John Brown Released by Bills After 2 Seasons; Saves BUF About $8M in Cap

The Buffalo Bills announced Wednesday they released veteran wide receiver John Brown.

Brown indicated on Instagram he would be on his way out.

By cutting the 30-year-old, the Bills save $7.9 million and absorb $1.6 million in dead money.

Given the cost-savings stemming from the move, Brown's release doesn't come as a surprise.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the NFL's salary cap will be $182.5 million in 2021, down from $198.2 million in 2020. General managers across the league will have to tighten their payrolls as much as they can.

Brown's performance dipped after enjoying a career year in 2019 as well. He made nine appearances, catching 33 passes for 458 yards and three touchdowns. A high-ankle sprain landed him on injured reserve last November, and he missed Buffalo's Week 16 victory over the New England Patriots while on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson II received the franchise tag from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears, respectively. Even with those two off the board, teams have a lot of options in free agency when it comes to wideouts.

Kenny Golladay, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Will Fuller V are all set to be out of contract, and Schefter reported the New Orleans Saints are letting Emmanuel Sanders go.

Brown is averaging 49.5 receiving yards per game and 14.8 yards per catch. He's a solid secondary option in the passing game.

With so many skilled pass-catchers on the board—on top of the incoming class of draft prospects—he's likely to encounter a tough market, though.