ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (March 21, 2006) -- Eric Moulds has the Buffalo Bills' permission to seek a trade, the latest step for the veteran receiver who asked for his release after repeatedly rejecting the team's demands to take a pay cut.
"We are shopping Eric," Moulds' personal adviser, Greg Johnson, told The Associated Press. "Obviously, we would much rather have Eric released. But if we can work out a trade, we will. But if not, we're back to Square 1 and Eric won't play for the Bills. He doesn't want to play for them, and he will not play for them."
Johnson said several teams already have expressed interest in Moulds since the Bills granted their permission March 17. Without providing details, he added, the team has set parameters on what it would seek in return in a potential trade.
"It's moving forward to a degree and we anticipate something happening," Johnson said.
Moulds, a 10-year veteran and the Bills' senior player, has two years left on his contract. The Bills deemed his 2006 salary-cap figure as too expensive, but have failed in their bid to have the receiver restructure his contract.
Moulds has rejected the Bills' demands, believing there are other teams willing to match the salary.
Speaking earlier in the day, Bills general manager Marv Levy only hinted that the team has granted Moulds' representatives permission to seek a trade by saying: "I think they might examine the field and find that maybe that is the thing to do."
Levy also maintained the team's interest in keeping Moulds, but only if he agrees to a pay cut.
"I still think he has playing ability," Levy said. "But I don't think we can fill all of our other needs with the type of salary-cap hit we have to take with him."
The Bills have been active in the first week of free agency, signing 10 free agents, including four of their own players and Minnesota center Melvin Fowler.
The other players signed include two receivers, Andre' Davis, a four-year NFL veteran who played for New England last season, and Josh Reed, who spent the past four seasons in Buffalo.
The Bills, however, could use additional cap space to continue addressing their most immediate needs on the offensive line.
Moulds was Buffalo's first-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft and has been a full-time starter since his third season. In 154 games, he has 675 catches for 9,096 yards and 48 touchdowns. Only Andre Reed has more catches (941) and yards (13,095) among Bills receivers.
AP NEWS
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