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Just last week, former Buffalo Bills teammates wide receiver John Brown and defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson were released on the same day by the Bills and now the pair look to be teammates again.
On Wednesday, the Las Vegas Raiders announced that they were signing Jefferson and NFL Insider Adam Caplan reported that Jefferson’s deal was a one-year contract worth $3.25 million, which a chance to make up to $4 million.
The Raiders have also reportedly agreed to a deal with Brown. Caplan reported that Brown’s deal was a 1-year contract worth $3.75 million with a chance to make $5.5 million.
The two were teammates for just a year in Buffalo and now they will spend at least the next year together. Given the lower salary cap this season, you could expect both players are just signing “prove it” deals in order to sign more lucrative contracts next year.
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Brown and Jefferson’s Roles Have Already Been Filled in Buffalo
Although they both played big roles last season for the Bills, the pair became cap casualties this offseason with the lower salary cap and their high cap hits. Between the pair, the Bills saved close to $14 million by releasing them and they’ve also found their replacements already.
With Star Lotulelei opting out of last season, the Bills found their replacement for Jefferson along the defensive line as The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn reported that Lotulelei was planning to return this year.
The former first-round pick out of Utah was a big piece of Buffalo’s line in 2019 when they made a run to the AFC playoffs. He only tallied 19 tackles all year long but he also tallied two sacks and an interception.
He was also a key piece of Buffalo’s line in 2018 and spent the first five years of his career in Carolina. With his return, the Bills will get much-needed help in stopping the run game this season.
The Bills also signed 34-year-old wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to a one-year deal with $6 million. Despite his age, the veteran wideout will give quarterback Josh Allen another dangerous target this season alongside Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, and Gabriel Davis.
In his only year in New Orleans last season, Sanders caught 61 passes for 726 yards and five touchdowns but has recorded over 10,000 receiving yards in his career and his three touchdowns short of 50 for his career. He’ll also be re-joining Beasley, who he played with at SMU in college.
Bills Could Still Be Adding Another Target
The Bills still might have a few moves left in them as well. Over the past few days they’ve been rumored to be involved in a trade for Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.
According to NFL Network National Insider Ian Rapoport, the Eagles gave Ertz permission to seek a trade and several teams became engaged in talks with the veteran tight end and former Super Bowl champion. When the Bills traded tight end Lee Smith to the Falcons for a 2022 seventh-round pick, Ertz even liked the tweet, which sparked social media to explode.
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