The Buffalo Bills made a move that many expected ahead of the 2025 NFL season, by restructuring the contract of left tackle Dion Dawkins. The adjustment frees up nearly $8 million in cap space, a necessary step for a team that has been battling the salary cap all offseason.
Restructuring has become one of the more common ways NFL teams remain cap compliant, essentially converting a portion of a player’s base salary into a signing bonus. That bonus can then be prorated over the remaining years of the contract,
lowering the player’s current salary cap hit without touching their total earnings. For the player, it means more money up front and for the team, it creates flexibility, pushing the cap hit down the road.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Dawkins restructure gives Buffalo just under $8 million in savings. The Bills were listed at more than $6 million over the cap with all 53 active players, suspended or injured players, dead cap, and practice squad contracts heading into Week 1. With this move, the Bills are now approximately $1.5 million under the cap.
The breathing room may not seem massive, but every dollar counts. This gives Buffalo the ability to cover in-season expenses, such as practice squad elevations, injury replacements, or potential midseason additions, without having to scramble.
Dion Dawkins 2025 restructure breakdown
- Prior to Restructure Base Salary: $11,045,000
- Post Restructure Base Salary: $1,255,000
- Restructure Proration: $1,950,000 per year over 5 seasons
How the numbers work: $9,790,000 Change in Base Salary – $1,950,000 2025 Restructure Proration = $7,840,000 in 2025 Savings
2025 Cap Year (Following Restructure)
- Cap Savings Created: $7,840,000
- Bills Cap Situation (Pre‑Restructure): Bills were about $6.3 million over the salary cap with all factors accounted for against the cap.
- Estimated Resulting Cap Space (Post-Restructure): Roughly $1.5 million under the cap
Other cap saving moves the team could potentially visit in season would be to extend McGovern and/or less likely but available options would be to restructure Dawson Knox, DaQuan Jones, or Curtis Samuel.
