Richie Incognito Makes Right Move Re-Signing With Buffalo Bills

Faced with possibly losing their two top offensive linemen going into free agency, the Buffalo Bills had to act quickly and lock them up at least for the next season. After franchising left tackle Cordy Glenn last week, the Bills have now agreed to a three-year deal with left guard Richie Incognito that will pay him $15.75 million. The contract was a major win-win, and Incognito definitely made the right decision.

Coming into the 2015 NFL season, Incognito was a huge question mark. The embattled veteran had missed the past season and a half because of the infamous Miami Dolphins bullying scandal, and he was effectively blacklisted by the rest of the league — until Rex Ryan came along. Ryan had just gotten the job as the new coach of the Bills, and declared that he wanted to “build a bully.” So, adding Incognito seemed like a perfect idea.

Incognito got his second chance and proved that he belonged, performing as one of the top guards in the league and being selected to the Pro Bowl. Better yet, he cleaned up his act off the field.

That said, redemption story aside, Incognito’s contract situation was unclear. The team had given him a one-year deal that he obviously outperformed, but they were not willing to give him a major deal likely due to his past problems and his advanced age (32). However, Incognito was reportedly not willing to take a hometown discount, and it looked like he might have been on his way out.

Both the Bills and Incognito got what they wanted in the deal. Incognito will be eighth amongst guards in average earnings, which is a more than fair price to pay for his skillset, and it will also protect the team if he declines as he gets older. It also guaranteed that the Bills would have one of their best linemen back for another playoff run. For the team, this signing was a no-brainer.

After repeatedly screwing up during his first NFL stint, Incognito finally did something admirable. He re-signed with the team that believed in him when no others would, and gave Buffalo a team-friendly deal. The deal pays him what he deserves, and should improve his public perception as well.