The Buffalo Bills locked down their MVP for the rest of the decade, and in doing so may have given themselves space for more big moves.
The Bills announced on March 9 that they signed quarterback Josh Allen to a contract extension that keeps him in Buffalo through 2030. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the six-year, $330 million contract includes $250 million in guaranteed money, the biggest guaranteed total ever given to an NFL player.
The move also freed up significant salary cap space, which along with another big roster decision on Sunday has led some insiders to suggest the Bills have more big moves planned.
Bills Build Space With Josh Allen’s Extension
Though Allen set a record with the amount of guaranteed money, his average salary per year puts him closer to the middle of the pack among the league’s top quarterbacks. As Sportrac noted, the reigning league MVP’s $55 million per year doesn’t even rank among the top 10 in signal-callers.
“#Bills QB Josh Allen’s contract terms are massive, but his $55M APY represents 19.7% of the current league salary cap,” the salary cap tracking outlet noted in a post on X. “That ranks 13th among QB deals.”
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell noted that Allen’s annual average gives the Bills the salary cap space to continue building pieces around him.
“Allen’s last deal had a very Mahomes-ian structure and I expect this one will as well,” Barnwell shared in a post on X. “But Allen taking the Trevor Lawrence average annual salary against a much larger cap is a big win for the Bills and a very generous team-building move by Allen.”
The Bills had already generated more cap space hours earlier when they announced the release of veteran edge rusher Von Miller. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Bills could be open to Miller returning on a new contract, but at a lower price that would give them more cap flexibility.
“The #Bills are releasing pass-rusher Von Miller, per me and @TomPelissero,” Rapoport wrote in a post on X. “Miller is set to turn 36 years old before the 2025 season, and Buffalo makes the move now. Both sides, however, are open to a return.”
Reporter Nate Geary of WGR 550 suggested that Bills general manager Brandon Beane could be planning a different kind of move. After missing out on potential targets like Myles Garrett and D.K. Metcalf, Geary suggested that “a big trade up in the draft” could be the big offseason swing from the Bills.
More Internal Moves Could Be Coming
The Bills could also have more internal work to do, especially running back James Cook who has been openly angling for a contract extension. Cook is heading into the final season of his rookie deal but has been vocal about his desire to get paid alongside the league’s top running backs.
Cook had a breakout season in 2024, rushing for a league-record 16 touchdowns. The third-year running back notched his second straight 1,000-yard season, the first Bills player to achieve that mark since LeSean McCoy.
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