Getty Josh Allen throws a pass in a game against the New England Patriots.
The Buffalo Bills had a few major priorities this offseason — retaining key players like Matt Milano and Jon Feliciano, upgrading some weapons on offense — but none were more important than the need to lock down Josh Allen for the long term.
Though talks on a new contract have been dragging out for several weeks, Bills coach Sean McDermott had some good news this week about progress toward the end goal. Both sides have expressed optimism that a deal will get done, but the details including the total number of years and pay for Allen have remained elusive.
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Bills, Allen Making Progress
McDermott appeared on NFL Network this week, sharing his thoughts on the ongoing negotiations between the team and its franchise quarterback. Though McDermott didn’t add any new details — a common theme throughout the spring and summer as the team has remained intentionally vague about where the process stands — he did show optimism that it would eventually happen.
“(Brandon) Brandon mentioned that, I think at the end of the spring practice period there, and these things handle themselves. They work themselves out when you got two parties that want to be together and have the same end goal in mind,” McDermott said. “Josh is a great, young talent and he fits so well with Buffalo and the city and the town and the people of Buffalo. So, I firmly believe it’s gonna work itself out.”
Though McDermott’s statement could reassure fans that the Bills will avoid quarterback drama like the Dallas Cowboys saw with Dak Prescott, some insiders have still raised concern that the team may be taking a risky approach with Allen. Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport warned that the longer the Bills wait, the greater the chance that they get locked into an unfriendly deal.
“At this point, there is zero question Allen’s payday is coming. The only question is when,” Davenport wrote. “And the longer Buffalo waits, the more it will likely cost.”
At what point last season did you start to trust the team? A lot of fans were still scared that the team was the “same old Bills” – Week 9, melted away any doubt I had left. Josh Allen: 400 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 138.5 passer rating 🎯
Signs of Optimism in Buffalo
Though Davenport warned that the Bills could end up with some financial pain if they don’t move quickly on a deal, there have been other indications that Allen is keeping the team’s long-term viability in mind.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler revealed last month that Allen is willing to work with the Bills on a contract that would still allow the team to surround him with weapons. While that may not exactly mean a hometown discount for Buffalo, Fowler said it was clear that Allen is set on returning to the Bills at a reasonable rate.
Getting better and better every year. 💪 @JoshAllenQB
“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,” Fowler said on ESPN, via Bleacher Report. “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.”
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