Richie Incognito, Bills close to deal

— -- The Buffalo Bills are on the verge of signing controversial free-agent guard Richie Incognito, a source close to the situation told ESPN, confirming a Buffalo News report that a deal was imminent.

Incognito, who last played for the Miami Dolphins in 2013, will visit the Bills and take a physical Saturday, a source told ESPN.

The Bills are in need of an upgrade at guard, where starters Erik Pears and Kraig Urbik both struggled last season. Pears will become a free agent in March, while Urbik is under contract through 2016.

Guard Chris Williams, who signed a four-year, $13.5 million deal last offseason but missed 13 games with a lower back injury, told ESPN in December that he expects to be healthy enough to play at the beginning of next season.

Incognito, 31, is most infamous for the high-profile bullying scandal involving former Dolphins teammate Jonathan Martin. An NFL investigation revealed Incognito and two other Miami offensive linemen -- John Jerry and Mike Pouncey -- harassed Martin, who was later traded to the San Francisco 49ers.

Incognito was suspended for his final eight games with the Dolphins in 2013.

The NFL cleared Incognito last summer to resume all football-related activities. He had visits with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in August and Denver Broncos in November but remained out of football for the 2014 season.

In his introductory news conference last month, Bills coach Rex Ryan said that he would " build a bully" that opposing teams won't want to face.

The Bills are the first team to host Incognito this offseason.

ESPN.com Dolphins reporter James Walker contributed to this report.