The Buffalo Bills extended defensive end Greg Rousseau for what may have been an eye-opening number for a lot of fans. But Rousseau is an ascending player and only 25 entering the season.
Rousseau signed for $20 million per season and then Myles Garrett set the market at $40 million per season. That’s a pretty substantial difference.
We now have the full contract from Spotrac, and the Bills employ a signing bonus, option bonus, and void year to help push the cap hit into the future. Groot is locked onto the roster through at least 2027, it would appear.
How much guaranteed money did Greg Rousseau receive from the Bills?
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Starting with his $17.5 million signing bonus, Rousseau gets $49 million guaranteed at signing with another $5 million guaranteed for injury.
In addition to the signing bonus, his 2025 salary ($2.377 million), 2026 option bonus ($14 million), 2026 base salary ($4.92 million), and most of his 2027 salary ($10.2 million of $16.4 million) is guaranteed.
There is a $5 million injury guarantee on his 2027 salary that converts to a full guarantee at the start of the 2025 league year.
How are the Bills managing the cap with the Greg Rousseau extension?
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The Bills guaranteed money into year three of the deal, partly so Rousseau would be okay taking less money up front in a signing bonus. Buffalo then used a guaranteed roster bonus in year two coupled with a void year to spread out another huge chunk of his compensation.
His cap hit in 2025 drops from $13.3 million to $5.88 million.
In 2026, his cap hit is only $11.8 million. Then it jumps over $20 million in 2027 and beyond.
What incentives are in Greg Rousseau’s contract with the Bills?
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The Bills typically give out per-game active roster bonuses, and those are in the contract. Groot gets $20,000 per game up to $340,000 per season.
Likewise, they have a $250,000 workout bonus in every season beyond 2025.
There is a sack incentive in the contract as well to the tune of $1 million per season. We don’t know the number he needs to hit, though. For now, we can assume it’s more than he had in 2024 in order to make it a Not Likely To Be Earned incentive.
Full cap breakdown and contract numbers for the Greg Rousseau extension with the Buffalo Bills
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**2025**Signing bonus: $3.5 million
Base salary: $2.377 million (fully guaranteed)
Cap hit: $5.877 million
Yearly cash: $19.877 million
**2026**Signing bonus: $3.5 millionOption bonus: $2.8 millionWorkout bonus: $250,000Per-game active bonus: $20,000 (up to $340,000)
Base salary: $4.92 million (fully guaranteed)
Cap hit: $11.81 million
Yearly cash: $19.510 million
**2027**Signing bonus: $3.5 millionOption bonus: $2.8 millionWorkout bonus: $250,000Per-game active bonus: $20,000 (up to $340,000)
Base salary: $16.41 million ($10.2M fully guaranteed plus $5M injury guaranteed)
Cap hit: $23.3 million
Yearly cash: $17 million
**2028**Signing bonus: $3.5 millionOption bonus: $2.8 millionWorkout bonus: $250,000Per-game active bonus: $20,000 (up to $340,000)
Base salary: $17.41 million
Cap hit: $24.3 millionDead cap if cut: $15.4 million
Cap savings if cut: $8.9 million
Yearly cash: $18 million
**2029**Signing bonus: $3.5 millionOption bonus: $2.8 millionRoster bonus: $3 millionWorkout bonus: $250,000Per-game active bonus: $20,000 (up to $340,000)
Base salary: $14.41 million
Cap hit: $25.3 millionDead cap if cut: $9.1 million
Cap savings if cut: $16.2 million
Yearly cash: $19 million
**2030 - VOID YEAR**
Option bonus: $2.8 million
Cap hit if not on the roster: $2.8 million