When the Buffalo Bills and Tre’Davious White agreed on a massive extension, it made White the highest-paid cornerback in the league only to have that number eclipsed a few days later. Still, White is going to get a lot of money over the next several years and the Bills are still getting a great deal.
Like Dion Dawkins, the Bills used a 2021 fully guaranteed option bonus to spread out the cap hit of the new deal over the course of six years and not overload the 2021 cap, which is supposed to be artificially lowered due to COVID-19. They also didn’t include any workout, playing time, or Pro Bowl bonuses until 2022.
The largest cap hit for White will come in 2022 when he’s at $14.6 million (plus playing time), but it goes down after that to hover around $14 million for the life of the contract. It’s a great cap management strategy for the Bills and White should stay pretty happy with the deal as it continues.
Only $36.7 million is fully guaranteed (including a $10.5 million signing bonus) with more being guaranteed for injury. Roster bonuses and guaranteed salary triggers make sure the Bills make decisions early in the offseason, too, giving him plenty of time to latch on elsewhere if he somehow is not in the team’s plans.
Here’s the breakdown:
2020
Old signing bonus: $1,369,748
New signing bonus: $2.1 million
Old salary: $1.841 million
New salary: $6.409 million
Cap hit: $11,719,748
2021
Signing bonus: $2.1 million (pro-rated portion)
Option bonus: $1.5 million (pro-rated portion)
Salary: $10.45 million (fully guaranteed)
Cap hit: $14.05 million
2022
Signing bonus: $2.1 million (pro-rated portion)
Option bonus: $1.5 million (pro-rated portion)
Roster bonus: $500,000
Workout incentive $300,000
Playing time incentives: $250,000 ($15,625 per game)
Salary: $9.95 million (injury guaranteed, fully guarantees on 5th day of league year)
Pro Bowl incentive: $250,000
Cap hit: $14.35 million to $14.85 million
2023
Signing bonus: $2.1 million (pro-rated portion)
Option bonus: $1.5 million (pro-rated portion)
Roster bonus: $1 million
Workout incentive $300,000
Playing time incentives: $250,000 ($15,625 per game)
Salary: $8.6 million (injury guaranteed, fully guarantees on 5th day of league year)
Pro Bowl incentive: $250,000
Cap hit: $13.5 million to $14 million
Dead cap: $8.7 million
Cap savings if cut: ~$5 million
2024
Signing bonus: $2.1 million (pro-rated portion)
Option bonus: $1.5 million (pro-rated portion)
Roster bonus: $1.5 million
Workout incentive $300,000
Playing time incentives: $250,000 ($15,625 per game)
Salary: $8.35 million
Pro Bowl incentive: $250,000
Cap hit: $13.75 million to $14.25 million
Dead cap: $5.1 million
Cap savings if cut: ~$9 million
2025
Option bonus: $1.5 million (pro-rated portion)
Roster bonus: $1.5 million
Workout incentive $300,000
Playing time incentives: $250,000 ($15,625 per game)
Salary: $10,485,093
Pro Bowl incentive: $250,000
Cap hit: $13.785 million to $14.285 million
Dead cap: $1.5 million
Cap savings if cut: ~$12.75 million