When the Buffalo Bills didn’t tender restricted free agent punter Colton Schmidt last week, some saw it as a sign that the team might move on from their punter after a down year. Instead, it looks like Schmidt signed an extension that pays him handsomely.
“Bills P Colton Schmidt signed a two-year deal that will include a $1.15 million cap number in 2017 and $1.45 million cap number in 2018,” reports ESPN’s Mike Rodak. “He received a $400,00 signing bonus and will have base salaries of $850,000 (2017) and $1.15 million (2018). He will receive roster bonuses of $6,250 per game active, up to $100,000 each season.”
The average salary of $1.3 million per season puts Schmidt 23rd among NFL punters. If Buffalo had tendered Schmidt as a restricted agent, he would have receiver $1.79 million. Obviously that’s more than they wanted to pay for one year.
In 2017, the veteran minimum for a player of Schmidt’s experience is $690,000. Between his $400,000 signing bonus and his $850,000 base salary, he’ll make $1.25 million plus $100,000 if he plays in all the games, just under twice that minimum figure in real dollars.