‘As noted in this space back in September, for the first time in 48 years, I was not credentialed for Bills home games. The NFL had decreed that Buffalo needed to drastically reduce numbers in the press box, which normally holds between 200-250, including media, stat people, club personnel, scouts, etc. A friend in media relations, who sympathized with my situation, sent me a seating chart which contained 54 names for the season opener. The press covering the Bills consisted of print, radio and TV people from Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. There were no small- or medium-market newspapers or broadcast outlets. Yet, in my mind, there wasn’t a single member of the team’s credentialed press corps ahead of whom I deserved a seat.
Archives for March 10, 2021
Bills will not use franchise or transition tag this offseason
‘”Anything is,” General Manager Brandon Beane said at his end-of-season press conference when asked if using the franchise tag was a possibility for Milano. “It will come back to that cap and what we can afford. … So, definitely some tough moves to make. But, listen, we want to keep good players. Matt’s a good player, so we’d love to keep him here. But, again, he’s earned this right and we’ll just have to see how it plays out.”’
Buffalo Bills’ salary cap moves begin: Mitch Morse agrees to pay cut
‘A league source told The News that in exchange for the reduction, the Bills have guaranteed most of Morse’s 2021 pay and he will have a chance to make back $1 million this year through incentives.’
NFL salary cap: Big increase in 2022 looms over teams’ decisions
‘But next year, estimates are the cap could rise to somewhere around $220 million. That would be about a 19% jump in one year, the biggest ever in the NFL.’
Bills don’t use franchise or transition tag, so Matt Milano will be a free agent
‘The biggest reason why the Bills didn’t tag anyone is that their salary cap situation is tight. Currently, based on a $185 million cap, sports financial website spotrac.com has the Bills with approximately $6.5 million in available cap space for the top 51 salaries (which are the ones that count against the cap right now).’
Among the Bills’ key free agent decisions to make is what to do at backup QB
‘“I mean, what a selfless guy,” Beane said. “Some guys are the backup and they’re itching to play. Matt’s a competitor, he wants to play, but his first thing every day he walks in this door is to help Josh Allen be the best version of himself and that’s why it’s been so great to have him.” And then, came the key portion of that quote as Beane ended it saying, “We’ll see on the business side where that ends up.”’
Bills rework Mitch Morse’s contract, center takes $2 million pay cut in 2021 (Report)
‘Morse agreed to the pay cut so that he can stay with the team, Rapoport said. If the Bills released Morse outright they could have saved close to $5 million. Reworking the deal keeps the 29-year-old in Buffalo as the centerpiece of Buffalo’s offensive line. He can earn back some of the $2 million based on new incentives and Sal Capaccio from WGR550 reported that there was no ultimatum given to Morse that he’d be cut had he not taken the pay cut.’
AP Source: Bills Center Mitch Morse Agrees To $2M Pay Cut
‘Morse was limited to playing 14 games this past season and 30 overall in two seasons with the Bills. He missed one game after sustaining the fifth documented concussion of his career. He then dressed but did not play the following week.’
Morse reduces pay to help Bills clear cap space
‘Morse was scheduled to earn $7.025 million as a base salary this coming season, with a salary cap hit of $10.34 million counting the prorated bonus money from the contract he signed to join the team prior to the 2019 season. The move will now reduce his cap hit to $8.34 million.’
Opinion: Dak Prescott’s new deal could pave way for Josh Allen extension
‘Allen is set to earn less than $1 million in base salary for the 2021 season, but carries a salary cap hit of $6.9 million due to the prorated signing bonus of his original four-year deal. The Bills have until May 3 of this year to exercise a fifth-year option for 2022, which, at this time, projects to be north of $21 million. Absent an extension before May 3, there’s no doubt the Bills will exercise that option on the league’s second-leading vote-getter for MVP last season.’
Buffalo Bills will not use the franchise tag on any players
‘The Bills’ notable unrestricted free agents include Matt Milano, Jon Feliciano, Trent Murphy and Josh Norman.’
Morse takes salary cut to stay with Bills
‘Morse, 28, has two years left on his current deal with the Bills and was slated to make $10.3 million this year.’
Report: Morse takes nearly $2M salary cut to stay with Bills
‘Rapoport added in a follow-up tweet that Morse “can earn back some of the $2M, a move that helps his team in a year with a serious cap crunch.”‘
Mitch Morse agrees to pay cut, giving Bills more salary cap flexibility
‘The cut is thought to be only against Morse’s base salary for 2021 and could be made up with incentives. Unlike may contract restructures, this adjustment does not push cap charges into a future season. It simply reduces Morse’s cap charge for 2021.’
Morse takes pay cut to stay as Bills center
‘The move with Morse is a reminder of how contracts work in the NFL. Teams are only obligated to the guaranteed portion of the contract in the amount they pay a player and the amount that is certain to count against the salary cap. The rest only applies if the player is on the roster during that period of time. In the other major sports, all contracts are fully guaranteed when signed.’