Bills make major roster moves in cap-cutting frenzy before 2024 season

The Buffalo Bills made a plethora of moves to get under the 2024 NFL salary cap, and two Pro Bowlers became cap casualties. 

Safety Jordan Poyer, an All-Pro in 2021, was among them, along with center Mitch Morse, punt return specialist Deonte Harty, cornerback Siran Neal and running back Nyheim Hines.

The Bills were also set to release Tre'Davious White and designate him as a post-June 1 cut, ESPN reported. The team is also set to restructure cornerback Rasul Douglas' contract. 

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Jordan Poyer of the Buffalo Bills warms up for the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium on Jan. 22, 2023, in Orchard Park, New York. (Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

The Bills were around $32.5 million over the salary cap, per Over The Cap.

Poyer was set to be a $7.72 million salary cap hit, but the Bills saved $5.72 million with his release. They will take a $2 million dead cap hit, though.

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A defensive captain, Poyer has been a mainstay on the Bills’ defense for the past seven seasons, working alongside Micah Hyde as arguably the best safety tandem in the NFL. 

Poyer was an All-Pro during the 2021 season, collecting five interceptions, 93 tackles and nine passes defended with three sacks as well. He was also a Pro Bowler in 2022 before totaling 100 tackles in 2023. 

Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer, right, and cornerback Kaiir Elam celebrate before the Los Angeles Rams game on Sept. 8, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

But, while it’s a hard loss for the Bills on the field and in their locker room with his leadership, Poyer joins a strong free agent class that also includes former New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney at his position. 

Poyer will be entering his 12th NFL season, which began in Philadelphia as a seventh-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2013. He didn’t last long there, though, as he played more for the Cleveland Browns his rookie season. 

He would spent three more seasons in Cleveland before making the leap to Buffalo, where he found a niche in Orchard Park, New York. Poyer immediately started in the Bills’ secondary and hasn’t shed that role since. 

As for White, the Bills will save $10.2 million by designating him a post-June 1 cut, while taking on a $6.2 million dead cap hit. 

Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White celebrates his interception against the Washington Commanders, Sept. 24, 2023, in Landover, Maryland. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

White was one of the key injuries that came for Buffalo's defense this season, tearing his Achilles on Oct. 1 to end his season. 

The 27th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, White broke out in 2019 with six interceptions to lead the league with a total of 17 passes defended and 58 tackles through 15 games. He earned first-team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl. 

He followed that up in 2020 with another Pro Bowl season that saw three more interceptions tallied. 

Jordan Poyer of the Buffalo Bills leads the pregame huddle against the Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 16, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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But injuries have hurt White the past couple seasons, where he’s played a total of 10 games.