BY DAN BEGNOCHE
The saga of Stevie Johnson continues this week in Buffalo, as general manager Buddy Nix made sure to get in his two cents regarding the future of his best wide receiver.
The certainty of a contract extension for Johnson was never solidified by Nix and the front office as the season went on, and as the frequency of Johnson’s idiotic antics rose, so did the questions as to whether he would be back. Nix addressed those concerns Monday, stating that Johnson’s actions in no way will affect his chances of a new contract with the Bills, for now at least.
“It doesn’t affect (his contract chances) … that’s behind us,” Nix said. “Now he may do it again. If he does, we’ll deal with it. But that doesn’t affect what we’re trying to get done with him. He tries to do the right thing when he’s playing and he tries to do the right thing in practice and in the locker room. He’s not a criminal. He made a mistake. It cost us. And he paid the price.”
Nix confirmed Monday that talks between Johnson and the front office had been ongoing since midway through season, and that negotiations have continued since their season concluded. Though he would not comment on whether he would use the franchise tag if need be on Johnson, Nix made it abundantly clear that he would like to see the first back-to-back 1,000-yard receiver in team history as a Bill back to try for three in a row next year.
“He fits in,” Nix said. I know the things he does in practice, he practices hurt — I think he’s a team guy. Yea, we want him back.”
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