Toronto Bills Blog

Bills fans are flocking to buy Terrell Owens cereal.  400 cheering loyalists attended the kickoff of “T.O.’s Honey Toasted Oats” at a suburban Rochester supermarket.  Owens modestly said that having “this beautiful handsome face” on the box is a greater honor than being on the Wheaties carton.  He has captivated Bills fans and renewed interest in the franchise.  Season ticket sales have surged.  Whenever the faithful devour T.O. flakes, they are getting a taste of Toronto, the Bills future home.

The Bills have signed safety Jairus Byrd to a four-year contract worth $4.2 million.  About half that is guaranteed.   The second-round draft pick had 17 interceptions at the University of Oregon.  He is expected to miss two weeks of practice while recuperating from hernia surgery.  The Bills are getting their house in order with most of the rookies now signed.  Only Aaron Maybin’s contract is unsettled.  His services are critical to providing pass rush.  The front office needs to wrap up his deal so he can concentrate on practice.  Toronto management would not leave key players hanging.

The Bills on Tuesday signed guard Eric Wood to a five-year contract.  Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.  The rookie from Louisville is expected to start in a completely revamped offensive line.  He will report to training camp in Rochester.  The team must still sign safety Jairus Byrd and defensive end Aaron Maybin.  The Bills must act quickly to end these holdouts.  The fault lies with management for not settling these contracts a long time ago.

Bills owner Ralph Wilson met Terrell Owens for the first time on Monday at training camp.  Wilson told Owens that he couldn’t understand why the team lost so many games last year after seeing them practice.  Owens praised Wilson’s football savvy and expressed gratitude for his opportunity to play with the Bills.  So far, so good.  Owens has a habit of starting out on a high note with his teams.  Things generally deteriorate from there.  Wilson will have to see if his 6.5 million dollar man pays off for the Bills.

The Bills have signed offensive lineman Andy Levitre to a four-year contract worth an estimated $3.6 million.  The second-round draft pick from Oregon State is expected to play left guard.  His signing leaves three draft picks unsigned – Jairus Byrd, Eric Wood, and Aaron Maybin.  The Bills need to get these players under contract and out on the practice field.  Prolonged holdouts will only damage the team’s prospects.   New management in Toronto will avoid such distractions.

Terrell Owens turned in an impressive performance on the first day of training camp.  He reported in peak condition.  He demonstrated speed, strength and intensity.  Fans were swarming around him.  Coach Dick Jauron commented that he is the only receiver in the NFL to catch 951 balls.  Quarterback Trent Edwards enthused that he will take the team to the playoffs.    Owens has enjoyed such honeymoons before, in San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Dallas.  He has given his quarterbacks their greatest seasons.  Invariably the initial euphoria gives way to controversy and dissension.  We hope this won’t be Owens legacy with the Bills.

Bills training camp has opened at St. John Fisher College with several key players unsigned.  First round draft picks Aaron Maybin and Eric Wood remain unsigned and are not expected to report.  The same is true for second round draft picks Andy Levitre and Jairus Byrd.  Rookie tight end Shawn Nelson signed Friday and should be in uniform.  It is a major distraction to have these contracts unsettled.  With all the issues confronting the Bills, the team can not afford player holdouts.  This reflects unfavorably on the entire organization.

The Bills will open training camp Saturday at St. John Fisher College in suburban Rochester.  Camp will run for three weeks through mid-August.  There is likely to be heavy  turnout for the public practices to see star wide receiver Terrell Owens.  Head Coach Dick Jauron is upbeat despite the obvious pressure on him to field a winning team.  Too often the promise of training camp has quickly faded as the Bills fail to hit their mark.  We suspect this year will be more of the same.

The Bills have signed rookie Nic Harris to a multi year contract.  The fifth-round draft pick is expected to transition to linebacker, having played safety at Oklahoma.  He is looking forward to the upcoming season.  With only days remaining until the opening of training camp, the Bills have yet to sign standout draft picks Eric Wood and Aaron Maybin.  It is unwise to keep these key players in limbo.   Their contracts should have been settled a long time ago.  Bills management never ceases to amaze.

Bills owner Ralph Wilson recently participated in an online chat on NFL.com.  He expects the Bills will have a better season and make the playoffs.  He attributes success on the field to the talent factor and the luck factor.  He enthused over having a national celebrity like Terrell Owens on the team.  He stated that he was honored and surprised to be elected to the Hall of Fame.  He said that he would not trade all his experiences in Buffalo for a Super Bowl win.  Conspicuously lacking in his remarks was any reference to the team’s future and eventual move to Toronto.  He chose to skirt the issue, not wanting to upset the Buffalo fans.