Bills Ex Mitch Morse Quickly Signs With Jaguars at Start of Free Agency
Free agent Mitch Morse wasn't free for long.
Morse, one of several cap casualties in the Buffalo Bills' recent cost-cutting purge, is set to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars, per Mike Garofolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The new deal for Western New York's former center is said to be worth $10.5 million over two years, with $7 million guaranteed.
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Morse was said to have previously met with the Pittsburgh Steelers as negotiations got underway.
Prior to his financially-induced departure, Morse developed into one of the NFL's more reliable interior blockers after coming over from Kansas City in 2019. At the time of his signing, Morse was the highest-paid center in the league and he vindicated that faith a Pro Bowl nomination in 2022.
Moving onto Jacksonville presents a new challenge for Morse, who turns 32 in April: he'll now be tasked with protecting Trevor Lawrence as pressure mounts for the top pick in the 2021 draft to perform on the big stage. Morse will also reunite with Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, who served as his offensive coordinator during his first professional days with the Chiefs.
Morse appeared to realize that his Buffalo days were numbered in the immediate aftermath of the Bills' AFC Divisional playoff loss to, ironically enough, Kansas City.
"You understand that this is a business and you understand that decisions have to be made," Morse said, per Patrick Warren and Alec White of the Bills' official site. "That's why after this game last night was so crushing because there's so many decisions looming that this was the last time that this team is going to be together."
With Morse gone and the financial picture still in flux, the Bills are currently set to turn to former Dallas Cowboy Connor McGovern as the snapper, who's set to enter his second season in red, white, and blue.
