NFL Wire Notes | Toronto helps Buffalo get rich

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills will receive $78 million — more than double their calculated 2006 operating income — to play eight games in Toronto over the next five years.

The payment to the Bills was disclosed for the first time in Rogers Communications' 2008 first-quarter report released Tuesday.

The Toronto-based company is part of a consortium that negotiated a deal with the Bills to have them play five regular-season and three exhibition games, starting this year, at the downtown Rogers Centre.

In becoming the league's first team to play annual games outside the United States, the Bills are scheduled to host Pittsburgh in an exhibition in Toronto on Aug. 14 and a regular-season game against Miami on Dec. 7.

Rogers spokeswoman Jan Innes would not comment beyond the one-paragraph statement included in the company report, except to say the $78 million figure was in Canadian currency. The Canadian dollar hovered around par to its U.S. counterpart during the first quarter this year.

Innes declined to say whether any portion of the payment has been made.

As part of the agreement, the Toronto group is effectively leasing the home games from the Bills. Buffalo will provide the team, the league provides an opponent and the Toronto organizers will be responsible for selling tickets, concessions and promoting the event.

Notes

• The Seahawks released Tim Lindsey, a long snapper who was signed in January.

• Defensive end Greyson Gunheim of the Washington Huskies has signed with the Oakland Raiders. There are media reports that UW offensive lineman Chad Macklin signed with Minnesota and receiver Marcel Reece signed with Miami.

• Washington State receiver Charles Dillon signed with Indianapolis.

• Two Portland State players from Washington signed. Defensive lineman Casey Tyler of Edmonds signed with New England. Offensive tackle Daren Heerspink of Lynden signed with Miami.

• San Diego signed offensive tackle L.J. Shelton, 32, who was released by Miami in February.

Buddy Nix is out as San Diego's assistant general manager, with the team saying he retired and his wife, Diann, saying "he more or less resigned."

• Offensive lineman Fred Weary, 30, has agreed in principle to a one-year deal to return to the Houston Texans.

• Carolina added depth at defensive tackle by signing Ian Scott, 26, who wasn't re-signed by Philadelphia.

• Ivan Orsen Caesar Jr., a linebacker who played for Minnesota in 1991, was fatally shot in an apartment building in Holden Heights, Fla., reportedly after a dispute. He was 41.