The Buffalo Bills made wide-sweeping changes to their roster in just under an hour, releasing multiple star veteran players ahead of free agency and, by extension, the NFL Draft.
Bills fans, catch your breaths. It seems as though the moves are done, at least for now. These roster moves will have massive ramifications on how Brandon Beane and the front office approach free agency and next month’s draft, and on both sides of the ball. Let’s dive into the moves.
Bills Release Multiple Star Veteran Players, Including Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White, and Mitch Morse
The moves made on Wednesday were shocking. On top of letting go star defenders Jordan Poyer and Tre’Davious White, the Bills also parted with starting center Mitch Morse, speedster and punt returner/wide receiver Deonte Harty, and special team contributor Siran Neal.
Sean McDermott was asked about Jordan Poyer at the NFL Combine last week.
There are few players in Buffalo that have meant more to the Bills over the last seven years. pic.twitter.com/sW66xNjoxj
— Dan Fetes (@danfetes) March 6, 2024
It was a painful, if not necessary, step to take. Buffalo entered the day roughly $40 million over the salary cap and moves were inevitable. Sure, Beane could have continued to kick the can down the road with restructures, pinning the Bills into a brutal situation in several years like the New Orleans Saints currently find themselves, but he instead opted to put Buffalo in a position for sustainable success.
The cuts weren’t the only moves that have been made. Offensive lineman David Edwards signed a two-year contract extension worth $6 million, and after reports indicated that Connor McGovern is expected to move to center following the Morse release, Edwards figures to start at guard.
Remember, Buffalo enters this year’s draft holding 11 draft picks after the Chicago Bears sent over a fifth-round pick for Ryan Bates.
Von Miller Restructures Contract Amidst Veteran Releases
Of major note, Von Miller elected to take a pay cut to help the current roster situation. Miller restructured his contract to lower his $17.145 million base to $1.5 million plus a $7 million signing bonus. With incentives, Miller can make up to around $20 million total.
Undeniably, Miller is taking a pay cut and betting on himself. This is a savvy, veteran move to free up valuable cap space heading into free agency that will help Beane make moves to bring in veteran assets to a contending roster.
Full details on the Von Miller reworked contract with the #Bills: He lowered the $17.145M base to $1.5M plus a $7M signing bonus for a total of $8.5M base. There are also reachable incentives to get him back up to $17.145M and higher incentives up to around $20M total.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 6, 2024
Free Agency Targets After Bills Release Multiple Star Veteran Players
The moves made have opened up a lot of cap space, but more space could be created. Some restructures still seem likely, but one option seems most likely in order to free up some spending for this year – extend Josh Allen.
Allen is under contract through 2028, which would be his age-32 season. His cap hit over the next five seasons is hefty, averaging roughly $48.5 million per season. That number would currently rank fifth in the league, right behind Jalen Hurts and in front of Kyler Murray.
This isn’t to say that Allen doesn’t deserve his roses – he does – but great teams are built with cap space. Tom Brady continuously took less money to build competitive rosters, and we know how that worked out.
Allen, looking at the landscape of his team, could do the same. By agreeing to an extension with potentially more guaranteed money and a lower annual cap hit, Buffalo could free up valuable spending money to attempt to compete now.
With that in mind, and considering the direct needs at defensive tackle, safety, and wide receiver, here are three free agent targets that could make sense.
Darnell Mooney, WR
The Bills will be bargain bin shopping, and Darnell Mooney, the former Chicago Bears product, is an interesting wide receiver to consider. Mooney has good deep speed and steady hands and would provide depth to a room that needs more talent. His last two years have been underwhelming, but in 2021, Mooney delivered 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns. He’s proven to be able to deliver.
Clearly, Buffalo is secure with Stefon Diggs and the emerging Khalil Shakir, but this room needs depth. Mooney seems like the type that could be brought in for cheap and help fill out a room.
Javon Kinlaw, DT
Defensive tackle is an underrated position of need for the Bills. Other than Ed Oliver, the only other defensive tackle on the depth chart is Eli Ankou, who was a non-contributor last year. Ankou hasn’t generated a solo tackle, sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery, or any other counting stat in two years.
None of the positions of need should be ruled out in the NFL Draft, but Javon Kinlaw, who has spent his entire four seasons in the NFL with the 49ers, would undoubtedly be an upgrade. Kinlaw is coming off a 25 tackle, 3.5 sack season, and although he struggles against the run, he is a contributor from a rotational standpoint in pass rush.
Defensive tackle will be a large position of need throughout this offseason for the Bills, and will almost certainly be a position that Beane and Co. look at during the draft, with or without any free agent signings at the position.
Xavier McKinney, S
Poyer was released, and it seems like a certainty that Micah Hyde won’t be re-signed in free agency. Arguably the best safety duo of the last decade is dismantling, providing uncertainty in the defensive backfield that hasn’t been felt in years.
Much like every other position mentioned in this article, it can be assumed that safety will be a premier position of need in the draft, but Xavier McKinney, fresh off a 94-tackle season, would provide a sure tackler on the back end that is also elite in coverage. Allowing only a 52.1 passer rating in coverage, McKinney would provide a stable presence on the back end as the Bills look to potentially use a high draft pick on a running mate in the defensive backfield. McKinney is also only 24.5 – the Bills are used to having a dynamic duo at safety, and McKinney and a rookie could, in theory, be the next great safety duo in Buffalo.
Main Photo: Sam Greene – USA Today Sports
