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Alaina Getzenberg
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Payments continued a development of agreeing to extensions with their very own draft picks, signing defensive finish Greg Rousseau to a four-year extension Saturday.
The $80 million extension contains $54 million assured, sources instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
A 2021 first-round draft choose by the Payments, Rousseau was set to play on his fifth-year possibility. As a substitute, the deal retains him with the group via 2029.
“My coronary heart’s been right here … since 2021 and I did not actually wish to go anyplace else,” Rousseau stated in a information convention on Saturday. “So, I imply, we’ve got a variety of nice guys on our group, our protection, our D-line. We’re actual tight. I am simply excited to get again to dudes like Ed [Oliver], DaQuan Jones, AJ [Epenesa]. I imply, it is a blessing to be round guys like that. It is not like that in all places. So, I used to be simply able to get again.”
Rousseau, who turns 25 on April 5, joins large receiver Khalil Shakir and linebacker Terrel Bernard as Payments draft picks to conform to extensions with the group via 2029 previously two weeks. The go rusher stated that contract talks began earlier than the 2024 season after which have been picked again up after the season ended.
In his 4 seasons with the Payments, Rousseau has 25 sacks, 15 passes defensed and 66 quarterback hits. He recorded 53 pressures final season, fourth most within the NFL. He’s certainly one of seven gamers final season with a 25% run cease win price and a 15% go rush win price (minimal 400 go rushes).
“I assumed Greg did a pleasant job, had some good video games for us, nonetheless confirmed some ascension,” basic supervisor Brandon Beane stated on the NFL mix. “I do not assume he is essentially peaked out or something. I believe Greg must proceed to take one other step. We want to see Greg be a double-digit sack participant, and also you want, you bought to get that quarterback down. I do know he would need that too, however I assumed Greg was actually certainly one of our most constant D-linemen all yr and look ahead to him going into Yr 5. Hopefully, even taking one other step for us.”
Since becoming a member of the group in 2021, Rousseau leads the Payments in quarterback hits, sacks and batted passes (11). He’s coming off tying a profession excessive in sacks (8) and had a profession excessive in quarterback hits (24).
The Payments additionally signed lengthy snapper Reid Ferguson, who turns 31 on March 24, to a four-year extension on Saturday. The longest-tenured Invoice — he is performed common season video games for the group since 2017 — was set to develop into a free agent.
Different Payments eligible for extensions embody working again James Cook dinner and cornerback Christian Benford. The Payments are working to get beneath the wage cap by the beginning of the league yr Wednesday.
