Bills release starting receiver John Brown to save nearly $8 million in 2021 salary cap space
John Brown #JohnBrown
The wide receiver market in 2021 NFL free agency figures to be deep, with more than a dozen big names — from young standouts like JuJu Smith-Schuster and Will Fuller to veterans like A.J. Green and T.Y. Hilton — set to hit the open market. Hours after the Saints added another notable name to the mix by releasing Emmanuel Sanders to clear salary cap space, the Buffalo Bills have announced a similar move, cutting starting wideout John Brown to save approximately $7.9 million this offseason.
Brown, 30, was one of the Bills’ top free agent acquisitions in 2019, signing a three-year, $27 million deal to serve as one of quarterback Josh Allen’s top targets. A 1,000-yard receiver in his first year with the club, the former Cardinals and Ravens speedster was limited to just nine games in 2020 thanks to a high-ankle sprain that landed him on injured reserve. Due more than $9.5 million in 2021, the final year of his deal, Brown finished his last season in Buffalo with 33 catches for 458 yards and three touchdowns.
When healthy, Brown was both a big-play threat and favorite option for Allen in the passing game. The Bills fared well while the wideout battled his ankle injury throughout 2020, however, with trade acquisition Stefon Diggs taking over as the No. 1 receiver and leading the NFL with 127 catches for 1,535 yards. Fourth-round draft pick Gabriel Davis also flashed in place of Brown, scoring seven times and averaging more than 17 yards per reception as one of the Bills’ top downfield weapons.
Davis figures to replace Brown in the starting lineup opposite Diggs in 2021, with veteran Cole Beasley returning as the slot receiver.