Bills Land Mario Williams: Contract Reportedly Worth Up To $100 Million

For more news, analysis, and discussion on the Bills’ offseason maneuvers, head over to Buffalo Rumblings.

For more on the Bills, head over the SB Nation blog Battle Red Blog, and stay tuned their free agency StoryStream.

This contract makes the whole Mario Williams vs. Reggie Bush debate six years ago seem a little silly.

For more on Williams’ blockbuster deal with the Bills, check out Buffalo Rumblings.

I would be too if I were a quarterback.

↵

NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora can’t confirm but hears Williams will average $16 million per season and $50 million guaranteed. That would put the total value around $96 million.

For more on Williams’ blockbuster deal with the Bills, check out Buffalo Rumblings.

The Bills aren’t usually known for spending big bucks in free agency but they landed the big fish with this one.

For more on Williams’ blockbuster deal with the Bills, check out Buffalo Rumblings.

Buffalo was Williams’ first visit which shows you the importance of getting a guy into your facility before anyone else does in free agency. The Bills have had Williams in Buffalo for the last two days so it appears they’re completing the negotiations process and Williams will soon be a Bill.

For more on Williams potentially signing with the Bills, check out Buffalo Rumblings.

According to multiple reports, the two sides are nearing a deal. ESPN reports the Bills have met most of Williams’ conditions for a contract and the two sides are “close to a deal”.

Buffalo was Williams’ first free agent visit and he hasn’t left at this point. Sounds like it’s only a matter of time before the Bills are announcing a mega-deal for Williams.

For many, NFL free agency is a happy time. Fans celebrate as billionaires they have never met pump hundreds of millions of dollars into an American economy needing consumer spending (the spring free agency cash dump is particularly fortuitous for luxury cars, gated communities and start up record labels).

But what about those poor saps whose favorite NFL team is still looking for help?

Williams is obviously a major talent playing a premium position in his prime. The cards are all set for him to set an NFL record during this free agency period.

Williams’ decision, whether it’s Buffalo or another visit, should be coming soon.

They may end up signing him, but it sounds like Williams will be shopping around a little more. NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reports Williams, who arrived in Buffalo on Tuesday, will take his time with the visit.

He also has another visit scheduled. The identity of the team is unknown.

That would be enough to get him to stick around in Buffalo.

Williams is the No. 1 free agent on the market this year and it would be a major coup if Buffalo could sign him. They were intent on fixing the pass rush and GM Buddy Nix indicated earlier this week that Buffalo would make a big splash early in free agency and then start to bow out. Williams would certainly qualify as a big splash.

That the Bills would be interested, though, should not surprising. Williams has averaged about .65 sacks per game over the course of his six-year career, which translates to more than 10 sacks in a 16-game season. The Bills were tied for 27th in the NFL with just 29 sacks last season.

For more on Williams potentially signing with the Bills, check out Buffalo Rumblings.

For more free agency updates, head to SB Nation’s Bills site, Buffalo Rumblings.

For more free agency updates, head to SB Nation’s Bills site, Buffalo Rumblings.

His agent has since confirmed to Aaron Wilson of Scout.com that it’s a two-year contract.

Check out Buffalo Rumblings for the full details on Chandler’s deal.

For all news and information regarding the Buffalo Bills, please visit Buffalo Rumblings.

Johnson’s deal isn’t massive, but it should set the free agency market going forward. The deal for Johnson is front loaded, as to not strap the Bills against the salary cap in the later ends of the deals if Johnson’s play falls off. Johnson has led the Bills in receptions and receiving yards the past two seasons, notching back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons.

For all news and information regarding the Buffalo Bills, please visit Buffalo Rumblings.

A report on Sunday night said the two sides were close. The Bills wanted to keep Johnson, and he wanted to stay in Buffalo. Things like this usually work out when both sides want a deal done.

Johnson is one of the few playmakers on offense for the Bills. He has more than 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons and at age 25 he’s still young, which means more good years should be coming.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson may not receive a franchise tag after all, according to a report on Sunday evening. While the Bills and Johnson have been working on a long-term deal, the two sides had been far apart in negotiation, leading to speculation that the team may use its franchise tag on the wide receiver. However, a deal appears to be coming together, allowing the Bills to use their tag elsewhere if everything works out as planned.

The report comes from Adam Schefter.

If the Bills feel like they’re unlikely to work out a new contract, they would have until March 5 to apply the franchise tag to Johnson. Otherwise, the wideout will hit the open market on March 13. Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 SportsRadio reports that Bills’ general manager Buddy Nix isn’t ruling out using the franchise tag to retain Johnson, despite earlier reports that it was unlikely.

Nix mentioned that the team was going to need another wide receiver even if Johnson does return. If the Bills don’t come to an agreement or apply the tag, they’ll be looking for two wide receivers via the draft or free agency, which may prove daunting.

The report states that the Bills are unlikely to place the franchise tag on Johnson, which would pay him between $9.4 million and $9.8 million guaranteed for the season. Johnson has led the Bills in receiving the past two season, gaining over 1,000 yards receiving in back-to-back seasons. If the two sides cannot come to an agreement before NFL free agency begins on March 13, Johnson is expected to have plenty of suitors.

For all news and information regarding the Buffalo Bills, please visit Buffalo Rumblings.

Johnson broke out in his third season with the Buffalo Bills in 2010, catching 82 passes for 1,073 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Johnson repeated that performance in the 2011 season, hauling in 76 passes for 1,004 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Johnson was originally drafted by the Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft, but is looking to sign a long-term deal in Buffalo or somewhere else, if he hits free agency.

For all news and information regarding the Buffalo Bills, please visit Buffalo Rumblings.

Here is the complete list of Bills free agents, courtesy of Mac’s Football Blog.

For all news and information regarding the Buffalo Bills, please visit Buffalo Rumblings.