April 10, 2013 - 12:53 AM
By Tim Graham
The Buffalo Bills lost another free agent.
Kyle Moore, a surprise performer last year on a disappointing
defensive front, signed a one-year contract Monday with the Chicago Bears.
Moore, despite being inactive the first four games, started
seven straight games in November and December. Moore made 24 tackles, three for losses. He
notched the first three sacks of his career.
Analytics website ProFootballFocus.com rated Moore 25th in pass-rushing
among all 4-3 defensive ends who played at least 25 percent of their teams'
snaps. The site tallied 23 quarterback hurries for Moore, tying him for 30th in the NFL.
Moore had arthroscopic knee surgery in January, but a source informed The Buffalo News the Bills wanted to re-sign him. But last month's acquisition of linebacker Manny Lawson might have made Moore expendable.
Moore
was a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fourth-round draft choice in 2009 and eventually
landed on the Detroit Lions' practice squad, from where the Bills plucked him in
November 2011.
An update accounting of the comings and goings on Buffalo's roster in free agency:
Players who have re-signed
- • Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson
- • Running back Tashard Choice
- • Tight end Dorin Dickerson
- • Colin Brown
- • Linebacker Bryan Scott
- • Cornerback Leodis McKelvin
Players whose rights have been retained
- • Tight end Mike Caussin
- • Safety Jairus Byrd
Players who have joined
- • Quarterback Kevin Kolb
- • Defensive tackle Alan Branch
- • Linebacker Manny Lawson
Players who have departed
- • Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (Tennessee Titans)
- • Wide receiver Donald Jones (New England Patriots)
- • Wide receiver David Nelson (Cleveland Browns)
- • Guard Andy Levitre (Tennessee
Titans)
- • Guard Chad
Rinehart (San Diego
Chargers)
- • Defensive end Chris Kelsay (retired)
- • Defensive end Shawne Merriman (retired)
- • Defensive end Kyle Moore (Chicago Bears)
- • Linebacker Nick Barnett
- • Cornerback Terrence McGee
- • Safety George Wilson (Tennessee Titans)
March 18, 2013 - 11:33 AM
By Tim Graham
And on the seventh day of free agency, the Press Coverage blog
reviewed the Buffalo Bills' offseason personnel moves to date ...
Players who have re-signed
- • Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson
- • Linebacker Bryan Scott
- • Cornerback Leodis McKelvin
Players whose rights were retained
- • Tight end Mike Caussin
- • Tight end Dorin Dickerson
- • Safety Jairus Byrd
Players who have joined
- • Linebacker Manny Lawson
Players who have departed
- • Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (Tennessee Titans)
- • Wide receiver Donald Jones (New England Patriots)
- • Wide receiver David Nelson
- • Guard Andy Levitre (Tennessee
Titans)
- • Guard Chad
Rinehart (San Diego
Chargers)
- • Defensive end Chris Kelsay (retired)
- • Defensive end Shawne Merriman (retired)
- • Linebacker Nick Barnett
- • Cornerback Terrence McGee
- • Safety George Wilson (Tennessee Titans)
By Tim Graham
There was a backlash when the Buffalo Bills re-signed cornerback
Leodis McKelvin.
The 2008 first-round draft pick has been frustrating because of his shaky defensive skills. Four years and a reported $20 million seemed exorbitant to
many.
An accurate breakdown of McKelvin's contract filed with the NFL Players
Association, however, shows a palatable deal. As detailed Tuesday night on the
Press Coverage blog, McKelvin's base salaries of $2 million this year, $2.1
million next year and $3.1 million in each of the final two years are in line
with an average NFL cornerback.
Factor in McKelvin's spectacular return skills and the deal
seems fine to me.
Continue reading "Why you shouldn't be upset about Leodis McKelvin's extension" »
By Tim Graham
Buffalo Bills cornerback and return man Leodis McKelvin's new four-year contract
has been signed and filed.
It's potentially worth $17 million and includes a $4 million
signing bonus.
The year-by-year breakdown, from documentation obtained by The Buffalo News:
2013
- • $2 million base salary fully guaranteed against skill,
injury or cap
- • $50,000 workout bonus
2014
- • $2.1 million base salary, with $1.5 million guaranteed
against injury only
- • $1 million roster bonus
- • $50,000 workout bonus
2015
- • $3.1 million base salary
- • $750,000 roster bonus
- • $50,000 workout bonus
2016
- • $3.1 million base salary
- • $750,000 roster bonus
- • $50,000 workout bonus
By Mark Gaughan
Buffalo Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin is excited about starting fresh with a new coaching staff.
The feeling is mutual in the wake of his new, four-year contract with the Bills.
"We're excited that Leodis remains on our roster," said Bills head coach Doug Marrone in a statement released by the team. "Obviously, he is one of the most exciting kick returners in the game today, but we're also counting on him to be very competitive for the starting corner position opposite Stephon Gilmore. We feel he could play an important role in our defense moving forward."
McKelvin spoke at One Bills Drive today after siging a four-year, $20 million extension with the team.
Continue reading "Leodis McKelvin eager for fresh start with Buffalo" »
By Mark Gaughan
Buffalo Bills General Manager Buddy Nix said two weeks ago he wanted to keep cornerback and kick return ace Leodis McKelvin.
The Bills got it done just three days before McKelvin was due to become an unrestricted free agent.
The Bills reached a four-year contract agreement with McKelvin that is worth just over $20 million, a league source told The Buffalo News. The deal includes $7.5 million of guaranteed money.
Continue reading "Bills re-sign Leodis McKelvin " »
By Tim Graham
In less than two hours, the three-day negotiation window for
unrestricted free agents will begin.
Representatives for players with expiring contracts and more than three years of accrued service are permitted to speak with the other 31 teams. The top Buffalo Bills players who are in this category include left guard Andy Levitre, cornerback Leodis McKelvin and defensive end Kyle Moore.
The following explanation was distributed by the NFL to help
people understand this new wrinkle to the process:
Continue reading "For the record: Primer on UFA negotiation window" »
By Tim Graham
Two weeks ago at the NFL scouting combine, Buffalo Bills General Manager Buddy Nix said re-signing cornerback Leodis McKelvin was among their top priorities.
With five days until the start of free agency, the Bills
apparently are following through with an attempt.
McKelvin's agent, Hadley Engelhard, told Associated Press
reporter John Wawrow the parties are scheduled to speak Friday about a contract
extension.
Continue reading "Agent tells AP Bills trying to re-sign Leodis McKelvin" »
February 21, 2013 - 5:20 PM
By Tim Graham
INDIANAPOLIS
-- Who are the top three free agents the Buffalo Bills want to re-sign?
We know safety Jairus Byrd and left guard Andy Levitre are
in that group.
The other fellow might surprise you.
Continue reading "Buddy Nix's top three UFA's to re-sign: Byrd, Levitre and ???" »
February 11, 2013 - 7:49 AM
By Tim Graham
Fans have a tendency to overrate their favorite team's best
players.
But when it comes to Buffalo Bills free agents Andy Levitre and Jairus Byrd, the
appeal should be league-wide.
Bill Polian, the Bills' Wall of Fame executive, suggests Levitre and Byrd will be hot commodities
if they hit the upcoming free-agent marketplace.
Polian recently rated
the NFL's 2013 free-agent class for ESPN Insider. He broke down offensive, defensive
and special-teams players into A, B and C tiers based on how much money and how
many years a team should commit.
Continue reading "Bill Polian lists Andy Levitre, Jairus Byrd atop NFL's free agents" »
