The Buffalo Bills have tendered restricted free agent offensive lineman Ike Boettger a contract on Wednesday. The team announced the move about 90 minutes before he was slated to become an unrestricted free agent when the market officially opens at 4 p.m.
Boettger, 26, started in seven games for the Bills at left guard in 2020, along with all three playoff games. Pro Football Focus graded him a 65.3 overall, good for their 36th best guard in the league last year.
Boettger signed with the Bills in 2018 as an undrafted rookie out of Iowa. He briefly was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs that same season when the Bills cut him, however, Buffalo got him back by the same means later thatyear.
According to The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, the Bills tendered Boettger the first right of refusal offer. That cost is $2.133 million and if another team decided to sign Boettger to a contract, Buffalo has an opportunity to match that deal. If the Bills were to lose him, they would not receive and draft pick compensation with this tender, though.
Boettger could see a chance to earn a starting spot via a training camp battle in 2021. The likely candidate he’d battle against is Cody Ford, who ended his 2020 season on the team’s injured reserve list.
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