The Bills have used the franchise tag on left tackle Cordy Glenn and re-signing left guard Richie Incognito looks like it will cost more money than they would have liked, so the team could use some cap relief at the moment.
They’ll reportedly get some by pulling the trigger on the long-anticipated release of defensive end Mario Williams. Josina Anderson of ESPN reports that Williams has been told that his time in Buffalo is over.
Williams complained frequently about the defensive scheme last season while turning in a less productive season than we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from him over the years. While Williams suggested recently that he’d take a pay cut in order to stay in Buffalo, but the Bills have decided to just move on without him.
The move will save the Bills $12.9 million under the cap while leaving $7 million in dead money behind. His arrival on the open market will likely interest teams looking to bolster their pass rush and he’ll be eligible to sign with any club once his release has been made official with the league. He slumped to five sacks last season, but Williams had 38 sacks in his first three years in Buffalo and someone will take the chance that he’ll rebound with a change of scenery.
The Bills also appear to have cleared out a bit more room by releasing veteran offensive lineman Kraig Urbik. Urbik posted a farewell letter to the team on Twitter Tuesday that said he will miss his teammates and that he’s excited about his next opportunity. His departure clears $1.775 million in cap room.
