Entering Friday more than $31MM over the cap, the Bills are releasing a longtime staple. They are cutting cornerback Taron Johnson, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports.
While boundary cornerbacks have come and gone in Buffalo during the Brandon Beane era, Johnson has patrolled the slot for nearly all of the franchise’s resurgent period. The 2018 fourth-round pick was tied to a three-year, $30.75MM contract. Two years remained on the deal. By moving on now, the Bills avoid a $1.18MM advanced salary guarantee — which would have vested next week.
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This release is not slated to produce much in the way of cap savings — unless Buffalo designates the cornerstone defender as a post-June 1 cut. A post-June 1 designation would save the Bills $8.67MM in 2026 cap space. Otherwise, the club would save less than $2MM this year and incur more than $8MM in dead money. Teams are allowed two post-June 1 designations annually.
The Bills used the same defensive system throughout Johnson’s tenure, but with Sean McDermott being fired and Jim Leonhard coming in as DC, a big change is on tap. Buffalo will be expected to deploy Christian Benford and 2025 first-round pick Maxwell Hairston as its boundary starters, but a hole now exists in the slot.
Johnson, 29, started 87 games with the Bills and had played at least 74% of the team’s defensive snaps since the 2020 season. He signed a three-year, $24MM extension in 2021 and topped Kenny Moore‘s then-slot-record deal in 2024. That pact has since been surpassed — though, not by too much — but Johnson will be an interesting free agent after being tied to an eight-figure AAV for the past two seasons.
A recent report indicated the Bills were considering moving Johnson to safety. Jordan Poyer became needed at the position, and Taylor Rapp is expected to be released. While the Bills will need help at that position — with Damar Hamlin joining Poyer as unsigned — they had been able to count on Johnson inside for nearly a decade. Pro Football Focus, however, had viewed Johnson as slipping recently. The advanced metrics site graded him outside the top 70 in each of the past two seasons.
Raiders pleaseeeee make it happen!
Funny how the ‘honor your contract!’ people are quite during cut days.
I’m all for the players getting as much as they can but this is the contract. That’s why players get and ask for a lot of guaranteed money. Teams are within the contract to terminate said contract. Honestly, I think every contract should be guaranteed just like baseball
Wont happen … too many injuries already.
They get paid when they’re injured. Do you really think that if a guy tears his ACL, that he doesn’t receive a paycheck? Joe Burrow gets hurt every other year and still gets his 55 million
True, but look at all the players that get dumped after injuries? Owners know they can hang that over their head, knowing the average career is short. Even healthy, many players dont see a second or third contract, know matter how many teams get a look at them or show interest. Luck, health, talent and determination make or break all the players.
The QBs may be the only ones that could get any guaranteed success. Watson sure did.
You’re just saying what is happening now. If you sign a contract and get hurt in your 3rd year and can never play again, you definitely should get your contract honored. I realize that contracts aren’t now set up that way, that’s why I posted what I posted. Follow along