Bills make a difficult decision that will immediately impact Josh Allen and the offense in 2026
Not a lot of time for Buffalo to figure things out.
UPDATE: Since the publishing of this article, the Buffalo Bills have chosen not to match the $4.2 million offer sheet from the Minnesota Vikings for swing tackle Ryan Van Demark. Buffalo will get no draft compensation because he was a restricted free agent.
The Buffalo Bills have a difficult decision on their hands, and not a lot of time to get a deal done. It was previously reported that the Minnesota Vikings had sent over an offer sheet for Bills swing tackle Ryan Van Demark. Buffalo is given the first right of refusal to match the offer.
The offensive tackle played all 17 games for Buffalo last season, starting four games in his third NFL season. He played both the right and left tackle positions according to Pro Football Focus, playing 218 snaps on the right side and 94 on the left.
According to the official transaction wire, Buffalo has until Monday, March 23, to match Minnesota’s offer. Aaron Wilson originally reported that it was around $4.2 million, but later deleted his post on X, putting into question exactly what that number might be.
Ryan Van Demark is a restricted free agent
Van Demark is a restricted free agent, meaning that Buffalo wouldn’t receive draft compensation if it chose not to match the offer. Minnesota is apparently desperate to add some depth to the offensive line and is targeting Van Demark to do exactly that.
Buffalo’s offensive line has been the talk of town this offseason, with Buffalo taking care of its own by bringing back Connor McGovern and Alec Anderson with two of the first deals made during the offseason period.
Van Demark is exceptional at his craft, and the Bills could absolutely use his services. However, the current cap situation Buffalo finds itself in might make the deal a little too difficult to get done. Buffalo could instead lean on the guys they have on the roster to play a supporting role.
Ultimately, this is where general manager Brandon Beane has to decide how much he values continuity versus cost. Matching the deal keeps valuable depth in place for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, but letting Van Demark walk signals confidence in the pieces already in the building.
Either way, the clock is ticking, and Buffalo’s decision will say a lot about how they plan to protect quarterback Josh Allen in 2026.
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Not great, Bob. Not great. At least there’s some finality.
