Moulds’ time in Buffalo draws to a close

By Connor Byrne  |   Tuesday, February 28, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Buffalo Bills
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On Monday, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Eric Moulds turned down the team's monetary offer, which was an attempt to restructure his current contract. After spending a decade with the Bills, it appears the franchise's second best receiver--behind Andre Reed--will be spending the remainder of his career elsewhere.

Moulds' cap figure stands at $10.81 million. By releasing him, the Bills will save $5.5 million on the salary cap, while he would still count $5.3 million against the Bills' 2006 cap. Obviously, the Bills would not have been able to keep Moulds at that cap number. Unfortunately, neither side was able to agree on a solid contract restructuring.

Last season the 32-year old Moulds pulled in 81 catches despite missing a game because of a suspension, which stemmed from an argument in week 13 with receivers coach Tyke Tolbert and head coach Mike Mularkey. He proved to be a viable threat at his age, but drew a great deal of criticism for his somewhat disrespectful attitude toward first-year starting quarterback J.P. Losman.

In 154 career games with the Bills, Moulds caught 675 passes for 9,096 receiving yards, and 48 touchdowns. A former first-round pick from Mississippi State back in the 1996 draft, Moulds became a fan favorite in Buffalo after a short while and represented the team three times in the Pro Bowl.

Moulds' most likely suitors at this point are the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Kansas City Chiefs. All three of those teams could use a solid veteran presence and Moulds would certainly add that to each team. Now that they stand to lose Terrell Owens, look for the Eagles to make the strongest push.

Releasing Moulds was new Bills GM Marv Levy's second huge move in the player personnel department over the last week. Thursday, he released 2002's fourth overall pick, offensive tackle Mike Williams. The 80-year old Levy is certainly making his mark on the Bills' franchise once again.

For most of the Bills' fans, seeing Moulds depart has left them dismayed. However, keeping the Bills' legend just was not cost-feasible for the organization at this point. The Bills need significant upgrades on their lines and safety positions.

With the pending release of Moulds, Buffalo is an estimated $7 million under the projected salary cap. They will have plenty of money to frolic in the free agency department and should sign some talented players to help fill their holes.

With Moulds' era in Buffalo now over, the Bills will likely look to free agency to find a solid replacement that can start for them. With Lee Evans likely penciled in as the team's No. 1 receiver, the organization could look to Cleveland Browns free agent Antonio Bryant, or New England Patriots free agent David Givens to fill Moulds' vacancy.

With free agency beginning this Friday, expect the Buffalo Bills to be very active for the first time since back in 2003.

-Connor Byrne can be reached at cbyrne@realfootball365.com.
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