The Buffalo Bills announced their most major offseason move last Sunday, just before the start of the NFL season. The agreement started during the traditional end-of-season meeting between quarterback Josh Allen and general manager Brandon Beane.
It culminated in the Bills offering Allen a six-year extension, superseding the four years remaining on his contract. Allen previously signed a six-year extension in 2021, which contained $150 million in guaranteed money, the largest in NFL history.
Making history has become a trend for Allen, 28, whose new six-year, $330 million contract includes a $250 million guarantee, surpassing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson ($230 million in guarantees agreed in 2022) for the highest guaranteed money granted to an NFL player.
The deal keeps Allen on the team until 2030. Allen’s new contract is among the best deals for quarterbacks. It is second only to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ 10-year, $450 million contract in overall value and tied for second behind Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract in average annual salary ($55 million), up from 14th before at $43 million.
“The quarterback contracts are always quite unique,” Beane told me. “It’s the one market where, for whatever reason, whoever comes next occasionally goes straight to No. 1 or No. 2. It’s not the way I’d do it, but it’s what some people do. Even if he didn’t win MVP, that was something I wanted to discuss with him this offseason.
Allen is coming off his first MVP season, during which he set multiple NFL records. The Bills compensated him accordingly. His last contract has fallen into the ranks of quarterback agreements.
Allen could have pushed for more money in the new contract, but he instead accepted to one that allowed the organization to continue growing around him in order to achieve his ultimate objective of delivering a championship to Buffalo.
“It didn’t seem like from my perspective I was taking a whole lot less,” Allen told me. “But the way I see it, when you start seeing these very large figures throughout the league, it’s strange to say this, but what is [$5 million] going to do for my life that I can’t already do right now? It doesn’t seem so crazy to me.
“I told my agent that … if it has any impact on the cap, let’s figure out a way to not do that,” Allen said. “Both sides were willing to move and change different things, and it was a pretty calm-mannered negotiation is what I can say from both sides.”
Why sign Allen to this deal? What does this mean for him and the Bills as they continue to strive for a Super Bowl victory? Here’s how Allen’s pay affects the rest of the Bills.
How does this deal impact the Bills’ ability to fill remaining 2025 needs?
The Bills were still over the salary cap a week before the league year began, but they have since extended the contracts of a number of players, including WR Khalil Shakir, DE Greg Rousseau, and LB Terrel Bernard, to free up more space. The same goes for modifying Allen’s contract.
Allen’s cap figure did not change significantly in 2025, although it was cut from $44.7 million to $41.4 million. It could only be so much lower because Allen received $28.7 million in prorated incentives from previous years in 2025. Allen’s cap figures remain very consistent with those from his prior contract until 2028. The Bills have signed several free agents, including defensive end Joey Bosa, defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi, wide receiver Joshua Palmer, and defensive end Michael Hoecht.
The Bills’ greatest need remains at outside cornerback, with Rasul Douglas a free agent and Kaiir Elam sold to the Cowboys. Adding to the defensive line and at wide receiver is also critical.
Which players will need new deals in the future, and what will the impact of Allen’s contract be?
Christian Benford, a cornerback, and James Cook, a running back, have the potential to be with the company for many years.
Benford has demonstrated the capacity to be a quality cornerback on this team, and Cook set records in 2024 with 16 running touchdowns and 18 overall scores. Cook believes that reaching an agreement on a price will require compromise on both sides, and the timing for both players to complete deals before their free agency next year is unknown.
Future players to monitor for potential extensions include those that protect Allen. Right guard O’Cyrus Torrence, a second-round choice in 2023, is eligible for a contract extension next offseason, while center Connor McGovern and left guard David Edwards will become free agents. Allen is coming off his lowest sack total in a season as part of a team that performed admirably last year.
The consequence of Allen signing this long-term contract extends far beyond what is happening internally. Free agents have expressed a desire to play alongside Allen as he approaches the peak of his career.
Under Beane, the team’s philosophy has remained consistent: stay competitive year after year while not pushing money down the road. Understanding how much Allen will cost under the cap over the next six years contributes to that.
How does this deal look in the future?
Will the Bills stick with this arrangement for the full six years? Probably not. The Bills demonstrated with this agreement, which was completed with four years remaining on Allen’s prior extension, that they are willing to adjust and reward him before it is necessary. Allen’s cap figure will grow dramatically to $86.1 million in 2029 under the new agreement. This is when an extension may make sense in the long run and help lessen the cap hit — keep in mind that age and injuries can change the terms of a deal.
A deal this far into the future allows the front office to build around Allen while knowing what to account for. It also allows the Bills to get ahead of future cap rises over time. Signing and option bonuses are constructed in the first four years and can be adjusted to help with cap relief, as well as void years.
Adjusting and managing the impact is much more feasible, and paying Allen appropriately over the next few years — including $147 million fully guaranteed at signing — demonstrates Allen’s willingness to find a deal now that works while giving the team the power and responsibility to build the best roster around him.
