The Buffalo Bills have agreed to a four-year, $68 million extension with their 2019 first-round draft pick, Ed Oliver. The deal includes $45 million guaranteed, and Oliver will remain under contract with the Bills through the 2027 season. This extension will make Oliver the team’s first defensive tackle under contract past the 2023 season.
Details of the Deal
According to a source, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the $45 million guaranteed in Oliver’s contract is tied for eighth-most among active interior defensive line contracts. His fifth-year option, worth $10.753 million, is included in the deal, and Oliver is set to earn an average salary of $15.75 million over the next five years, putting him at 16th among interior defensive linemen. Prior to this extension, the Bills did not have a defensive tackle signed past the 2023 season.
Oliver’s Performance and Future with the Bills
Oliver, 25, is coming off a mixed 2022 season that began with a right ankle injury in the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. He missed the next three games and slowly increased his participation, with General Manager Brandon Beane describing that he “wasn’t himself for a while,” even after returning. Despite this, Oliver finished the season playing 13 games with 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, and six pass breakups. He was second on the team with a 41.5% run stop win rate, behind DaQuan Jones.
Oliver has shown the ability to make splash plays over his four years in Buffalo. Still, Head Coach Sean McDermott said that he would like to see him have a “real good, consistent season” and that the team has confidence in him to do so. Senior Defensive Assistant/Defensive Line Coach Eric Washington noted that Oliver’s speed of processing is one area they are working on.
“When you have the kind of talent that Ed has, you gotta understand situations, that could mean the difference in separating yourself from the opponent,” said Washington, who also noted that he has seen Oliver being more vocal and confident this offseason. “I’ve gotta be able to process very, very quickly and, so that I can win my one-on-one, so I can play ahead of a play as opposed to playing with the sequence of that particular play. So, with where Ed is, from an experience standpoint, we need him to anticipate and play ahead as opposed to playing with the tempo of the play.”
The Buffalo Bills’ extension with Ed Oliver will keep the 2019 first-round draft pick under contract through the 2027 season, making him the first defensive tackle under contract past the 2023 season. This $68 million extension, including $45 million guaranteed, puts Oliver at 16th among interior defensive linemen with an average salary of $15.75 million over the next five years. Oliver has shown the ability to make splash plays, but the Bills hope to see him have a more consistent season. With the team’s confidence in him, Oliver’s future with the Bills looks promising.
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