Giants Sign Defensive Lineman Leonard Williams To Three-Year Deal; $45 Million Guaranteed
After placing the franchise tag on defensive lineman Leonard Williams, the New York Giants have signed him to a three-year deal with $63 million and $45 million guaranteed. ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the story and further reports state that Williams will receive $22.5 million of his contract as a signing bonus which helps to reduce his salary cap number down to $11 million.
Giants and twice-franchised DL Leonard Williams reached agreement on a three-year, $63 million deal that includes $45 million fully guaranteed, sources tell ESPN. Agent Roosevelt Barnes and Brandon Parker, and NYG exec Kevin Abrams put finishing touches on massive deal today.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2021
If both parties failed to reach a deal, Williams’s cap number would have been closer to $20 million.
After seven years in the league, Williams had his most successful campaign by racking up 11.5 sacks. The former USC product was originally drafted by the Jets with the sixth pick in the 2015 draft. The Jets failed to get the best out him when he was on on their roster and so they traded him to the Giants in 2019, only to watch him become an even better player in less than two years.
Unfortunately this is a theme that’s all too common for Jets fans as they’re quite familiar with their drafted players reaching their potential shortly after they’ve left the organization.