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Pegulas, Trump and Toronto group submit binding bids for Buffalo Bills

Multiple bids were submitted Monday by prospective owners looking to purchase the Buffalo Bills from the estate of team founder Ralph Wilson. The Associated Press and Reporter Tim Graham of the Buffalo News are reporting bids were submitted by Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula, billionaire businessman Donald Trump and a Toronto group led by rocker Jon Bon Jovi.  Graham says he was told the Toronto group is "quietly confident" that it can pull of an upset. 

Graham says the target price higher than the one billion dollars the Cleveland Browns sold for two years is almost certainly to be met.  It's unclear if another group has entered the bidding process. 

One of the people involved in the Bills sale said an ownership candidate could be identified by as early as this week. 

US Senator Charles Schumer, appearing in Buffalo Monday, said he's been getting "good vibes" from everyone he has spoken to.

"I have now talked to a whole lot of the owners. I've talked to [NFL Commissioner] Roger Goodell, I've talked to Terry Pegula, as recently as this morning. And the message is clear, particularly to the league and to the owners, you've got to keep the Bills in Buffalo. It would be a major blow to the NFL if they left," Schumer said.

The Bills are up for sale following the death of founding owner Ralph Wilson in March. Forbes recently valued the team at $935 million.

Schumer wouldn't divulge details about his conversation with Pegula, but he did say he believes Pegula is "enthusiastic about both owner and keeping the Bills in Buffalo for generations."

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