Alright, everyone take a deep breath and listen up.
It was a bleak day at One Bills Drive in Buffalo. Several long-term stars, including center Mitch Morse, cornerback Tre’Davious White, and safety Jordan Poyer were all released as Buffalo continues to gear toward getting back under the cap. However, the reactions that followed made it seem as if the sky was falling on the Bills.
Talks of “well, it looks like the Bills’ Super Bowl window has closed” or “Buffalo is officially rebuilding” started making the rounds on the app formerly known as Twitter.
Really seems like the Bills’ Super Bowl window is closed.
— Josh Taylor (@JoshTaylorFB) March 6, 2024
Bills rebuilding or something??
— Flew™ (@Flew_Game) March 6, 2024
Mind you, this all stems from Buffalo releasing a 33 year-old safety, a 32 year old center (whom they may actually try to bring back on a cheaper deal) and a 29 year old cornerback who has missed 24 of the team’s last 34 regular season games. That is what has everyone sticking a fork in the Buffalo Bills? That is what their window is hinged upon? Folks, if you have Josh Allen, your window is never closed. You’re never rebuilding, you’re reloading.
Now, in terms of a fan perspective, the sentimental wound is very real, and I can respect that. Poyer and White helped end the playoff drought in 2017, and Morse has been a focal point of the team’s offensive line since 2019. These are guys that have built relationships with the fans and the community, so of course it hurts seeing them go if you are a Bills fan. However, in terms of the on-field impact, the Bills are more than capable to retooling.
And if there is one group that Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott consistently knock out of the park, it’s defensive backs. Poyer and Micah Hyde are prime examples of that, They took two cast-offs and made them the best safety duo in football for half a decade. They turned seventh-round pick Dane Jackson into a reliable rotational cornerback. They got the absolute most out of Rasul Douglas after acquiring him ahead of the trade deadline.
On top of that, according to Spotrac, if the Bills do a full base salary and roster bonus conversion to signing bonus to Josh Allen’s deal, they can free up $22.7 million in cap space, which would make them cap compliant.
A full base salary + roster bonus conversion to signing bonus for QB Josh Allen can now open up enough cap space ($22.7M) for the #Bills to be cap compliant next week.
That doesn't mean more moves aren't imminent, but there's a clear path for Buffalo to get in the positives.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 6, 2024
The day was filled with hard goodbyes for fans, but the Buffalo Bills are fine. They’ll need to address the secondary in free agency and the draft, as well as wide receiver, but this is far from Armageddon.
