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ason Gildon opted for the higher salary and coaching familiarity of the Buffalo Bills rather than signing as a free agent with the Green Bay Packers on Monday.
Though Gildon is a linebacker, the Packers wanted him as an outside rusher on passing downs — he has 77 career sacks.
But because of Gildon’s age — he turns 31 on July 31 — the Packers were willing to pay him only the NFL minimum of $760,000, whereas Buffalo outbid both the Packers and Cincinnati Bengals. Buffalo also appealed to Gildon because he and the Bills’ new coach, Mike Mularkey, worked together in Pittsburgh, where Gildon was a player the last 10 years and Mularkey an assistant coach the past eight.
Though Gildon is a linebacker, the Packers wanted him as an outside rusher on passing downs — he has 77 career sacks.
But because of Gildon’s age — he turns 31 on July 31 — the Packers were willing to pay him only the NFL minimum of $760,000, whereas Buffalo outbid both the Packers and Cincinnati Bengals. Buffalo also appealed to Gildon because he and the Bills’ new coach, Mike Mularkey, worked together in Pittsburgh, where Gildon was a player the last 10 years and Mularkey an assistant coach the past eight.
