The Buffalo Bills have opened talks with cornerback Terrence McGee on a contract extension,

and they would like to try to get a deal done before the start of the regular season.

It may not be easy, however, because cornerback is one of the top-paid positions in the

NFL.

McGee is the most prominent tenured Bills player scheduled to become a free agent after

this season. With the signing of first-round draft pick Aaron Maybin, the Bills have turned

their negotiating attention to locking up one of their defensive cornerstones.

McGee, a seventh-year veteran who turns 29 in October, would like to stay with the Bills.

"All things being equal, I'd love to stay here," McGee said after Wednesday's practice.

"This is where I've been my entire career. I'd love to stay here as long as the business is

right."

Cornerback ranks second only to quarterback on the NFL pay scale. The going rate for a

proven starter on the open market is $7 million to $8 million a year and up.

McGee has started for the Bills the last five seasons. He has 16 career interceptions and

has averaged 84 tackles a season as a starter. McGee has held up well in drawing the

assignment against No.1 receivers the last two seasons. McGee made the Pro Bowl as a kickoff

return man in 2005, although he relinquished the kickoff return duty to fellow cornerback

Leodis McKelvin last season.

"I've been here," McGee said. "I'm accustomed to everything. I like the organization. I

haven't been anywhere else. This is all I know. This is where I'd like to stay."

However, McGee knows that cornerbacks have struck it big in free agency in recent years,

and his next contract will be the last one he signs in the prime of his career.

"This would be the best opportunity as far as a contract that I will get in my career,"

McGee said. "This would be it. So we'll see."

Several contract extensions over the past year have raised the market value of cornerbacks.

The New York Giants' Corey Webster last December signed a five-year, $43.5 million deal

with $20 million guaranteed. In March, Indianapolis' Kelvin Hayden signed a five-year, $43

million deal with $22 million in guarantees. That's $8.5 million-plus per year for each.

Minnesota's Antoine Winfield, who at 32 is a little more than three years older than McGee,

recently signed a deal worth $7.2 million a year.

McGee has seven interceptions and 44 passes defended the past two years. Over the same

span, Webster has four INTs and 44 passes defended. Hayden has six INTs and 28 passes

defended. Webster is 27, Hayden 26. McGee surpasses both as a tackler, as well.

The Bills have let three starting cornerbacks leave via free agency in the past five years.

They were Winfield, Nate Clements and Jabari Greer.

Indications are they would rather not let another one go and have to restock at the

position again. The replacement cost in free agency for even modestly credentialed cornerbacks

is high.

Greer, the No.2 to McGee the last two seasons, signed with New Orleans for four years and

$5.75 million a year. Greer, 27, had 16 and 10 starts with a combined four INTs the past two

seasons. St. Louis signed Ron Bartell, a 27-year-old two-year starter, for $7 million a year

in March.

Clements signed a monster, $10 million-a-year deal when he left Buffalo in 2007, although

there is money at the end of that contract he may not see.

The Bills currently stand $10.6 million under the NFL salary cap. So they have room to

strike a deal. However, under salary cap rules it will be much easier for them to structure

the deal if they get it done before the season opens Sept. 14 at New England. The 2009 season

currently is the last one with a salary cap, unless an extension of the collective bargaining

agreement with the players union is struck. Cap rules governing the final capped season would

restrict how the Bills could structure the deal if it occurs after the opener.

Terrell Owens' contract also runs out after the season, but he signed only a one-year deal

with the Bills. Other veterans whose deals will run out after 2009 include Josh Reed, Ryan

Denney and Ashton Youboty.