Bills entertain Coles, sign Fitzpatrick

BasX · Feb 28, 2009

"The Buffalo Bills considered a major weapon for their offense and found a new backup quarterback on the first day of the free agent shopping season.

Veteran receiver Laveranues Coles was the headliner visiting One Bills Drive. Coles, 31, is a nine-year veteran who would give Buffalo a proven outside receiver opposite Lee Evans. The Bills' offense is in need of some type of new firepower after finishing in the bottom eight in the NFL in yards gained for a sixth straight year.

Meanwhile, backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick of Cincinnati reached an agreement on a new contract with the Bills late Friday. He becomes the new No. 2 to Trent Edwards, replacing J.P. Losman.

The Bills also entertained center-guard Geoff Hangartner of Carolina and guard Kendall Simmons of Pittsburgh also visited. Hangartner and Fitzpatrick posted the two highest scores on the pre-draft intelligence test when they entered the NFL in 2005. Simmons has been a starter for the Steelers since 2002 but played only four games last season after tearing an Achilles tendon. He was cut by Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Fitzpatrick, 26, is the first Harvard quarterback ever to throw a pass in the NFL. He was a seventh-round pick of St. Louis in 2005 and reportedly scored 48 out of 50 on his Wonderlic test, according to a Wall Street Journal story.

Fitzpatrick, 6-foot-2, started 12 games for Cincinnati this year after starter Carson Palmer went out with an elbow injury. He went 4-7-1 as a starter, although the Bengals were 4-3-1 the second half of the season. Fitzpatrick completed 59.4 percent of his passes with eight TDs and nine interceptions. He has good mobility and ran 60 times for 304 yards.

The Bills were looking for a No. 2 QB who would be comfortable in his role behind Edwards.

With no proven, difference-making tight ends on the free agent market, the Bills might as well look to receiver to inject more life into their attack.

Coles ranks 13th among active NFL receivers with 631 catches for 8,095 yards and 44 touchdowns. He had 70 catches for 850 yards with seven touchdowns last season for the Jets.

Coles is known as one of the toughest receivers in the league, as well as a hard worker and a great teammate. He plays outside, which is what the Bills need. He is not considered a prime deep threat, but he excels at catching intermediate throws, slants and passes over the middle.

The question is how much good football Coles has left. Coles could have played in New York in 2009 for $6 million guaranteed. However, he had been seeking a long-term deal from the Jets for several seasons, and New York was unwilling to offer it. So Coles agreed to give up the guaranteed deal for this year if the Jets would let him become an unrestricted free agent. They did."
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Bills entertain Coles, sign Fitzpatrick

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