The Buffalo Bills not leaving the AFC East ... for now

Even though the franchise hasn't made much noise in the AFC East as of late, the Buffalo Bills will always be a strong presence in the division as long as they stick around. Ralph Wilson has owned this team for all fifty-three years of it's existence. It has become a staple of the Buffalo area and has built a loyal fan-base. That fan base will always remember the four straight Superbowls that the team appeared in. Most of all, however, they'll remember losing all four of them. Hopefully they get another chance at Superbowl glory, but they may only have seven years to do that, according to ProFootballTalk.

The Buffalo Bills have a new lease at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

That’s the good news. The better news is that, according to the Buffalo News, the 10-year contract contains a $400 million relocation penalty.

Now for the bad news. After seven years, the Bills have a one-time opportunity to leave, without penalty.

This clause is, obviously, aimed at allowing Ralph Wilson’s family to sell the team to the highest bidder, even if said bidder would be inclined to move the team to L.A.

So for at least seven years a relocation of the franchise would result in that ridiculously large penalty. But after those seven years, the 94-year-old Wilson and his family can put the legend of the Bills behind them. Personally, I'd like to see the Bills stay in Buffalo. It's always a sticky situation when a franchise leaves a fan-base hanging. The Bills have certainly been a victim of the New England Patriots dominance in the AFC East over the past decade or so, leading to a bunch of unsuccessful seasons. But anytime you're one of the original and founding franchises of the National Football League that demands respect, and I hope the Bills legacy is respected.