[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw1j59gmjw5gdj player_id=none image=https://billswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
The Buffalo Bills have made big waves early in free agency. An under-the-radar move helped them do so.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Bills restructured the contract of safety Micah Hyde.
In doing so, the move reportedly created $4.544 million in addition salary cap space. In the reworkings, the team converted $5.68M of his contract into a signing bonus.
Per Spotrac, $3.18M of Hyde’s base salary and $2.5M of a roster bonus were converted to that bonus.
The announcement of the move came prior to 4 p.m. on Wednesday. By then, all NFL teams have to be under the salary cap.
Hyde’s cap hit for 2022 is now $5.656M.
The 31-year-old is signed through the 2023 season. The Bills could still sign Hyde to a contract extension beyond that in the future.
Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane is no stranger to changing up contracts in such a manner to create salary cap space.
He did so several times in 2020 when the NFL’s salary cap dropped due to COVID-19.
[lawrence-related id=98684,98665,98657]