The theme of the Buffalo Bills 2021 offseason for general manager Brandon Beane was keep the band together. He was quite successful with that plan, re-signing all three of the Bills' key free agents in linebacker Matt Milano, guard Jon Feliciano and right tackle Daryl Williams.
But there was one big contract question left for the NFL Executive of the Year in 2020: Would he be able to reach a long-term contract extension with quarterback Josh Allen? The 25-year-old had cemented himself as the team's franchise quarterback following his historic 2020 season in Orchard Park.
We got our answer last Friday, as Beane and company hammered out the largest contract in Bills history, signing Allen to a six-year contract extension worth up to $258 million.
Everybody is happy - Allen has been given generational wealth, Beane has cost certainty for the next eight years at the most expensive and critical position on the field.
I’m happy too, because Allen can now concentrate on the season - a season filled with sky-high expectations.
If the extension wasn’t completed before the season began, I don’t think it would have negatively impacted Allen’s performance, but I think it was better for both parties to get this done and out of the way, as opposed to getting back at it after the season. I guess there would have been a chance Allen would be concerned about contract talks if he was struggling, or perhaps would be worried about an injury before getting the pay day of his lifetime.
Now he can just go out and play and focus on trying to get the Bills their first ever Super Bowl championship.
I was optimistic a deal would be struck even before Beane recently said on WGR that talks would probably be shut down if they couldn’t reach a deal by the opening weekend of the season. You pretty much knew the average annual value of Allen’s deal was going to end up between Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott ($40 million) and Kansas City Chiefs signal caller Patrick Mahomes ($45 million).
The key to the contract was its structure and how to put together terms that would make Allen happy, while giving the Bills flexibility to keep this group together for an extended run of success.
The low cap numbers this season ($10.2 million) and again in 2022 ($16.3 million) help the Bills in the short-term. When the big numbers kick in beginning in 2023, the Bills still have the ability to convert higher base salaries into signing bonuses, or do the same with big roster bonuses as a way to lower the cap numbers in future seasons.
For Allen’s part, when he finished signing his name on the paper last Friday, he instantly had $100 million. Not a bad way to kick off a weekend.
For those of you who are worried the big money will go to his head, Allen sure doesn’t seem to be that kind of person. We’ve learned over the years how athletes use chips on their shoulder to drive them even after they’ve become very successful in their sport. I don’t think Allen will ever forget the fact he didn’t have a single D-I scholarship offer coming out of high school or the doubts many people had (I must admit I was in that group) about him coming out of the University of Wyoming.
To use the words of his head coach Sean McDermott, I have no doubt Allen will remain "hungry and humble" despite the fact he is now worth $258 million.
I wouldn’t worry about the Bills having to cut corners to help pay the quarterback either. The NFL prints money, so don’t let the huge dollar figures spook you. The next national television contract is nearly double the old rights fees, and the league should have a massive new revenue stream thanks to legalized betting. The Arizona Cardinals just became the first team to announce plans for a sportsbook inside their stadium, and they won’t be the last team to do so.
With this heavy lift out of the way, Beane has the Bills in very good shape, as far as contracts are concerned. The biggest deals that had to be executed have now been completed when you add Allen to the list with cornerback Tre'Davious White and left tackle Dion Dawkins.
The next big money deal will probably be wide receiver Stefon Diggs. He has three years left on the contract the Bills inherited in the trade with the Minnesota Vikings, but with an average annual salary of just over $14 million, Diggs is under his market value. I’d expect he and his agent will look to change that in the near future.
Can we just fast forward to Sept. 12 now?
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