Richie Incognito to Bills: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Embattled offensive guard Richie Incognito has been given a new lease on life in the NFL, agreeing to a contract with the Buffalo Bills. 

Jeff Darlington of NFL.com broke news of the deal Saturday:   

Darlington reported that the deal was agreed to after Incognito took a physical on Saturday. The Bills would later confirm the news. Darlington also reported Incognito's thoughts on joining the Bills, saying "“I hung with Rex. He’s the man… The Pegulas (Bills ownership family) are awesome. I’m ready to roll.”

On Thursday, Ryan talked about the decision to sign Incognito, according the the Bills' official Twitter feed:

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Rex on Incognito: "We feel confident that this young man recognized he made mistakes, and he's learned from them." pic.twitter.com/r0J7TI2plw

— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) February 12, 2015"

ESPN's Mike Rodak reported that the deal is for one year, $2.25 million, while Pro Football Talk reported on Incognito's bonus money:

Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk broke down the full details of the contract:

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Incognito also got a $900,000 non-guaranteed base salary, roster bonuses of $21,875 for each game that he’s on the 46-man active roster (which would total $350,000 if he plays all 16 games), and playing-time incentives that begin if he takes 60 percent of the Bills’ offensive snaps and max at $800,000 if he plays 75 percent of the snaps in 2015. Incognito can also get a $100,000 workout bonus.

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On Monday, Bills owner Terry Pegula issued a statement on the signing, via ESPN's Mike Rodak:

The league cleared Incognito to resume playing in late August of last year, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, but other than a brief dalliance with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just after his reinstatement and the Denver Broncos in November, no one else gave Incognito a chance.

According to Darlington, the Bills have been interested in Incognito for quite some time:

Incognito was at the epicenter of the Miami Dolphins' bullying scandal involving the harassment of offensive tackle Jonathan Martin. That led to volatile public behavior on Twitter at various points during the saga, and escalated to the point that Incognito reportedly smashed his own Ferrari with a baseball bat, per TMZ.com.

He later explained his actions, which led many to question his behavior.

"Oh that was that was just me venting, that was self expression, that's a piece of art," he told Fox 10 News' Nicole Garcia. "The happiest day of my life was when I got that car and now the second happiest day will be when I donate it to charity."

The 31-year-old Incognito was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2012, but his involvement in bullying Martin cost him the past season-and-a-half. His absence was part of why Miami wasn't better able to protect young quarterback Ryan Tannehill nor establish a consistent running game.  

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Despite all the red flags from his past and the concerning behavior, Incognito brings a fierce tenacity to the gridiron.

That was evidently enough for Buffalo to take a risk on signing Incognito, which could be just the stability and structure he needs after a turbulent stage of his life. Then again, in order for the move to work out for both sides, Incognito will need to prove he has put his off-field issues behind him and is focused fully on being both the best player and teammate he can be. 

There is little question that Incognito can still start in the NFL and play at a high level given his physical skills and cumulative experience. But with the off-field incidents he's been involved in, how he impacts the Bills locker room and team chemistry will ultimately determine the direction his future goes in 2015 and beyond.