Bills cut former Saints All-Pro Deonte Harty, but don’t expect a reunion

The Bills released Deonte Harty, a former All-Pro returner with the Saints. But a reunion is ‘not currently in the works’ per NOF’s Nick Underhill:

Could the New Orleans Saints bring back Deonte Harty? Their former All-Pro returns specialist was a salary cap casualty with the Buffalo Bills earlier this week, and on Friday he shared on social media that he was visiting New Orleans, saying “Back like I never left.” Harty is an unrestricted free agent who will not count into the compensatory draft picks formula for 2025.

The Saints need to start adding wideouts at some point. With Chris Olave, A.T. Perry, and Rashid Shaheed under contract for 2024 while Michael Thomas heads out into free agency, they’ve filled just three of the 13 training camp roster spots they used last year on receivers. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is going to want his own players and that many vacancies gives him an opportunity to rebuild the depth chart.

But a reunion with Harty is “not currently in the works,” per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. So maybe he was just in town visiting old friends. Shaheed has done everything Harty offered at a higher level both on offense and in the return game.

While there’s a chance the situation could change, don’t bet on it. The Saints have a plan for restocking the receiving corps and Harty might be an option if they can’t get other players they’re prioritizing more highly. If he’s still available this summer when they’re filling out the depth chart for training camp, maybe it makes sense to have him compete for a roster spot. At this time the Saints are looking for help elsewhere.

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Bills release receiver, return man Deonte Harty

#Bills release receiver, return man Deonte Harty:

The Buffalo Bills are moving on from wide receiver and return man Deonte Harty after only one season.

Harty, who signed a three-year deal with Buffalo last offseason, has been released in a salary cap move.

Mostly used as a returner, Harty never got going as a playmaker out of the slot. Harty returned 26 punts – with 25 fair catches – for 323 yards, including his 96-yard touchdown against the Miami Dolphins.

Harty’s release will clear $4.315 million on the team’s 2024 salary cap. While Harty did sign that three-year deal, the structure of the contract giving Buffalo cap space always made his deal more of a one-year variety.

Cutting Harty comes alongside a slew of other players released by the Bills, including safety Jordan Poyer, center Mitch Morse, defensive back Siran Neal, among others. Coming into the day, the Bills were approximately $40M over the 2024 salary cap.

Bills Wire will continue to update all roster decision made by the team throughout the 2024 offseason.

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Studs and duds from the Bills 2023 season

Studs and duds from the #Bills 2023 season:

The Buffalo Bills and their 2023 season, like most of them, had its ups and downs.

Another AFC East title in the bag is a great achievement. Ultimately, it felt for many like the Bills fell short since Buffalo fizzled out in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs.

For the season that was, for better or worse, multiple players on the team made their impact felt.

With the offseason underway, here are Bills Wire’s studs and duds from the 2023 season:

8 Bills players who could have played their last game with the team

8 #Bills players who could have played their last game with the team:

The 2023 NFL season has concluded as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58.

Unfortunately, the same Chiefs ended the Buffalo Bills’ run to the Big Game a few weeks prior. In that outing, Buffalo lost 27-24 to Kansas City.

As it always goes at this time of the year, changes are en route. Multiple players, even featured ones, might have put on the blue and red for the final time in their careers against the Chiefs… or even some that were injured and unable to play could’ve done so even longer ago.

With that, here are eight Bills players who could have played their final game for the team:

PFF: 5 highest-graded Bills players on offense in Wild Card

Great outings by these #Bills players:

The Buffalo Bills won their Wild Card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 31-17 final.

The Bills (11-6) had a few players that stood out above the rest. On offense, the Bills were led by quarterback Josh Allen and his dual-threat skillset.

In terms of the players who helped Allen pull out the win, Buffalo will hope such efforts continue from some players throughout the rest of the 2023 playoffs as they aim for the Super Bowl.

According to Pro Football Focus, they’ll need these players to keep it up.

Here are the five highest-graded Bills players on offense Steelers in the Wild Card round:

One more time: Deonte Harty’s game-changing, award-winning return touchdown

One more time: Deonte Harty’s game-changing, award-winning return touchdown for the #Bills vs. #Dolphins:

The Buffalo Bills are onto the postseason. But the Bills might not be there without Deonte Harty.

Buffalo beat the Miami Dolphins in Week 18 to win their fourth-straight AFC East title. That sets up a meeting in the Wild-Card round with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

But before fully turning our attention to the Steelers, let’s take one last look back on Harty’s huge accomplishment.

Harty had a 96-yard punt return for a touchdown which tied the game at 14 and swung the momentum to Buffalo’s way. The Bills eventually won 21-14.

For that play, he hit an incentive and another pay day… then he was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

All in all, the massive play is worth your look one more time, check it out in the clip below:

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Bills’ Deonte Harty named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

#Bills’ Deonte Harty named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week:

Deonte Harty flipped the Buffalo Bills’ Week 18 matchup against the Miami Dolphins on its head. Now he’s been awarded for doing so.

Harty has been named the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the Bills’ 21-14 win over the Dolphins in Week 18:

Harty’s honor comes down to one game-altering and season-changing effort by him. He had a 96-yard punt return for a touchdown.

The play tied the contest in Miami (11-6) at 14-14. The Bills (11-6) went on to win 21-14. That outcome gave his team their fourth-straight AFC East title. 

Harty”s award comes just a week after Buffalo’s most-recent weekly honoree: Rasul Douglas. The cornerback was named the Defensive Player of the Week for his Week 17 efforts against the New England Patriots.

The last Special Teams Player of the Week for the Bills was Reggie Gilliam. He was given the award in Week 11 against the New York Jets.

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Bills snap counts: Depth chart breakdown vs. Dolphins

Injuries made the #Bills defensive snaps interesting:

The Buffalo Bills got after it against the Miami Dolphins and ended up taking a close win, 21-14, on Sunday evening in Week 18.

But who exactly were the ones on the field for the Bills (11-6) doing all the dirty work against the Dolphins (11-6)?

More often than not, taking a look in between the lines at snap count totals for Buffalo’s players can give us some insight as to what went down in between the lines on the gridiron.

There is always plenty to discover when looking at these finer details.

With that, here’s how the Bills depth chart broke down via snap counts in their latest win against the Dolphins:

PFF: 5 worst-graded Bills players on offense in Week 18

Not their best days:

The Buffalo Bills won a tight 21-14 final in their Week 18 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

The Bills (11-6) had a few players that stood out above the rest in this one. On offense, the Bills were led by quarterback Josh Allen and his second-half efforts.

In terms of the players who helped Allen pull out the win, Buffalo will hope such efforts improve from some players throughout the rest of the 2023 playoffs as they aim for the Super Bowl.

According to Pro Football Focus, they’ll need these players to be better.

Here are the five worst-graded Bills players on defense against the Dolphins (11-6) in Week 18:

What we learned from the Bills’ win over the Dolphins

What we learned from the #Bills’ win over the #Dolphins:

The Buffalo Bills (11-6) successfully ran the table into the end of the regular season to secure a playoff spot after a rough start that saw them at 6-6 and on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.

Five straight wins later, and they are the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and once more winners of the AFC East.

Buffalo’s start against Miami in the final game of the regular season was another ugly one that saw several turnovers in the first half.

After that, the Bills’ defense and depth players at positions on both sides of the ball stepped up, including an acrobatic heads-up touchdown by WR Trent Sherfield, a franchise record-long 95-yard punt return, and score by WR and return man Deonte Harty, and a game-sealing interception by S Taylor Rapp.

With that, here are three things we learned from Sunday’s win over the Dolphins: