--OT Brad Butler, who started at right tackle last season, informed the team he intends to retire. Butler, a government studies major at Virginia, said in a statement: "My passion for education, country and community is something that I am ready to devote my full attention to. I believe the best way to pursue these spheres of interest is to step away from the game of football at this point in my life." Butler started all but two of the 33 career games he played in after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 draft.

--Daryl Daye was hired as the Assistant to the Head Coach. He'll work with coach Chan Gailey in the day-to-day administrative side of the team and assist with training camp duties.

--Offensive coordinator/running backs coach Curtis Modkins' job description with the Bills doesn't involve play calling. That task will be handled by head coach Chan Gailey. But Modkins, Gailey's running backs coach at Georgia Tech who also worked with Gailey in Kansas City, said the two have a "unique" relationship that will allow him to grow and play a key role in what the Bills do offensively in 2010. He made it clear he's not here to be a "yes man." "We challenge each other schematically, football-wise as a staff, and we'll continue to do that," Modkins said. "I probably wouldn't be here if he didn't respect my input, and the other coaches wouldn't be here either, so it's no different than anyone else. One of the most unique things for me is that he and I see the same things. So we worked together great for a number of years and we'll continue to do that. The fact that he's going to be the play-caller? There are a lot of head coaches in the league that are play-callers. But there is still a lot of work to be done and I'm looking forward to jumping in and getting started."

--Buffalo's new front office and coaching staff began the process of reshaping the team's roster, releasing seven players. They were: TE Derek Fine, WR Justin Jenkins, DE Jermaine McGhee, LB Ashlee Palmer, C Marvin Philip, DE Marcus Smith and DB John Wendling. Fine made 11 starts during his two seasons with the Bills but struggled to stay healthy. Wendling, Palmer and Jenkins were among the club's top special teams players. Wendling, a freakish athlete, led the team in special teams hits last season with 26. It's possible a few of the above players will re-sign with the team after the roster shakes itself out in the months ahead.

--Gailey confirmed that he has spoken with veteran DE Aaron Schobel, Buffalo's No. 2 all-time sack leader, who is contemplating retiring. "We had a good conversation," Gailey said. "I took from the conversation that he has not decided, but I think that's going to come with time. He's going to have to make a decision at some point in time and I think he will. We know what a great player he is. We know you'd like to have him on the Bills if we could make that happen, but we'll see what he decides."

--Special teams coach Bruce DeHaven was asked about the infamous Music City Miracle play during a media briefing and graciously gave a detailed response despite the fact the play has haunted him for a decade and he's talked about it ad nauseum. On Jan. 8, 2000, the Bills lost a wild-card playoff game at Tennessee on a controversial lateral kickoff 22-16 after DeHaven called for a pooch kick instead of driving the ball deep. Despite 13 seasons of excellent work, he was fired by coach Wade Phillips. "I have talked to Wade Phillips a few times in the last few years," DeHaven said. "As the great sage, poet and passer rusher, Bruce Smith, once said 'That's water under the dam.' ... Of all the people involved I feel more hurt by it than anyone because I did feel responsible. I thought about things that had happened to us the last couple years (in that situation) and I thought that was the best kick. I don't like the results but the only thing that made me feel like the decision was OK was I talked to Allen Lowery, the special teams coach for the Titans, about a month later he said 'That's the only kick we never practiced against; we kind of made it up as we went along.' That was poor execution on our part."

--Bobby Johnson, offensive line coach at Indiana University the past five seasons, has been hired as assistant offensive line coach, his first NFL assignment. He'll help line coach Joe D'Alessandris on Chan Gailey's staff. Johnson brings a strong background in run blocking schemes and techniques. Indiana broke the 2,000-yard rushing mark in 2007 and 2008. He coached the so-called "Seven Blocks of Limestone," the nickname given the Hoosier's 2006 offensive line depth chart that featured seven freshmen.

--The Bills are expected to test interest in RB Marshawn Lynch in a possible trade during the upcoming Indianapolis Scouting Combine. Free agent Fred Jackson supplanted Lynch, the team's 2007 first-round pick, as the starter last season and Lynch's off-field troubles have helped derail his career. The Bills would likely seek a second-round pick for Lynch and take less. One team being suggested as a possible destination is San Diego, which needs a heavy duty ball carrier with LaDainian Tomlinson's career all but finished. Top prospect C.J. Spiller of Clemson will be off the board by the time the Chargers pick No. 28. If the Bills part ways with Lynch, someone like Stanford's Toby Gerhart would make sense with a second- or third-round pick to complement Jackson.

--The Bills have raised ticket prices for 2010 by an average of $2 to $10 per seat. The good news for fans? It still costs them much less to see NFL football than their peers in other cities. Buffalo's average season ticket price for 2010 will be under $60 ($59.19), more than $15 cheaper than last season's average ticket price in the league. The average cost of the best ticket in the NFL -- lower level sideline -- is about $105. That seat costs $80 at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"It's been a process to get our coaching staff together and we're excited about the guys we have. As I stated the very first day, the objective was to find guys that are great teachers and great communicators, and we think that that's what we've assembled with our staff." -- Coach Chan Gailey who has assembled a 17-person staff of assistants.

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