When the contract was signed on March 21, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that free agent defensive end Mark Anderson of the Buffalo Bills would be making $27.5 million over four years. That may not be the case, however, as a report from Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News has distinctly different numbers.
According to a league document obtained by Gaughan, Anderson's contract is actually worth $19.5 million over four years - a rather substantial discrepancy. Gaughan also notes that the only portion of Anderson's salary that is guaranteed is $7.9 million, which includes a $6 million signing bonus and his first-year salary of $1.9 million. He'll earn an additional $100,000 from a workout bonus. If the Bills wish to cut ties with him at any point after his initial season, they can do so and not owe him anything.
Anderson's base salary will be $2.5 million, $4 million and $5 million in respective subsequent years. The $4.875 million per year average will likely be much more palatable to Bills fans than the $6.875 million deal that was reported last week. Anderson earned just $1.37 million playing for the New England Patriots a year ago, when he recorded 10 sacks in a part-time role.