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The Buffalo Bills want to get quarterback Josh Allen a new contract as soon as possible. General manager Brandon Beane specifically said that’s his mindset currently toward the idea.
Beane did previously say he plan to wait until after the 2021 NFL Draft to start such talks with the QB, and that’s still probably the case… but he’s hopeful it gets done soon after.
In potentially starting contract extension talks then, Beane specifically said recently the goal is to avoid any difficulties that come with pushing such a thing down the road. Just look at the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott.
The GM doesn’t even want to entire the idea of having to use the franchise tag, either.
Recently appearing on the Huddle & Flow podcast with Jim Trotter and Steve Wyche, Beane doubled down again and said the sooner the better.
“It helps you for your planning the sooner you can get that contract done,” Beane said. “Again, I hope that we can get him done, if not this year, next year. You don’t want to get into the franchise (tag) and all that stuff It’s a tool that you use if you have to to keep a great player, but at the end of the day, we want Josh here for the long term.”
The franchise tag has only been used a handful of times in Bills history and the team has yet to flex it under Beane’s watch. Players themselves are typically not a big fan of the tag, either.
While Allen hasn’t gotten to a point where he’s really had to address being potentially franchise tagged, the QB has mentioned a fondness for wanting to stay in Buffalo beyond his rookie contract.
After discussing the outpouring of support from Bills fans after his grandmother, Patricia Allen, passed away, Allen expressed a desire to stay in western New York.
“I don’t ever want to leave, obviously. I want to play here for as long as I can and give back to the community and give back to the Bills Mafia here,” Allen said in November.
Even though talks of Allen’s next contract have already arrived, we still actually are a long ways away from the Bills having to really… worry at all. Between now and May 3, the Bills are going to flex the fifth-year option on Allen’s rookie contract. That’ll keep him under contract through 2022.
Because of that, Beane & Co. have plenty of time still.
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