The Buffalo Bills on Monday officially confirmed cornerback Stanford Routt's visit to One Bills Drive. The former Raiders star is the first marquee free agent of 2012 since being released over the weekend, and his first visit was with Buffalo.

After spending seven seasons with Oakland - a span of time in which the team never earned a winning record - he is understandably looking for a team that can compete.

"Obviously I want to go to a team that I can help win," Routt told reporters late Monday afternoon. "I haven’t won much in my seven years in the NFL. I just want to be on a team that I can help win and has some stability."

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Free agent CB Routt visiting with Bills - BuffaloBills.com
"They started off the season 5-2 and beat the New England Patriots, the team that represented the AFC in the Super Bowl," he said. "I don’t see that as anything you can look down upon. Obviously everybody can be better except for the one team that went to the Super Bowl. But the sky is the limit because you can clearly see that there are the right pieces here in place."

Clowney hoping to be speed Bills need - BuffaloBills.com
"That’s one thing I’ve been known for since day one coming out of college is being a speed guy," said Clowney. "The one thing that I have improved on in my five years though is being a route runner and better using my speed to my advantage."

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The Buffalo Bills had $20.9 million in free salary cap space in 2011, according to Pro Football Talk. The same report claims that a change to the league's collective bargaining agreement could keep that money useable in the future for the Bills and other teams with cap to burn. Mike Florio explains:

Under Article 13, Section 6(b)(v) of the CBA, each team may carry over any remaining cap room from one year to the next by submitting written notice, signed by the owner of the team, to the league office no later than 14 days before the start of the next league year. The written notice must indicate the maximum amount of cap room that the team wishes to shift from one cap year to the next.

As Florio asks in this article, why wouldn't a team that wishes to be competitive carry that money over? The only answer is budgetary.

Clearly, this is a question that Bills fans will be asking clear through the end of February. Buffalo had the sixth-most free cap space in 2011. In the team's cash-to-cap philosophy, this cap space could add another free agent contract to the mix. With an extra $21 million to spend, Buffalo could add two or three years to a new Stevie Johnson deal, or perhaps cover bringing back Scott Chandler.

Teams must submit their letters by February 28. It remains to be seen if the Bills, or any team for that matter, will carry over their salary cap excess from 2011.

Bills need talent transfusion for switch in scheme - The Buffalo News
"It's a lot more about the 'who' than the 'how' when it comes to the Buffalo Bills' switch to a 4-3 defense this season. Who they can add to the defense will be far more important in determining their success than how they line up."

For one night amidst war, Whitney Houston made nation cry - Sporting News
Super Bowl XXV was such a unique moment that people feel compelled to discuss it following Whitney Houston's death.

Explaining the Hall Voting - Peter King
"I'm still waiting for the Andre Reed fans from La Jolla and Albuquerque and Lubbock to harangue me about why he hasn't been elected. It's funny that all the critics so far seem to be from Western New York."

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Last night, word broke that music sensation Whitney Houston had passed away at the age of 48. We're a blog dedicated to the Buffalo Bills, and solely the Buffalo Bills, so it'd take something quite special to be mentioning her here at all, even despite the magnitude of the news.

That special something was her rendition of our national anthem prior to the Bills' Super Bowl XXV matchup against the New York Giants. That was an unforgettable night for any Bills fan that bore witness to it - though the conclusion of the game may cause some to want to forget - but the evening also got off to a memorable start thanks to a performance that most consider the best pre-game national anthem production ever put forth.

We've embedded the video of that performance below. This is not only how I remember one of the most talented voices ever, but also a big part of how I'll remember the Bills kicking off their run of four straight Super Bowl appearances.

NFL free agency is still more than a month away, and with all of that room for negotiations to take place, any Top 50 list of free agents put together at this stage is still premature. Pete Prisco's list at CBSSports.com, for example, lists several players that currently have an excellent chance of re-signing with their respective teams well before free agency begins.

It is noteworthy to us, however, that in listing his Top 50 impending free agents, two Buffalo Bills players made the cut - and convincingly so, we might add.

Clearly, Stevie Johnson was going to be on the list, and he comes in at No. 13, trailing only DeSean Jackson, Vincent Jackson and Dwayne Bowe at the receiver position. He ranks ahead of Marques Colston, Wes Welker, Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Robert Meachem, Jerome Simpson and Mario Manningham - all of whom made the Top 50 list, as well.

The bigger surprise by far was the No. 32 ranking of left tackle Demetrius Bell, who comes in behind only Jared Gaither at the tackle position, and ranks fifth among all offensive linemen (also trailing interior players Carl Nicks, Chris Myers and Ben Grubbs).

What do you think, folks? Are Johnson - and most specifically, Bell - ranked appropriately by Prisco?

Inside The Bills | Fan Friday 2-10
Chris Brown addresses how the Bills might tackle a free agent pass rusher, takes a look at possible free agent receiver targets, the difference between Von Miller and Courtney Upshaw, whether upgrading at tackle or receiver is more important, and a couple second-round pass rushers.

Erie County to weigh proposals from 13 law firms on Bills talks -The Buffalo News
"His plan is to award a contract by Feb. 24 in preparation for formal lease talks over the county-owned Ralph Wilson Stadium to begin after the Bills complete an architectural study of stadium needs."

Jackson staying patient awaiting contract - BuffaloBills.com
"It’s one of those things where I know I’ve got to be patient," Jackson said. "I had a conversation with Buddy and he said they’ll get it taken care of, but at the same time you just want it over with and done so you can stop worrying about it so you can focus on other things. When it happens, it happens."

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On Thursday afternoon, the Oakland Raiders released their top cornerback, Stanford Routt, on the grounds that his $5 million in guaranteed base salary, as well as other exorbitant guarantees, far overvalued his level of play. Last night, Routt's agent told reporters that his client has lined up visits not only with the Buffalo Bills, but also with Tennessee.

Routt, who will turn 29 in July, is a seven-year pro that signed his now-defunct massive contract when the Raiders lost Nnamdi Asomugha to Philadelphia in free agency. He was one of the NFL's most-penalized defenders in the league last year, tallying 17 penalties for a highly undisciplined Oakland team. That was the highest total of any cornerback in the league - and more importantly, after a strong 2010 season, Routt's play suffered last season without Asomugha on the other side of the field.

Still, Routt is a big (6'1", 195 pounds), fast, physical cornerback capable of playing the multitude of coverages that the Bills employ. Buffalo's interest in the free agent could spell trouble for at least one of two veteran corners already on the roster: Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin. (Our bet is on the injury-prone McGee.) In Buffalo, Routt would easily compete for a starting job alongside Drayton Florence and Aaron Williams.

Routt will arrive in Buffalo on Sunday and visit with the team on Monday. He can sign with a team at any point, as he was released and does not need to wait for his contract to expire like other impending free agents.