Bills GM Acknowledged Abruptly Cutting Slew of Starters Was ‘Brutal’
On March 6, the Buffalo Bills caused shock among fans and analysts alike when they swiftly removed six veterans from their roster courtesy of general manager Brandon Beane’s decision.
Parting ways with Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White, and Mitch Morse – the Bills’ longstanding assets – came as a formidable challenge. According to Beane’s interview on “The Pat McAfee Show,” he admitted that it was an excruciating process, but ultimately imperative.
On March 26, Beane clarified that the reason for not pursuing it further was due to financial concerns surrounding player salaries. He emphasized that this move towards youth within the defense was necessary and reflected a larger trend in terms of team strategy as well as business operations.
With a $43.3 million excess over the cap limit of $255.4 million, the Bills approached their offseason duties. However, after reworking numerous contracts and releasing players like Gabe Davis and Leonard Floyd in free agency, they now have roughly “$6 to $7 million” left according to comments made by Beane on March 24th. This figure does not incorporate White’s release set for June 1 which will net Buffalo an additional sum of $10 million.
According to Beane, “The most challenging aspect of this job is contacting Morse, Poyer and White. There are numerous difficult tasks involved in it; however bidding farewell to certain individuals makes it the toughest.”
Beane recognized the vital role played by the team in attaining six playoff appearances and four AFC East titles since 2017. However, he had to separate emotions from his actions as hitting reset now would prevent Buffalo from encountering financial complications if they were to repeat previous strategies.
Brandon Beane has made it clear that Micah Hyde is still a free agent, but there is the potential for him to come back in 2024.
Beane clarified to McAfee that Micah Hyde is still a free agent while acknowledging the end of the All-Pro safety duo in Buffalo, which was Poyer and Hyde.
Beane revealed that if Hyde decides not to retire, he may have a chance of returning to Orchard Park despite his wife Amanda expressing dissatisfaction with their time in Buffalo after the Bills were knocked out of playoffs.
After conversing with Micah’s agent, I believe that there is still a possibility for him to return. The door has not been completely closed and we would be open to bringing back Micah Hyde if he chooses to resume playing. However, it remains uncertain whether or not he has made a definite decision on the matter.
With regards to the team’s available budget, Buffalo has limited funds that can be offered to the experienced 33-year-old. “The financial aspect would have to align with our cap space,” Beane recognized. He also added, “Perhaps he may agree on signing with us or another organization only at a certain price point; hence it is important for us to adhere within our business guidelines while making this work.”
Following his release, White has the opportunity to return as the door remains open. Beane communicated with him regarding this possibility and emphasized that just because he was let go doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be advantageous for both parties if he came back to Buffalo.
The decision to cut Mitch Morse was not taken lightly by the Bills.
Releasing White and Poyer was a challenging decision due to their age and injuries, but it wasn’t completely unexpected. In contrast, the choice of letting go Morse came as a surprise.
Having captained the Bills team in past seasons, he has been a steadfast presence on the offensive line alongside quarterback Josh Allen since 2019. Last season, he allowed for only 24 sacks – marking it as the lowest number throughout Allen’s career so far. Despite reaching an age of 31, his performance shows no signs of deterioration seeing that he appeared in all18 games played. The decision to release Morse managed to save them $8.47 million but resulted in a cap hit worth $3 million being taken by the team instead.
According to Beane, “Making that decision is not easy and it doesn’t guarantee a flawless outcome. However, we had recognized the potential of Connor McGovern as our future center when we signed him last year.”
Last offseason, Buffalo signed McGovern to a three-year contract worth $27 million. The team plans on moving him to center and allowing David Edwards to vie for the position of left guard. According to Beane, they were unaware that this shift would happen at the time of signing but Connor has expressed enthusiasm towards it and will receive his opportunity once practice begins.
Morse, who is a Pro Bowler, inked a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars for two years and $10.5 million.
