With less than two weeks before the free agency period begins, C.J. Spiller has dollar signs on the brain. Problem is, they're not the same dollar signs on the minds of the Buffalo Bills front office.
The 27-year-old and the organization are currently not seeing eye to eye when it comes to a fair contract extension, a situation made a little clearer by Jason Fitzgerald's breakdown of the free agent running backs this season, via the Sporting News. He has Spiller listed as a "Tier 2" back, a designation that includes a number of other talented ball carriers and carries an average yearly salary of $3.5 million per year.
Given his age and prior success, Spiller likely sees himself as a Tier 1 player (or somewhere between the two), a designation that garners a much higher paycheck.
According to teammate and fellow back Fred Jackson, Spiller's return to Buffalo is contingent upon the two sides finding a happy middle ground.
"I talked to C.J. I talked to him earlier today," Jackson said. "He definitely wants to be back in Buffalo. It’s just going to be about getting the job done and getting the numbers worked out. I know there are going to be other teams interested in him.
"He’s a tremendous athlete and a tremendous running back. We’d all be foolish to sit here and think other teams aren’t going to come after him."
