This week, the Buffalo Bills did some big house cleaning, dismissing a slew of senior players to free up salary cap room.
The rebuild might begin quickly, with one rumor indicating that the Bills could be a priority destination for safety Justin Simmons following his sudden release by the Denver Broncos. The 30-year-old veteran, who was entering the final year of his $61 million contract before being released as a cap casualty, is likely to garner a lot of attention, and the Bills might be one of the clubs in the running.
Bills Starting to Rebuild Defense
Buffalo’s roster cutbacks this week focused on two key veterans, releasing safety Jordan Poyer and cornerback Tre’Davious White as part of a flurry of transactions that resulted in more than $30 million in fresh budget space. According to SI.com’s Jeremy Brener, Simmons could be a solid fit for a Bills squad that is currently looking to fill some roster gaps.
“It will be pricey to bring Simmons aboard, but given all the cap space the Bills have shed over the past day or so, it isn’t out of the question,” he wrote. “If the Bills signed Simmons, it would reunite him with linebacker Von Miller, who played alongside him with the Broncos from 2016-21.”
Brener also stated that the Bills may have to defy general manager Brandon Beane’s warning that there will be no major signings in free agency this winter.
“If the Bills want to remain among the league’s top contenders, they are going to have to make some big moves in free agency,” he wrote. “Not only does Simmons make sense in terms of need, but he also could provide enough impact to make Buffalo’s defense scary again.”
Others see the Bills as a major candidate for Simmons, with Bleacher Report listing Buffalo as one of his top probable destinations.
Bills Bring Back Another Defensive Back
While Poyer has left, and fellow safety Micah Hyde appears to be following in his departure to free agency, the Bills did make a move to bring back another defensive back this week. During the flurry of subtractions on March 6, the Bills also re-signed versatile safety Taylor Rapp to a three-year contract extension.
Rapp could be in line for a starting spot and appears to be excited to be back in the mix. He praised the franchise this week for its efforts to become a Super Bowl contender.
“Buffalo is a special place,” Rapp added. “I believe the rest of the league and the rest of the globe have begun to recognize what this organization and club are capable of in recent years.
“Obviously that was something I was looking forward to in free agency last year was a place that fit me culture-wise but also fit my talents and my strengths on the field, and I think I found the place that I want to be here for the rest of my career.”
Rapp also expressed his gratitude to Hyde and Poyer, stating he learned a lot from them during his last season in Buffalo.
“Some of the things I was able to learn last year about myself, it’s going to pay huge dividends fro my future wisdom,” Rapp said the crowd. “Really looking forward to being able to use those valuable lessons and valuable information that I gained last year into this next year, but also for the rest of my career and even after football.”
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