Bills release Poyer, Morse and White
The Buffalo Bills underwent a drastic makeover on Wednesday, with salary cap constraints forcing the four-time AFC East defending champions to cut into their core by announcing the release of five players, including safety Jordan Poyer and center Mitch Morse.
Also cut was cornerback Tre'Davious White, a person with direct knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to The AP on the condition of anonymity because the Bills did not include White in their announcement because of the timing of his release. White, who is recuperating after tearing his right Achilles tendon in Week 4, is being designated as a post-June 1 cut, which provides the Bills additional cap savings.
The three players alone combined for 27 seasons of NFL experience, with 16 of those years spent with the Bills. The moves made were necessitated with Buffalo entering the offseason being a projected NFL-high $44 million over the 2024 season cap.
Also cut were sixth-year backup cornerback Siran Neal, backup receiver Deonte Harty and running back Nyheim Hines.
The Bills saved another $8.6 million in cap space by restructuring edge rusher Von Miller's contract, a second person with direct knowledge of the deal told The AP. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Bills don't discuss contract discussions. Miller's restructured contract was first reported by ESPN.com.
COMMANDERS SIGN TE ERTZ >>
The Washington Commanders are signing veteran tight end Zach Ertz, two people with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal had not been announced. One person familiar with the signing said the contract for next season is worth up to $5 million.
Ertz, 33, reunites with Kliff Kingsbury, Washington's offensive coordinator who coached him with Arizona. He played parts of three seasons with the Cardinals before being released in late November.
A Super Bowl champion with Philadelphia, Ertz returns to the NFC East as the first big addition for new Commanders general manager Adam Peters. Ertz replaces Logan Thomas, who was released last week along with two offensive linemen: starting left tackle Charles Leno and center Nick Gates.
Ertz has played in 159 NFL regular-season and playoff games since making his debut in 2013 after being a second-round pick of the Eagles. Over the past decade, he has caught 745 passes for 7,815 yards and 48 touchdowns.
Who he'll be catching passes from with Washington remains to be seen. The Commanders have the second pick in the draft and could use that on a quarterback or be active in free agency, with Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins among the veterans expected to be available. MISSOURI GOVEROR OFFERS “DEEPEST SYMPATHY” AFTER REDUCING REID'S SENTENCE >> Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has offered his “deepest sympathy” to the family of a 5-year-old girl who was seriously injured in a drunken driving crash, after facing criticism for releasing from prison the driver who caused the crash, former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid.
But in a statement Tuesday to The Kansas City Star, Parson stopped short of apologizing for commuting the remainder of Reid's three-year prison sentence to house arrest, subject to conditions.
Parson's office said no one asked the governor — who is a Chiefs fan — to commute the sentence, including Reid himself, his father Chiefs coach Andy Reid, or anyone else associated with the team that recently won the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year.
Parson spokesman Johnathan Shiflett later provided a copy of the statement to the Associated Press.
“It seems the laws don't apply equally to the haves and have nots. The haves get favors. The have nots serve their sentence,” the injured girl's mother, Felicia Miller said in a separate statement provided through the family's attorney.