Most significant move: The Bills saved $4.15 million off their 2015 salary cap by releasing veteran quarterback Matt Cassel, who had lost the starting job to Tyrod Taylor and would have been a more expensive No. 2 option than EJ Manuel. Cassel was the favorite to start before Taylor and Manuel both played well enough in the preseason to give the Bills confidence sticking with the younger, cheaper quarterbacks as their No. 1 and No. 2 options. In addition to the savings from releasing Cassel, the Bills shaved about $2.5 million off their 2015 salary cap by releasing running back Fred Jackson earlier in the week. The Bills can carry that savings over to 2016, when they are already tight against the projected salary cap but are looking to afford extensions for defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, linebacker Nigel Bradham and left tackle Cordy Glenn.
Starting cornerback shelved for at least six weeks: Rex Ryan had said during training camp that he didn't expect veteran cornerback Leodis McKelvin's ankle injury to keep him out long enough for the team to put him on the reserve/non-football injury list. Regardless, the Bills made the decision Friday to place McKelvin on the NFI list, keeping him out at least for the first six weeks of the regular season. McKelvin, who fractured his ankle last November and re-injured it before training camp, is eligible to begin practicing Oct. 19 and has 21 days to return to the active roster once he begins practicing.
What's next: The Bills trimmed their roster by two players more than what was required, so they only have 51 players counting against their 53-man limit as of Saturday afternoon. The team is particularly thin along their offensive and defensive lines, so those positions bear watching for potential waiver claims this weekend. The Bills only have seven offensive linemen -- with Kraig Urbik and Cyrus Kouandjio as their only backups -- and six defensive linemen. They could use pass-rushing depth behind Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes.
Bills' cuts: Cassel, McKelvin (reserve/NFI), S Jonathan Meeks, DT Red Bryant, C Dalton Freeman, LB Kevin Reddick, FB John Conner, DE Quentin Groves, DT Andre Fluellen, WR Andre Davis, DE IK Enemkpali, G Darryl Johnson, QB Matt Simms, RB Bronson Hill, RB Cierre Wood, WR Tobais Palmer, G William Campbell, G/C Alex Kupper, G Cyril Richardson, DE B.J. Larsen, CB Merrill Noel, WR Dez Lewis, WR Deonte Thompson (waived/injured)
