Josh Allen's contract: Why did the Buffalo Bills feel a pressing need to get the deal done before the start of the season?
Josh Allen was the latest young quarterback to hit the jackpot this year after he signed a six-year $258 million contract to stay with the Buffalo Bills.
After putting pen to paper, Allen became the second-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, trailing only Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes. The deal gives Allen an average yearly salary of $43 million and it comes with $150 million in guaranteed money.
Buffalo now has its franchise QB locked up through the 2028 NFL season, but why did they decide now was the right time to ink the deal?
Bills get Josh Allen signed before the season starts
Unlike the Baltimore Ravens, who seem in no hurry to extend their star quarterback Lamar Jackson, the Bills pulled the trigger on a massive extension for Josh Allen relatively early.
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane told the media as recently as last week that the team was willing to pause negotiations if a deal could not be done before the NFL regular season begins in September.
He told the Associated Press that they would not negotiate a deal with Allen during the season.
"Josh and I are in lockstep on that," Beane told the AP. "There will be no negotiating in-season. At some point we will press the pause button."
So why did the Bills choose to get the deal done now and not wait until after the 2021 NFL season?
Well, the first reason is it gives the franchise and player some certainty moving forward. Josh Allen can now focus on football and not worry about how his performance may affect his future earnings.
Salary cap implications
The Bills now have their star QB under contract for the foreseeable future and it gives them some flexibility with their salary cap.
As Spotrac co-founder Michael Ginnetti told Buffalo News:
“Brandon Beane now has the power to spread things out as he needs to for this Bills' window, which is a window of contention. So certainly, that's what this is about,” Michael Ginnitti, co-founder of the sports financial website Spotrac.com.
“This is about spreading things out, keeping things kind of casual for the next two years cap-wise, and giving Brandon Beane the firepower to at least sit down with those other players and try to keep this band together.”
Buffalo is now a free-agent destination
Josh Allen’s deal helps the Bills become a free-agent destination for seasons to come. The long-suffering fanbase can now expect to see some high-profile players want to come and play for the New York State franchise.
Allen’s deal has a low cap hit this season and the next, so look for the Bills to be aggressive in free agency next year.
Whatever happens to the team's makeup, the Bills will have a star quarterback for years to come.
Also Read: Josh Allen College Career