The Bills hosted free agent linebacker Andra Davis on Tuesday. He's the second free agent visiting joining free agent DL Dwan Edwards. Davis was clear about what made Buffalo his first free agent stop.
"The tradition," he said. "The tradition is great here. I had a great visit so far, met with all the coaches. Everything seems on the up and up around here. Everyone has that winning attitude so it's definitely exciting."
Davis is one of the most experienced free agent linebackers available in the 3-4 defensive system. The eight-year veteran has 93 career starts to his credit.
"I've been playing the 3-4 the last four years," Davis said. "I've learned from some great coaches, starting with Romeo Crennel and then having Mike Nolan in Denver last year. I have a lot of experience in this defense and I know I can play it."
And playing for Denver in 2009 as their defense shifted to a 3-4 defensive alignment might be one of the more attractive parts of what Davis has to offer the Bills, knowing they'll be doing the same.
"I'm going into my ninth year and I have a lot of experience," he said. "Last year in Denver was our first season putting the defense in and we started off great. I like when coaches lean on me. I like to be that guy on the field that players lean on. I enjoy that."
And one Buffalo coach that would feel comfortable leaning on him is defensive coordinator George Edwards, who coached him in 2004 with Cleveland when he was the Browns linebackers coach.
"Me and George we developed that relationship in the year we had together in Cleveland," said Davis. "Since then we've constantly been on the phone with each other even though he was in Miami and I was in Cleveland and Denver. We've always had that great communication and relationship."
Playing inside linebacker, mainly on the strong side, the 31-year old has been a productive tackler, racking up at least 100 tackles in a season five times in his career, including a personal best 199 with the Browns in 2005.
Davis (6'1", 251) was entering the second-year of a two-year contract with the Broncos, but was unexpectedly released by Denver following a 90 tackle, 3.5 sack season on March 11.
"You never know and it is a crazy business," he said. "I could have more stops, this could be the right place and I might not go nowhere else. It all depends on the business. Whatever happens I'll end up in the right place. I'm not stressing about it. I know I'm going to play somewhere."
