Quotables: Bills deny C.J. Spiller trade rumors, Magic Johnson expects NFL team in LA within 2 years
Buffalo GM Doug Whaley insisted that the team has not been contacted about a potential Spiller deal. Meanwhile, Magic’s optimism over LA football is well-timed with the Raiders’ stadium troubles in Oakland.
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- Bills GM Doug Whaley
All those trade rumors floating around Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller are false, according to general manager Doug Whaley, who claims he has not fielded any calls from interested teams.
“I guess because it gives you something to fill the newspaper with,” Whaley told Syracuse.com. “You know I’m a straight shooter. We have not been contacted by any teams.”
Spiller trade rumors have been fueled by several factors. For starters, Spiller has just one year remaining on his contract. The Bills also have three other running backs on the roster, one of which -- Fred Jackson -- just signed a one-year extension.
“I don’t know what team that will be, but I believe in the next two years [Los Angeles] will have a team.”
- Magic Johnson
Los Angeles has long clamored for the return of an NFL team, and Magic Johnson thinks that day could be approaching in the next two years.
“I think for the first time, I truly believe we’re going to get a team. Finally,” Johnson said at a joint Dallas Cowboys-Oakland Raiders practice. “Everybody is on board. The city is on board. The business community is on board. The NFL is on board. Finally we have momentum. In the next couple years, at least in the next 24 months, I think one team will be coming.”
If you're one for reading between the lines, you'll note that Johnson's comments are well-timed with the Raiders' announcement that they will not will not sign a one-year extension on their lease of O.Co Coliseum. The Raiders left LA in 1995.
“I think we’re just going to go day-by-day and kind of feel it out and do what’s best for myself, the team and everybody else.”
- Brian Cushing on his return from injury
Good news, Houston Texans fans: linebacker Brian Cushing's return from a broken leg and torn LCL is on track. The former Pro Bowler was back at practice on Wednesday after leaving the physically unable to perform list. While he said he plans on taking a cautious approach to easing back into football, sources indicated to Pro Football Talk that he should be ready for Week 1.
In fact, Cushing wouldn't rule out an appearance in this weekend's preseason game against the Falcons.
“There’s a toughness that gets built out of practicing in the heat, and we didn’t have enough of it, in my opinion.”
- Ron Rivera
Somebody turn the heat up for Ron Rivera. The Carolina Panthers coach doesn't think the relatively comfortable weather is doing his team any favors, according to Black and Blue Review.
Charlotte has been seasonably cool recently, as this tweet from local weather man Brad Panovich proves.
.@Panthers will wrap the coolest training camp since they have been in Wofford in 1995. http://t.co/gAR6hhIWSg #scwx
— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) August 12, 2014 The good news for Rivera is that temperatures are expected to climb back into the mid-90s next week.
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