Dawson Knox signed a 3 year, $49.5 M restructured contract with the Bills…

A significant reorganization is underway at the Buffalo Bills in anticipation of the 2024 NFL season. Many starters consented to contract restructures when the team quickly removed several important veterans in order to become cap-compliant.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler first reported that tight end Dawson Knox has agreed to restructure his deal before the start of free agency. Prior to the 2022 season, Knox, the Bills’ third-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, agreed to a four-year, $52 million contract extension. The restructuring reduced his 2024 $14.4 million cap impact.

After one of his least productive seasons to date, Knox is returning to action. With tight end Dalton Kincaid emerging as a reliable pass-catcher for Josh Allen, the Bills quarterback, Knox’s reorganization appeared to pave the way for Kincaid’s 2025 release.

But as it happened, the reverse was true. On Sunday, March 17, Spotrac.com announced, “Dawson Knox signed a $30.5 million, three-year contract with the Bills that lowered his 2024 cap hit by $6.5 million.” Knox’s new contract guarantees $12.5 million, of which $4.5 million is his compensation until 2025. Fans and commentators have strong reactions to the deal details.

With a $14 million cap hit in 2025 and a dead cap hit of $16.97 million, Knox effectively took a pay cut, but the 27-year-old won’t be leaving this year. “Very interesting, makes Dawson who was a ‘good cut candidate’ in 2025 now a quite bad cut candidate,” wrote YardsPerPass in a post.

“He is so overpaid,” one admirer retorted. How awful of a deal that is. For another two years, Knox’s confinement pleased some. “Took less money in 2024, but makes sure he gets another year with the Bills,” wrote a different fan on social media. Win-win for the Bills and Dawson Knox.