With the 2025 NFL Draft officially in the books, the young bloods are gearing up for their rookie season. But even before they hit the field and show they belong, there’s just something about them that grabs your attention. It’s that spark—the way they light up when talking about going toe-to-toe with the guys they grew up watching. Take Keeanu Benton, a couple of years back, the guy literally said he wanted to line up against Lane Johnson and Nate Herbig.
“Those are two guys I want to go up against because we talk to each other,” he said. And honestly, makes sense. He trained with those guys. Iron sharpens iron, right? Fast forward to now, and we’ve got Harold Fannin Jr. out of Bowling Green, who’s just as bold. Before the Browns scooped him up at No. 67, someone asked him which QB he’d love to catch passes from. Without blinking, he said, “This might catch you off-guard, but Jameis Winston.”
You’ve got to love it. When it comes to playing in the pros, these guys aren’t just chasing the league; they’re all in for playing alongside the NFL stars, and maybe, just maybe, they’re ready to challenge them as well. Take the Ravens‘ 27th overall pick, Malaki Starks. A couple of weeks ago, the Ravens drafted the former Georgia safety in the first round. And when he was asked what quarterback he’s looking forward to picking most in his rookie season, the guy straight-up expressed his obsession with Josh Allen. “I think I want to get Josh out,” he said. “I want to get Josh, I got a few teammates up there, so it’ll just be fun. It’d be a really cool moment.”
Malaki Starks was asked which QB he’s looking forward to picking off the most:
“I want to get Josh Allen.”
via @SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/kg3aJKO7wO
— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltim0re) May 7, 2025
Oh, that’s definitely something to keep in mind, because the last time somebody called out Allen, it didn’t exactly work out for them. Back in 2018, Jalen Ramsey went off before their first matchup, saying, “I think [Josh] Allen is trash. I don’t care what nobody say. He’s trash. And it’s gonna show too. That’s a stupid draft pick to me. We play them this year, and I’m excited as hell.” The result?
Yeah, about that. When both of ’em finally met on the field, Allen lit it up. He led the Bills to a 24–21 win over the Jags, tossed a touchdown, threw for 160 yards, and even ran wild for another 99 yards and a score. As for Ramsey? Let’s just say he didn’t have much to say after that one. Fast forward to now, and the situation has changed.
This time, Allen’s going to face a rookie. Honestly? It’s going to be worth it. After all, Starks was exceptional last season in Georgia, racking up 77 combined tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 1 interception. So, it’d be interesting to see if Starks manages to pick Allen in their first match-up or not. But let’s not forget that Allen is heading for the 2025 season after winning the MVP honors. And oh, he also inked a record six-year contract extension. Better watch out.
Josh Allen didn’t want the Patrick Mahomes treatment
Back in 2021, Josh Allen signed a six-year, $258 million contract extension with $150 million guaranteed. That means the quarterback was locked through the 2028 season. But then came the 2024 season, and Allen dominated throughout the season. The guy led the Bills to a 13-4 record in the regular season and a trip to the championship round. His track record?
At a completion rate of 63.6, Allen had 3,731 yards and racked up 28 touchdowns. And oh, he also rushed for over 500 yards with another 12 scores against his name, earning the first MVP of his career. The result? Well, even though he was locked through the 2028 season, the Bills offered him another contract extension. This time, it was a six-year $330 million deal with $250 million guaranteed. But it wasn’t as simple as it sounds.
Months after Allen’s contract, the Bills’ general manager, Brandon Beane, opened up about how Allen’s contract might impact the team’s ability to build a Super Bowl-caliber roster. At first, the team considered offering a deal similar to Patrick Mahomes’ 10-year deal. Why? Simple: instead of paying him all at once, the Bills considered spreading his salary and bonuses out over a whole decade. But Allen’s camp wasn’t keen on it.
“We gave him you know, Mahomes had done like a 10-year deal. He and his agents were not really up for that length of a deal,” said Brandon. “…But I would say at that time we did a six-year extension with him and we said ‘Listen if it if things get out of whack and you’re playing to the level we know you can play at we will look at it and we’ll we’ll make an adjustment for you.” Cut to the reality, and Beane didn’t directly point out Allen rejecting a long-term deal.
But the way things shaped up (they didn’t draft a WR in the NFL draft), it’s safe to say that Josh Allen’s contract kind of impacted their roster, in one way or another.
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