Bills To Re-Sign WR Isaiah McKenzie
When the Bills assessed their restricted free agent situation, Isaiah McKenzie did not receive a tender offer. But the wide receiver/return man will stay in Buffalo nonetheless.
McKenzie agreed to re-sign with the Bills, according to his agents (on Twitter). He has been with the Bills since they claimed him on waivers in 2018. This deal will certainly be less than the original-round tender price ($2.13MM).
A former Broncos fifth-round pick, McKenzie could not stick in Denver due to fumbling issues. But he established himself as a role player in Buffalo. The 5-foot-8 wideout caught 27 passes for a career-high 254 yards and a touchdown last season. He will attempt to play a role in a receiving corps that now includes Stefon Diggs.
Having signed Andre Roberts, the Bills did not use McKenzie as much in the return game last season. McKenzie, 24, served as the Bills’ primary return man down the stretch in 2018. Roberts is under contract for 2020, but the Bills are bringing McKenzie back regardless.
Bills Submitted Melvin Gordon Offer?
- The Bills may or may not have expressed interest in Melvin Gordon. While 9News’ Mike Klis tweets that the Bills submitted an offer better than the Broncos’ two-year, $16MM proposal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicated Buffalo did not do so (Twitter link). Regardless of whether an offer emerged, Schefter adds (via Twitter) Gordon’s agent did contact the Bills about a deal. The Bills are all set to go with Devin Singletary again; Frank Gore is a free agent.
Contract Details: JPP, Boston, Waynes
A new batch of contract details to pass along, all via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter):
- LB Jason Pierre-Paul, Buccaneers: two year extension. $25MM, including $20MM guaranteed. Salaries: $6.5MM, guaranteed (2020), $12.5MM, with $7.5MM guaranteed for injury (2021).
- S Tre Boston, Panthers: three years, $18MM. $8MM signing bonus. Salaries: $1.16MM (2020), $2.25MM (2021), $3.69MM (2022). $1MM third day 2020 roster bonus, $1MM third day 2022 roster bonus.
- CB Trae Waynes, Bengals: three years, $42MM. $15MM signing bonus. Salaries: $5MM (2020), $8.4MM (2021), $10.4MM (2022).
- DT Linval Joseph, Chargers: two years, $17MM. $8MM signing bonus. Salaries: $1.5MM (2020), $5.5MM (2021). $1MM annual playtime, sacks, Pro Bowl incentive.
- OL Wes Schweitzer, Redskins: three years, $13.5MM. $4MM guaranteed, $3MM signing bonus. Salaries: $1MM guaranteed (2020), $3.49MM (2021), $4.49MM (2022).
- LB A.J. Klein, Bills: three years, $18MM. $9.7MM guaranteed, $1.2MM signing bonus. Salaries: $2.2MM guaranteed (2020), $4.1MM, with $3.2MM guaranteed (2021), $4.2MM (2022).
- OL Tyler Shatley, Jaguars: signed. One-year, $1.511MM deal with $600K guaranteed. $1.375MM salary for 2020.
Bills Sign RB Taiwan Jones
Taiwan Jones is joining the Bills for his second stint with the organization. The veteran running back is signing a one-year deal with the Bills, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).
Jones has been kicking around the NFL since 2011, spending time with the Raiders, Bills, and (most recently) the Texans. He’s appeared in 91 career games.
While Jones primarily served as a return man during his first stint in Buffalo (2017 through 2018), he played a “bigger” offensive role with the Texans in 2019. He ultimately finished the campaign with 40 rushing yards on nine attempts, and he added a single reception for nine yards.
Of course, as Bills fans know, Jones also had a clutch catch in the Bills and Texans’ double overtime playoff game. The 34-yard reception set up Houston for the game-winning field goal.
Contract Details: Bridgewater, Panthers, Vaitai, Lions, Byrd, Patriots, Brees, Saints
The latest notes on all of the contracts being handed out around the league:
- QB Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers: signed. Bridgewater got a three-year deal worth $63MM and a whopping $40MM of that is guaranteed in the first two years, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. He got a $15MM signing bonus to take over for the start of the Matt Rhule era. Newton’s post has the full breakdown on how it’ll be paid out with various workout and roster bonuses.
- OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Lions: signed. Vaitai’s five-year, $50MM contract includes $20MM guaranteed which will come in the first two years of the deal, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM NFL Radio tweets. Detroit can get out of the pact after that.
- WR Damiere Byrd, Patriots: signed. Byrd’s one-year deal can be worth up to $2.5MM, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes in a tweet.
- QB Drew Brees, Saints: re-signed. Brees’ two-year, $50MM new deal with New Orleans includes a signing bonus of $23MM and a small base salary of only $2MM in year one, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. That structure as well as two voidable years added on for 2022-2023 help keep his 2020 cap hit very low so the Saints can spend more as they gear up for one more Super Bowl with Brees under center.
- LB Sean Lee, Cowboys: re-signed. Lee is back for one more ride on a one-year, $4.5MM deal with $2MM guaranteed. He actually could earn up to $6.5MM if he hits some playing time incentives, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, although he writes they’re “not-likely-to-be-earned.”
- S Darian Thompson, Cowboys: re-signed. Thompson is getting a two-year deal worth $2.5MM, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. He’s getting a $200K signing bonus and can earn an extra $250K with playing time escalators.
- WR Cody Core, Giants: re-signed. New York locked up the special teams ace who barely plays on offense, and he got paid handsomely. Core will be getting $4MM over a two-year deal, Wilson tweets. Only $1MM of it is guaranteed however.
- S Jordan Poyer, Bills: extension. The full details are in on Poyer’s new pact. Poyer had two new years added on and will now make $22.7MM over the next three years with $13MM of that being guaranteed, Wilson tweets. He also got a $3MM signing bonus. In a separate tweet, Wilson notes that Poyer has an annual $500K interception incentive he can earn.
Contract Details: Nassib, Alonso, Jefferson
Some more contract details from around the league:
- DE Carl Nassib, Raiders: signed. Three-year, $25MM deal with $17MM guaranteed, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The deal has a max value of $28MM.
- LB Kiko Alonso, Saints: restructured contract. Base salary reduced from $6.4MM to $1.7MM, $4.7MM available in incentives. Already has $1.45MM roster bonus, meaning he can still hit his previous $7.85MM total via playing-time bonuses. All notes via ESPN’s Mike Triplett on Twitter.
- DE Quinton Jefferson, Bills: two-year deal. Contract worth $13.5MM total, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano on Twitter.
- FB Derek Watt, Steelers: signed. Three-year deal worth $9.75MM, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor on Twitter.
- LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, Dolphins: one-year deal. Contract worth $3MM, including $2MM signing bonus, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on Twitter. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that there’s up to $500K in playing time incentives.
Bills Sign DT Vernon Butler
Buffalo’s been busy, and they’ve just added another defensive lineman. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Bills have signed defensive tackle Vernon Butler.
It’s a two-year deal worth around $16MM, including $9.3MM guaranteed. The deal can be worth up to $18MM via incentives.
The 2016 first-round pick spent his first four years in the NFL with the Panthers, although the organization declined his fifth-year option for 2020. Butler served as mostly a rotational defensive lineman during the first three seasons of his career. In 2019, he started a career-high nine games, finishing with 32 tackles, six sacks, and three forced fumbles.
The Bills have seemingly focused on revamping their defensive line this offseason. The team has already signed both defensive end Quinton Jefferson and defensive end Mario Addison.
Bills Expected To Sign DE Quinton Jefferson
Quinton Jefferson is heading up to Buffalo. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the defensive end is signing with the Bills. It’s a two-year deal for the 26-year-old.
We learned yesterday that the Seahawks were hoping to retain the lineman. However, Jefferson’s market was described as steady, so it’s not a total shock to see him move on. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports (via Twitter) that the Broncos made an offer yesterday but ultimately moved on.
The 2016 fifth-round pick joined Seattle during the 2017 season, and he quickly evolved into one of the team’s top pass rushers. Jefferson has started 12 games in each of the past two seasons, combining for 51 tackles and 6.5 sacks through those two years.
The Bills have been active in revamping their defensive line. Earlier today, they agreed to a three-year deal with defensive end Mario Addison. The two new additions should partly help to soften the blow after the Bills lost Shaq Lawson to the Dolphins.
Broncos Interested In Kevin Johnson
The Broncos are targetting free agent slot cornerbacks in free agency with a particular focus on Kevin Johnson, according to Mike Klis of 9News. Denver has remained quiet on the defensive side of the ball thus far in free agency.
Johnson was a key part of the Bills strong defense this past season. Serving as the team’s slot corner, Johnson graded as the 23rd best corner (out of 113 qualified players), per Pro Football Focus, last season. Johnson previously played with the Texans from 2015-18.
Denver’s top cornerback, Chris Harris, remains a free agent himself. It will be worth watching whether Johnson is viewed as a fallback to failing to retain Harris or if the organization views Johnson (or another corner) as an upgrade.
Bills, S Jordan Poyer Agree To Extension
Jordan Poyer delivered for the Bills on a lower-middle-class (for the NFL) contract over the past three years, and the team will reward him. The Bills and the veteran safety agreed on an extension Tuesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.
The new deal will pay him $20.5MM over two years, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) hears. That’ll take him through the 2022 season, meaning that both he and safety mate Micah Hyde are each signed beyond this coming season.
Poyer, 29 in April, turned in a career-high 107 tackles last year. His stop totals have been trending up ever since he joined the Bills in 2017. All in all, he’s made 302 tackles for the Bills across the last three seasons, serving mostly as a part-timer.
In bigger news out of Buffalo, the Bills swung a blockbuster deal to acquire Stefon Diggs from the Vikings earlier this week. On the other side of the ball, they landed former Panthers defensive end Mario Addison on a three-year deal.