The Buffalo Bills have created some additional salary cap space by reportedly releasing running back Nyheim Hines.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 27-year-old is going to officially be released by the team this upcoming week. Releasing the back will free up $4.6 million in cap space while adding only $500,000 in dead cap.
Hines was acquired by the Bills just before the 2022 NFL trade deadline from the Indianapolis Colts for running back Zack Moss and a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Last season, Hines did not play at all for Buffalo. During the 2023 offseason, suffered a leg injury in a jet ski incident which caused him to miss the entire past season.
Prior to releasing Hines, the Bills were approximately $40M over the 2024 NFL salary cap. The savings on the cap Buffalo will receive in cutting Hines is likely the motivating factor behind the move. The Bills might have approached Hines about a pay cut after he missed last year, but that’s just speculation.
During his time in Buffalo, Hines mostly contributed on the Bills’ special teams unit. As a kick returner, Hines returned 19 kicks in 2022 for the Bills for an average of 29.2 yards.
During that spell, he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against the New England Patriots at home. One of which was the first play the Bills had in a game since Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest.
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