Dawson Knox didn’t just restructure his deal to help the Buffalo Bills create cap room. He made it clear he wanted to stay put, even if that meant taking less than he could have chased on the open market.
That was the heart of Knox’s conversation with Eric Wood on the Centered on Buffalo podcast, where the Bills tight end explained why the financial compromise made sense for both sides. Buffalo needed flexibility after entering the new league year short on cap space, and Brandon Beane - now the team’s President of Football Operations after being retained following Sean McDermott’s firing - had to make room to bring in a new coach and reshape the offense. Once the staff was settled with Joe Brady, the roster work began.
One of the first moves was Knox’s contract restructure, paired with a new 3-year, $20 million deal that keeps him in Buffalo. Knox had originally been on a 4-year contract worth $52 million, with an annual salary of $13 million. The new setup gives the Bills financial breathing room and gives Knox some stability with the only NFL team he has played for.
Knox said the discussions with Beane and his agent made the situation pretty clear.
“ It was very clear…I had a bunch of great talks with [Brandon] Beane and my agent, and we knew that I wasn’t going to be able to stay at the current cap number, cause it just didn’t make sense for them. I didn’t want to ask them to take that cap hit and keep me at that number, but at the same time I wanted an extension. ” said Knox.
He also made it obvious that Buffalo meant more to him than just a football destination.
“ I also knew that ‘yeah I could make more money if I hit the market and went somewhere else’. That’s just the nature of free agency.
But, what Buffalo means to me, my wife, and now our baby, there was just nowhere else that even sounded appealing. We were forced to go through the options of like ‘hey, if the Bills can’t do it because of financial reasons or whatever, we’re going to have to be comfortable going somewhere else.’ ” said Knox.
Then came the line that Bills fans will likely love the most.
“ No matter what team we looked at or thought about we were like ‘golly, Lord keep us in Buffalo.’ ” Knox added.
For a player who has become a favorite in Buffalo, the message was simple: he knew the Bills were in a tight spot, and he wanted to find a way to stay. With his contract adjusted, Knox is back in a more manageable deal and still part of a tight end group that includes Dalton Kincaid and Jackson Hawes.
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