Updated Buffalo Bills Salary Cap Space Reported After Significant Financial Decision

The Bills have made a few moves ahead of the new league year.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) and offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Brandon Beane revealed on Tuesday that the Buffalo Bills had restructured Spencer Brown’s contract, opening about $10.4 million in much-needed salary cap space.

The Bills entered the offseason about $10 million over the projected salary cap of $303.4M, and following Brown’s restructure, along with a few more transactions made as free agency approaches, the Bills remain about $6.7M over the cap as of Wednesday morning, according to Spotrac.

That means the Bills’ president of football operations must make additional moves before the team becomes cap-compliant with the new league year set to begin on Mar. 11.

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (88) runs with the ball in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

An obvious candidate

One clear option for the Bills to create more cap space is cutting bait on Dawson Knox. The veteran tight end is set to produce a massive cap hit of $17.8M in 2026, but the Bills could create an additional $10.4M in space if they were to release him before June 1.

“He has a tough [cap hit] as we go into the season, so we’ve gotta figure that out, as we do,” said Beane, per WGR 550’s Sal Capaccio. “Dawson and I had dialogue. … So I think it just starts with trust, communication, and honest conversation. And so we’ve had some dialogue.”

Other options

The Bills could also release Curtis Samuel before June 1 to create over $6M in savings. The wide receiver has been a significant disappointment since the team signed him to a three-year deal in 2024.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel (1) scores a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the second half at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

A potential release of Tyler Bass could also create $3.9M in cap space if the Bills were to do so after June 1. Bass missed the entire 2025 season with a sports hernia, but Beane previously stated he expects the 29-year-old to be the team’s kicker in 2026.

Additionally, Buffalo could trigger over $3M in cap savings if it releases safety Taylor Rapp this offseason. Rapp enjoyed a productive 2024 season, but injuries hampered his 2025 season, which was disappointing. As a result, the Bills will likely be looking for a different counterpart to play alongside incumbent starter Cole Bishop next year.

“Listen, we know we have to get under the cap,” said Beane from Tuesday’s combine. “We know we have X number of days to do that, and there’s different ways to do it.”

The combine will continue on Wednesday, with player testing beginning on Thursday.