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Bills not expected to tag Stevie

NFL teams can begin using franchise tags on their prospective free agents today but don’t expect the Buffalo Bills to use that option on wide receiver Stevie Johnson.

A league source told The Buffalo News that Johnson 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 countered 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 21^st pick overall in 2001. Clements signed the $7.2 million offer, under the condition the team would allow him to become a free agent the following season. Clements exercised that option and became, at the time, the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history after signing an eight-year, $80 million  deal, with $22 million guaranteed, with the San Francisco 49ers.

--Rodney McKissic

(twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Source: Bills, Johnson exchange proposals

---The Buffalo Bills and representatives for Stevie Johnson have exchanged proposals and are expected to meet at next week’s NFL Combine, a league source told The Buffalo News.

The Bills submitted a proposal over a week ago and Johnson’s agent, C.J. LaBoy, countered the team’s offer on Monday, according to the source. There have been no further talks although the two sides are scheduled to meet next week in Indianapolis.

The 25-year-old Johnson started all 16 games in 2011 and finished with 76 receptions for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Report: Manning had a fourth surgery

---A day after Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay made it clear that the decision whether to play for the team rests with Peyton Manning, pictured above, and his willingness to take a pay cut, Sports Illustrated reports new details about the quarterback’s physical condition. According to SI, Manning underwent four, not three, neck procedures over a 19-month span, has bone spurs just above the spot of fusion surgery in September, and may require further fusion.

---Here's John McClain's take on Mario Williams, who McClain says several teams may be in a position to offer the free agent defensive end $50 million as a signing bonus. Think Ralph Wilson would really like to hand over that kind of cash?

---Detroit is on the rise and Lions president Tom Lewand says his team will be smart with its money this off-season.

--- Sporting News ranks its top 50 draft prospects. Penn State DT Devon Still ranks No. 10.

---Retired NFL players are still hoping for improved benefits. Bills Hall of Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure told the AP that "I'm going to fight `em to the end."

---Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times reports preliminary contract talks between the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco are expected to launch next week at the NFL scouting combine, according to Flacco's agent, Joe Linta.

---Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has been in Los Angeles working on his throwing mechanics with new UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone according to Peter Yoon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Draft pick for Lynch jumps to fifth-rounder

The Bills will receive the Seattle Seahawks' fifth-round draft pick in April's draft as part of their compensation for the trade of running back Marshawn Lynch, according to a report on the team's official website, buffalobills.com.

The original trade of Lynch called for Buffalo to receive a fourth-round pick in 2011 (which it used on offensive tackle Chris Hairston) and a conditional sixth-round pick that could be improved based on Lynch's playing time. That pick will jump up to the fifth round, according to the report, after Lynch rushed 285 times for 1,204 yards and 12 TDs in 2011 for Seattle.

The Bills now have nine picks in April's draft, seven of their own along with the fourth-round pick of Baltimore they received in exchange for Lee Evans.

---Jay Skurski

http://twitter.com/jayskurski

 

Time to play tag

---Teams can begin franchising players on Monday and here's a quick rundown on candidates from CBS Sports. According to NFL.com, the tag figure for wide recievers this season, you know guys like Stevie Johnson, is $9.4 million.

---Colts owner Jim Irsay, the Colts’ owner, told ESPN that quarterback Peyton Manning was more than welcome to stay in Indianapolis, as long as he reworked his contract: “We want this to be his decision. We want him back if he wants to come back. We can work out the contract if he wants to work it out. It’s going to be Peyton’s call.” Yeah, ok.

---The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have rolled over all available resources into the 2012 salary cap in anticipation of being more active in free agency.

---Randy Moss to the Cowboys? Don't think so.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Routt on Bills: 'Sky's the limit'

---Free agent cornerback Stanford Routt came away impressed with his Buffalo visit on Monday, adding he liked the Bills potential to win.

“They beat the New England Patriots, a team that represented the AFC in the Super Bowl,’’ he said. “I don’t really see that as anything you can look down upon obviously everyone can get better accept the one team that wins the Super Bowl. I think the sky’s the limit because you can see that there’s the right pieces here in place.’’

Routt, who was released last week by Oakland, toured the area and the Bills facilities in his first stop on his free agency tour.

“Today was a good day,’’ Routt said. “I got a chance to see the city a little bit, see the staff, met a couple of those guys and I like the atmosphere around here.’’

Routt was released by Oakland last week in part because the Raiders did not want to pay him a $5 million bonus. One of the top free agents on the market Routt, a native of Austin, Texas, has reportedly received interest from Dallas, Tennessee, Detroit, Kansas City and Minnesota.

“I have a couple of more [visits] as soon as I leave here,’’ he said. “The beauty of this situation is that it happened so early that I have a chance to take my time and look at things from a broader perspective and just make the right decision when it’s all said and done.’’

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Just visiting (update)

---Stanford Routt just arrived at the Bills training facility as planned.

---Free agent cornerback Stanford Routt today is scheduled to visit the Bills, one of several teams interested in his services. Routt, pictured above, was released by Oakland last week in part because the Raiders did not want to pay him a $5 million bonus due last week although they apparently managed to pony up $7.5 million for Richard Seymour.

Routt signed a huge contract before last season and spent seven years in Oakland. Detroit and Minnesota have also expressed interest in signing Routt, who had six interceptions and 28 pass break ups over the last two seasons.

---With help, Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff has moved on from his AFC title game miss although he is surprised there wasn't more backlash.

---A pair of high level wide recievers seek new deals and it looks like Philadelphia will franchise free agent WR DeSean Jackson, while Marques Colston will likely hit the market.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Buffalo market ranked ninth for Super Bowl

---When NBC Sports reported that Super Bowl XLVI was the most-watched show in U.S. television history with 111.3 million viewers, it said Buffalo ranked ninth among markets by virtue of its 52.9 rating. Here’s the list for the top 15 markets in terms of local rating for the Giants-Patriots Super Bowl on Sunday, with TV market size rank in parenthesis:

1. Boston (7) 56.7
2. Indianapolis (26) 56.4
3. Norfolk (43) 54.2
4. Columbus (32) 54.1
5. New Orleans (52) 54.0
6.(t) Nashville (29) 53.5
6.(t) Jacksonville (50) 53.5
8. Pittsburgh (23) 53.0
9. Buffalo (51) 52.9
10. Kansas City (31) 52.1
11. Milwaukee (34) 52.0
12. Cincinnati (35) 51.6
13. Richmond (57) 51.4
14. Atlanta (9) 51.3
15. Denver (17) 51.2

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Routt reportedly to visit Bills

The Buffalo Bills are giving the initial impression they're going to be players in this year's free agent market.

Buffalo is one of two teams who have reportedly already scheduled a meeting with ex-Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt, who was released by Oakland in the first surprise move of the NFL offseason Thursday. That report comes from ESPN's Josina Anderson, who quotes Routt's agent, William Vann McElroy, as saying "as of right now Buffalo has him flying in on Sunday for a Monday visit, but I will keep you posted."

Routt was released less than a year after signing a monster extension with the Raiders. Routt signed a three-year, $31.5 million contract last February that included $20 million in guarantees over the first two years. The team then restructed the deal in August by adding two years, making it a $54.5 million contract.

Those deals were orchestrated by late Raiders owner Al Davis, though, and it's clear new Oakland General Manager Reggie McKenzie didn't view Routt as a $10 million a year player.

Routt got the big contract after grading out as one of the league's top cover cornerbacks in 2010. The opposition's 39.4 percent completion rate when throwing at him was the lowest of any player targeted at least 60 times that season, according to STATS LLC. That made Oakland comfortable enough to allow Nnamdi Asomugha to leave as a free agent, making Routt its No. 1 cornerback.

He regressed in 2011, though, committing an NFL-high 17 penalties. He also allowed eight touchdown passes, second most in the league, according to STATS, although his completion rate of 47.4 was again strong.

Routt, 28, has played 110 games with 53 starts since being drafted in the second round by Oakland in 2005. Tennessee is the other team with a scheduled visit, although Routt will likely attract plenty more attention on the open market.

He joins a deep class of free agent cornerbacks that also includes the likes of Tennessee's Cortland Finnegan, Kansas City's Brandon Carr and San Francisco's Carlos Rogers, among others.

---Jay Skurski

http://twitter.com/jayskurski

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Bills release Corto (updated)

---The Bills have officially announced the release of safety Jon Corto.

The Orchard Park native spent last season on injured reserve and has been with the team since 2007.

He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2007 and was on the active roster from 2008-10, primarily as a special teams contributor. The Bills had to release him once he passed his physical since he was on the waived/injured list last season. A source told The News that several teams have interest in Corto.

Corto spent the whole season recovering from his shoulder injury but he is healthy now.

"I am ready to play and I am excited about the opportunity to continue my career," Corto told The News. "Right now I am in Miami at Bomeritos Sports Performance facility working out very hard for my next opportunity."

NFL teams need big safeties in their nickel coverage. Hopefully Corto can find a niche there and get into a training camp.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)