Buffalo Bills: No ‘hometown discount’ but Josh Allen willing to help on next deal
This is the time of the year that teams really start to focus on contract extensions for some of their star players. For the Buffalo Bills, one of the top candidates is quarterback Josh Allen.
The Bills franchise quarterback is expected to end up being one of the highest-paid players in the league with his next deal. He certainly made a strong case this past year with over 4,500 passing yards, 45 total touchdowns as he led the Bills on a deep playoff run that ended in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
While he will likely be one of the top paid players in the NFL, the key will be the details. This is where Allen wants to work with the Bills that can help keep the team competitive but also maximize the dollar amount.
According to Tyler Conway of Bleacher Report, Jeremy Fowler with ESPN said on Sunday during Sportscenter:
"“As was told to me, look, he knows he’s going to get paid eventually, the Bills know he’s going to get paid eventually, so neither side is particularly worried about it. I’m told that Allen loves being in Buffalo enough where he’s willing to structure things, ya know, that helps the team a little bit. Certainly, he’s not going to take a discount by any stretch—he’s a top-five quarterback. But he wants them to stay competitive in future years with him in the fold.”"
This certainly isn’t any surprise and it appears there is a mutual understanding that Josh Allen wants to remain with the Buffalo Bills and the Bills want to keep the best quarterback they have had in nearly 25 years. When the Bills drafted Allen with the seventh overall pick in 2018, it was the end of a revolving door of veterans and first-round busts at quarterback.
The good news for both sides is that they don’t necessarily need to rush into a deal. The Buffalo Bills picked up Josh Allen’s fifth-year option shortly after the 2021 NFL Draft and he is under contract this season, as well as next.
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In the end, it seems like it will only be a matter of time before the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen work out a long-term deal. The good news though is the Bills quarterback seems to understand this is not something he can do alone and working with the Bills on how the contract is structured, will give the franchise the opportunity to continue to build a team around him that will keep the Buffalo Bills competitive for the foreseeable future.