The Buffalo Bills locked down quarterback Josh Allen to a six-year contract extension last August, a deal that is looking a lot better less than a year later.
Allen’s deal is worth up to $258 million, a hefty commitment that has left the Bills with a tight salary cap situation. But the even larger deal for Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Hurts has led to some praise for the Bills for a deal that no longer ranks among the top five quarterback contracts.
Josh Allen’s Deal in the Spotlight
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that the Eagles handed their franchise quarterback a massive deal, setting a new market for quarterbacks.
“The #Eagles and Jalen Hurts agreed to terms on a 5-year, $255M contract extension that makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history, sources tell me and @TomPelissero,” Rapoport tweeted.
🚨 🚨 🚨
The #Eagles and Jalen Hurts agreed to terms on a 5-year, $255M contract extension that makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.
@AgentNicoleLynn did the deal, which includes $179.304M in guarantees and a no-trade clause.
The deal came after an MVP-caliber season for Hurts, as he threw for 3,701 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. Hurts also led a league-best ground attack, rushing for 760 yards with 13 touchdowns.
As the Buffalo News noted, the massive contract for Hurts shows that Allen’s deal has only gotten better with time.
“Much has changed since, and Allen’s contract – while still huge – looks like a bit of a bargain,” the report noted.
At the time he signed his contract, Allen had the second-highest annual salary ($43 million) in NFL history, behind only the deal that the Kansas City Chiefs gave to Patrick Mahomes ($45 million annual value). But a spate of big quarterback deals has already pushed Allen down to No. 6 on the list, and the Buffalo News pointed out he will likely drop even further as Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Los Angeles Chargers signal caller Justin Herbert ink extensions in the coming offseason.
Josh Allen’s Contract Still Creates Challenges in Buffalo
While Allen’s contract may now be a bargain compared to other recent deals, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said it still creates some challenges for the team. The Bills have been more restrained in free agency, with Beane warning that the team won’t be making any big moves.
Allen’s big contract has also thrust him even more into a leadership role, with Beane explaining that the quarterback has helped some of the team’s younger players develop.
“Josh welcomes that,” Beane said in March, via SI.com. “He’s going to be able to help make those guys better and teach them the way to go and how to be a pro, and then what he’s going to demand out of each one of them, like you would expect a veteran quarterback to do. That just naturally happens over time. … Those guys are kids coming in, and they’re looking up to Josh Allen. Wow, I’m playing with Josh Allen.
“If he says, Do this, that’s what they’re gonna do. That naturally is happening.”
Comments
Bills Earn Praise for Josh Allen’s Contract After Jalen Hurts Mega Deal