Head coach of the Bills speaks out over the sudden benching of six starters.
With the 2024 NFL season approaching, the Buffalo Bills are going through a lot of change. After the Bills released six veterans on March 6, that message became evident.
In the course of a few hours, Buffalo abruptly cut Jordan Poyer, Siran Neal, Deonte Harty, Nyheim Hines, Tre’Davious White, and Mitch Morse, marking an unparalleled day in the history of the team.
The Bills were $43.3 million over the $255.4 million cap going into the offseason, so they had to get in compliance. Buffalo is also attempting to assemble a group that is younger. On March 24, Bills head coach Sean McDermott discussed the round of cuts for the first time, speaking with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
“You keep that first game in front of you and that’s what you focus on, and every year you start anew,” McDermott stated. It is common for people to say this or that, yet each year is unique.
“Let’s just start there; getting underneath the cap required a lot of adjustments. Therefore, while we’re still working on our roster and will see where we end up, it’s crucial that each person recognizes and accepts their assigned tasks.
Although McDermott is pleased with the Bills’ performance in the previous season, their ultimate objective has not changed. Every morning when we wake up, we’re all still focused on winning the world championship.
Ultimately, McDermott wants to surround quarterback Josh Allen with the greatest players available. McDermott isn’t having it, despite detractors who claim the team’s window for a Super Bowl run is closing and who question Allen’s high rate of interceptions—32 in the last two seasons.
Allen completed 64.9% of his passes for 8,589 yards and 64 touchdowns during the previous two seasons. In addition, he recorded 22 rushing touchdowns and 1,286 yards on 235 carries. The team’s failure to win the Super Bowl cannot be the sole determinant of its success, McDermott said.
“I think we’ve had a lot of success with the Bills, whether you talk about Josh (Allen), me, or our team,” he remarked. “Taking that final necessary step is all that Josh and the rest of us need to do.”
Saying that Josh or we haven’t succeeded would, in my opinion, be somewhat narrow-minded. In the NFL, winning is elusive, so teams essentially start over every year and focus on one game at a time. However, we’re all expecting Josh to continue evolving like the franchise’s face has always done and to truly be that.
In 2024, McDermott—who now serves as the defensive coordinator for the Bills—will be leading a completely different team. Apart from the numerous cutbacks, Buffalo also bid farewell to Tyrel Dodson and Leonard Floyd in free agency. Micah Hyde, the All-Pro safety, still seems to be considering retiring.
The Bills added safety Mike Edwards from the Kansas City Chiefs and re-signed Taylor Rapp to a three-year, $10.6 million contract among the flurry of changes.
Taron Johnson became the highest-paid nickel corner in the NFL when Buffalo extended his contract. Austin Johnson, a defensive tackle, and linebacker Nicholas Morrow were also signed by the Bills.
For Heavy.com, Emily Bicks writes about the NFL, concentrating on the Chiefs, Seahawks, and Bills. She began contributing to Heavy in 2019 and has conducted interviews with some of the biggest names in sports, such as Stefon Diggs, Shaquille O’Neal, and Jerry Rice. Additional details regarding Emily Bicks
