As their cost-shedding moves continue, the Bills are parting ways with Tre’Davious White. The former All-Pro corner will be released, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Schefter notes White will be designated a post June-1 cut, meaning the move will not take place until the new league year begins next week. That path will lead to $10.2M in savings in 2024, but they will not be realized until June 2. White will, however, be free to find a new team as soon as the market opens.
White’s future was in question given his injury history over the past two seasons in particular. The former first-rounder was limited to six contests in 2022 as he recovered from an ACL tear the previous fall. In 2023, an Achilles tear cut his season short after just four contests. Having missed considerable time and with no more base salary guaranteed on his deal, White represented a logical release candidate.
The 29-year-old’s extension (a four-year, $69M pact inked in 2020) had already been restructured multiple times, and taking that route again would have pushed further cap charges down the road. Instead, the team will elect to spread out his dead money charge ($6.23M in 2024) over two years while cutting ties with a full-time starter. White logged 89 total appearances between regular and postseason play in Buffalo.
Over that span, he racked up 18 interceptions — including a league-leading six in 2019. White reached double figures in terms of pass deflections in three of his first four seasons, but his production in that regard has dropped off in the past three years due in part to the missed time. The LSU alum has remained strong in coverage, though, something which could help him land a notable pact with a new team in free agency.
Buffalo has 2022 sixth-rounder Christian Benford as well as 2023 trade acquisition Rasul Douglas in place as starting outside corners for the time being. Kaiir Elam — taken 23rd overall in 2022 — has not developed as hoped so far in his career, but moving on from White could open the door to playing time. In any case, the Bills will be in the market for a CB addition either in free agency or the draft.
In need of plenty of maneuvering to get under the cap limit, the Bills have made a slew of moves pointing them in that direction. That has included Jordan Poyer and Siran Neal being released Wednesday. The same is also true of center Mitch Morse and returner Deonte Harty. Taking into account the efforts made so far, Buffalo sits $19.7M over the cap as things stand. That figure will be helped in June by White’s release, but in the immediate future the team still has more work to do from a financial standpoint.
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