For those who care, here's a head's up....... http://www.buffalonews.com/452/story/770273.html 'Ecstatic' Maybin signs with Bills First-round pick ends 27-day holdout by John Vogl NEWS SPORTS REPORTER Updated: August 21, 2009, 4:10 PM / 19 comments Aaron Maybin tried to insulate himself from the contract saga that swirled around him. He didn't want to know what people were saying, didn't want to hear rumors about how close or how far apart he and the Buffalo Bills were to completing a deal. But when the 11th overall pick from Penn State stepped onto an airplane at 7:30 Friday morning for a flight to Buffalo, he knew he could start envisioning his name on a contract. Maybin and the Bills finally agreed Friday on a five-year deal worth a maximum of $25 million, according to NFL sources. The stalemate cost Maybin 27 days of training camp, making him the Bills' longest rookie holdout since Henry Jones in 1991. He was the 30th of the 32 first-round picks to reach a deal. None of that mattered to the 21-year-old defensive end once he was airborne. "Really, I was just like, "Man, all right, I know if I'm getting on this plane, I know we must be close,'" Maybin said during a news conference at Bills headquarters in Orchard Park. "I was really happy when that time came. "Ecstatic, overjoyed, whatever you want to call it, that's me. I've been smiling from ear to ear for the entire day." Maybin arrived in Western New York just as his teammates were preparing to leave for Green Bay for Saturday's preseason game against the Packers. He had time to shake hands and show off his new hairdo ? featuring a Bills logo on the left side and two numbers on the right, his 58 and Hall of Famer Bruce Smith's 78 ? but Maybin won't join the Bills on the field until Monday. "It hurts that I'm not going to be able to go out there with them [Saturday], but at least I'm back out here in Orchard Park and getting ready to start back up again," Maybin said. "I'm really excited about it." Maybin conceded it had been tough sitting home while the Bills completed an entire training camp. What helped get him through was the support of his teammates, who continually said they understood his dilemma. "I've never been in this position before, having to deal with the business side of things," Maybin said. "It definitely always helps to have your teammates rally around you. They've been through all these situations before. They know the nature of the business. They know how things go. It's very good to have them rally around you and lend their support and give their advice in times like this." Now it's up to Maybin to show he can make up for lost time. The Bills have two preseason games remaining before their regular-season opener Sept. 14 in New England. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder is confident he can make an impact by then. "Obviously, you miss a lot," Maybin said. "There's a lot of catching up to do, but we still have three weeks left to go, three weeks of preparation, three weeks that I have to make do of and really do the best that I can with. "I think I'll be fine." Maybin was drafted for his pass-rushing skills, an obvious need for a Bills team that ranked 28th in sacks last season. The coaching staff is expected to put Maybin into obvious passing downs immediately, despite the holdout. As a redshirt sophomore for the Nittany Lions last season, Maybin had 12 sacks, 20 tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles. He dazzled scouts with his first-step quickness. To make room for Maybin on the roster, the Bills waived defensive back Antwain Spann and released defensive lineman Ventrell Jenkins from injured reserve. The only two picks left unsigned are Cincinnati's Andre Smith, taken sixth, and San Francisco's Michael Crabtree, who was selected one pick prior to Maybin. Crabtree's failure to sign likely kept Maybin out longer than expected, but none of that matters to Maybin anymore. "The past is the past, man," Maybin said. "I'm here. I'm ready to play football." jvogl@buffnews.com
