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With his new extension, Bills quarterback Josh Allen wanted to make sure that Buffalo could keep as much of the team’s core in place and be in position to add to the team via free agency.
“(General manager Brandon) Beane and the front office wanted to get something done, as well as my agents,” Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, said during a media call to discuss his new six-year, $330 million contract extension that includes a record $250 million in guaranteed money.
“I understood the impact of getting an extension done — create some cap space. It’s kind of a weird situation where it’s like, I’ve had a big contract before, and it doesn’t really change how I lived in my life. But I know that again, this opens up some space for cap and signing some free agents. I think we’ve been having a pretty good free agent run so far.”
He added that he told his agent: “Hey, if this this has any impact on the cap, let’s figure out a way to not do that.”
Allen’s new deal places him at an average annual value of $55 million per season, which is tied with Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, Green Bay’s Jordan Love and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow for second among quarterback AAV. Only Dallas’ Dak Prescott has a higher AAV at $60 million.
So far this offseason, the Bills have been very active in extending key players: wide receiver Khalil Shakir, edge Greg Rousseau and linebacker Terrel Bernard have inked multi-year extensions. Additionally, the team has agreed to terms with free agents wide receiver Josh Palmer, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and edge Joey Bosa to bolster the roster.
The extension caps off a whirlwind eight months that saw Allen get engaged to actress Hailee Steinfeld and win his first league MVP award. The 2024 season saw him lead the Bills to their fifth straight AFC East division title and second AFC Championship Game appearance in five years. The 28-year-old threw for 3,731 yards, 28 touchdowns and posted a quarterback rating of 101.4. As a runner, he had 531 yards and 12 touchdowns. Buffalo gave the Kansas City Chiefs all they could handle but came up just short of the team’s first Super Bowl appearance in 31 seasons.
“When you kind of look back at it, the only thing that is missing is finishing our season with a win,” Allen said. “That’s something we’ve still got to continue to do. I’m so grateful for what’s going on in my life and to find the person that I want to share it with. When you have that piece figured out, it seems like everything else kind of comes a little bit easier.”
The new contract will not have Allen resting on his laurels. He knows there is work to be done to get the Bills their first Super Bowl trophy.
“This doesn’t mean I’ve arrived,” Allen said. “I’ve got to continue to get better and find ways to help this team get over that hump and win a Super Bowl. So that’s what we’re going to continue to try to do.”
Allen, who was drafted by the Bills with the seventh pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, has felt at home thanks to the embrace of Bills Mafia — the term for Buffalo’s passionate fan base. He loves the small-town community feel of western New York and how “everybody kind of knows everybody.” While the Wyoming product isn’t looking towards the end of his career, he has no desire to play anywhere but Buffalo.
“I try not to think about the end,” Allen said. “It’s still a long ways away, but absolutely. I don’t want to play anywhere else. Not too often do players get to stay with one team their entire career. … This is home to me, and it’ll never not be home and I’d love to continue to play here as long as I can. When it’s time to put the cleats up, hopefully it’ll be in Buffalo.”
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(Photo: Timothy T Ludwig / Getty Images)
