Buffalo Bills news, 2/22: NFL Combine interviews, notes

Combine Coverage: QB's, WR's, Bills FA News - VIDEO - BuffaloBills.com

"GM Doug Whaley met with the media on Friday and talked about plans for Buffalo's impending free agents, plus hear from quarterback Johnny Manziel, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, and Lockport native David Fluellen."

Whaley talks

Bills Focus: Doug Whaley Combine 1-on-1 Interview - VIDEO - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills general manager talks with Chris Brown about how his role has changed heading into the combine, what he thinks of this year's draft class, and gives an update on Buffalo's impending free agents."

QB needy teams should help Bills at 9 - BuffaloBills.com
"We don’t know exactly which way teams are going to go, but if those quarterbacks go before us that’s a positive in pushing some of that talent down to us at nine," Bills GM Doug Whaley told Buffalobills.com.

Bills fans don't want to consider this position as a first-round possibility, but Doug Whaley might - BN Blitz
"Because of our situation on our roster, we can pick the best player available," Whaley said. "If it's a running back, we will go after a running back."

Doug Whaley on Bills draft: 'Besides QB, we could go with any position' - BN Blitz
"With the way our roster's set up right now, besides quarterback, we could go with any position," Whaley said. "We want competition, and competition, like I've always said, brings out the best in people, and it adds depth.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - If EJ Were In This Year's Draft, Where Would Whaley Rank Him?
"Oooh. Good question," Whaley said, caught perhaps a tad off-guard while expecting the normal combine banter with the media. "I would have to say he would be talked in the top tier of those guys. Just with his size and athletic ability, you looked at the measurements now, there was only one guy close to his size and that was Blake Bortles at 6-5, and AJ McCarron was over the 6-3, so he's in there. I'm a big proponent that everything equal, you go with the bigger guy."

Byrd watch

Bills to talk with Byrd's agent and other UFAs - BuffaloBills.com
"Head coach Doug Marrone expressed a hope that the Bills can re-sign safety Jairus Byrd and tight end Scott Chandler on Thursday. Over the next few days Buffalo’s front office will be speaking to the agents for all of their unrestricted players here in Indianapolis in the hopes of making progress on returning a good number of them to the fold for 2014 and beyond."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Saturday Looms Large For Byrd's Future With Bills
"We're gonna try to go after all our free agents that we have out there," Whaley said when asked about how they'll fill their voluminous cap space. "That all depends on what they perceive their value is compared to us and we have a priority list, and we'll go down that priority list."

Pricing the market: Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd - ESPN
Mike Rodak correctly notes Jairus Byrd is better than any of the free agent safeties from last year not named Jairus Byrd.

Bills leaving every option open with Jairus Byrd | ProFootballTalk
"The Bills could tag Byrd and then try to trade him to the Browns or another suitor, which would allow them to avoid letting Byrd go without immediate compensation. The deadline for using the franchise tag is March 3, so there’s still some time for Whaley and the Bills to chew on that and all the other options available to them."