National Football League

Bills release pro personnel chief, Guy

Published Jan. 21, 2010 6:09 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Buffalo Bills have parted ways with vice president of player personnel John Guy in the team's latest front-office shake-up.

Guy's departure was announced by the team in a two-sentence release issued late Wednesday night. Guy had completed his ninth year with the Bills, and had been responsible for scouting NFL free agents.

The move was not unexpected. Guy's contract was up this spring, and he was criticized for the Bills spotty record with free-agent signings. Buffalo finished with a 6-10 record this past season to miss the playoffs for a 10th straight year.

Guy was let go a little over two weeks after Buddy Nix took over as general manager and a day after Chan Gailey was hired as coach.

The Bills did interview Guy for the GM's job before awarding it to Nix.

Though it's unclear how much influence Guy had in making final personnel decisions under Jim Overdorf, the team's vice president of football administration, the Bills 2007 free-agent class was regarded as a major bust. The Bills opened free agency that year by signing three offensive linemen - guard Derrick Dockery, tackle Langston Walker and journeyman backup Jason Whittle - to contracts worth more than a combined $75 million.

All three players were gone by the start of this past season once Walker was released less than a week prior to Buffalo's regular season-opener. Dockery proved to be the biggest disappointment. After signing a seven-year $49 million contract that included $18.5 million in guaranteed money, he was released last February.

Guy was criticized by Bills fans, who rented a billboard in Buffalo in October, urging team owner Ralph Wilson to clean house by firing Guy, coach Dick Jauron and chief college scout Tom Modrak. Jauron was fired in November.

Modrak remains with the Bills, and is currently preparing for the NFL draft in April.

Guy has 18 years of NFL experience, and served as a scout with the Browns before joining the Bills.