The Bills are failing in their latest attempt to land another wide receiver. Laveranues Coles won’t be lining up opposite Lee Evans in 2009.
Instead, the former Jets wideout is teaming up with Chad Ocho Cinco. Coles will take the place of T.J. Houshmandzadeh in Cincinnati.
The Bengals are giving Coles a four year pact. It’s worth 28 million dollars. Coles caught seven touchdown passes in 2008. He still had a year left on his contract in New York, but was confident his agent could get him a new multiyear deal this off-season.
In other news, former Tampa linebacker Cato June chose Buffalo to be his first stop as a free agent and met with the press Wednesday afternoon. Here is the transcript:
On what appeals to him about the Bills:
It’s great, you know I love the cold. It’s a great organization. Of course, defensively, their schemes fit me and fit me well. I think I could fit in well with the players that they have here. They’re on the brink of being a championship team, so to me that’s a great asset and a great way to continue my career.
On fitting in to the Buffalo defensive scheme:
A lot of the same terminology, a lot of the same schemes and it’s really about, kind of like I said when I went from Indy to Tampa, it’s about fitting in with the players that they have here, and being a part of this defense, which is uniquely its own as opposed to being in the same defense in Indy and in Tampa.
On which linebacker position he played in Tampa Bay:
Derrick (Brooks) was the weak side. He was the Will and I was the Sam. The difference being that we began to split the nickel, third-down situation reps, where the weak side linebacker would traditionally stay in and sometimes I would come down.
On which position he would play in Buffalo:
I would probably more likely be a Will, I guess it just depends on how you look at it. A lot of times teams consider the Will to the 1-5, and then other teams, like Buffalo and Chicago and Tampa consider the Will the player to the 3-6. It’s all about how that team calls it.
On if he played the weak side in Indianapolis:
Yes, I played Will, but it was to the 1-5 and over and under was to the 3-6. So it’s really, like I said, how you look at it.
On if he feels he played well for Tampa in the past two years:
Yeah, I did. Of course, that defense is made for the Will to make a lot of plays and that’s what Derrick does and has done the past 14 years. Being in the situation where I feel like I can make more plays and have the plays, say, funneled to me, and more responsibility, but of course you get more payoff in the end.
On expecting to stay in Tampa:
I guess so. I guess I fit that build of anyone over 29 had to get out of Tampa and I was right on the border. Going from a long-term contract to a long vacation as of right now. Like I said, I hope everything works out for the best and everything happens for a reason. I’ll move on to better things and things that will be better for me and my family.
On what he knows about current Bills LBSs Kawika Mitchell and Paul Posluszny:
I’ve watched them on film. We’ve probably watched each other’s games just because of the schemes and the teams we play like the system. They’re very physical guys, play-making guys. Kawika’s came off of a championship and that always shows winning habits and winning spirit and consistency in a player, so just being around two other great linebackers, linebackers that have the physical (ability) and make plays and can create a lot of turnovers for the defense.
On if 227-pounds is his playing weight:
That’s what they say, I don’t know if you have a scale…I don’t know how accurate that 227 is. No, I haven’t been 227 probably since my rookie year.
On if he weighs more than that:
I would hate to say it, but yes. Everybody thinks I’m a 210-opund safety. Pounds are relative to production, so talk to me when I can’t produce anymore and then tell me about my weight.
On if this is his first free-agency visit:
This is my first visit.
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