Inside The Bills

Report: WR Simpson re-signs with Vikes

A day after the trade of Percy Harvin to Seattle, the Minnesota Vikings made sure they didn’t lose their other playmaker at receiver as they re-signed Jerome Simpson.

That according to ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter.

WR Jerome Simpson reached agreement with Vikings on a 1-year deal.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2013

Simpson was the kind of outside speed receiver that can make plays in a crowd that the Bills plan to look for.

Fan Friday 3-1

Free agency is coming up fast. Let’s get to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net and on Twitter @ChrisBrownBills.

1 – Hey Chris,

I have a few questions for you. 

First, with reports of Brian Urlacher possibly hitting the Free Agent market, do you see him as someone the Bills would bring in to add veteran depth and leadership at ILB? Also, if the Bills were to add a WR in free agency, who would be most likely? 

Finally, could we possibly see a similar situation to that of Washington last offseason and take two QBs in the draft? In my opinion, the chances are in your favor in that situation. 

Thanks,
Korey
Kenmore, NY

CB: Urlacher is on the decline. Not the same player. So no I don’t see him here. WR is a position that has limited top flight talent, so the guys at the top will be looking for big money. I don’t know that they can commit more big $$ at the position after handing out a big contract to Stevie last offseason.

I think affordable options that fit the mold of the big outside receiver that Buddy Nix is looking for are Braylon Edwards and Jerome Simpson.

2 – Hi Chris,

There continues to be serious concern regarding new contract negotiations with Andy Levitre and Jairus Byrd. Could you please update me with whatever progress is being made and how realistic is it that those two players will be on the roster in the fall.
Go Bills,
Richard
Los Angeles

CB: I respect the concern. We know that Bills President and CEO Russ Brandon and Senior VP of Football Administration Jim Overdorf met with the agents for both Andy Levitre and Jairus Byrd.

We’re about a week and a half away from the opening of free agency. Plus the new rule this year allows other clubs to talk to the agents of free agents from other clubs beginning March 9th, to open a dialogue on a possible contract. Only the team that had the player on their roster the previous season could sign said player however, prior to March 12th. The franchise tag is no longer an option effective at 4 pm on Monday.

I like both Levitre and Byrd as players, but if Levitre is asking for the moon I don’t see him back in a Bills uniform. As for Byrd I think if necessary the Bills would make use of the franchise tag at $6.79M. We’ll know by Monday afternoon for sure.

3 – Chris,

Is there any possibility of the Bills looking at Ryan Mallett from the Patriots? Seems like he was highly rated coming into the draft and slipped to the Patriots, you would have to think he’s learned a thing or 2 from backing up Brady the last 2 years. Of course the Patriots would have to be willing to give him to an intra division rival, if they even look at the Bills as that!

-Dan G in West Palm Beach

CB: The only way I see this as a remote possibility is if Matt Cassel is released by the Chiefs and signs back with New England where he began his career. That would make Mallett expendable, but even then I can’t see New England sending a player with potential to a division rival particularly at the quarterback position.

4 – @ChrisBrownBills Think Bills would consider going LT (Johnson/Fisher) at #8 and move Cordy Glenn to LG if they lose Levitre?

MustangMike23

CB: I believe both of those offensive tackles are in the right area in terms of value. Lane Johnson is a rare athlete and Fisher has NFL feet and strength right now. Glenn did play some guard in college, but I think if a quarterback they like is off the board when they’re on the clock at eight that they’ll go with the best defensive player on the board.

5 – @ChrisBrownBills

Well now with Kelsay gone would we try to target a pass rusher? Jordan or Jones?

JackJablonski

CB: I think the two are mutually exclusive. Kelsay’s retirement I don’t think would’ve had much bearing on whether they feel they need to add a pass rusher at OLB. What does have a bearing on it is where they feel that Mark Anderson fits. Knowing Buffalo’s defense is going to be a multiple front scheme is he a DE and OLB or just a DE? I would think they see him as a stand-up rusher in a 3-4 look. Now they could probably use another one in light of their deficiency at the position in general.

And as I said in the above response if there isn’t a quarterback there at eight that they like I think they’ll go with the best defensive player on the board. That could very well be a pass rusher.

Thigpen reunion with go-to WR

Bills QB Tyler Thigpen will make sure he talks with a former college teammate that he teamed with to wreak havoc on the Big South Conference at Coastal Carolina when Buffalo faces Minnesota tonight in preseason action.

Thigpen and Vikings WR Jerome Simpson were teammates for three seasons for the Chanticleers leading the team to a 28-6 mark from 2004-2006. The tandem peaked in their final season together in 2006 when Simpson caught a school-record 16 TD passes from Thigpen, which accounted for more than half of Thigpen’s season total of 29.

When asked if Simpson had any phenomenal plays like the the flip head over heels for a touchdown that Simpson had last season for Cincinnati, Thigpen remembered one.

“He had a ridiculous one-handed catch in one game that made top 10 plays on ESPN too,” Thigpen told Buffalobills.com. “He was pretty tough to stop in college.”

Bengals WR still practicing

Bengals WR Jerome Simpson, who had several pounds of marijuana reportedly confiscated from his home is still practicing with his Cincinnati teammates this week and expects to play on Sunday.

That’s because no charges have been filed to this point against Simpson, though he is under investigation.

Simpson issued a brief statement Thursday in which he said the following.