In every budget, when you pay for one thing you are making a value assessment on another. In the case of the Buffalo Bills, an O’Cyrus Torrence extension likely means saying goodbye to another member of their expensive offensive line.
Yes, general manager Brandon Beane has said he values protecting Josh Allen. That doesn’t mean he’s willing to sacrifice his defensive rebuild for it.
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Buffalo Bills salary cap in 2027 is tight
According to Spotrac, the Bills have the second-most cap space already accounted for in 2027 and are a staggering $54 million over the projected cap. They’ll be able to manipulate that number with salary conversions, so it’s not as dire as you might think, but four of the players at the top of the cap hits are 30 or older next year; Josh Allen, DJ Moore, Ed Oliver, and Dion Dawkins.
The Bills have been pushing out cap hits on Allen and other players for several years now, and that starts to catch up eventually. Every dollar that is paid eventually gets accounted for.
The recent mid-to-high-money deal for players like Terrel Bernard, James Cook, Khalil Shakir, Christian Benford, Spencer Brown, and Greg Rousseau are extending past their initial low cap hits into maturity with the prorated monies from three seasons now hitting the cap at the same time.
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Buffalo Bills offensive line spending is pricey
The Torrence extension means the Bills have four big offensive line salaries on their roster. Here is the list in terms of annual value:
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Dion Dawkins ($20 million/season)
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O’Cyrus Torrence ($19.5 million/season)
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Spencer Brown ($18 million/season)
How many teams have four players with more than a $13 million average annual salary on their offensive line? The numbers are low.
The Philadelphia Eagles have four players making more than $17 million per season on their current deals. The Kansas City Chiefs have three over $15 million per year. Carolina Panthers have three over $13 million.
Why Dion Dawkins is the most likely cap casualty
Before we get started here, I like Dion Dawkins. I’ve interviewed him. We’ve seen him on Hard Knocks and at NFL Honors. He’s a good dude and we like him. Let’s admit all that right up front.
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Dawkins is currently set to make just under $20 million in cash in 2027. Neat season is the final year of his deal and he’s going to be 33 heading into the season. If they are looking to reload the offensive line with younger players, Dawkins clearly sticks out for his age — he is three years older than any other player on the OL.
Why the Bills would release Dion Dawkins after 2026
Keeping four players on big contracts at one position is not something Brandon Beane has done in the past, specifically on the offensive line. (He also never paid a guard before, so there is a first time for everything.)
If Dawkins begins to fall off in 2026 and the 2027 salary doesn’t make sense any more, they can release him and save $11 million in 2027 cap space. That’s a sizable chunk of space for the Bills to go out and sign or draft his replacement.
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They could think about popping Spencer Brown over to left tackle or promoting one of the options on their roster currently. They drafted Jude Bowry in the fourth round in 2026, Chase Lundt in the fifth round in 2025, and Tylan Grable in the sixth round in 2024. Ryan Van Demark stepped in for Dawkins last year and played well and will be a free agent after the season with the Vikings.
Why the Bills would keep Dion Dawkins after 2026
If Dawkins continues his solid play in 2026, they could keep him in 2027 for just under $20 million. Yes they would have a very expensive offensive line. But that left tackle number would be 16th in the NFL in terms of left tackle spending, meaning they might not be able to sign a better option for a cheaper contract.
That would continue to protect Josh Allen in his low 30s with James Cook and DJ Moore before that trio ages up a bit more and would allow the Bills to continue stacking defensive talent with draft picks. Keep the offensive players in their prime protected and build the other spots.
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The fifth starter on the Bills OL will also likely be a free agent after 2026 — Alec Anderson, Lloyd Cushenberry, and Austin Corbett are all on one-year deal currently — so having a potentially brand new blind side for Josh Allen in 2027 isn’t really appealing.
Leave your thoughts and questions in the comments section below and I’ll happily come back and debate or answer questions. Positional spending and budgets is something folks don’t often think about over thw course of multiple seasons, so it’s a good thought exercise.
