Ugly Truth Rears Head in Bills Preseason Clunker

In the modern NFL, it's really hard to sustain top success after paying a quarterback top dollar.

The Buffalo Bills may be learning that the hard way in 2024.

While Josh Allen's nearly $43 million average salary may not even crack the top 10 of highest-paid quarterbacks anymore, his lucrative deal signed in 2021 has greatly shifted how the Bills roster operates.

Gone are veterans like Jordan Poyer, Tre'Davious White, and Stefon Diggs. To replace them are young stars or rookies learning the ropes for the first time.

The reason? It's cheaper to pay younger players than to overpay for veterans while Allen is under contract.

It's an ugly truth that reared its head in Buffalo's 33-6 preseason loss to the Chicago Bears. While most people will chalk up a preseason blowout as nothing more than a meaningless blip, the Bills' depth concern will only grow louder after their preseason clunker.

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It's why Allen's contract, while not the highest paid in the NFL, has forced the Bills to get cheaper at other positions of value.

The Bills are hoping Allen can do more for them being the leader of the entire organization and propelling them to wins. If he can't, though, a bigger problem could be coming out shortly.