NFL Notes: Steve Smith, Bills, & Chargers

Steve Smith

On Sunday, WR Steve Smith declined to give a timetable on his return at Lardarius Webb‘s charity softball game.

“I don’t know when I’m coming back,” he said via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “I just know I have to be able to do something in training camp to be able to play for the season. That’s just the way I operate.” Smith said. “I can’t go from doing absolutely nothing [and] sitting on my butt for all of training camp and then go out there and play.”

Smith didn’t run during the softball game, but he was able jog the bases.

Bills

• Joe Buscaglia expects the Bills to keep four running backs this year with the final spot likely coming down to a battle between Mike Gillislee and Jonathan Williams.
• However, Buscaglia isn’t optimistic about James Wilder Jr.’s chances of making the team.
• Buscaglia believes the Bills could get by with Jordan Mills as their starting right tackle if they had to.
• In regards to a sleeper player for the Bills, Buscaglia mentions that WR Dezmin Lewis should have a big opportunity in front of him this summer.
• If Lewis is unable to secure the Bills’ No. 3 receiver job, Buscaglia thinks veteran Greg Salas is the most likely candidate for the job, due to the fact that he has the trust of the coaching staff.

Chargers

• Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports that Chargers WR Keenan Allen can earn up to $49 million in his new contract with $2 million escalators for each of the last two seasons of the four-year deal.
• In 2019, Allen earns $2 million if he catches 90 passes and the team makes the playoffs or if he catches 100 passes and the team wins eight games in 2016, 2017, or 2018.
• Allen gets an additional $2 million in 2020 if he registers 90 catches and the playoffs or 80 catches and eight wins after unlocking the first escalator for 2019.
• Florio also confirms that Allen’s contract does have $21.656 million fully guaranteed, which includes the $1.656 million salary he was already due in 2016.