Bills Extend Cordy Glenn

With the draft over many teams will now turn their attention to extending their players currently under contract for the year and the Bills were the first to strike with a big 5 year, $65 million contract which will make him the second highest paid left tackle in the NFL. Glenn was already a franchise player set to earn $13.7 million and his cap number will likely be reduced with the extension. According to PFT, the contract will pay him a whopping $19 million this year and $30 million by 2017 which will track just behind position leader Trent Williams while besting the contract of Lane Johnson, signed earlier this offseason. $26.5 million is fully guaranteed on signing.

Though I see the guaranteed portion of the contract getting a good deal of attention the fact is the Bills were already obligated to pay him $13.7 million this season so in terms of a new guarantee it is really just $12.7 million which is a bit more in line with a majority of the market. That said the cash flows of the contract continue to indicate a recent trend in Buffalo towards very player friendly contracts with terrific cash commitments in the early stages of the contract.

Id consider this a great offseason for Glenn who has never been selected to a Pro Bowl nor does he have a first round draft grade to fall back on.  In general comparisons would have normally been the Veldheer grouping of second tier left tackles. The Bills named him a franchise player and he wisely went and quickly signed the tender to lock in a $13.7 million contract, which gave him leverage he may not have had if he was a free agent. He blew past Russell Okung’s option valued contract and that is a big win for him.

I would expect the Bills to approach Gilmore next about an extension. The Bills player friendly structures will make it more difficult to get any major concessions by either Gilmore or quarterback Tyrod Taylor who could aslo be an extension candidate. In light of contracts for Glenn and Marcell Dareus, Gilmore could very well be the highest or second highest paid corner in the NFL with the best contract structure at the position.