Josh Allen is the highest-paid player in NFL history, as he should be. Allen is fresh off an NFL MVP campaign, in which he narrowly surpassed Lamar Jackson via Associated Press voters. It can be argued Jackson deserved the award more, but such is the case in such a close race – it really could have gone either way, and in most years Lamar would have won.

There is a reason both Ravens and Bills fans were left arguing over an individual accolade while the Chiefs fought for their third straight Super Bowl in February, and that is Patrick Mahomes. Buffalo and Kansas City operate in very different ways, with the Chiefs essentially handing Mahomes a blank check and lifetime contract as an extension of his rookie contract very early on.

Andy Reid and Brett Veach knew what they had in Mahomes was real. Mahomes has also done the Chiefs a few favors over the years, restructuring his contract and taking cuts in the right places so Kansas City can build upon its impressive dynasty.

Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are different, but must become similar

The same cannot be said about the Bills and Allen, at least not yet, who signed a six-year, $258 million contract in 2021. That contract paid Allen a lot of money, and provided Buffalo with some financial freedom to build around him as the salary cap expanded. On Sunday, much of that room evaporated when Allen signed a record-breaking six-year, $330 million deal with $250 million guaranteed through the 2030 season.

Despite repeatedly running into the wall that is the AFC Champion Chiefs, Buffalo would not be where they are without Allen. It is his brilliance that makes up for a lack of competence at certain positions, though building around him will be key in the years to come as the Bills hope to finally represent their conference in the Super Bowl.

“I love Josh and so proud of what he’s done, and so, I could be here all day talking about how great he is and what he’s done for our team and where he belongs in the pecking order of all that stuff,” general manager Brandon Beane said at the end of the 2024 season. “He and I have a great relationship. We talk a lot. When the dust settles, before we’re ever really talking to his agent or his agents calling me, like, Josh and I will have those conversations [about a potential extension], holistically about the team, things like that. And I’m not saying it will happen, I’m not saying it won’t happen. … There’ll be a time and place, and not saying we will, but not ruling it out either.”

Beane is right to admire Allen, and one can only hope the quarterback’s new contract lessens the expected $45 million cap hit that came with his past deal this offseason. Allen will make his money, but the cap can be manipulated – just ask Mahomes, Veach and the Chiefs, who make use of cap gymnastics all the time.