ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills have secured at least one half of their starting safety tandem after signing Aaron Williams to a four-year, $26 million contract extension Wednesday. A person with knowledge of the contract said Williams is guaranteed $14.625 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the terms were not released by the Bills. The extension locks up Williams through 2018, and comes at a time when the Bills risk losing three-time Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd, who is preparing to test free agency next week. "I told them I accept the role of leading this defence to where it used to be," Williams said. "Im just blessed that they gave me that opportunity, and they trusted me to be here long-term to get this team back to where it started." Williams, Buffalos second-round pick in the 2011 draft, was entering the final year of his contract. He was rewarded with the extension after successfully making the switch from cornerback to safety last season. In 14 games last year, Williams had a career-best 82 tackles and tied Byrd for the team lead with four interceptions. Overall, he has five interceptions and two forced fumbles in 34 career games. "Aaron is the type of young, core player we targeted early in the process to retain for years to come," general manager Doug Whaley said in a released statement. "We expect Aaron to continue to grow into a key contributor for the Bills organization." The question is whether Williams will continue to develop alongside Byrd. This week, the Bills decided against applying the franchise tag for a second consecutive year to retain Byrds rights, opening the door for the fifth-year player to test free agency on March 11. Williams is hoping the Bills can still reach a deal to re-sign Byrd, because the two established a solid on-field rapport last season. "If Jairus does come back, that would be the greatest thing ever, because our chemistry is unbelievable," Williams said. "If he doesnt come back, good luck to him. Were always going to be best friends. ... Well just have to move on and find another piece to try to replace his role." The Bills defence is undergoing another off-season change, with Jim Schwartz taking over as co-ordinator after Mike Pettine left to become the Cleveland Browns head coach. Schwartz has a similar aggressive defensive coaching philosophy, which is expected to ease the transition. "I feel real confident that nothing major is going to change," Williams said. "There might be a few things here and there, but I think team-wise, once we get all the pieces together we will be fine." The Bills also announced free-agent linebacker Jameel McClain had arrived in Buffalo to meet with team. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 245 pounds, McLain spent the past six seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before being released by the team last week. 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Nike Air Max Saldi .com) - American Madison Keys grabbed a first- round victory on Sunday in a rainy start to the Apia International Sydney tournament.DETROIT -- Gustav Nyquist is making the most of his opportunity to play a lot for the injury-depleted Detroit Red Wings. Nyquist had two goals and Jimmy Howard made 31 saves to help the Red Wings hold on to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Tuesday night. The 24-year-old Nyquist has 19 goals in 43 games after he had a total of four goals in 40 games spread out over the previous two seasons in the league. Entering the game against Toronto, he was tied with Bostons Jarome Iginla with an NHL-high 12 goals since Jan. 20. "I didnt know that," Nyquist said. "Im just playing with some good players and Im getting some good bounces." While Nyquist is being humble about his goal-scoring stretch, teammate Daniel Alfredsson raved about the fellow Swede. "Hes really pesky on the forecheck and hes making a lot of plays," Alfredsson said. "His speed gives him chances that other players dont get. The second goal was a perfect example." Early in the third period, Nyquist poked the puck off the boards to himself and charged up the ice early to flick a wrist shot from the right circle that beat James Reimers blocker. That goal seemed to set the Red Wings up for the victory, but they still had work to do. Jake Gardiner scored on a power play midway through the third to pull Toronto within a goal. The Maple Leafs appeared to tie the game less than two minutes later, but Nazem Kardris goal was waved off because he made a kicking motion to knock the puck in with the inside of his right skate. The Red Wings went ahead by two goals again with 2:33 left when Alfredssons wrist shot from the slot hit the back of the net on an odd-man rush that Gardiner lamented. "I thought we were going to come back at the end, but we made a mistake," Gardiner said. The Maple Leafs pulled Reimer to add an extra skater seconds later and James van Riemsdyk scored with 1:13 left, but couldnt get the puck past Howard again to extend the game past regulation. "Not a lot of space out on the ice," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said. Reimer stoppped 28 shots for the Maple Leafs.dddddddddddd Detroit is desperately trying to move up in the Eastern Conference standings to extend its post-season streak to 23 with a fraction of the team it expected to have this season. Toronto is the first of two wild-card teams in the East, and the Red Wings wouldnt make the playoffs is they started Wednesday. "A huge win for us," Nyquist said. "Also very important they didnt get a point too and we got two." The Red Wings lost forward Justin Abdelkader to a leg laceration in Sundays loss at Chicago, leading to the team calling up 22-year-old Landon Ferraro, son of former NHL player Ray Ferraro. "I was a little nervous at the beginning," Landon Ferraro acknowledged. Ferraro said it was "awesome" to have both his parents watch him play his first game for the Red Wings. "It was real nice for both of them to be able to get in and be here for this," he said before chatting with his father in the dressing room after the game. Abdelkaders injury also put 25-year-old defenceman Brendan Smith at forward for the first time since he was a teenager against Toronto. The banged-up team, which had won just two of their previous seven games, took another hit against the Maple Leafs. The Red Wings started the game with numerous forwards, including Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, due to injuries and lost defenceman Jonathan Ericsson because of a broken finger. "We get somebody hurt every day and they never come back," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "I guess hes out for a bit. I dont really know. A hand specialist is looking at him." NOTES: The Maple Leafs beat the Red Wings in their previous meeting, a 3-2 shootout on New Years Day in the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium, after losing the first matchup this season 5-4 in a shootout at home. ... Abdelkader is expected to be out for two weeks. ... Toronto, which closed its road trip 2-3, hosts Tampa Bay on Wednesday. ... Detroits next game is Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. ' ' '