Bills Restructure Lotulelei's Contract, Open Up Cap Space

Buffalo and Lotulelei agree on terms to restructure the defensive tackle's contract

With many moving pieces, the Buffalo Bills know that defensive tackle Star Lotulelei will be on their roster for the 2020 season.

According to multiple reports, the Bills and Lotulelei agreed to alter the final three year's of his current five-year deal. The news was first reported by ESPN's Field Yates on Tuesday afternoon.

The Bills and starting DT Star Lotulelei have agreed to a restructured contract for the final three years of his deal.

For 2020, Lotulelei’s base salary drops by $1.75M, but becomes fully guaranteed, with $2.5M in injury guarantees for 2021 added. Some benefit for both sides.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 11, 2020

For the upcoming 2020 season, Lotulelei's base salary will drop by $1.75 million but will become fully guaranteed in 2021 with an additional $2.5 million in injury guarantees. He was originally supposed to receive $6.25 million this year.

Originally, Lotulelei signed a five-year contract with the Bills worth $50 million.

This ensures Lotulelei will be with the Bills next season, and creates even more cap space room for the team as they embark on the NFL free agency period. It has been reported that the Bills will already exceed $80 million in cap space this offseason.

 

Lotulelei joined the Bills in the 2018 season after spending five seasons with the Panthers. While there, Lotulelei played under Sean McDermott who served as defensive coordinator. 

In 2013, he was a first round pick, 14th overall, out of Utah.

This past season, Lotulelei played in all 17 games for the Bills. He recorded 21 total tackles and had two sacks in back-to-back weeks against Denver and Miami. He has 13.5 sacks for his career.

His shining moment with the Bills in 2019 was against Dallas when he picked off Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during Buffalo's 26-15 win on Thanksgiving Day.