The Buffalo Bills released a slew of veterans ahead of NFL free agency on March 6, and former Kansas City Chiefs second-round center Mitch Morse was among the cap-saving cuts.
“The #Bills are releasing C Mitch Morse, sources tell me and @RapSheet,” NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo reported on X. “Morse was due $8.5 million in salary this upcoming season.”
The #Bills are releasing C Mitch Morse, sources tell me and @RapSheet. Morse was due $8.5 million in salary this upcoming season.
After five seasons in Buffalo, the 2022 Pro Bowl selection will be a free agent. pic.twitter.com/IA64xdM8Ke
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 6, 2024
He added that “after five seasons in Buffalo, the 2022 Pro Bowl selection will be a free agent.”
Along with Morse, the AFC rival Bills released safety Jordan Poyer, wide receiver Deonte Harty, cornerback Siran Neal and running back Nyheim Hines. They also designated former All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White as a post-June 1 cut according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
After years of skirting the cap, Buffalo had to make some tough decisions to get themselves operable. Per NFL insider Ari Meirov, the Bills began March 6 at a deficit of $40 million. As of 7:15 p.m. CST, Over the Cap lists them at a deficit of just a hair over $3.8 million.
Ex-Chiefs C Mitch Morse Had Successful Run With Bills
After playing out his rookie contract with the Chiefs and missing a total of 14 starts over his final two campaigns, Morse chose to sign in Buffalo. He finished his KC career with 52 starts including the playoffs, leaving the year before Patrick Mahomes helped the franchise win their first Super Bowl under Andy Reid.
Although the timing of Morse’s departure was indeed unfortunate, he enjoyed a very successful run with the Bills snapping the football to perennial MVP hopeful Josh Allen.
Over the past five seasons, the veteran center has started 77 regular season outings for Buffalo, as well as another 10 in the playoffs — a few of which came against Kansas City. His career earnings with the Bills amount to $54.5 million-plus according to Over the Cap, not to mention another $4.67 million and change with the Chiefs.
This move appears to be purely financial for Buffalo, considering Morse graded out as consistently as ever in 2023. Pro Football Focus actually credited the blocker with his best pass protection marks since 2018 in KC, and his run blocking score was on par with the rest of his career.
He was charged with one sack, 27 QB pressures and five penalties this year. His pass-blocking efficiency was a 97.8 — which ranked 12th among NFL centers that played a minimum 50% of snaps.
Chiefs Could Extend C Creed Humphrey in 2024
There’s little chance that the Chiefs reunite with Morse — who’s still good enough to start — in 2024 free agency. Creed Humphrey has taken over as the center of the future in Kansas City, and he’s unlikely to relinquish that role for a long time.
In 2023, Humphrey’s pass-blocking efficiency was fourth among qualifying centers along with a run-blocking grade that ranked eighth — and this was a down year by the youngster’s standards.
In fact, the recent second rounder has already earned a Proven Performance Escalator that bumped his salary up a bit in 2024. That “PPE” brought about more extension talk for Humphrey as the Chiefs look for creative ways to lower cap hits ahead of free agency.
Per Chiefs Digest insider Matt Derrick, KC general manager Brett Veach noted that “locking up key pieces of the 2021 draft class is on his agenda for the [2024] offseason” back in August. A Humphrey extension feels even more plausible now after yet another 17-start campaign for the former Oklahoma product who is now a two-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Bowler entering year four in the league.
