Bills secure top wide receiver Johnson for five years

BY NICK ST. DENIS

It was only a matter of time.

Stevie Johnson, the only Bills receiver to catch for over 1,000 yards in consecutive years, signed a brand new five-year deal with the Bills. The official announcement was made Monday.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Johnson's new contract is worth $36.25 million with $19.5 million guaranteed. Johnson will also reportedly receive over $24 million in the first three years.

"It’s a good day for us. Our football team got better," Bills general manager Buddy Nix told the media Monday. "One of our philosophies coming in was that we wanted to try to keep our good players here, draft good, develop them and then try to keep them and we were able to do that with Stevie Johnson. It goes without saying what he’s done in the past two years and I think it’s just going to get better."

The Bills front office and Johnson's camp made big strides during a meeting at the NFL Scouting Combine, and from then on, most expected the sides to work out a deal before Johnson hit free agency.

"I know where I wanted to be so it wouldn’t have made any sense to go see that this team wanted me or that team wanted me," Johnson said. "It doesn’t matter. What’s the point of looking at that if you know where you want to be and this is where I want to be."

The excitement of Bills fans grew late Sunday night when it was learned that the Bills would be holding a press conference the following morning, as anyone and everyone knew what it would be about.

Buffalo should now work on keeping running back Fred Jackson, who is under contract for one more season, together with Johnson and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who signed a big extension last season.

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