Most NFL contracts, particularly those crafted by Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane, include incentives to reward both on-field and off-field performance. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is no exception, but the structure and numbers of his deal make it particularly notable.
Josh Allen’s Incentives for 2024
With four games remaining in the season, it’s worth examining what Allen needs to accomplish to earn his incentives and escalators.
Annual Incentives
Allen has two annual incentives tied to both playing time and team success. The playing time requirement is a minimum of 60% of the team’s regular-season snaps. Allen, having played in 94.65% of the Bills’ offensive snaps this year, has already easily surpassed that threshold, even if he were to miss the rest of the season.
The team success portion of the incentives depends on postseason outcomes:
- AFC Championship win: $1 million bonus
- Super Bowl win: $2.5 million bonus
These outcomes won’t be determined for another six to eight weeks.
Another significant incentive in Allen’s contract is tied to winning the NFL MVP award. If Allen takes home the MVP title, he’ll earn an additional $1.5 million. Given his frontrunner status at sportsbooks, this is a possibility. These bonuses would impact the Bills’ 2025 salary cap.
2025 Contract Escalators
Unlike incentives, which are paid immediately upon achievement, escalators increase future salaries. Allen’s 2025 compensation could rise significantly based on the Bills’ performance this season. The criteria are:
- Securing the #1 seed in the AFC: $2.5 million increase in 2025 salary
- AFC Championship win: $2.5 million increase
- Super Bowl win: $5 million increase
With the Bills currently two games behind the Kansas City Chiefs for the top seed, achieving the first escalator will be a challenge.
Incentives Already Earned
One incentive Allen has already secured is his $500,000 workout bonus, rewarded for attending a minimum number of offseason workouts at the team’s facility.
Notable Absences in Allen’s Contract
Unlike many of his teammates, Allen’s contract does not include per-game roster bonuses or Pro Bowl incentives. Since Allen is a perennial Pro Bowler, these bonuses would count against the salary cap as “Likely To Be Earned,” offering no financial benefit to the team. Similarly, his contract lacks yardage or scoring bonuses, as those would also be categorized as “Likely To Be Earned” and provide no cap advantage.
By structuring Allen’s deal this way, the Bills have focused on maximizing team performance-related bonuses while avoiding redundant or less impactful incentives.
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