Bengals owner Mike Brown went out of his way to defend Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, who contends that the NFL's new collective-bargaining agreement hurts small-market clubs. Brown set up a meeting with reporters and said he was upset with the personal attacks on Wilson, who is a close friend. Critics have called Wilson out of touch for voting against the agreement because he didn't fully understand it. "If they want to debate him on the issue, fine," said Brown, the only other owner to vote "no." "But I don't buy into this stuff where they want to undercut his opinion with fallacious, ad hominem attacks.

Peerless Price is back at the place where he enjoyed his most success. The Buffalo Bills signed the wide receiver to a one-year contract on Monday. A second-round pick of the Bills in 1999, Price recorded 232 catches for 3,302 yards and 22 touchdowns in 64 games with Buffalo. Price's best year came in 2002 when he had 94 receptions for 1,252 yards and nine scores.

Outgoing NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has said that he wants to see one or two teams in Los Angeles soon and that expansion is not an option. That means at least one existing team would have to move and it isn't a stretch to put Buffalo at or near the top of the list. Losing the Bills would be a tremendous blow to the image and prestige of western New York, and to a lesser extent the entire state. Many municipalities have spent outlandish amounts of money to lure pro sports. It remains to be seen if state taxpayers will be asked to subsidize the Bills if that is required to keep them from leaving for greener financial pastures.

Veteran receiver Eric Moulds agreed to a contract with Houston on Tuesday and said the Texans have worked out a trade to acquire him from the Buffalo Bills. "Yeah, it's done," Moulds' personal adviser Greg Johnson said. ``I'm ecstatic. I'm relieved, happy and thankful that all parties came to an agreement.''

Talks continued Monday between the Texans and Buffalo Bills over wide receiver Eric Moulds, who is in town to meet with Texans officials and take a physical. Last week, Moulds, 32, agreed to a $14 million four-year contract with the Texans, which included a $5 million signing bonus. But because Moulds is under contract for two more years with the Bills, the Texans must give compensation to the Bills to make the trade complete. Negotiations between Texans general manager Charley Casserly and Bills general manager Marv Levy continued Monday. The Bills are asking for a fourth-round pick in the April draft; the Texans are offering a fifth-round pick.

Two scouts - one a national West Coast scout and one an AFC South scout - say they have heard the Bills are interested in making J.P. Losman available in a trade.