By LEO ROTH
Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Peerless Price didn't want to play second fiddle to Eric Moulds with the Buffalo Bills. Yet he doesn't seem to mind that role as Michael Vick's teammate with the Atlanta Falcons.

"It was an opportunity for me to go to a place I feel wanted me and gave me the opportunity to be a number one receiver," Price said after the Bills traded him to Atlanta Friday for a first-round draft pick.

"It's always great to play with a guy like Mike Vick. That's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You saw Mike Vick on (ESPN's) SportsCenter every day. Atlanta was a hot ticket last year and hopefully we'll be even better next year."

Although both sides were coy during negotiations this week, the Falcons unveiled a highlight video of both Price and Vick at their press conference Friday afternoon.

"I'm happy to announce our No. 1 draft choice early," said Falcons owner Arthur Blank.

In exchange for Price, the Bills landed the No. 23 overall pick in the April 26 college draft. Buffalo was without a first-round pick after trading their 2003 pick (No. 14 overall) to New England in last spring's Drew Bledsoe trade.

The trade is a dream come true for Price, who lives in Atlanta during the offseason and has a sister who coaches high school basketball in the city. He gets to hook up with the dynamic Vick and his seven-year contract includes a $10 million bonus and an estimated $35-40 million in total compensation.

Yet despite catching a career-high 94 passes last fall in Buffalo, he was considered expendable by the Bills. With talented, young receiver Josh Reed waiting in the wings, the Bills wanted to clear salary-cap room for more defensive help.

That's where Bills President Tom Donahoe pulled off some shrewd moves. Instead of allowing Price to become an unrestricted free agent, the Bills placed the franchise tag on him and offered a long-term deal. Price rejected an offer from Buffalo that would have paid him an average of about $3 million a season.

Rather than get nothing in return, the Bills shipped Price to Atlanta, clearing $5.01 million from Buffalo's salary cap and allowing the Bills to make lucrative offers later in the day to star defensive free agents Takeo Spikes of Cincinnati and Sam Adams of Oakland.

Despite claims by Donahoe that he was hoping to sign Price to a long-term deal, Ron Hill, the Falcons' VP for football operations, told reporters: "Donahoe called Arthur Blank two days before free agency started to initiate talks. They wanted a first-round pick and they ended up with a first-round pick. It's a win for us, a win for them and a win for Peerless."

Donahoe countered that Price and his agent never seemed very interested in getting a deal done with Buffalo.

"It's more obvious to me today than ever that Peerless was not coming back here," Donahoe said. "The biggest frustration we have with free agency is that you draft a player and develop a player and then he walks out of here and we have nothing to show for it. If we do a good job with this draft pick, at least we'll have something to show (for Peerless)."

The Bills feel the presence of Reed, just 22, will soften the blow of losing Price, 26. Considered a steal in the second round last year, the former LSU star caught 37 passes for 514 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie season with the Bills.

"We drafted Josh Reed last year and we didn't draft him to be a No. 3 receiver," Donahoe said. "We think he has more ability than that."

Reed told an area radio station: "I'm going to work hard ... those are some big shoes to fill but they brought me in here because they got the faith that I can do it. Now that Peerless isn't around, I've got to be extra ready."

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