The Buffalo Bills might still be basking in the glow of their Mario Williams conquest, but another player of importance to the franchise is patiently waiting his turn.
Running back Fred Jackson is entering the final year of his contract with Buffalo, and is looking to be extended. Though his season was cut short by injury in Week 11, Jackson racked up 1,376 total yards and six touchdowns. Jackson is scheduled to make $1.95 million in the final season of a four-year deal he signed with Buffalo in 2009.
Jackson is a vital piece of the Bills' offensive attack, adding balance while serving as a trusted safety valve for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. On Tuesday, Bills general manager Buddy Nix discussed the status of talks.
"Fred and I have visited a couple of times," Nix said during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via the Bills' official site). "Fred has been vocal some about wanting a new deal and that kind of thing so finally I called him in and we talked twice. I told him we're going to offer you an extension. We had priorities with guys that were unrestricted that we didn't want to lose.
"I told him when we get through it we'll at least do it before training camp. That way there's no chance of him getting hurt. He'll be healthy and he'll have an extension before he goes to camp. We'll be as straight as we can with him."
Of course, the Bills and Jackson will have to agree on the terms of the extension. Jackson showed his full potential last season, but he recently turned 31 and is coming off a season that was cut short by a broken leg. It will be interesting to see how much an investment Buffalo is willing to make.
