The Buffalo Bills re-signed safety Jordan Poyer to a two-year contract extension, locking him in through the 2022 season. They gave him some upfront money and themselves some big cap flexibility going forward in a deal that works well for both sides.
Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle had the full “big picture” details first while Ian Rapoport from NFL Network had the rough outline. Over The Cap and Spotrac both filled in the rest of the info that was missing from Wilson’s tweet.
First, the changes to the old deal. Buffalo guaranteed Poyer’s existing 2020 salary and converted some of it to signing and roster bonuses. He was originally set to make $2.95 million in salary in 2020, but that’s been lowered to $1.525 million. Essentially, he’s getting it up front instead of during the season. His 2020 workout bonus was bumped up from $100,000 to $200,000 and they added a per-game active bonus of up to $400,000.
The fully guaranteed money comes in the form of a signing bonus ($3 million), a roster bonus a week from now ($4 million), and his 2020 salary ($1.525 million). That totals $8.525 million in fully guaranteed money. That’s all in the first year. Add in the injury-guaranteed 2021 salary for the $13.3 million in total guarantees.
There is $19.65 million in the two-year extension, and it’s spread out over three years. He gets $5.675 million more in 2020 between the bonuses and changes in salary. In the final two years, he gets 2021 salary ($6.275 million), 2022 salary ($5.6 million), 2022 roster bonus ($500,000), plus workout bonuses ($400,000). He has the potential for $1.2 million in per-game-active bonuses over the three years of the deal.
This deal is right in line with the projection we made earlier this offseason at $10 million per year. We thought it would be three years based on other extensions, but it was only two. Buffalo has really been going with shorter-term contracts this offseason as they prepare for life with a massive Josh Allen contract.
The way the deal is structured, Buffalo can move on from Poyer after each year with little dead money remaining. If he’s not injured, they won’t owe him anything in 2021 and his dead cap hit is only $2 million. A year later, it’s down to just $1 million. It gives them a lot of flexibility.
2020
Pro-rated signing bonus (old deal): $875,000
Pro-rated signing bonus (new deal): $1 million
Roster bonus: $4 million (guaranteed)
Workout bonus: $200,000
Base salary: $1.525 million (guaranteed)
Per-game active bonus: $400,000 ($25,000 per game)
Cap hit: $8 million
2021
Pro-rated signing bonus: $1 million
Workout bonus: $200,000
Base salary: $6.275 million ($4.775 million guaranteed for injury, fully guaranteed on 5th day of league year)
Per-game active bonus: $400,000 ($25,000 per game)*
Cap hit: $7.875 million
Dead cap: $2 million (if not injured and released before 5th day of league year)
Cap savings if cut: $5.875 million
2022
Pro-rated signing bonus: $1 million
Roster bonus: $500,000
Workout bonus: $200,000
Base salary: $5.6 million
Per-game active bonus: $400,000 ($25,000 per game)*
Cap hit: $7.7 million
Dead cap: $1 million
Cap savings if cut: $6.7 million ($6.2 million after roster bonus)
* Would be raised by $25,000 if/when NFL goes to 17-game season
Note: Rapoport reported it as a $20.5 million but we only have $19.65 million listed. There is likely a salary escalator or incentive built into the contract that hasn’t been reported out yet.