The Buffalo Bills announced before free agency officially began that they are bringing back defensive tackle Kyle Williams on a one-year deal.
Early Tuesday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced that the Buffalo Bills had signed former Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei to a five-year contract. This news quickly brought up Kyle Williams‘ future with the club, as many thought that the Bills first playoff game in 18 years would be Williams’ last game.
A short four hours later, those concerns quickly vanished about Williams. Bills fans found out who will be lining up next to Lotulelei in the 2018 season.
The news was that the heart and soul of the Buffalo Bills, Kyle Williams, would be returning for what looks to be his final season in Buffalo.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first broke the fantastic news early Tuesday afternoon that Williams and the Bills agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract, with $5 million guaranteed. The return of Williams benefits the Bills on and off the field.
The re-signing of Williams adds some much-needed strength to the defensive line. With players like Aldolphus Washington, and Cedric Thornton underperforming, Williams can fill the hole that Washington and Thornton couldn’t.
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This signing also adds a sense of patience for the Bills as it allows Brandon Beane to possibly hold off on drafting a defensive tackle, which is a position that the Bills would’ve likely addressed in the upcoming draft had they not re-signed Williams.
The Bills defensive line looks to be well-established now that it has a mixture of young players like Eddie Yarbrough, and veteran teachers like Lotulelei, Williams and Jerry Hughes.
This unit can now do some serious damage to opposing quarterbacks, as all four have a combined total of 90 sacks. Williams leads the front four with 43.5 sacks over his tenure with the Bills.
Going into his 13th and final season, things won’t be easy for Williams. He’ll go head-to-head against some of the most prolific quarterbacks in the league.
Buffalo will be on the road to face quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Deshaun Watson. At home, it doesn’t get any easier. Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers and the quarterback that eliminated Williams from his lone playoff game, Blake Bortles, will all come to Western New York in 2018.
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Williams, who turns 35 this June, will spend his 13th season with the Bills, and Bills fans could not be happier.