The Buffalo Payments got here flying off the highest rope Friday with an offseason roster transfer nobody noticed coming.
Gable Steveson is signing with the Payments, his agent, Carter Chow, advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Steveson, who turned 24 on Friday, is an Olympic gold medalist and some of the achieved wrestlers in NCAA historical past. In line with Schefter, Steveson is signing an ordinary rookie three-year contract with Buffalo and is anticipated to play line of defense as he begins his NFL journey.
That is one thing solely new for Steveson, who just lately was launched from his contract with WWE. As Schefter defined Friday, Steveson had by no means worn a pair of soccer cleats till a latest exercise with the Payments.
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“I’ve been lucky to compete on the highest degree of competitors in my sport however am wanting ahead to the problem of seeing how my wrestling expertise might translate to soccer,” Steveson mentioned, per Schefter. “I’m grateful to Coach (Sean) McDermott, (common supervisor) Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Payments group for giving me this chance.”
Steveson signed with WWE in 2021. Though he was uncooked, representing a long-term challenge for the corporate, the sky gave the impression to be the restrict given his apparent athleticism. He even appeared at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022.
However Steveson by no means developed as anticipated contained in the squared circle and he’ll now take his abilities to the gridiron, the place the Payments may carry him as a member of their follow squad in 2024 if the subsequent few months go nicely.
Chow advised Schefter that Buffalo wasn’t the one NFL crew to precise curiosity in Gable, who received gold on the 2020 Summer season Olympics in Tokyo, however the Indiana native in the end selected the Payments, a crew coming off 4 straight AFC East titles.
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Buffalo is favored to take house the divisional crown once more this season, with +160 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Friday afternoon. The event of Steveson doubtless received’t make or break the Payments’ marketing campaign as they compete with the Miami Dolphins (+185), New York Jets (+210) and New England Patriots (+2400) for AFC East supremacy, however he nonetheless may evolve into a pleasant chess piece on the defensive aspect if his expertise translate to soccer.
Steveson is listed at 6-foot-1, 275 kilos.
