Tre’Davious White

Largest 2022 Cap Hits: Defense

After looking at this year’s top salary cap numbers on the offensive side of the ball, here is a rundown of the players counting the most toward their teams’ payrolls in 2022.

As could be expected, the salary figures here start below the quarterbacks. A few pass rushers, however, are tied to notable cap hits. Those numbers that check in within the top 20 leaguewide regardless of position. With the exception of true nose tackles and pure slot cornerbacks, every defensive position is represented here.

Here are the top cap figures on the defensive side for the ’22 season:

  1. T.J. Watt, OLB (Steelers): $31.12MM
  2. Chris Jones, DT (Chiefs): $29.42MM
  3. Joey Bosa, OLB (Chargers): $28.25MM
  4. Leonard Williams, DL (Giants): $27.3MM
  5. Aaron Donald, DT (Rams): $27MM
  6. Jalen Ramsey, CB (Rams): $23.2MM
  7. Deion Jones, LB (Falcons): $20.1MM
  8. Bud Dupree, OLB (Titans): $19.2MM
  9. Justin Simmons, S (Broncos): $18.85MM
  10. Javon Hargrave, DT (Eagles): $17.8MM
  11. C.J. Mosley, LB (Jets): $17.5MM
  12. Cameron Heyward, DL (Steelers): $17.42MM
  13. Robert Quinn, DE (Bears): $17.14MM
  14. Matt Judon, OLB (Patriots): $16.5MM
  15. DeForest Buckner, DT (Colts): $16MM
  16. Shaquill Griffin, CB (Jaguars): $16.44MM
  17. Tre’Davious White, CB (Bills): $16.4MM
  18. J.J. Watt, DL (Cardinals): $15.9MM
  19. Marcus Peters, CB (Ravens): $15.5MM
  20. Carl Lawson, DE (Jets): $15.33MM
  21. Eddie Jackson, S (Bears): $15.1MM
  22. Lavonte David, LB (Buccaneers): $14.79MM
  23. Budda Baker, S (Cardinals): $14.78MM
  24. Romeo Okwara, DE (Lions): $14.5MM
  25. Trey Hendrickson, DE (Bengals): $14.49MM
  • Illustrating how much the cap has climbed over the past several seasons, T.J. Watt is tied to a number nearly twice that of J.J. Watt, who has been tied to $16.7MM-per-year (a defender-record number in 2014) and $14MM-AAV deals as a pro. Trailing his older brother in Defensive Player of the Year honors, T.J. is signed to an edge defender-record $28MM-per-year accord.
  • Jones’ four-year Chiefs deal vaults from an $8.5MM cap number in 2021 to the league’s second-highest defensive figure this year. The standout defensive tackle’s cap hit accompanies Patrick Mahomes‘ $35.79MM number, which is well north of his 2021 figure, on Kansas City’s new-look payroll.
  • After two franchise tags, Williams scored a monster extension in 2021. The well-paid Giants D-lineman’s cap number this year is way up from his 2021 number ($9.4MM).
  • The Rams redid Donald’s contract last month, adding no new years to the through-2024 pact. The all-world defender’s cap hit actually decreases in 2023, dropping to $26MM
  • It is not certain Deion Jones will be back with the Falcons, who have jettisoned other Super Bowl LI cornerstones from the roster since the current regime took over in 2021. But they would save just $1MM were they to release the seventh-year linebacker.
  • To date, this represents the high-water mark for Mosley cap hits on his Jets deal, which at the time (2019) began a sea change for off-ball linebacker contracts. Mosley’s cap hit, on a pact that runs through 2024 because of the linebacker opting out of the 2020 season, increased by $10MM from 2021-22.
  • Hargrave is one of five Eagles pass rushers signed to veteran contracts. The ex-Steeler’s 2021 deal accompanies Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, and Fletcher Cox‘s new agreement on Philadelphia’s defensive front. As cap hits do not reflect average salaries, Hargrave is the only member of this quartet tied to an eight-figure cap number in 2022.
  • Quinn has also been connected to a departure, with the 31-year-old pass rusher skipping minicamp after it became known he would like to be traded away from the rebuilding team. His cap hit tops the Bears’ payroll. The Bears would save $12.9MM by trading Quinn, should another team sign up for taking on his full 2022 base salary.

AFC Rumors: White, Chaisson, Williams, Cannon

After tearing his ACL in late November last season, Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White is a candidate to begin the season on injured reserve, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. This differs slightly from earlier reports this year that White may be on track to start the 2022 NFL season healthy.

White was just halfway through the second year of his four-year, $69MM extension when he suffered the noncontact injury. His absence was a tough blow for the Bills who fell just short of their second-straight AFC Championship game appearance. With White on injured reserve for at least the first four weeks of the season, Buffalo will depend on rookie first-round pick Kaiir Elam. Elam will team up with returning corners Taron Johnson, Dane Jackson, and Siran Neal to anchor a strong Buffalo secondary until White’s return.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC, starting with a couple of rumors from Duval County:

  • Despite his lofty status as one of the Jaguars’ first-round picks from the last couple of years, defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson‘s roster spot is anything but guaranteed, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN. During his two years in Jacksonville, Chaisson has only started 11 games despite playing in all but two. In those two seasons of work, Chaisson only has 2.0 sacks, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 13 quarterback hits to his name. This leaves him in a precarious spot this offseason as he hopes to carve out his role on the Jaguars’ defensive line and prove his worth as the former No. 20 overall draft pick.
  • ESPN’s DiRocco also dove into Jacksonville’s cornerback room, positing that former Rams cornerback Darious Williams is expected to earn the starting spot at nickel for the Jaguars defense. With Tyson Campbell and Shaquill Griffin in place on the outside, Williams should have the inside track to start in the slot. Four-year Jaguars cornerback Tre Herndon has some experience on the inside, as well, and should provide some quality depth and competition for Williams, but Williams was brought in to play and will likely get the opportunity over Herndon to start the year.
  • Running back Trenton Cannon has bounced around a bit during his first four years in the league, spending time with the Jets, Panthers, Ravens, and 49ers. Cannon signed with the Titans in March and is expected to make the eventual 53-man roster due to his return abilities, according to ESPN’s Turron Davenport. On the running back depth chart for Tennessee, Cannon likely sits behind Derrick Henry, Dontrell Hilliard, and rookie Hassan Haskins, but he has extensive experience as a kick returner, serving as San Francisco’s primary return man down the stretch last season. With the Titans’ primary return man from last year, Chester Rogers, currently off the roster as a free agent, Cannon should be able to solidify a roster spot if he can prove his worth as a special teamer.

Bills’ Tre’Davious White On Track To Return In 2022

The loss of Tre’Davious White was a massive one for the Bills this season. In his absence, the team came within a play of a second straight AFC Championship game appearance, but there is encouraging news for the Pro Bowl cornerback. He is “on schedule” with regards to the recovery process from his torn ACL, writes Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News

White suffered the injury in November, ending his fifth career season prematurely. It was a crushing blow to the Bills’ defense, of course, but also for the former All-Pro, since many of his coverage statistics were career bests at the time. In 11 games, he ended up with 41 tackles, one forced fumble, six pass breakups and one interception.

That certainly wasn’t what White or the Bills were hoping for after agreeing on a four-year extension worth up to $70MM heading into the final season of his rookie contract. On the positive side, though, head coach Sean McDermott stated that White has undergone surgery and is recovering well so far.

It looks like, from what I’m hearing, both are on schedule”, he said, referring to White and defensive tackle Justin Zimmer. “I hate seeing them in that position, but their determination, their guts, their grit is on display every day, and it’s not an easy process, the pain they’re going through to get back”.

Assuming he is fully recovered by Week 1 next season, White will anchor a Bills defense which, if it stays intact, should keep Buffalo in position as a Super Bowl contender.

Bills’ Tre’Davious White Tears ACL

Tre’Davious White‘s early Thanksgiving exit turned out to be brutal news for the Bills. Buffalo’s top cover man suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Bills announced the MRI result Friday.

The two-time Pro Bowler had not missed a game this season and has only been absent for three throughout his five-year career. This will certainly sting a Bills defense that has rebounded to return to an elite level.

Signed to a monster extension last year, White is coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. While Buffalo has been one of the NFL’s best pass defenses throughout the Josh Allen era, White’s first lengthy absence will test the Super Bowl contenders’ capabilities.

The Bills beat the Saints’ low-wattage pass offense to improve to 7-4, but they will go through their two Patriots matchups, a Buccaneers tilt and obviously their playoff docket without their outside coverage ace.

White’s yards-per-completion (9.9) and yards-per-target (5.2) figures rated as career-best marks through 11 games. The 60.8 passer rating the fifth-year corner allowed while in coverage is way down from last season as well.

Buffalo has Levi Wallace and high-end slot corner Taron Johnson anchoring its cornerback corps, and Siran Neal has been with the team since 2018. A seventh-round pick last year, Dane Jackson ranks fourth on the Bills in corner snaps this season — with 86. This setback coming after the trade deadline limits the Bills’ replacement options, though the presence of veteran safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer will help the Bills pick up the pieces to some degree.

This Date In Transactions History: Bills Sign Tre’Davious White

On this date in 2017, the Bills inked cornerback Tre’Davious White to his first NFL contract. Per the terms of his slot, his four-year deal was worth $10.1MM, including a $5.48MM signing bonus.

Of course, the Bills were not initially set to for the backend of the first round. They originally held the No. 10 overall selection, but moved down after the Chiefs agreed to send the No. 27 pick, a third-round pick, and their 2018 first-round selection. With that No. 27 pick, the Bills selected White. And, at No. 10, the Chiefs took a quarterback named Patrick Mahomes.

That’s a factoid that will forever be attached to White. However, that’s not exactly fair to the LSU product. White immediately stepped into a primetime role after Stephon Gilmore‘s departure. The Bills had also moved on from slot specialist Nickell Robey-Coleman that year — White showed his skills and promise right off the bat.

After notching six interceptions in his first two seasons, White doubled his total with a stellar 2019. His six picks led the league that year, earning him Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. In 2020, the Bills happily re-upped White on a four-year, $69MM extension with $55MM guaranteed.

Consider this: White allowed just five touchdowns in his first three seasons and led all cornerbacks during that time with a 60.6 passer rating. Fans can keep talking about Mahomes if they want, but White is one heck of a consolation prize.

AFC East Notes: Douglas, Pats, White

Jets head coach Adam Gase may soon receive his walking papers, and though the leash for GM Joe Douglas will be a bit longer, Douglas is not without blame for the club’s struggles over his first 16 months or so on the job. In a piece that colorfully recounts all of Douglas’ missteps, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News includes an interesting nugget indicating that Douglas nixed an impending agreement for free agent DB Logan Ryan — whom Douglas reportedly coveted — because he was unhappy that the agreement was leaked to the media.

To be fair, other reporters wrote that Ryan’s asking price was the real obstacle to the deal, and Mehta himself has noted on more than one occasion that Douglas is operating under owner-imposed financial constraints, so it’s unclear what actually prevented Ryan from joining Gang Green. And obviously the Jets would still look just as directionless with Ryan as they do without, but when Douglas’ body of work is laid out in black-and-white, one can understand any skepticism Jets fans might feel about the GM’s abilities.

Now for more from the AFC East:

  • Doug Kyed of NESN.com believes the Patriots should try to trade for a top-flight wide receiver. His piece was published before QB Cam Newton threw the ball all over the place in the team’s narrow loss to the Seahawks in Week 2, but in New England’s Week 3 triumph over the Raiders, it was clear that Newton could use another receiving threat. After posting eight catches for 179 yards against Seattle, Julian Edelman caught just two passes for 23 yards against Las Vegas, and the Pats want to reduce Edelman’s snap count. Meanwhile, N’Keal Harry is still coming into his own, and Damiere Byrd is hardly irreplaceable. Kyed believes a player like the Bears’ Allen Robinson would be a great fit, and that New England should not be hesitant to give up 2021 draft capital.
  • Prior to the Patriots‘ win over Las Vegas, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com suggested that Sony Michel needed a big game to keep his job as New England’s RB1, and Michel delivered. He reeled off 117 yards on just nine carries, though he and J.J. Taylor both had 11 touches and Rex Burkhead had 13 (three of which ended in touchdowns). As usual, it looks like the Pats will take a committee approach to their backfield, and the committee will become even more crowded when Damien Harris returns from IR. Still, it’s encouraging for New England that Michel, who has not exactly lived up to his status as a former first-rounder, looked as good as he did.
  • The Bills signed cornerback Tre’Davious White to a massive extension shortly before the season started, a deal that temporarily positioned him as the highest-paid CB in the league in terms of AAV ($17.25MM). But as Jason Wolf of the Buffalo News writes, some league observers believe Buffalo came out ahead in that deal, as Jalen Ramsey signed a five-year, $105MM extension shortly after the ink dried on White’s contract. The NFL world knew that Ramsey’s deal was coming soon, so pundits like Joel Corry of CBS Sports believe White could have gotten himself at least $19MM per year if he had been more patient, and that the Bills were wise to strike when they did. Of course, with $55MM in guaranteed money coming his way, most people won’t be too sad for White.

Bills, Tre’Davious White Agree To $70MM Deal

The Bills and Tre’Davious White have struck agreement on a four-year contract extension, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The pact is worth $69MM and could potentially reach a round $70MM by way of Pro Bowl incentives. Most importantly, the deal includes $55MM in guaranteed cash for the star cornerback, though it’s not immediately clear if that’s fully guaranteed at signing.

[RELATED: Bills Release Andre Roberts, Trim Roster To 53]

The deal has been in the works for a while. Previously, White was set to earn $1.8MM in base pay this year before playing out his $10.2MM fifth-year option in 2021. As one of the league’s premier defenders, White was understandably anxious to lock in his payday. Last year, White led the NFL with six interceptions, giving him a dozen picks over the last three years in total.

White’s $17.25MM/year average positions him as the highest-paid cornerback in the league, edging out Byron Jones‘ $16.5MM average annual salary. It’s a big investment, but it’s well worth it for a truly elite cornerback who only just turned 25 in January.

Bills fans may never get over losing out on Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, but White is quite the consolation prize. The No. 27 overall pick has allowed only five touchdowns since entering the league and his 60.6 passer rating ranks as the second-highest of any player over the last three seasons, per Pro Football Focus. After briefly considering an opt out, White is ready to lead the charge for the Bills in 2020 – and beyond.

Bills’ Tre’Davious White Considering Opt Out

Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White is giving some thought to opting out of the 2020 season (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Kim Jones). The star of Buffalo’s secondary has until 4pm ET/3pm CT to submit his decision in writing.

Roughly 60 NFL players have opted out of the season so far, including notables like Patriots inside linebacker Dont’a Hightower and Chiefs guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. The Bills have already watched cornerback E.J. Gaines and defensive tackle Star Lotulelei opt out – losing White would be the most devastating of the bunch.

Arriving in the trade that gave the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, White has become one of the NFL’s premier defenders. The 2017 No. 27 overall selection picked off a league-high six passes last season, giving him a dozen interceptions through three seasons.

In April, the Bills picked up White’s fifth-year option, cuffing him through 2021 on a ~$10MM salary. If White backs out of playing this year, his low-cost 2020 salary will toll into 2021. Then, his $10MM salary will apply to 2022. Ultimately, it would be an expensive move for White, one that would delay extension talks and put him another year further from free agency.

When it comes time for White to negotiate his new deal, he’ll likely command something in the neighborhood of Byron Jones‘ $16.5MM average annual value. Right now, he’s got bigger fish to fry, and he only has a few hours to make his big decision.

Bills Pick Up Tre’Davious White’s Fifth-Year Option

Not exactly a shocker here, but the Bills have announced that they are picking up Tre’Davious White‘s fifth-year option, thereby locking in the All-Pro cornerback through the 2021 season. Field Yates of ESPN.com first reported that the club was going to exercise the option (Twitter link).

Arriving in the trade that gave the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, White has become one of the NFL’s premier defenders. The 2017 No. 27 overall pick has helped the Bills assemble one of the league’s best defenses. He picked off a league-high six passes last season and has 12 interceptions through three seasons.

This will be an affordable option for Buffalo. White’s 2021 salary will come in north of $10MM, but not much higher. That will represent strong value for the Bills. This decision also will allow the them to potentially table a White extension until 2021. They are negotiating with fellow 2017 draftees Dion Dawkins and Matt Milano, who do not have fifth-year options in their rookie deals.

A White extension would run much higher and will likely be impacted by where Jalen Ramsey takes the cornerback market on his inevitable Rams extension. Both Byron Jones and Darius Slay finally moved the cornerback salary ceiling past the $15MM-AAV place where it stood for nearly four years. Given White’s value to an emerging Bills team, it should be expected the 25-year-old defender will command a deal on Jones’ level ($16.5MM per year) or higher when the time comes for his payday.

East Notes: Giants, Eagles, Jones, Bills, Jets

Free agent offensive lineman Mike Remmers will not re-sign with the Giants before the market opens in two weeks, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Remmers started 14 games at right tackle for New York in 2019, but given that he’s entering his age-31 season, it shouldn’t be surprising if he’s forced to settle for another one-year deal in free agency. A former undrafted free agent, Remmers has spent two of the past three seasons playing under Pat Shurmur, leading Florio to speculate that Remmer could now be an option for the offensive line-needy Broncos, who recently brought Shurmur aboard as offensive coordinator.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • A number of teams have expressed early interest in Cowboys free agent cornerback Byron Jones, but Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network hears the Giants and Eagles could potentially engage in a bidding war for the veteran defensive back. The Broncos, Lions, and Raiders have also been mentioned as possible suitors for Jones, who is reaching free agency after five seasons in Dallas. Widely viewed as the best corner available, Jones could reset the CB market by topping $16MM+ in annual salary.
  • Just three seasons into his NFL career, the Bills’ Tre’Davious White has already positioned himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. “Obviously, Tre’s a guy we love and want back,” general manager Brandon Beane indicated on WGR 550 AM (link via Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News). “You do look and try and find what the value is. And it’s hard. It can sometimes be hard for agents, too, because they’re trying to look at what the market is today versus what’s it going to be in two years. Do they want to play it out? Do they want security now?” The Bills can control White through at least 2021 via the fifth-year option.
  • Free agent quarterback Trevor Siemian is now fully recovered after suffering a brutal ankle injury in Week 2, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Siemian became the Jets‘ starter after Sam Darnold was diagnosed with mono, but attempted only six passes before going down. Just 28 years old and with 25 NFL starts under his belt, Siemian could attract interest as a back-end No. 2 quarterback.