Getty Bills tackle Ed Oliver warms up prior to the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2023.
When the Buffalo Bills made the surprise move to preemptively extend defensive tackle Ed Oliver to a four-year, $68 million deal, the bulk of fans and analysts were flummoxed, as the former No. 9 overall pick from the 2019 NFL draft has yet to live up to the expectations of a first-rounder.
The Bills preemptively picked up Oliver’s fifth-year option last April, which locked the 25-year-old through the 2023 NFL season, nearly doubling his salary to $10.7 million, but it was largely assumed Buffalo would see how the defensive tackle performed in his contract year before deciding whether he’s worth a massive extension.
While some fans were excited to see the Bills continue to invest in Oliver, others couldn’t believe Buffalo shelled out so much money for such a consistently inconsistent player. The Buffalo News‘ Ryan O’Halloran called the move “a head-scratcher.”
Bills DT Ed Oliver said that when last season was over, he was exhausted due to things inside and outside the building. Said it proved to him that he can play through whatever is going on.
During Oliver’s press conference on Tuesday, June 6, he sent a strong message to those doubting he earned the bag. “I don’t feel no pressure. I feel like I’m gonna outplay the contract to be honest,” Oliver said, per ESPN‘s Alaina Getzenberg. “But that’s just the way I think, I just want to shut everybody up who said I was overpaid or something like that. Like, just sit back and watch.”
Bills general manager Brandon Beane reiterated to reporters on Tuesday that he believes “the best football is still ahead” of Oliver and “it’s their job to help continue to develop him,” per Bills reporter Maddy Glab.
Full Details of Ed Oliver’s Extension Revealed
GettyBills tackle Ed Oliver #91 celebrates a fumble recovery against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 24, 2022.
Pro Football Talk‘s Mike Florio broke down Oliver’s four-year deal, which includes $24.528 million of guaranteed money at signing. The move also lowered Oliver’s base salary for the 2023 NFL season to $2.028 million, which cleared enough cap space for the Bills to sign former Los Angeles Rams standout edge, Leonard Floyd.
For those worried that Oliver won’t live up to the big price tag, his contract gives Buffalo space to easily cut ties with the veteran if things don’t pan out as they hope.
Florio wrote, “The Bills could dump Oliver after one year and $16.778 million, with $7 million in guarantees for 2024 that would be subject to offset based on earnings elsewhere. They can dump him after two years and $32.453 million, with $8.25 million for 2025 subject to offset.
“Bottom line? Oliver took a pretty good bird in the hand, shifting injury risk to the team and welcoming the possibility that the team will decide to move on after one, two, or three years.”
The Bills are Likely Done Making Any Big Moves This Offseason
Getty ImagesFree agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
After extending Oliver and adding Floyd, Beane told reporters that “they don’t have the salary cap flexibility to make another significant addition,” per Spectrum News 1 reporter Jon Scott. “Moves will need to be made by roster cuts to just get under cap.”
Beane estimated that the Bills will be around $3 to $5 million “over the cap as currently constructed once they get to a 53-man roster, WGR 550’s Sal Capaccio tweeted. “Right now, with NFL rule of top-51 counting, he says they have about just over $4M available.”
Therefore, it seems any chance of DeAndre Hopkins landing in Buffalo is now slim to none unless the five-time Pro Bowler is willing to sign at a major discount.
In a classic Beane move, however, he didn’t fully close the door on new players getting added. “I’m going to keep looking and if someone wants to come for cheap, come on down,” he said, per 13WHAM‘s Dan Fetes.