Quarterback Kyle Allen is headed back to Buffalo Bills after Mitchell Trubisky signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency. It’s a move that gives Buffalo a familiar backup behind Josh Allen, and a cost-effective one that nets out as a two-year deal worth $4.1 million that can climb to $6.1 million through incentives.
The contract is structured simply, but efficiently, keeping Buffalo’s backup quarterback room affordable while preserving flexibility. Kyle Allen’s deal includes not likely to be earned incentives worth $1 million annually, meaning those bonuses do not immediately count against the cap unless achieved.
2026
- Base salary: $1.65 million
- Signing bonus: $150,000
- Workout bonus: $100,000
- Guaranteed at signing: $1.8 million
- Salary cap hit: $1.9 million
- Dead cap: $1.8 million
2027
- Base salary: $1.95 million
- Signing bonus allocation: $150,000
- Workout bonus: $100,000
- Salary cap hit: $2.2 million
Annual NLTBE incentives: $1 million each season
For Buffalo, this is a low-cost veteran insurance policy. Allen knows the building, knows the terminology, and already has history in the quarterback room. That familiarity matters when you’re backing up one of the league’s highest-volume offensive engines.
At 30 years old, Allen enters his eighth NFL season after originally entering the league as an undrafted free agent. He spent last season with Detroit Lions. Allen has 34 career appearances with 19 starts, throwing for 4,753 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions.