

Bills Brass will hold a presser at 9:15am tomorrow:

http://twitter.com/#!/JoeB_WGR/status/95618666065952768

[Raptor]

Why are they holding a presser?

Forget the presser and get your asses on the phone and start lining up moves

[Michael82]

The consolidation threads take away from seeing all the different news because then you gotta keep scrolling thru the thread. I have a feeling there will be tons of threads, about UDFAs, UFAs, and our rookie picks signing contracts starting tomorrow. The main board will finally be busy for a change. I can't wait!

[X-Era]

Oh God...not another one of these combined threads. The consolidation ones take away from seeing all the different news because then you gotta keep scrolling thru the thread. I have a feeling there will be tons of threads, about UDFAs, UFAs, and our rookie picks signing contracts starting tomorrow.OK. you win. I'm good either way.

Fixed. :D

[BLeonard]

Why are they holding a presser?

Forget the presser and get your asses on the phone and start lining up moves

They can start signing draft picks at 10AM... The 9:15 presser is to make sure Buddy is awake when 10AM strikes.

-Bill

[X-Era]

They can start signing draft picks at 10AM... The 9:15 presser is to make sure Buddy is awake when 10AM strikes.

-BillHe better be.

[Michael82]

They can start signing draft picks at 10AM... The 9:15 presser is to make sure Buddy is awake when 10AM strikes.

-Bill

I can't wait to see how fast and furious the rookies sign their contracts tomorrow. Plus tomorrow is also the beginning of the UDFAs.

[X-Era]

I can't wait to see how fast and furious the rookies sign their contracts tomorrow. Plus tomorrow is also the beginning of the UDFAs.All hell hasn't broken lose yet but I already feel like it's crazy.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

should go hard at LB for udfa

[The last buffalo fan]

Extension for Kelsay!

[Blame Canada]

They can start signing draft picks at 10AM... The 9:15 presser is to make sure Buddy is awake when 10AM strikes.

-Bill
I'm up at the crack of dawn everyday. Staying up past nine is a challenge.

[Michael82]

Extension for Kelsay!
Bite your tongue!

[malvado78]

Anybody have a link to the presser? Can't find it. bb.com is acting funny for me.

[methos4ever]

It will be up a little later. Here's the quotes:

http://blogs.buffalonews.com/billboard/2011/07/live-from-the-bills-welcome-back-press-conference.html


Good morning from One Bills Drive, which is nice to say.

The NFL is back in business. The Buffalo Bills are set to update everyone on their plans in just a few minutes. CEO Russ Brandon, General Manager Buddy Nix and coach Chan Gailey will address the assembled media here in the Bills' media room.

Reports of undrafted rookie free agents are trickling in, including Domonic Cook, the former St. Joe's and UB star. We'll see how many of those we can confirm today.

I'll provide some quotes during the presser, providing my fingers type fast enough. After the press conference, check back here for full audio.

Talk to you in a few minutes ...

9:16 a.m.: Bills' PR staff provided rosters to the media in attendance. Nice. They joked that they'll be good for a few minutes, which is true. Here's a list of the Bills' unrestricted free agents: S Donte Whitner, CB Ashton Youboty, CB Drayton Florence, LB Akin Ayodele, LB Paul Posluszny, LB Keith Ellison, DE John McCargo.

9:18 a.m.: Brandon and Nix are at the podium, Gailey will be coming later.

9:19 a.m.: Team will report to St. John Fisher on Friday, take physicals, have meetings. Start practice Saturday.

9:20 a.m.: On the salary cap, Nix says: "We've said from day one we're never going to be big spenders in free agency."

9:21 a.m.: Nix says team's philosophy remains to draft and develop players, then re-sign them. On not having an exclusive rights window: "I'm really not disappointed." On bringing Posluszny back: "He's a leader for us. He's our kind of guy. He's a tough guy, smart."

9:22 a.m.: Nix said team found out at 6:40 last night that teams could negotiate with undrafted UFAs.

9:24 a.m.: Brandon on the league's revenue sharing plan: "It was important to our organization and many of the small markets throughout the league. ... We voted for it, so we're pleased with it."

9:30 a.m.: Nix on if there's been any change with Whitner's status: "You'd have to ask Donte. There's been no change with me." Translation: don't expect him back.

9:31 a.m.: League year can't begin until CBA is formally ratified, which could be until Aug. 4.

9:32 a.m.: Brandon on ticket sales: "We are not where we were a year ago on new sales. ... We have a lot of inventory to move in a short amount of time."

9:34 a.m.: Can't confirm any signings of UFAs until they are actually under contract.

9:36 a.m.: Gailey now at the podium as well.

9:36 a.m.: Gailey on practice changes in the new CBA, including less padded practices: "I'm really more concerned about right now than I am next spring. That has my full attention right now."

9:38 a.m: Gailey: "It used to be, you were trying to get everybody ready for the first preseason game, now the whole process is geared toward Sept. 11 (the season opener)." On no two-a-day practices: "A lot more walk-thrus than we've ever had before."

9:43 a.m.: Gailey on Eric Wood practicing at center: "We're going to talk to both he and Geoff (Hangartner). I want to talk to them about the plan before I talk to anybody else."

9:44 a.m.: Nix on possibly extending quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's contract, which expires after this season: "We've thought about him since that's a pretty important position. ... A guy that's producing is a guy we'll spend our money on."

9:49 a.m.: Gailey said he doesn't anticipate regulars playing longer in the preseason. "Have to build them up to Sept. 11. The conditioning is more important right now."

Presser is over, ran 27 minutes. We'll have the audio up shortly.



Fitz is meeting with media now.


10:07 a.m.: Fitzpatrick is addressing the media currently. "We've got a lot of work to do. I think everybody knows that."

10:10 a.m.: Fitzpatrick seems very at ease. I liked this quote: "This is my show from the very beginning."

10:12 a.m.: "The guys have been getting back here early in anticipation this thing was going to get done."

10:18 a.m.: Guest appearance from backup quarterback, who had the funniest moment of the press conference: "Fitz are you kidding me? We've got meetings, let's go!"

10:20 a.m.: Fitzpatrick specifically mentions WR Marcus Easley. "The combination of his size and speed is a rarity." Calls him a special talent.

[Night Train]

Summary ? Anything of significance ?

[ZAZusmc03]

I love all the talk about easley this offseason. hope he can eventually take over at #1

[justasportsfan]

A guy that's producing is a guy we'll spend our money on."



Bills have to spend, I wouldn't be surprised if the extend Stevie soon.

[justasportsfan]

10:20 a.m.: Fitzpatrick specifically mentions WR Marcus Easley. "The combination of his size and speed is a rarity." Calls him a special talent.


thats stupid talk from Fitz. We shouldn't be talking about a 4th round pick around here.

[X-Era]

Bills have to spend, I wouldn't be surprised if the extend Stevie soon.Yeah I think resigning our own even early will be a major part of how we spend this offseason. I still think we may see a UFA or two. It won't be big money guys but maybe a Zach Miller is still in play since he's a TE which usually costs less.

[trapezeus]

i was excited for this press conference and kind of got back into the swing of summer football. but then nix said no free agents, and we only have one big signing possibly being Poz. That's kind of underwhelming. allt he under signings could be very good, but we'll have to see them on the field. So i'm kind of back to being underwhelmed and not interested until the start of the season.

[psubills62]

i was excited for this press conference and kind of got back into the swing of summer football. but then nix said no free agents, and we only have one big signing possibly being Poz. That's kind of underwhelming. allt he under signings could be very good, but we'll have to see them on the field. So i'm kind of back to being underwhelmed and not interested until the start of the season.
We'll see, I still think they'll sign a few free agents - just not big name guys who will cost a lot. I mean, when Nix and co. first took over in Buffalo they said something about not building through free agency, not spending much there. Then they signed Andra Davis and Dwan Edwards, among others (oh crap, forgot about Cornell Green, ugh).

Just my opinion...I think his comments indicate more that we won't be bidding high on anyone. Of course, it's possible they only looked to FA in the first year but from now on out plan on only using the draft (a la Green Bay/Ted Thompson with Charles Woodson signing in FA, but inactive ever since).

[OpIv37]

We'll see, I still think they'll sign a few free agents - just not big name guys who will cost a lot. I mean, when Nix and co. first took over in Buffalo they said something about not building through free agency, not spending much there. Then they signed Andra Davis and Dwan Edwards, among others (oh crap, forgot about Cornell Green, ugh).

Just my opinion...I think his comments indicate more that we won't be bidding high on anyone. Of course, it's possible they only looked to FA in the first year but from now on out plan on only using the draft (a la Green Bay/Ted Thompson with Charles Woodson signing in FA, but inactive ever since).

These comments make me nervous because we have to hit the cap floor. I could see the Bills sitting back, waiting for the big names to sign, then panicking when they realize they haven't hit the floor and no one worthy of a big contract is left. Then they'll end up giving Poz and Whitner $7 million each and extending Parrish until he's 40 years old.

[trapezeus]

this too is my fear. i don't need the biggest names in free agency, but the best RT available would be a nice show of faith that they are trying to close out the final issues as they see fit.

[psubills62]

These comments make me nervous because we have to hit the cap floor. I could see the Bills sitting back, waiting for the big names to sign, then panicking when they realize they haven't hit the floor and no one worthy of a big contract is left. Then they'll end up giving Poz and Whitner $7 million each and extending Parrish until he's 40 years old.
It's not a matter of panicking. I believe it was mentioned before that they have to hit the cap floor by the end of the season, not beginning. They could easily re-sign Steve Johnson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and even Demetrius Bell. My thought (which is mostly unfounded) is that they won't be spending any more than $5m per season on a UFA. Maybe for Poz they will, but not for anyone new, from another team. Just my opinion.