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NFL Franchise Notes: Bills Extend Contract Of GM Doug Whaley By Three Years

In Buffalo, Jay Skurski notes the Bills yesterday reached a three-year contract extension with GM Doug Whaley, meaning he is "under contract for the next four seasons." That "goes along with the length of time left on coach Rex Ryan's deal." Whaley has served as the Bills’ GM since May of '13. He originally joined the franchise in '10 as Dir of Pro Personnel & Assistant GM (BUFFALO NEWS, 1/11). ESPN.com's Mike Rodak wrote while the extension "prevents Whaley from having lame-duck status as the team's GM" for next year, it "shouldn't take pressure off him as he enters his fourth season." As Whaley "likely knows well, job security among NFL coaches and general manager is dictated by results ... and the Bills' results have been lacking in recent seasons" (ESPN.com, 1/10).

JOLT TO THE COLTS: In Indianapolis, Gregg Doyel wrote Colts Owner Jim Irsay's collection "has one Super Bowl trophy," and he "wants more." Irsay: "I know the weight of having [QB] Andrew Luck. We want to get to the promised land, and I’m not shy about saying ‘more than once.’ We’d like to win two world championships when Andrew’s with us." Doyel noted Irsay is "talking legacies, and not just" for Luck. He is talking "about his own legacy among others." Irsay: "If you win one, that’s great. If you win two, it’s Hall of Fame and everybody’s going. And if you win three, you’re starting to get into Never-Never Land." He added of his decision to extend the contracts of coach Chuck Pagano and GM Ryan Grigson, "I had more than one owner say to me, ‘If you’d have let one of those guys go, they were on our list of people to bring in as candidates.’" Doyel noted Luck will enter '16 in the final year of his contract "unless he and the Colts come to terms on an extension that in all likelihood will make him the highest-paid player in NFL history." Irsay: "There’s a reasonably good chance we can come to that agreement this offseason. He will be here, trust me" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 1/10).

WE HAVE A PROBLEM: In Houston, Brian Smith writes under the header, "McNair Must Develop Plan That Takes Next Step." The Texans "must lock on to an arm that has the potential to alter a franchise and be slinging in Houston into the next decade." The only major question that matters "is the one that hasn't gone away" since Texans Owner Bob McNair "first brought the NFL back to Houston." The year that just started is "already the season of finding The One" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/11). Smith wrote of the Texans' 30-0 home playoff loss to the Chiefs, "This is the end. It has to be. We can't go through this anymore." He added, "No more recycled trash. No more worthless junk. No more wasted time in our precious sporting lives. I'll never accept it again. And if you want to live your life right, neither can you" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/10).

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