Bills exercise options on Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds

The move buys the team time to reach agreements on long-term extensions for both that could significantly lower their salary cap hits for 2022.

As promised two days earlier, Bills general manager Brandon Beane on Monday addressed the issue of fifth-year options for quarterback Josh Allen and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, their 2018 first-round draft picks.

As expected, the Bills picked up the options for both, which guarantees their 2022 salaries and prevents them from becoming free agents after the 2021 season.

It also gives the team more time to work on contract extensions that would make the players' salary cap hits more manageable next season.

Barring new deals, Allen's salary spikes to $23.1 million and Edmunds' to $12.7 million next year, according to overthecap.com.

Both players have been a major part of the team's climb to the top of the AFC East and last season's playoff run that ended in the AFC Championship game.

Allen was the runner-up for NFL MVP last season after setting team records for passing touchdowns (37), passer rating (107.2), completion percentage (69.2), total touchdowns (46), completions (396), 300-yard games (8) and passing yards (4,544) in a season.

Edmunds has been named to the last two Pro Bowls, but his rookie season of 2018 stands out as his most productive, when he contributed 121 tackles, 12 pass breakups, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two sacks. All of those remain as career highs.

The next season, he became the first player in league history with two seasons of at least 100 tackles by age 21.

Edmunds was just 17 years old when he first played at Virginia Tech and still 19 when drafted by the Bills after three seasons there. He just turned 23 on Sunday.

Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro.