MARCH 21: Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has released the full details of Williams’ contract (Twitter link). Williams will get $4.5MM in bonus money and a $4.5MM base salary in 2015, per Wilson. His base salaries in 2016 and 2017 will be $6MM and $6.3MM, respectively. He’ll also receive a $500,000 bonus on the fifth day of the league year in both ’16 and ’17.
MARCH 17: According to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the new year added to Williams’ contract is a “dummy” year for cap purposes and is voidable, so it was more of a restructuring than an extension by the Bills.
MARCH 11: Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams wasn’t scheduled to hit the open market until after the 2016 season, but that didn’t stop the team from working out a contract extension with him today. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Bills reached an agreement with Williams on a one-year, $10.5MM extension, ensuring that the standout defensive lineman remains under contract through the 2017 season.
While the club will still eventually need to work out a deal with its other star defensive tackle, Marcell Dareus, Williams’ new contract ensures that he, Mario Williams, and Jerry Hughes are all locked up through at least 2017. Hughes re-signed with the Bills earlier this week, agreeing to a five-year deal that keeps him under contract through 2019, and ensuring that one of the league’s most dangerous defensive lines remains intact.
Given the lack of urgency for a new deal for Williams, the Bills may have ulterior motives for working something out with the veteran defensive tackle. While we’ll have to wait for the specifics, the extension could help lower Williams’ $6.4MM cap hit for 2015, which would create additional flexibility for the team to pursue other players.
Buffalo is said to be making a push to sign pass catchers Charles Clay and Percy Harvin.