Alaina GetzenbergESPN3 minute read
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BUFFALO, NY – With the start of the league year less than two days away, the Buffalo Bills have taken big steps to comply with the cap, restructuring the contracts of quarterback Josh Allen and pass rusher Von Miller to create about $32 million cap. space, a source told ESPN’s Field Yates.
The bills entered Monday, the first day of the trading period, more than $19 million above the cap for 2023 (the bills have an adjusted cap of about $227 million). Allen and Miller’s deals were the most obvious for the team to restructure to help the team conform to the cap and create room to work. Allen’s extension signed in 2021 got its first major jump in 2023, with the quarterback expected to make $39.8 million off the cap this year with $27.5 million in base salary.
“(Allen’s cap shot is) one of the biggest numbers you can create from space,” Beane told the NFL Scouting Combine. “So we should definitely seriously consider (restructuring his deal). We kind of have our A-list and our B-list on how we do it.”
In 2023, Miller had a base salary of $1.3 million and a cap of $18.6 million, third-highest on the team and only behind wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Restructuring the two big-cap hits made sense for the Bills because they’re committing to Allen for the long haul, so moving his money down the road isn’t as important, and the team is already committed to the pass rusher. who is out of major ACL surgery until at least 2024, but could exit the six-year deal in 2026.
Restructuring other contracts, like those of Diggs and cornerback Tre’ Davious White, is a possibility, as Beane mentioned, and the Bills still have a variety of needs to deal with, including linebacker, safety, backup quarterback, running back and wide receiver/tight end, with relatively limited space yet to work with remaining complaint while filling out the roster.
The Bills also took steps over the weekend to save cap space, including signing linebacker Matt Milano to a two-year extension that created $6 million in cap space this year. Milano is now under contract with the team through 2026. The team also restructured defensive tackle Tim Settle’s deal to open $600,000 for 2023.
Buffalo had a busy Monday outside of creating the cap room. The team re-signed punter Sam Martin to a three-year deal that only maxed out at $1.665 million in 2023 and can be terminated after a year with little involvement, re-signed linebacker Tyler Matakevich and defensive back Cam Lewis to one-year contracts and added former Dallas Cowboys guard Connor McGovern on a three-year, $23 million deal.