Keenum’s Team-Friendly Deal

The former Minnesota Vikings starter was initially due for a $6.1 million base salary in 2022, along with a prorated signing bonus of $1.33 million for a total cap hit of $8.4 million, Cleveland.com‘s Mary Kay Cabot report. She also reported that Keenum was expected to restructure his deal, and details have now emerged from ESPN’s Field Yates.

“Case Keenum has agreed to a restructured deal as part of the trade to the Buffalo, per source,” he tweeted. “Keenum is now due a base salary of $3.5M, which makes acquiring him more palatable for the Bills from a cap perspective. He recently earned a $1M roster bonus from Cleveland.”

Bills general manager Brandon Beane had made it clear before free agency began that the Bills wouldn’t have room for many big moves. Though the Bills ended up making one of the biggest splashes, drawing Von Miller away from the Los Angeles Rams, they have also added a number of cap-saving moves like cutting wide receiver Cole Beasley and linemen Jon Feliciano and Daryl Williams, along with restructuring the contracts of Matt Milano and Micah Hyde to create more space.

More Quarterback Help Could Be Coming

The Bills may not be done adding help behind Allen. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg reported that the team is in negotiations to re-sign quarterback Matt Barkley, who was Allen’s backup from 2018 to 2021.

“I’ve got some things in the works for there,” Beane said Friday regarding the team’s quarterback depth. “Hopefully early next week we’ll have that resolved, but [I] do have some things. It’s an important position. I feel pretty good that we’re going to find the right fit.”

The Bills had lost all depth behind Allen in a matter of months, with the New York Giants plucking 2020 draft pick Jake Fromm off the practice squad late in the season after starter Daniel Jones went down with what became a season-ending injury. The Giants later signed Bills practice squad quarterback Davis Webb after the season ended, and Trubisky’s one-year contract came to an end with no plans to keep him in Buffalo.

Since’s Allen’s breakout season in 2020, the Bills have prioritized bringing in top-end backups as something of an insurance policy. Beane said earlier this offseason that Allen’s mobile style of play leaves him at a higher risk of injury, which creates the need for a capable and steady hand behind him.

“The only time I ever get on Josh is for taking unnecessary hits,” Beane said. “That’s his play style, that’s why we love him, but a backup quarterback is very important knowing the way he plays the game.”

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