Bills releasing veteran safety Jordan Poyer, source says

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- As the Bills make moves to get under the salary cap, the team is releasing a key member of the defense in captain and 2021 All-Pro Jordan Poyer, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Wednesday.

The move will save the Bills about $5 million in cap space.

Poyer, 32, re-signed with the Bills last offseason on a two-year deal after exploring his free agency options. He initially signed with Buffalo in 2017, the first season under coach Sean McDermott, and paired with safety Micah Hyde, who also signed with the team in 2017, in the secondary for the past seven seasons.

The move marks the end of the safety duo that has started the most games together since 2017 (93), with Hyde, who is set to become a free agent next week, considering retirement, and sets up a new look on defense for Buffalo in 2024.

Poyer started 16 regular-season games in 2023 after dealing with a variety of injuries during the 2022 season. He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL draft out of Oregon State. He spent part of 2013 and the 2014-16 seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

He has 24 interceptions, 54 passes defended, 12 sacks, 9 forced fumbles and 806 tackles over 11 NFL seasons.

As part of the Bills' cap clearing moves, they are also planning to restructure cornerback Rasul Douglas' deal to save about $2.5 million more against the cap, a source told Schefter. Douglas was acquired just before the trade deadline in 2023 from the Green Bay Packers.

The Bills are also releasing defensive back Siran Neal, a key special teams player and backup in the secondary for Buffalo since 2018, a source confirmed to ESPN. Neal -- a 2018 fifth-round pick by the Bills -- had one year left on his deal. Releasing him saves under $3 million.