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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 3, 2009

NFL: Bills, CB Florence agree to terms

Associated Press

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills agreed to terms with veteran free agent cornerback Drayton Florence late Tuesday night. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.

The 28-year-old Florence will provide the secondary with some depth as he becomes the fifth cornerback on the team's roster. Buffalo will head into the 2009 season with Terrence McGee and 2008 first-round pick (11th overall) Leodis McKelvin as the starters, with Florence in the mix to occupy the nickel role.

The move likely means Buffalo will not attempt to re-sign its own free agent cornerback, Jabari Greer.

Florence was cut by Jacksonville last month after signing a lucrative six-year, $36 million deal — with about $12 million guaranteed — with the Jaguars in 2008. He was scheduled to make a base salary of $1.9 million with a $2.5 million roster bonus this year. He spent most of this past season playing in nickel and dime situations.

Prior to going to Jacksonville, Florence was a three-year starter for San Diego, the team that drafted him in the second round in 2003. He made more than 120 tackles and had five interceptions combined in 2006 and 2007 for the Chargers. He also picked-off two more passes in the 2007 playoffs.

Florence visited the Bills last Thursday, a day before the NFL free agency period began. He becomes Buffalo's third free agent addition after the team signed former Bengals quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and former Panthers offensive lineman Geoff Hangartner.