Steelers Release S Keanu Neal
Keanu Neal‘s debut Steelers season was cut short due to injury, and his time in Pittsburgh has now come to an end. The veteran safety has been released with a failed physical designation, per a team announcement. 
Neal joined the team on a two-year deal last March, and he represented a potential Terrell Edmunds replacement. Indeed, the 28-year-old started eight of his nine appearances in Pittsburgh, recording 50 tackles and one interception. Neal suffered a ribs injury in November, however, and he was placed on IR as a result.
The journeyman never came back to the Steelers’ lineup, and he will now hit the market once again. Pittsburgh will gain $2.25MM in cap space with today’s move while incurring a dead money charge of $460K. After playing on four different teams in as many years, meanwhile, Neal will aim to find another new opportunity while continuing to recover.
Pittsburgh has All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick in place as a starter at the safety spot, and Damontae Kazee – who logged nine starts last season – is on the books for one more year. That pair could see considerable playing time in 2024, but the team could also be involved in the safety market during free agency. A bevy of high-profile players at the position have become cap casualties recently, meaning the Steelers will have a number of options to choose from.
Neal has never landed a contract averaging more than $4MM per season, and the 2024 safety market is shaping up as one in which few producers at the position will likely secure a lucrative investment. The former first-rounder has bounced around with the Falcons, Cowboys and Buccaneers in addition to his brief Steelers tenure. Neal has seen mixed results in terms of PFF evaluation over the years, and 2023 produced only a 59.6 overall grade. Between that showing, his health status and the list of safeties also on the market, he could be hard-pressed to land another multi-year contract in 2024.
Broncos Release S Justin Simmons
The list of veteran safeties who will be available in free agency continues to grow. The Broncos are moving on from Justin Simmons, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The move is now official, per a team announcement.
One year remained on Simmons’ pact – one which had an AAV of $15.25MM, sixth-highest in the league at the position – and he was set to carry a cap hit of $18.25MM. By cutting bait with the 30-year-old, Denver will save $14.5MM while generating a dead money charge of $3.75MM. The move will bring an end to Simmons’ eight-year tenure in the Mile High City, one in which he has consistently been one of the team’s top producers. 
Given the nature of his cap hit, the former third-rounder’s future was called into question earlier this offseason. A report from last month noted the likelihood of a deal lowering Simmons’ cap charge, something which could have been accomplished via a restructure or extension. Instead of taking either route, though, the Broncos – met with a number of financial challenges given the enormous dead money charge the Russell Wilson release will trigger – will cut bait altogether.
Simmons has played each of his 118 career games with the Broncos, generating a well-earned reputation as one of the league’s top safeties along the way. He has recorded at least two interceptions every year, including a league-leading six in 2022. This past campaign saw continued production on the backend (three interceptions, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles), and Simmons received a second career Pro Bowl invitation as a result.
Dating back to 2019, the Boston College product has been earned second-team All-Pro honors four times while remaining healthy and productive. His 30 interceptions since his rookie campaign (2016) are the most in the NFL during that span. As a result, his absence will be sorely felt in Denver’s secondary moving forward, while a number of suitors will no doubt show interest in Simmons now that he is available.
The Broncos had a long-standing tandem at the safety spot with Simmons and Kareem Jackson serving as starters. After a campaign featuring multiple ejections, fines and suspensions, however, the latter was waived in December and claimed by the Texans. Jackson is a pending free agent, but a Broncos reunion would come as a major surprise. P.J. Locke – who took over as a starter due to Jackson’s absence – is also set to reach the open market next week, so plenty of additions could be required for the Broncos to re-build their safety depth chart.
Denver entered Thursday as one of the team’s sitting over the cap ceiling, meaning cost-cutting moves would be required. Releasing Simmons will bring the team to within roughly $1.85MM of compliance, so any subsequent maneuvering will likely not be as notable as today’s move. Still, the loss of Simmons will create a challenge for Denver as the team aims to build off the defensive rebound seen last season after a woeful start to the campaign on that side of the ball.
Simmons’ durability (seven missed games since 2018) and production should help him find a new home relatively soon. A number of teams have moved on from pricey safeties in the lead-in to free agency, however, and the likes of Jordan Poyer, Rayshawn Jenkins, Kevin Byard and Quandre Diggs are among those who have recently been released. Interested suitors will have a number of options to choose from at the safety spot, but Simmons could command the most lucrative deal among them.
Bills To Release CB Tre’Davious White
As their cost-shedding moves continue, the Bills are parting ways with Tre’Davious White. The former All-Pro corner will be released, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Schefter notes White will be designated a post-June 1 cut, meaning the move will not take place until the new league year begins next week. That path will lead to $10.2MM in savings in 2024, but they will not be realized until June 2. White will, however, be free to find a new team as soon as the market opens.
[RELATED: Bills To Release Mitch Morse, Deonte Harty]
White’s future was in question given his injury history over the past two seasons in particular. The former first-rounder was limited to six contests in 2022 as he recovered from an ACL tear the previous fall. In 2023, an Achilles tear cut his season short after just four contests. Having missed considerable time and with no more base salary guaranteed on his deal, White represented a logical release candidate.
The 29-year-old’s extension (a four-year, $69MM pact inked in 2020) had already been restructured multiple times, and taking that route again would have pushed further cap charges down the road. Instead, the team will elect to spread out his dead money charge ($6.23MM in 2024) over two years while cutting ties with a full-time starter. White logged 89 total appearances between regular and postseason play in Buffalo.
Over that span, he racked up 18 interceptions – including a league-leading six in 2019. White reached double figures in terms of pass deflections in three of his first four seasons, but his production in that regard has dropped off in the past three years due in part to the missed time. The LSU alum has remained strong in coverage, though, something which could help him land a notable pact with a new team in free agency.
Buffalo has 2022 sixth-rounder Christian Benford as well as 2023 trade acquisition Rasul Douglas in place as starting outside corners for the time being. Kaiir Elam – taken 23rd overall in 2022 – has not developed as hoped so far in his career, but moving on from White could open the door to playing time. In any case, the Bills will be in the market for a CB addition either in free agency or the draft.
In need of plenty of maneuvering to get under the cap limit, the Bills have made a slew of moves pointing them in that direction. That has included Jordan Poyer and Siran Neal being released today. The same is also true of Morse and Harty. Taking into account the efforts made so far, Buffalo sits $19.7MM over the cap as things stand. That figure will be helped in June by White’s release, but in the immediate future the team still has more work to do from a financial standpoint.
Eagles To Release CB Avonte Maddox
The Eagles’ secondary is set to lose a longtime contributor. Cornerback Avonte Maddox is being released, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
Schefter notes that a reunion at a lower cost could be in play, as the sides will continue to discuss a new arrangement. For the time being, though, Maddox is free to pursue an outside deal after spending the past six seasons in Philadelphia.
One year remained on the 27-year-old’s deal. He was due to carry a cap hit of $9.68MM, but moving on right away will not produce much in the way of added flexibility. Cutting Maddox before June 1 will create just under $2MM in cap space; designating him a post-June 1 release would have, on the other hand, seen that figure rise to $7.12MM with a far smaller dead money charge. No cap savings become available until June 2 when teams take the latter route, though.
A torn pectoral muscle required surgery and forced Maddox to miss considerable time in 2023. He was limited to just four games in the regular season, though he had recovered in time for the Eagles’ wild-card loss. The former fourth-rounder started at least two games in each of his Philadelphia campaigns, totaling 38 across his 64 appearances. In that span, he racked up four interceptions, 31 pass breakups and eight forced fumbles.
That production could make the slot man an attractive free agent if he lands with a new team. Struggles in coverage could – along with injury issues, of course – limit his market to a prove-it deal with Philadelphia or another suitor, however. The Eagles already have veterans Darius Slay and James Bradberry under contract for two more seasons, although each have had their futures questioned given their age and the possibility Philadelphia could pursue a youth movement at the CB spot.
Both Slay and Bradberry are on track to remain with the Eagles, so the slot will be a position worth watching if no new Maddox deal can be worked out. The team entered today with roughly $42MM in cap space, giving them much more spending power than a number of others around the league. If Maddox does indeed depart, some of those resources will likely be needed to find an impact replacement.
Bills Release Mitch Morse, Deonte Harty
The Bills continue to move on from veterans in their path to cap compliance. Buffalo is releasing center Mitch Morse, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. The team also plans to cut receiver/returner Deonte Harty, Rapoport and colleague Tom Pelissero add. Both moves are now official. 
Morse’s release marks further changes along the offensive line for Buffalo. The team traded Ryan Bates to the Bears on Monday, giving him a better chance of seeing first-team duties. That suggested the Bills’ starting interior trio of Connor McGovern, O’Cyrus Torrence and Morse would remain intact for 2024. Instead, the latter is now poised for free agency.
Moving on from Morse – who had one year remaining on his contract – will produce $8.5MM in cap savings and $3MM in dead money. The move means Buffalo will have a new starting center for the first time since 2019 unless a new, more cost-effective agreement can be reached between team and player in this situation. Morse earned his lone Pro Bowl nod in 2022, and he logged over 1,100 snaps for the second time in his career last season.
The 31-year-old ranked 20th amongst qualifying centers in 2023, drawing a 64.1 overall grade. That falls in line with his evaluations throughout much of his career, and a similar level of play may have been expected for 2024. Buffalo entered the offseason in unenviable cap shape, though, leading to a number of departures via veteran releases.
That process has included safety Jordan Poyer and special teamer Siran Neal being let go in cost-shedding moves earlier today. Harty’s release will add to the financial benefits, as it will yield a further $4.3MM in extra cap space. The latter joined Buffalo on a two-year pact last offseason and served as the team’s primary punt returner. He ran back 26 punts in 2023, and scored a 96-yard touchdown as part of his special teams contributions. The Bills will aim to find a less expensive option this offseason.
Rapoport notes Connor McGovern is expected to slide over from guard to center to take Morse’s place. Not to be confused with the Jets center of the same name, McGovern joined the Bills last offseason following his Cowboys tenure. He played exclusively at left guard in 2023, but he has limited experience as a center dating back to his time in Dallas. David Edwards, meanwhile, will be the favorite to replace McGovern at the LG spot on Buffalo’s new-look offensive line.
Seahawks Release DT Bryan Mone
One day after executing a number of cost-shedding moves, the Seahawks remain busy on that front. Seattle has released defensive tackle Bryan Mone, per a team announcement. This moves comes with a non-football injury designation, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes.
Only $500K of Mone’s 2024 compensation was guaranteed for 2024, making this a relatively easy move from the Seahawks’ perspective. The team will free up $5.39MM in cap space by moving on. However, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes the parties could work out a new arrangement at a lower price tag.
The Seahawks made the expected move of releasing safeties Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs on Tuesday, incurring notable dead money charges in the process. The team also cut tight end Will Dissly, leaving open the possibility of a mass exodus at that position. Mone could join that trio in departing the Emerald City in free agency, something which would leave a depth vacancy along the defensive interior.
The latter had been with the Seahawks since joining the team as a UDFA in 2019. In all, he made 41 appearances and eight starts while logging a consistent workload. Mone’s defensive snap share ranged between 30-38% each season and he chipped in with 73 tackles and a pair of sacks during his four-year run on the field. The 28-year-old was placed on the PUP list in July, though, and he was sidelined for the entire 2023 campaign while rehabbing from an ACL tear.
Seattle was already well under the cap ceiling before today’s move, but given Mone’s injury situation it comes as little surprise. Even if he is brought back, improvement in the front seven will be a key priority for new head coach Mike Macdonald, who enters the team with plenty of acclaim after running the Ravens’ defense for the past two years. Further turnover along the D-line could take place if fellow veteran and pending free agent Mario Edwards departs once the new league year begins.
For the time being, Seattle will move forward with Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed under contract at the DT spot. The team now sits at $41.6MM in cap space, some of which will likely be used on depth additions at a minimum. The draft will also present opportunities to pursue upgrades, and the Seahawks are among the teams already known to have a 30 visit with first-round prospect Byron Murphy lined up.
Bills Release S Jordan Poyer, CB Siran Neal
In need of cost-shedding moves in the lead-in to free agency, the Bills are moving on from Jordan Poyer. The veteran safety is being released, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The team has since confirmed the move.
Poyer had been a Bills mainstay over the past seven years, remaining a full-time starter and enjoying his most productive seasons in Buffalo. One year remained on his pact, and the 33-year-old was due $5.5MM. Poyer’s cap hit was set to be $7.72MM, though, and $760K of his salary was due to become guaranteed on March 18. Moving on will create $5.72MM in cap space while generating a dead money charge of $2MM.
Buffalo first inked Poyer in 2017, and extended him in 2020. A free agent departure was a distinct possibility last offseason, and the former seventh-rounder tested his value on the open market. After failing to receive much in the way of outside interest, he agreed to a two-year, $12.5MM re-up in Buffalo. Halfway through that pact, he will now seek out a new team as he looks to continue his career.
Buffalo safety partner Micah Hyde is a pending free agent, but his playing future is uncertain. Given the questions surrounding Hyde’s willingness to work out another Bills pact – and the interest the team would have in one – as well as today’s move, the position is on track to see notable turnover this offseason. Both Hyde and Poyer had been in place as full-time starters for the past seven years.
The latter remained productive through much of his Buffalo tenure. Poyer earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2021, and he received a Pro Bowl invite the following season. After racking up a combined nine interceptions and 17 pass deflections during that span, however, those totals fell to zero and four in 2023. Between a drop-off in production and concerns about his age, Poyer could be hard-pressed to land a lucrative deal with a new team in free agency (something which figures to have a number of veteran safeties available).
Depth corner and special teamer Siran Neal is also being released, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That move will free up roughly $2.9MM in cap space; one year remained on Neal’s contract. The 29-year-old had been with the Bills since 2018, playing 97 games and logging a heavy workload on special teams along the way. While Buffalo’s third phase will take a hit with this move, the team will move closer to cap compliance as a result of it.
Even with Poyer and Neal off the books, Buffalo still sits $32.5MM over the cap ceiling. Teams must be under the limit by the start of the new league year next week, so further moves will be required over the coming days. The Bills’ secondary, meanwhile, will feature a number of new faces in 2024.
Russell Wilson Free To Negotiate With Teams
MARCH 6: Although Wilson will remain a Bronco until March 13, the team will extend this free agency preview of sorts to include in-person visits with other clubs, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. An unofficial agreement could conceivably commence before free agency starts, though teams interested in Wilson likely will be interested in seeing how other QB dominoes fall before committing.
MARCH 5: The Broncos officially announced on Monday that Russell Wilson will be let go, marking an end to his disappointing stint with the team. The move will not be made until the new league year begins, but Wilson could have a new agreement in place by that point. 
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Denver has no issue with Wilson immediately negotiating with prospective teams. The outgoing veteran passer is still under contract with the Broncos (and will be until March 13), but with his fate already known the team will allow him to begin seeking out his next home. Wilson is therefore, for all intents and purposes, already a free agent.
With $39MM in compensation guaranteed for 2024 by the Broncos, an acquiring team will not be obligated to add the Super Bowl winner on a lucrative pact. Any base salary Wilson signs for will offset part of Denver’s obligations to him. Given the state of the 35-year-old’s value, though, a short-term pact at a low cost will likely be the means by which he begins the third chapter of his NFL career.
A number of teams will be in the market for a veteran passer as the offseason unfolds. Wilson will not be as in-demand as the likes of Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield, but he could be viewed as having higher upside than other bridge options such as Jacoby Brissett and Ryan Tannehill. While the Broncos could be in the market for an experienced signal-caller to take Wilson’s place, the top incumbent passer on the roster will likely receive the first chance to earn the starting gig.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes Jarrett Stidham is in place to take on QB1 duties, especially if Denver does not add a quarterback in the first round of April’s draft (video link). Plenty could change under center in the coming months, but Payton has thrown his support behind Stidham (who signed a two-year deal last offseason) before and after he filled in for Wilson following the latter’s benching. Resources will be limited if the Broncos aim to add a pricey free agent, of course, given the cap consequences of Wilson’s release.
On that point, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports Denver has not yet decided how to handle the move to cut Wilson. A guaranteed $22MM payment owed next week either as an option bonus or, if declined, base salary, will affect the cap charges associated with the release. The team will be hit with $35.4MM in dead money in 2024 and $49.6MM next season if the option is picked up, or cap charges of $53MM and $32MM if not. The Broncos will make a decision on how to structure Wilson’s contract while he begins the process of landing a new one.
Seahawks To Release Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs
Long thought to be on the cap casualty radar, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs will indeed be released. Seattle is cutting both veteran safeties, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. In each case, the move will come as a standard (rather than post-June 1) release, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson. 
The former in particular has often been floated as a release candidate, given the nature of his contract and the injury issues which have plagued his Seattle tenure. Adams arrived amidst massive expectations following his trade from the Jets and the four-year, $70MM extension which accompanied it. The former No. 6 pick played just 34 games in four seasons with Seattle, however.
[RELATED: Seahawks Cut TE Will Dissly]
That total includes one contest in 2022, and nine this past season. Adams ended the campaign on injured reserve with serious questions about his future in the Emerald City. They have now been answered; today’s move will create just over $6MM in cap savings while incurring a dead money charge of $20.83MM. Rather than spreading the latter figure out over two season, the team will absorb it all at once.
Diggs was entering the final year of his contract, a $40MM extension which appeared to keep him in place with the Seahawks for the long haul. None of his base salary was guaranteed, and as such the team will free up an additional $11MM in cap space. Still, the dead money figure in Diggs’ case ($10.27MM) illustrates the consequences of the investments made in both players during Pete Carroll‘s tenure at the helm of the franchise.
General manager John Schneider remains from that period, but he now has full control over roster decisions in the bid to transition under new head coach Mike Macdonald. Defensive improvement will be a key expectation for the latter given his background as well as the shortcomings Seattle has seen on that side of the ball in recent years. After being scheduled to account for over $20MM each on the cap next season, neither Adams nor Diggs will play a role in that effort.
Adams has an advantage in terms of age (28) over Diggs (31) with respect to potential market value on a deal with a new team. The former contemplated retirement following the 2022 campaign, though, and his injury history will be a major factor taken into consideration by prospective employers. A Jets reunion is not under consideration, SNY’s Connor Hughes tweets. Diggs has fared far better on the health front, earning a Pro Bowl every season from 2020-22. He recorded at least four interceptions each year over that span, but that figure fell to one in 2023.
Regardless of where Adams and Diggs wind up, Seattle will look much different on the backend in 2024. Julian Love is under contract for one more year, but at least one more starting-caliber option will be brought in this offseason.
Joe Flacco Eyeing New Browns Deal
Joe Flacco is on track to hit free agency with far more value than he had one year ago. If the 39-year-old quarterback has his way, though, he will remain in Cleveland for 2024. 
Flacco is among the Browns’ pending free agents, and a recent report noted he was expected to gauge the market for the chance to operate as a starter. He did so to close out the 2023 season – in surprisingly effective fashion – while filling in for the injured Deshaun Watson. The latter will be in place for years to come, though, meaning a new Browns accord would consign Flacco to backup duties.
In spite of that, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports a Cleveland re-up is Flacco’s “first choice.” The former Super Bowl MVP joined midseason after failing to receive much interest following the end of his Jets tenure. He took charge of a severely injured offense down the stretch and helped lead the team to the postseason.
Flacco earned Comeback Player of the Year honors as a result, and he would no doubt be able to land at least a notable backup deal with any number of teams on the open market as he attempts to play two more years. It will be interesting to see how willing the Browns are to entertain talks in the coming days to prevent him from reaching free agency. The team currently has roughly $6.8MM in cap space.
Cleveland is amenable to a new Flacco pact, one which will add further to the cap investments made under center. Watson is currently set to count nearly $64MM against the cap over the next three years, meaning another restructure will be necessary. The Browns also added Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the fifth round of last year’s draft, giving them a young and cost-effective option at the QB spot even if Flacco leaves.
A signing amongst the various bridge options set to hit the market would allow the Browns to maintain depth in the wake of Watson’s season-ending shoulder injury. A number of outside options will be available, but retaining Flacco could wind up being the team’s ultimate direction if his desire to remain in place meshes with Cleveland’s valuation.