BUFFALO, N.Y. — When Buffalo Bills CEO Russ Brandon mentioned the city of Toronto during a speech Monday night, a number of people at a state-of-the-team event for season-ticket holders booed.

Three years ago Rogers Communications made a deal with the Bills to bring eight games to Toronto over a five-year period. The telecommunications giant paid $78-million to ensure five regular-season games and three pre-season games are played at the Rogers Centre.

The attendance at the regular-season Bills games in Toronto has decreased each year. But Brandon is thrilled by the impact the games are having on Buffalo’s bottom line.

“After three years of that experiment we’ve had a 44% increase in season-ticket holders from southern Ontario,” Brandon told 750 Bills fans at the Hyatt Hotel.

“The key for us with our Toronto experiment is to continue regionalizing our brand, bringing our brand up north. We would be remiss if we did not try and bring in a fan base from southern Ontario, which we all know is a very vibrant fan base.”

Brandon estimates 15% of fans in attendance at Buffalo home games last year were from Toronto and the surrounding area.

Some Bills fans do not like the idea of renting out games. They fear the contract with Rogers may lead to the team moving permanently once owner Ralph Wilson passes away.

But Brandon argues the Toronto deal is crucial when it comes to the future financial viability of the franchise.

“When we stood up here at the press conference on opening day of that agreement, obviously it was met with a lot of skepticism and I understand why, I think we all understand why, but it’s about extending the brand,” Brandon said.

It is not just the southern Ontario season-ticket sales that are improving for the Bills.

“Our renewal rates are pacing above where we were a year ago,” Brandon said. “Our new season sales are pacing above where we were a year ago and … throughout the region our sponsor activations are at an all-time high.”

All four of Buffalo’s wins last year came in the second half of the season, which Brandon suggests helped bolster sales. Fans are also excited by Buffalo’s high position in the upcoming draft.

But while ticket sales are strong there may not be any games for fans to go to next season. The NFL lockout, which started earlier in the month, is threatening to derail the 2011 schedule.

“I think fans are frustrated, we’re frustrated, I think anyone involved in this situation is frustrated,” Brandon said.

“The goal has always been to reach a fair agreement with both parties and as we all know we don’t get anywhere in litigation. It’s about negotiation. I can tell you that the owners want to get back to the negotiating table and get this resolved, because the other goal is to have a season, an uninterrupted season, of football.”

Brandon said the team is working hard to minimize the impact of the lockout.

“I can promise you, from our standpoint with the business operation, with our sponsor activations and everything we’re doing with season-ticket holders, it’s exactly the same,” he said. “It’s business as usual.”

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Read More: Marcell Dareus (DL – Alabama), Patrick Peterson (CB – LSU), Von Miller (LB – Texas A&M), Aaron Maybin (DE – BUF), Cameron Newton (QB – Auburn), Buffalo Bills, Texas A&M Aggies

3. Buffalo Bills – Von Miller, Texas A&M Aggies

The Bills are in a wonderful spot in the draft, and not just in this particular mock. They stand a chance to get the quarterback they want, the linebacker they want, the cornerback they want or the defensive lineman they want. There really is very few ways this draft could go negatively for them. Unfortunately, it’s really hard to predict where they’ll go with the plethora of options available.

Reports out of Bills camp suggests that the ownership and other higher-ups want a new quarterback, a big name, perhaps even an … icon? Joking aside, Cameron Newton of Auburn Tigers fame is a serious consideration at this pick, he just seems to fit in Buffalo. While it’s true that the ownership can dictate what a team does, I think general manager Buddy Nix and head coach Chan Gailey prevail in this instance, and the pick doesn’t go to the quarterback position.

Instead, they will opt to put a crucial piece of the puzzle in place for their 3-4 defense. Patrick Peterson of LSU, and Marcell Dareus out of Alabama are both available, but they go with the super-athlete and can’t-miss outside linebacker in Von Miller. Aaron Maybin certainly isn’t going to get the job done for them, and an already decent secondary will be vastly improved with the help of a pass rush that would probably be effective on every down with Miller in the rotation.

You could probably drop your entire defensive line into coverage and send Miller to take on five offensive linemen, a tight end and a running back, and he’d still make the quarterback rely on a quick release and moving pocket to avoid being sacked. He’s 6’3”, 240 and runs in the 4.46-4.50 range, the guy is a killer. At Texas A&M, he played the “joker” position, working at both defensive end and linebacker positions, but for the Bills, he’ll stay at outside linebacker and be a force to build around for years to come. 

Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton will get one final opportunity before next month’s NFL draft to make a big impression with the Buffalo Bills.

The Heisman Trophy winner will make a pre-draft visit to the team’s facility in Orchard Park on Tuesday, coach Chan Gailey confirmed following a State of the Bills’ address to season-ticket holders at a downtown ballroom on Monday evening.

For Gailey, this will be the fourth or fifth time — he couldn’t remember — Newton has met with the Bills, who hold the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft. And the coach considers Tuesday’s visit as potentially having the most impact, because he’ll get to spend the entire day getting to know Newton.

“These visits have a big impact on what we think and what we do and what we believe about the guys that we plan to draft,” Gailey said. “I don’t know if I can find it out in a day with a guy, but you’ll have a better idea once you get a chance to sit down and talk football and maybe watch some tape. I think you get a better feel.”

Though the Bills have numerous needs to address following a 4-12 season, they haven’t ruled out selecting a quarterback with their first of nine picks over the three-day draft that begins April 28.
And Newton isn’t the only quarterback scheduled to visit Buffalo.

General manager Buddy Nix said the team is also scheduled to host Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert and Florida State’s Christian Ponder.

Newton, who was scheduled to arrive in Buffalo on Monday night, also has a busy travel schedule after capping his one season at Auburn by leading the Tigers to win the national title in January.
Newton’s agent, Tony Paige, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press that his client has visits scheduled with eight other teams, including the two teams who select immediately ahead of the Bills: Carolina, which has the first pick, and Denver.

The other teams Newton is currently set to visit are Cincinnati, Cleveland, Tennessee, Washington, Minnesota and Miami.

Gailey stressed that the Bills are still evaluating their draft priorities and have not yet determined whether to select a player such as Newton, who may need time to develop, or draft someone who can make an immediate impact.

“I think that’s something to be still evaluated,” Gailey said. “Once the evaluations are done, then you sit down and weigh risk-reward, strengths, weaknesses, and you make a decision that’s best for the Bills this year and for the future.”

Gailey has previously noted his defense and pass protection as two areas that require the most improvement going into next season.

The Bills finished last against the run last season, allowing 2,714 yards rushing — the second-highest total in franchise history. Their offense was hampered with a patchwork offensive line.

The Bills also remain high on returning quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who provided the offense an identity by the midway point of the season after he took over the starting job in Week 3. With 3,000 yards passing in only 12 games, he became the first Bill to hit that mark since J.P. Losman had 3,051 in 2006.

Fitzpatrick also finished with 23 touchdowns, the most since Drew Bledsoe had 24 in 2002.
The question for the Bills is weighing whether the quarterbacks available in the draft have the potential to be long-term starters, something Buffalo hasn’t had since Hall of Famer Jim Kelly retired following the 1996 season.

“Now, our greatest need is not quarterback,” Nix said. “Invariably, if there’s going to be a franchise guy there, and one we deem as a guy that can go eight or 10 years and be the face of the organization and take us to the playoffs and win every year: you can’t pass him up.”

In other news to come out of State of the Bills session, CEO Russ Brandon reiterated his frustration over the labor dispute that began earlier this month, and said the best opportunity to reach a deal is for both sides to return to the negotiating table.

Brandon did acknowledge that the Bills would consider canceling training camp at their site in suburban Rochester if a settlement is not reached by late June or early July.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton will get one final opportunity before next month’s NFL draft to make a big impression with the Buffalo Bills.

The Heisman Trophy winner will make a pre-draft visit to the team’s facility in Orchard Park today, coach Chan Gailey confirmed following a State of the Bills’ address to season-ticket holders at a downtown ballroom on Monday evening.

For Gailey, this will be the fourth or fifth time — he couldn’t remember — Newton has met with the Bills, who hold the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft. And the coach considers today’s visit as potentially having the most impact, because he’ll get to spend the entire day getting to know Newton.

“These visits have a big impact on what we think and what we do and what we believe about the guys that we plan to draft,” Gailey said. “I don’t know if I can find it out in a day with a guy, but you’ll have a better idea once you get a chance to sit down and talk football and maybe watch some tape. I think you get a better feel.”

Though the Bills have many needs to address after a 4-12 year, they haven’t ruled out selecting a quarterback with their first of nine picks over the draft that begins April 28.

Newton isn’t the only QB set to visit Buffalo.

General manager Buddy Nix said the team is also scheduled to host Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert and Florida State’s Christian Ponder.

Newton, who was set to arrive in Buffalo on Monday night, also has a busy travel schedule after capping his one season at Auburn by leading the Tigers to win the national title in January.

Newton’s agent, Tony Paige, wrote in an email to The Associated Press that his client has visits set with eight other teams, including the two teams who select immediately ahead of the Bills: Carolina, which has the first pick, and Denver.

The other teams Newton is currently set to visit are Cincinnati, Cleveland, Tennessee, Washington, Minnesota and Miami.

Gailey stressed that the Bills are still evaluating their draft priorities and have not yet determined whether to select a player such as Newton, who may need time to develop, or draft someone who can make an immediate impact.

“I think that’s something to be still evaluated,” Gailey said. “Once the evaluations are done, then you sit down and weigh risk-reward, strengths, weaknesses and you make a decision that’s best for the Bills this year and for the future.”

Gailey has previously noted his defense and pass protection as two areas that require the most improvement going into next season.

We’re three picks into SB Nation’s 2011 NFL mock draft and QB Cam Newton is still on the board. Buffalo Rumblings,picking third, has surprised a few of us and selected LSU CB Patrick Peterson. The talent, as Buffalo Rumblings writes, is undeniable.

I have absolutely no qualms about the idea of the Bills drafting Peterson. Cornerback is a need: Terrence McGee is injury-prone and aging, Drayton Florence is a free agent, and Leodis McKelvin has been a disappointment. Peterson is a clean prospect, a unique athletic talent, and the type of playmaker that any team can use. He was also the top player on my board from the word ‘go.’    

Obviously the question here is why not quarterback. The full thought process on this pick is explained but basically quarterback isn’t Buffalo’s biggest need right now. I’d agree with that but think you have to give a long, hard look at Newton with pick No. 3. 

Mocking The Draft calls Peterson “one of the safest and the best” prospects in the draft. From that standpoint, I like picking Peterson because Buffalo simply cannot miss on this pick.

For more on the selection, and a full explanation from Buffalo Rumblings, check out Mocking The Draft.