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Cota signs one-year, free-agent deal with Buffalo By Don Hunt For The Tidings If location and climate were the measuring sticks that Chad Cota used to select his place of employment, Buffalo, N.Y., would surely be near the bottom of his list. But Cota values opportunity above all else, and that's why the eight-year veteran of the National Football League signed a one-year, free-agent contract with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday. Cota, 31, will earn the NFL minimum for eight-year veterans, believed to be worth about $665,000. He'll also receive a $25,000 signing bonus. "Work gets harder to come by when you get to be my age, but I'm excited about playing with the Bills," says Cota, an Ashland native who now lives in Medford. "They're an up-and-coming team, but they need help on defense, and I'm hoping I'll be able to compete for some playing time." A strong safety and special teams player throughout his NFL career, the 6-foot-1, 198-pound Cota will journey to Buffalo on Monday to join the Bills for the final week of mini-camp. He'll return to the East Coast in late July for the start of training camp. "By joining them this early I'll get to know their system," says Cota, a former Ashland High and University of Oregon standout. "I'm hoping that will give me an edge." Buffalo could certainly use some help on defense. The Bills ranked 27th in points allowed, 29th in rushing yards allowed and 32nd in takeaways last season while fashioning a 7-9 record. Cota is expected to compete with Tony Driver and Coy Wire for playing time at strong safety. The Bills, who have added 14 veterans since last season via free agency and trades, represent Cota's fifth NFL team. He played his first three seasons at Carolina, making a big splash his rookie year by intercepting six passes to help the Panthers win the NFC West Division title and earn a berth in the NFC championship game. Cota spent two more seasons with Carolina - leading the Panthers in tackles in 1996 - before heading to New Orleans for one season and then to Indianapolis for three. He spent last season with St. Louis but only started one game. "I got there so late that I really didn't give myself a chance to be a factor," says Cota, who helped Oregon to the Pac-10 Conference championship and its first Rose Bowl appearance in 37 years during the 1994 season. "That's why I wanted to hook on with a team early this year - to get a feel of what's going on and to get comfortable with the players and coaches." All told, Cota has started 82 of 124 games and has 646 tackles (472 solo), 15 interceptions and four sacks. Cota has spent the off-season working out, playing golf and building a new home along Rogue Valley Country Club. He and his wife, Christina, have two sons, 3-year-old Chase and 1-year-old Carson. "I've been to plenty of places around the country, and this just feels like home," says Cota, who moved back to the Rogue Valley last year after three years in Indianapolis. "We love the weather, the mountains, and this is where most of our friends are." But Cota still has the itch to play football, and he's willing to travel 3,000 miles to put on a uniform. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -