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INDIANAPOLIS (WGR 550) -- Any time an entire coaching staff is replaced, it's fair to assume the roster will have a different look once the next season rolls around.
Already cutting three veteran players and informing a restricted free agent that he wouldn't be picked up, the Doug Marrone version of the Buffalo Bills are already putting their spin on things. And if you read the words from Team President Russ Brandon, more decisions are on the horizon.
"We've got a lot of work to do over the next two and a half weeks. A lot of decisions have to be made over the next two and a half weeks," he said at the NFL Combine Thursday. "I'm not going to rule out anything at this point. It's too early to say, and I don't want to say anything that I have to look back on and not be accurate."
That includes not ruling out cutting any other veteran players who may present problems for their cap situation. It's a short list of players that fans consistently ask about. Will Chris Kelsay, Brad Smith or Erik Pears be on the roster by the time 2013 rolls around?
That much is unclear, as is the future of Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Brandon said they were continuing to evaluate every part of the roster as the calendar creeps up on the start of the new league year on March 12.
If he were to remain on the roster through next season, Fitzpatrick would carry a cap hit of $10.45 million for 2013. Brandon was asked if restructuring the quarterback's contract might be an idea they're tossing around.
"No. Not at this point," he replied. "I think it's too early to talk about that at this point. Fitz is on our roster, and that's where he is right now."
As those decisions need to be made for players on the roster, the Bills also have to figure out what they'll do with their impending unrestricted free agents. The two biggest names on that list are free safety Jairus Byrd and left guard Andy Levitre.
Brandon said Thursday that they would be meeting with the agents for all of their impending UFAs that they're interested in re-signing -- including that of Byrd and Levitre's.
"We have meetings scheduled over the next three days," he said. "We will meet with Eugene [Parker, Byrd's agent], we will meet with David Dunn -- Andy's agent."
While it's rare that a deal can come out of meetings while in Indianapolis, the annual week-long hub of NFL activity in late February, Brandon remarked that a framework of a deal can be hashed out. An example of that for the Bills was their many meetings and progressing conversations with C.J. Laboy, the agent for wide receiver Stevie Johnson who eventually re-signed last year.
With Byrd and Levitre playing the part of two quality starters in Buffalo through their four years, it may be difficult to re-sign both before the free agency period gets started. While they would prefer to get long-term deals done, the franchise tag is something that hasn't been ruled out of the equation.
"It's an asset that's available to you if needed. Obviously, there's a variety of reasons why you don't want to use it, but it's available to us if we need it," Brandon said. "You prefer not to from a cap management standpoint, but we'll see how that goes."
Already cutting three veteran players and informing a restricted free agent that he wouldn't be picked up, the Doug Marrone version of the Buffalo Bills are already putting their spin on things. And if you read the words from Team President Russ Brandon, more decisions are on the horizon.
"We've got a lot of work to do over the next two and a half weeks. A lot of decisions have to be made over the next two and a half weeks," he said at the NFL Combine Thursday. "I'm not going to rule out anything at this point. It's too early to say, and I don't want to say anything that I have to look back on and not be accurate."
That includes not ruling out cutting any other veteran players who may present problems for their cap situation. It's a short list of players that fans consistently ask about. Will Chris Kelsay, Brad Smith or Erik Pears be on the roster by the time 2013 rolls around?
That much is unclear, as is the future of Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Brandon said they were continuing to evaluate every part of the roster as the calendar creeps up on the start of the new league year on March 12.
If he were to remain on the roster through next season, Fitzpatrick would carry a cap hit of $10.45 million for 2013. Brandon was asked if restructuring the quarterback's contract might be an idea they're tossing around.
"No. Not at this point," he replied. "I think it's too early to talk about that at this point. Fitz is on our roster, and that's where he is right now."
As those decisions need to be made for players on the roster, the Bills also have to figure out what they'll do with their impending unrestricted free agents. The two biggest names on that list are free safety Jairus Byrd and left guard Andy Levitre.
Brandon said Thursday that they would be meeting with the agents for all of their impending UFAs that they're interested in re-signing -- including that of Byrd and Levitre's.
"We have meetings scheduled over the next three days," he said. "We will meet with Eugene [Parker, Byrd's agent], we will meet with David Dunn -- Andy's agent."
While it's rare that a deal can come out of meetings while in Indianapolis, the annual week-long hub of NFL activity in late February, Brandon remarked that a framework of a deal can be hashed out. An example of that for the Bills was their many meetings and progressing conversations with C.J. Laboy, the agent for wide receiver Stevie Johnson who eventually re-signed last year.
With Byrd and Levitre playing the part of two quality starters in Buffalo through their four years, it may be difficult to re-sign both before the free agency period gets started. While they would prefer to get long-term deals done, the franchise tag is something that hasn't been ruled out of the equation.
"It's an asset that's available to you if needed. Obviously, there's a variety of reasons why you don't want to use it, but it's available to us if we need it," Brandon said. "You prefer not to from a cap management standpoint, but we'll see how that goes."
The impending free agents that the Bills have to make a decision on include Byrd, Levitre, cornerback Leodis McKelvin, defensive end Kyle Moore, guard Chad Rinehart, defensive tackle Spencer Johnson, wide receiver David Nelson (restricted), running back Tashard Choice, fullback Corey McIntyre, linebacker Bryan Scott, wide receiver Ruvell Martin, quarterback Tyler Thigpen, pass-rusher Shawne Merriman and linebacker Kirk Morrison.