Mario Williams Rumors: Tracking the Latest Buzz on Free-Agent DE

Free-agent defensive end Mario Williams hit free agency yesterday and immediately visited with the Buffalo Bills. As of Wednesday morning, he was still in meetings with the Bills, he took a physical and he apparently has no other imminent travel plans. 

Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the Chicago Bears are not out of the running for Williams despite the fact that he hasn't yet left Buffalo. It's clear that the Bills will hope that Williams doesn't leave town without signing a contract, but as of now, he doesn't appear to be in any hurry to wrap the process up.

During a radio interview today, Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams said he was optimistic that the team would end up working a deal out with the star defensive end. Apparently, Mario seemed to like what he was hearing about the franchise in his meetings with the team.

While the Bills were hoping to sign wide receiver Robert Meachem and Williams, that plan was thwarted when the Chargers inked the wideout to a contract last night. Now that their master plan has been ruined, they are still willing to make Williams the NFL's highest-paid defensive player. 

In 82 career games, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 NFL draft has played in 82 career games, and in that time, he has racked up 53 sacks and has been to the Pro Bowl two times.

Buffalo has $23 million under the cap so they could certainly afford to dump a ton of cash out for the 6'6" and 283-pound defensive end. Adding the N.C. State product would give the Bills one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams would be almost impossible to stop.

Williams is coming off of a 2011 season in which he only played in five games, missing the rest thanks to a torn pectoral muscle.

As of now, it appears the Bills are in the driver's seat for Williams' services, and it isn't clear if he will visit any other teams.