BUFFALO, N.Y. — The most significant move the Buffalo Bills will make this offseason was addressed last Sunday just ahead of the start of the NFL league year.

The deal began with a conversation during the annual end-of-season meeting between quarterback Josh Allen and general manager Brandon Beane.

It ended with the Bills giving Allen a six-year extension, overriding the four years he had left on his contract. Allen had previously signed a six-year extension in 2021 that, at the time, included the most guaranteed money in a single contract in NFL history at $150 million.

Making history has become a theme for Allen, 28, whose new six-year, $330 million extension includes $250 million guaranteed, surpassing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson ($230 million in guarantees signed in 2022) for the most guaranteed money given to an NFL player.

The extension keeps Allen with the team through 2030. Allen’s new contract ranks among the top deals for quarterbacks. It is second only to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ 10-year, $450 million deal in total value and tied for second behind Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract in average per year ($55 million), up from 14th previously at $43 million.

“The quarterback contracts are always quite unique,” Beane said. “It’s the one market where, for whatever reason, whoever is next up sometimes just goes to No. 1 or No. 2. It’s not the way that I would choose to do it, but that’s the way some people choose to do it. … Even if he didn’t win the MVP, it was a conversation I wanted to have with him this offseason.”

Allen is coming off the first MVP season of his career after setting numerous NFL records. The Bills rewarded him accordingly. His previous contract had since fallen in the ranks of quarterback deals.

Allen could have advocated for more money from the new deal but instead agreed to one that allows the team to continue building around him to fulfill his ultimate goal of bringing a title to Buffalo.

“It didn’t seem like from my perspective I was taking a whole lot less,” Allen said. “But the way I make sense of it, when you start getting these fairly big numbers throughout the entire league, it’s weird to say this, but what is [$5 million] more going to do for my life that I can’t already do right now? It’s not that crazy to me.

“I told my agent that … if it has any impact on the cap, let’s figure out a way to not do that,” Allen said. “Both sides were willing to move and change different things, and it was a pretty calm-mannered negotiation is what I can say from both sides.”

Why sign Allen to this deal? What does it mean for him and the Bills as they continue to work toward a Super Bowl title? Here’s a look at how Allen getting paid affects the rest of the Bills.

How does this deal impact the Bills’ ability to fill remaining 2025 needs?

A week before the league year started, the Bills were still over the salary cap. They have since extended a variety of players in addition to Allen — WR Khalil Shakir, DE Greg Rousseau and LB Terrel Bernard — to open up more room. The same applies with changing Allen’s deal.

Allen’s cap number actually didn’t end up changing drastically for 2025 but was reduced from $44.7 million in cap space to $41.4 million. It could only be so much lower as Allen had $28.7 million in prorated bonuses from other years in 2025. Until 2028, Allen’s cap numbers are pretty similar to what they were on his previous deal. The Bills have made a variety of moves in free agency, including signing defensive end Joey Bosa, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, wide receiver Joshua Palmer and defensive end Michael Hoecht.

The biggest need remaining for the Bills is at outside cornerback, with Rasul Douglas a free agent and Kaiir Elam traded to the Cowboys. Adding along the defensive line and at wide receiver is also important.

Which players will need new deals in the future, and what will the impact of Allen’s contract be?

Cornerback Christian Benford and running back James Cook both have the potential to be with the organization for years to come.

Benford has shown that he has the capability to be a top corner on this team, while Cook set records in 2024 with his 16 rushing touchdowns and 18 overall scores. For Cook, getting to an agreed-upon price will likely take compromise on both sides, and for both players, the timeline for getting deals done ahead of their free agency next year remains to be seen.

Future players to watch for potential extensions include those protecting Allen. Right guard O’Cyrus Torrence, a second-round 2023 pick, is eligible for an extension next offseason, and center Connor McGovern and left guard David Edwards are both set to become free agents next offseason. Allen is coming off the fewest sacks in a season of his career behind a group that worked well together last year.

The impact of Allen signing this long-term deal goes way beyond what is happening in-house. Free agents have shown a desire to play alongside Allen as he continues the prime of his career.

The team’s philosophy under Beane remains staying competitive every year, while not pushing money down the road in the future. Understanding how much Allen will cost under the cap for the next six years helps maintain that.

How does this deal look in the future?

Will the Bills see out all six years of this deal? Probably not. The Bills showed with this extension — done with four more years still on Allen’s previous extension — that they have no problem adjusting and rewarding him before necessary. In the new deal, Allen’s cap number increases significantly in 2029 to $86.1 million. This is the time when an extension could end up making sense overall and could help lower the cap hit — keeping in mind age and injuries could alter a deal.

A deal this far into the future helps the front office build around Allen, knowing what to account for. It also allows the Bills to get ahead of eventual cap increases over the years. Signing and option bonuses are built in the first four years which can be restructured for cap help, as well as void years to do the same.

Adjusting and managing the impact is much more feasible, while paying Allen accordingly over the next few years — including $147 million fully guaranteed at signing — and also shows an agreement on Allen’s part to find a deal now that works but puts the power and responsibility in the team’s hands to build the best roster around him.