Buffalo Bills' Salary Cap Flexibility Better Than it Appears
Because the Buffalo Bills enter the offseason more than $4 million over the projected 2022 salary cap, they won't enjoy the kind of carte blanche that will be available to their division rivals, particularly the Miami Dolphins (NFL-leading $63.3 million under the cap) and New York Jets ($48.1 million under), in free agency.
That doesn't necessarily mean they will be hamstrung, either. Because of the way general manager Brandon Beane has structured the contracts of many of his top-paid players, with little or no money guaranteed for this coming season, they will have the leverage to terminate bloated contracts or seek pay cuts or come to terms on renegotiated contracts — all of which can and will open up enough space for them to give themselves a fighting chance in the market.
Besides, given the solid state of their roster, it's not like they're going to have a large shopping list anyway.
Said Beane: "I think it's not going to be perfect for us but it's going to be better [than last year]. And we'll still have to make some moves. I wouldn't see us being like big spenders or anything like that, but we'll definitely look to fill some spots from the outside as well as retain some of our guys."
Here is a closer look at the contracts of some of their highest-paid players and some of the options that may be available.
T Dion Dawkins
The 27-year-old just made his first Pro Bowl and is signed through 2024, but will carry a cap hit of just under $13 million this season. Though none of the money is guaranteed, any move they'd make to get rid of him would not give them significant cap savings because the proration of his signing bonus ($3.6 million per year over the next three seasons) would all have to count this year.
However, they can renegotiate to lower his cap hit dramatically for this season, if necessary, without even having to approach him for a pay cut.
Keep in mind, though, that his long-term future in Buffalo is far from guaranteed, as he pointed out himself when praising the ability of rookie tackle Tommy Doyle, who was limited almost exclusively to work as an extra lineman (and tight end) in heavy packages at the goal line in 2021.
Another rookie, Spencer Brown, took over at right tackle by Week 4.
"I am excited for those two guys' futures," Dawkins said. "They are the future, and I'm excited to see their growth. And the battles are what it is. If Tommy and Spence do what they're supposed to do consistently, it pushes guys like me out. So I'm one to always give credit where credit is for sure due, and those guys are the future of tackles in the NFL."
C Mitch Morse
At age 29, he enters the final year of a contract that will carry a cap hit of $11.25 million in 2022. A well-crafted extension can bring that number down significantly. Look for that to happen.
DT Star Lotulelei
There's no way he comes back at his 2022 cap number of $9.2 million, and there's a good chance he might not come back at all. If that's the case, the team can gain more than $6.6 million in cap relief with a post-June 1 release designation or trade.
WR Cole Beasley
The older he gets, the better he gets. But the Bills might want to get out of his contract, which expires after 2022, before his career takes an inevitable downturn.
Beasley will turn 33 in April, and the team can clear $6.1 million off its cap with a release or trade.
S Micah Hyde
He comes with a $10.2 million cap hit that cam be reduced with an extension that takes him beyond the current length of his contract, which runs through the end of 2023.
Look for an adjustment here too.
LB A.J. Klein
He's entering the final year of a contract that will carry a $5.6 million hit. Like most of the other players at the top of their roster, none of that is guaranteed.
The Bills may reach out to this valuable third linebacker to renegotiate, but there's also a good chance they just release him to clear all but $400,000 of his prorated signing bonus off the cap.
WR Stefon Diggs
Signed only through 2023, Diggs certainly isn't going anywhere in 2022, but none of the money remaining on his contract, which carries prohibitive hits of $17.9 and $18 million over the next two seasons, is guaranteed.
This means that they could get nearly $13.6 million in instant savings if they did choose to get rid of him.
Instead, look for them to add some years, which would have a similar effect.
G Daryl Williams
A starter signed through 2023, he's a prime candidate for a pay cut to a contract that was signed when he played tackle, which is a more valuable position.
Again, because there's no guaranteed money, the team has leverage here. His cap hit will be $9.9 million, which means that unless he takes less he would risk maybe even being on the street while the Bills gain $8.2 million in relief with a post June-1 release designation.
Not sure which way this one is going to go. But one thing is for sure: No way he comes back at that number.
S Jordan Poyer
This one is simple. The 30-year-old All-Pro is entering the last year of a contract with a cap hit of $10.7 million. By signing him to an extension, they might be able to cut that number in half.
That's going to happen.
LB Tremaine Edmunds
The Bills are in a tough spot with this contract, which unlike all the others mentioned so far is fully guaranteed for 2022 after they picked up the fifth year option on his rookie deal for $12.7 million.
That means the only way they can lower that number is with an extension that will be a complicated negotiation even if both sides are interested, which is not certain by any means.
Either way, Edmunds isn't going anywhere until at least 2023.
DT Ed Oliver
Another interesting case. Oliver is a 2019 first-round pick, which means the Bills have until May 2 to pick up the fifth-year option on his contract for the 2023 season.
He heads into 2022 with a $6.26 million cap hit that can be reduced only if they can work out an extension.
This will be complicated too because there's no doubt the Bills like Oliver for the long term, but only at the right price. He's flashed at times and has enormous upside. But he hasn't lived up to the draft capital (No. 9 overall pick) they invested to get him.
Keep an eye on this situation.
The Bills also stand to lose as many as 18 players to free agency. Many won't be back, which will mean they could be awarded a great deal of compensatory draft picks in 2023.
For now, they certainly don't want to lose some of them, like new starting guard Ryan Bates, cornerback Levi Wallace, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips and maybe even guard Ike Boettger, depending on what happens with Williams and Bates.
Bottom line: Don't be alarmed by where the Bills are now.
In the end, Beane and his staff will have enough for some sensible free-agent shopping. Maybe even a little more.
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. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
