Can Bills close Mario deal?
March 14, 2012 - 9:26 AM | 2 comments
The Buffalo Bills will have Mario Williams back at their One Bills Drive headquarters this morning aiming to close the deal on a blockbuster free-agent signing. Does Williams like Buffalo enough to sign without visiting another team? Or is he determined to see what else is out there, given that this his is one and only shot at unrestricted free agency while he's in the prime of his career? Williams was undergoing a physical exam this morning.
All indications are the Bills are making the necessary financial commitment to get Williams. Their challenge is to convince Williams that this is a great place for him to win and be comfortable. Williams had said before free agency he wasn't necessarily simply going to go to the highest bidder. The reality is, given the way NFL free agency usually works, if Williams leaves town without a deal the Bills' chances of landing him are greatly diminished.
Other teams rumored to be interested in Williams include Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Tennessee and Jacksonville. Chicago hosted Jacksonville pass rusher Jeremy Mincey on Tuesday, but Mincey opted to re-sign with the Jaguars. Mincey got $6.75 million a year, a lot for a guy with 13 sacks over the past two years but not outrageous in the realm of free agency. The deal probably doesn't keep Jacksonville out of the Williams running. Atlanta can offer Williams a proven chance to win, but the Falcons would be challenged to fit Williams in their salary structure. They let key defenders John Abraham and Curtis Lofton hit free agency because they were tight against the cap.
---Mark Gaughan