Torrence gets paid; the defensive line does not

The Bills locked up right guard O'Cyrus Torrence on a four-year, $78.4 million extension with $46 million guaranteed on Thursday, the kind of move that signals the offensive line is a protected asset in Buffalo. Allen's protection matters, and Torrence earned this. The deal is clean and logical.

The wrinkle, noted almost immediately after the ink dried, is what it might mean for Dion Dawkins down the road. Cap space doesn't multiply. Locking in the interior now could make it harder to retain the left tackle when that conversation comes up in 2027. That's a tomorrow problem, but it's worth filing away.

The more pressing issue entering the final week of camp is the same one I flagged Wednesday: the defensive front remains thin in a way that one contract can't fix. Ed Oliver is the only defensive tackle who has logged meaningful snaps. Mike Danna is the only defensive end who has. That's not a rotation — that's a starter and a prayer. The Vita Vea trade chatter is still out there, with ESPN's Adam Schefter saying he wouldn't be surprised to see it happen despite Tampa Bay's resistance, and at this point the Bills probably need something like that to materialize before Week 1.

Torrence's extension is good news. The offensive line is in better shape than the defensive one, and the gap between those two units is the defining tension of this final camp week.