Which contract extensions should the Buffalo Bills be prioritizing this offseason?
Now that free agency is essentially done and the NFL Draft is complete, this is a time that general manager Brandon Beane could take to evaluate the roster and start to think past this season. This usually entails looking at the players on the roster and who they may want to extend.
The Bills already started that process in April by agreeing to a four-year extension with wide receiver Stefon Diggs. However, they have a number of players still remaining that are entering the final one or two years of their contracts that could be in line for new deals.
Unfortunately, the Buffalo Bills may not have the cap space to sign all of them and it could result in Brandon Beane prioritizing these extensions with the understanding that he may lose some to free agency.
With that in mind, this is how I would prioritize the players this offseason potentially due for contract extensions trying to take into account the position they play and the importance on the roster.
5. Devin Singletary
At number five is running back Devin Singletary, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract after the Buffalo Bills drafted him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. This past season was by far his best, particularly in the second half of the year once the team committed to him as the team’s lead back.
He would finish the year with career highs in rush attempts (188), rushing yards (847), and rushing touchdowns (7).
Singletary once again should remain in the same role this season but among the players in line for contract extensions, he should probably be at the end for two reasons.
The first is that typically players at running back see their performance slow on that second contract. It is a violent position and running backs typically aren’t as productive as they reach 30 years old.
The second reason is that the run game isn’t as important to this offense and this will always be a pass-first offense with Josh Allen under center. The Buffalo Bills may want to limit the salary committed to the running back position knowing they probably can get players in the middle to late rounds of NFL Drafts to fill that role.
4. Ed Oliver
The reason that Ed Oliver is fourth is that the two sides have time on their side as the Bills picked up the fifth-year option on Oliver’s contract. This keeps their former first round pick under contract through the 2023 season.
However, if this upcoming season was his final year under contract, he would move from fifth all the way to first. That is how important I believe Oliver is to this defense and what he brings in terms of his athleticism at defensive tackle.
While the Buffalo Bills have time on their side, it may benefit them to get a deal done this offseason. It could help lower the cap hit next season, which is over $10 million according to Spotrac, and the Bills may end up with a bargain if Oliver continues to develop and improve.
Brandon Beane will need to try and find a way to balance extending players this offseason currently entering their final year while not putting him in a position where he can’t extend Ed Oliver next offseason if they decide to wait until then.
3. Dawson Knox
At number three is tight end Dawson Knox, who is coming off an excellent season and emerged as one of Josh Allen’s top targets in this offense. He finished the year with career highs in receptions (49), receiving yards (587), and receiving touchdowns (9).
At only 25 years old, Knox has a chance to be a very good tight end in this league for the foreseeable future. It wouldn’t necessarily be a bad decision to commit to him long-term after what he showed last year.
The challenge is whether or not the two sides can come to an agreement on a new deal, especially after the recent contract extension that David Njoku received from the Cleveland Browns. That contract was a four-year deal worth $56.75 million that made him a Top 5 tight end and this is likely the starting point for negotiations with Knox.
This is another position, similar to running back, where the Buffalo Bills may be able to find the answer for replacing him in the NFL Draft and can limit the percentage of salary cap invested at the position.
2. Jordan Poyer
The top three players on this list were the toughest to prioritize because all three have good reasons for being in the top spot and the number one priority. At number two I have Jordan Poyer, who has developed into a key part of this defense and alongside Micah Hyde form one of the best safety duos in the league since Buffalo signed him as a free agent in 2017.
Poyer is coming off one of the best seasons of his career with five interceptions, nine passes defended, and three sacks. He earned the first All-Pro nomination of his career as well for his performance and it isn’t that surprising that he would request a new contract.
The challenge for Brandon Beane is trying to determine how long Poyer can play at this level. He is 31 years old and the last thing the Bills can afford is to offer a sizable contract who is towards the end of his career. Especially if it means they don’t have the cap space to sign some of those younger players like Knox or Oliver.
However, the Buffalo Bills are in a position to win now and can compete for a Super Bowl this year. Jordan Poyer is a big part of their defense and a two-year extension could be the perfect solution for both sides.
1. Tremaine Edmunds
The top priority among the players who could potentially get a contract extension this offseason should be linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. This may be surprising considering how polarizing the player is among the fan base but there are too many positives to Edmunds’ game for Buffalo to let him leave after this season.
The former first round pick has been the team’s starting middle linebacker since he was selected 16th overall in 2018. He has had over 100 total tackles each season, made two Pro Bowls, and knows this defense very well as he is the player relaying the play calls from the sidelines to his teammates on the field.
He is a unique blend of size and speed at 6’5″ and on top of all of that, he is only 24 years old.
As with all of these negotiations, it is likely going to come down to salary and the Bills may not want to invest a large portion of their salary cap at linebacker after re-signing Matt Milano last offseason.
However, in a scheme that relies so heavily on nickel defense the Buffalo Bills need linebackers that have the ability to move sideline to sideline, which isn’t always easy to find.
Ultimately, it will come down to contracts and how they might fit as many of these players together as a puzzle under the salary cap. However, this is how I would prioritize the negotiations if I was Brandon Beane over the next few months leading up to the 2022 season.