Bills Cut Isaiah McKenzie - But Why?
As the first week of NFL free agency wraps up, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane stated his intentions of continuing to make roster changes.
Maybe he was eluding to the potential release of receiver Isaiah McKenzie, which is exactly what the Bills did Friday, announcing that they're cutting the 27-year-old after five seasons in Buffalo.
With just an estimated $9 million in cap space remaining heading into the second week of free agency, the Bills have created $2.17 million in additional space after letting McKenzie go.
McKenzie was due a roster bonus on Friday that would've paid him $250,000, which is why Buffalo had to move fast, so his dead money didn't rise up from $300,000.
After telling reporters during his press conference, Beane saw McKenzie as a "duplicate" following the signing of Deonte Hardy.
McKenzie had a career year in 2022, recording 423 yards and 4 touchdowns on 42 receptions out of the slot. The Bills have now deemed that not good enough as they look to add more play-makers around an offense that already features quarterback Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs.
"We're not necessarily done. There's still a lot of free agents out there; we're having conversations," Beane told the media on Thursday.
The cutting of McKenzie could be part of the plan for the Bills, as they still have some holes on their roster.
Running back stands out as a potential area of improvement, and with a little more financial flexibility, they could get a deal done.
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