Bills to sign Lotulelei; Williams set to return
BUFFALO, N.Y. » The Bills’ defensive front quickly took shape Tuesday, when Star Lotulelei agreed to sign with Buffalo, and Kyle Williams chose to return for a 13th season. A person familiar with the situation confirmed to The Associated Press that Lotulelei reached an agreement to sign a five-year contract with the Bills. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the signing won’t become official until the NFL’s business year opens on Wednesday. The agreement was first reported by ESPN.com. A few hours later, the Bills announced they agreed to a one-year deal to re-sign Williams, who was contemplating retirement for a second consecutive offseason.
The moves bulk up Buffalo’s defensive front by filling both tackle starting positions a day before the start of free agency.
Just as important, the Bills retain a steadying presence in their locker room in Williams after losing another key leader in center Eric Wood, who was diagnosed with a career- ending neck injury in January.
Williams was an unquestioned leader on a patchwork, rebuilding team that exceeded expectations with a 9-7 record and ended a 17- season playoff drought. The 34-year- old is so highly regarded, coach Sean McDermott would grow emotional in discussing what the player meant to the team.
“It’s hard not to gravitate toward a guy like that, because of who he is as a person more so than anything,” McDermott said of Williams in December. “How could you not like the way he plays and appreciate that, right?”
Williams returns to his familiar spot in the middle, which he’s held since the Bills selected in the fifthround of the 2006 draft. And he’ll be playing alongside the 28-year-old Lotulelei, who takes over after Buffalo traded Marcell Dareus to Jacksonville in October.
Lotulelei was a five-year starter with Carolina after being selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2013 draft out of Utah. The native of Tonga is listed at 6-foot-3 and 311 pounds, and fills an imme-