The Buffalo Bills are making significant adjustments ahead of the 2024 NFL season. That message became evident after the Bills released six veterans on March 6.
In a matter of hours, Buffalo cut Jordan Poyer, Siran Neal, Deonte Harty, Nyheim Hines, Tre’Davious White, and Mitch Morse, setting a team record.
The Bills needed to become cap-compliant, since they were $43.3 million over the $255.4 million maximum heading into the offseason. Buffalo is also attempting to develop a younger roster. On March 24, Bills head coach Sean McDermott addressed the wave of layoffs for the first time, speaking with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
“Every year you start anew, and you keep that first game in front of you and that’s what you focus on,” McDermott said of his team’s performance. “People want to say this and that, but each year is unique.
“We’ve had to make a lot of modifications to get under the cap, so let’s start there. So for now, our roster is a work in progress, and we’ll see where we end up, but the most important thing is that everyone understands and loves their jobs.
While McDermott is proud of the Bills’ accomplishments last season, their overall goal remains the same. “We’re all still with one eye on the world championship, that’s what drives us every morning when we get up.”
At the end of the day, McDermott wants to surround quarterback Josh Allen with the best players available. While detractors argue that the team’s Super Bowl window is shrinking and point to Allen’s high number of interceptions (32 in the last two seasons), McDermott isn’t having it.
Allen completed 64.9% of his passes over the past two seasons, totaling 8,589 yards and 64 touchdowns. He also has 235 carries for 1,286 yards and 22 rushing touchdowns. According to McDermott, the team’s performance cannot be measured solely by not winning the Super Bowl.
“I think like anything, when you talk about the Bills, whether it’s Josh (Allen), myself, our team, we’ve had so much success,” the quarterback said. “What’s left for Josh and for all of us is to take that one more step that we need to take.”
“To say we haven’t had success, or Josh hasn’t had success, I think is a little narrow-minded. It’s difficult to win in the NFL, so you regroup each year and tackle it one game at a time. But we’re all hoping for Josh to continue to be the franchise’s face while also evolving, as he has always done.”
McDermott, who is also the Bills’ defensive coordinator, will lead a completely different roster in 2024. In addition to the deluge of cuts, Buffalo said farewell to Leonard Floyd and Tyrel Dodson via free agency. Micah Hyde, an All-Pro safety, looks to still be considering retirement.
Among the roster adjustments, the Bills re-signed Taylor Rapp to a three-year, $10.6 million contract and acquired safety Mike Edwards from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Buffalo extended Taron Johnson, making him the league’s highest-paid nickel cornerback. The Bills also added linebacker Nicholas Morrow and defensive tackle Austin Johnson.
