Exclusive; Bills $12 Million Veteran’s Wife Posts Message After Sudden Cut
The Buffalo Bills are looking to start the 2024 season with a new, young team after announcing several personnel cuts on Wednesday, March 6th. The three cuts that hurt the most include three longtime Bills veterans: center Mitch Morse and cornerbacks Tre’Davious White and Jordan Poyer.
After seeing the outpouring of love for Bills Mafia’s X, Poyer’s wife Rachel Bush sent a message to fans. Bush writes: “There is so much I want to say about my time in Buffalo, I just can’t find the words yet. Thank you everyone. Many memories remain over the years. Thank you as always (to everyone!) ❤️💙.
Poyer, who has been with the Bills since 2017, was expected to leave the team last year. Rachel emphasized that his time in Buffalo is over after the team lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the playoffs. On January 24, 2022, President Bush wrote: It seems surreal. Bills Mafia, no matter what happens, no matter what happens with Jordan’s free agency this year, you guys have been unbelievable the last few years. Thank you ❤️💙.
However, the Bills ultimately signed Poyer to a two-year, $12.5 million contract. The Bills went 13-1 in the 2022 NFL season when Poyer was active. Despite several injuries, he totaled 63 tackles, four interceptions, and one forced fumble. Poyer, who turns 33 in April, recorded 100 tackles and one forced fumble during the 2023 season. It was the first season since 2016 in which he did not record an interception. With Micah Hyde, another veteran safety, considering retirement, most analysts expected the Bills to keep Poyer and keep half of their All-Pro tandem.
Instead, Buffalo released Poyer to save cost. Jay Skulski of the Buffalo News wrote, “This move will save the team $5.72 million against the 2024 salary cap, leaving $2 million in dead money.”
Bills head coach Sean McDermott hinted that Jordan Poyer could leave after the season.
After the Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round, head coach Sean McDermott said he was already preparing for Poyer’s departure. McDermott also seemed to hint that Hyde played their last home game at Orchard Park.
“Micah and Jordan, it’s like you say one thing and you have to say another, right?” McDermott told reporters. “He watches them come out of the tunnel. The other day, on the way to the game, we knew the defense was going to be called, it was the defense’s turn, and we couldn’t get the defense. I knew this and thought this was another chance.Baltimore won, another home game started, and at the end they both ran out of the tunnel and heard their names called.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane also appears to be preparing to say goodbye to Poyer and Hyde. “You never want to leave a good player. I’ve been in the league 26, 27 years and I’ve never seen a defensive duo play together for seven seasons,” Beane said in a year-end press conference. Ta. “It’s incredible to play seven seasons in free agency. Whether it’s this year or next year, I don’t know if we’re going to find such a great tandem. We were spoiled. ”
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bills created about $25.96 million in salary cap space by releasing Poyer, Morse, Neal, Harty and Hines. Without White, Buffalo will receive an additional $10.2 million, “but only after June 1st.”
Sal Capaccio of WGR 550 noted that White’s release would leave the Bills with a “dead cap hit of $6.2 million in 2024 and $4.1 million in 2025.” The first-team All-Pro will become a free agent on March 13th.
On Wednesday, the Bills also re-signed cornerback David Edwards and punter Matt Haak and restructured cornerback Rasul Douglas’ contract. All of these moves will give the Bills a $25.1 million cap hit, according to Spotrac.com.
The Bills contributed $43.3 million, exceeding the cap limit of $255.4 million this offseason. It’s possible to cut that number in half simply by restructuring quarterback Josh Allen’s contract, but Beane seemed ready to press the upgrade button.
