Buffalo Bills Make Roster Decision on Longtime Starter Taron Johnson

One day after adding DJ Moore to their receiving corps in a trade with the Chicago Bears, the Buffalo Bills said goodbye to one of their longest-tenured defenders.

Taron Johnson, who was part of Brandon Beane's first draft class in 2018, was released on Friday.

During his eight years in Buffalo, Johnson started 83 games while appearing in 113. He leaves the Bills with 572 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 48 pass deflections, and six interceptions.

The Bills are releasing corner Taron Johnson after eight seasons together, per source.

Johnson started 87 games for Buffalo and became an All Pro in 2023. pic.twitter.com/iZ5q473GBq
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 6, 2026

Oddly enough, Johnson's release comes one day after Aaron Rodgers called him one of the best players in the NFL. Rodgers was especially fond of how Johnson could play the run and the pass from the nickel position.

"I think Buffalo did this more than anybody, playing nickel to every personnel, because Taron Johnson is one of the best players in the league," said Rodgers during his latest Pat McAfee Show appearance. "He's one of the most underrated players in the league. He can play a box linebacker and stop the run and he can cover guys."

Originally a fourth-round pick out of Weber State, Johnson developed into one of the top slot corners in the NFL. In 2024, he secured a three–year, $30.75 million contract extension that includes $17.82 million in guaranteed money. Unfortunately, his performance dipped after that, with Johnson posting the two lowest grades of his career, according to PFF, in 2024 and 2025.

What does releasing Taron Johnson do for the Buffalo Bills' salary cap?

Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson against the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship game. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Bills could designate Johnson as a post-June 1 cut, which would be better for the bottom line. Doing so would free up $8.67 million in cap space with a $2.74 dead cap charge. The only issue with that is Johnson's salary won't help the Bills until his contract officially comes off the books in June.

If they don't use the June 1 designation, Johnson's saving would be minimal. In this scenario, the Bills would get just $1.9 million in savings with a $9.5 million dead cap charge. It would be surprising to see that be the case.

Instead, look for the Bills to make several more moves as they seek to get under the salary cap. Entering the day, they were nearing $32 million over the cap after adding DJ Moore's contract. They can restructure or extend multiple contracts, including Moore's, to get under the cap.

UPDATE: Buffalo did not designate Johnson as a post-June 1 cut, meaning they will have minimal savings with the $9.5 million dead cap charge.

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