It’s been a rough few weeks for Jon Bon Jovi‘s Toronto-based group that is bidding on the Bills. The group had to resubmit its initial bid, which was unacceptably low, and only advanced to the final stage of the sale process after providing additional assurances that the team wouldn’t be moved out of Western New York. Now, according to John Kryk of the Toronto Sun, the Toronto group is debating whether or not to even continue its pursuit of the Bills.
“They’re hanging on by the skin of their teeth,” one source told Kryk. “The bid’s on life support.”
As Tim Graham of the Buffalo News writes, finalists have been invited to tour the Bills’ facilities at Ralph Wilson Stadium, but a source tells Kryk that Bon Jovi and company canceled their Wednesday visit to the stadium, and don’t have plans to reschedule. According to Kryk, the Toronto group will take the next week or so to assess and discuss what they do at this stage to mount “a formidable, effective bid.”
Let’s check out a few more links from out of the AFC….
- After locking up kicker Shaun Suisham and tackle Marcus Gilbert to contract extensions, the Steelers continue to work on new deals for their players. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter), the team is now focusing on an extension for cornerback Cortez Allen, and is hoping to get something done before the preseason ends.
- While Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase focused on the Broncos’ playoff run last season rather than actively pursuing a head coaching job elsewhere, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com thinks the demand for Gase will be too high after this season for him not to be running his own team in 2015.
- Linebacker Joe Mays, who signed with the Chiefs this offseason, will undergo wrist surgery, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). The timetable for Mays’ recovery isn’t yet known.
- Texans general manager Rick Smith spoke at length to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle on the team’s disappointing 2013 season, and the retooling process that followed. “We’re trying to get our organization to a place where we are successful every year,” Smith said. “We were moving along that path and we had the setback.”
- Monotony may be boring, but it’s welcome when it comes to the Raiders‘ offensive line, writes Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group. Oakland had an NFL-high eight different combinations up front, and no starter made it through all 16 games last season. Now, center Stefen Wisniewski has had guard Khalif Barnes and tackle Donald Penn to his left and guard Austin Howard and tackle Menelik Watson to his right all offseason long.
Zach Links contributed to this post.