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ESPN's Adam Caplan is reporting that the Buffalo Bills have signed free agent cornerback Corey Graham to a four-year, $16 million contract.
CB Corey Graham agreed to a 4yr, $16 m deal with the #Bills, source confirmed.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) March 12, 2014
Bills deal with Corey Graham worth $5.5M in 2014, with play time incentives starting at 65%, could make over $19M if he maxes it out
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 12, 2014
Graham, 28, is a Buffalo native that played collegiately at New Hampshire, and has been in the NFL since 2007, when Chicago made him a fifth-round pick. He spent the last two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, handling nickel duties and spot starts while accumulating 134 tackles, six interceptions and a forced fumble.
In his return home, Graham will compete for playing time in a cornerback group that saw Stephon Gilmore, Leodis McKelvin and Nickell Robey settle into the one, two and three slots last season, respectively. He'll likely leapfrog Robey immediately for the nickel job, given the size of his contract, and it's possible that he could compete for a starting job with McKelvin, as well.
Not only that, but in his last season with Chicago in 2011, Graham also made the Pro Bowl as a special teams player, where he continued to excel in Baltimore. Bills head coach Doug Marrone told reporters in late December that the team had interest in adding core special teams players, and Graham will almost certainly factor into that discussion, as well.
This news comes hours after the Bills announced the signing of new left guard Chris Williams, formerly of the St. Louis Rams, and as another free agent cornerback, Nolan Carroll, visited One Bills Drive today.