The Nyheim Hines situation in Buffalo has gotten ugly.
On Monday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Hines will miss the entire 2023 season after suffering a knee injury while riding on a jet ski.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Hines and the Bills are in a disagreement over money following his season-ending injury. As Florio notes, the Bills don’t have to pay Hines his $2.65 million salary since his injury was non-football related.
“Things get sticky on the question of whether and to what extent Hines owes money back to the Bills.
Earlier this year, Hines signed a revised contract that replaced the deal he signed with the Colts in 2021. The two-year, $9 million deal included a $1 million signing bonus, a $100,000 workout bonus for 2023, a base salary of $2.56 million for 2023, and $340,000 in per-game roster bonuses.
Hines has received $600,000 of his signing bonus. The Bills, per multiple sources, have proposed withholding the $400,000 installment due later this year, along with the $100,000 workout bonus that Hines earned in the offseason. That would represent reimbursement of half of the signing bonus covering the two-year contract.
The Bills also are willing to pay Hines $289,000 in 2023, which matches the highest amount that can be paid to a practice-squad player…
Hines remains under contract through 2024. How the Bills ultimately treat Hines now will surely influence his mindset and attitude next year, and it could impact the way other players feel about the organization. The Bills surely realize this. What they ultimately do about it remains to be seen.”
Ahead of last year’s trade deadline, the Bills acquired the veteran running back from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for fellow RB Zack Moss and a 2023 sixth-round draft pick. Hines subsequently agreed to a new two-year deal worth $9 million.
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Hines won over the hearts of Bills fans in their Week 18 home game against the New England Patriots last season. He opened the game with a 96-yard kickoff return touchdown before tacking on a 101-yard kick return TD in the third quarter.
The Bills went on to win 35-23 which eliminated their longtime AFC East rivals and bullies from playoff contention. Those scores also marked the first two kick return touchdowns of Hines’ career.
As a runner, Hines has 1,202 career rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. As a receiver, he has 240 receptions for 1,778 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. His best season came with the Colts in 2020, where Hines recorded 862 yards of offense and seven total touchdowns.
