Bills make surprise roster decision in a flurry of moves that signals a major change in Buffalo under Joe Brady

Joe Brady and the Bills have been busy this offseason.

Adam Zientek — NFL News Writer
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Dec 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson (7) celebrates in the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium.
Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Times are changing for the Buffalo Bills.

When new head coach Joe Brady took the position, it was clear that he was going to mold the team in his image. From new offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. to defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and a whole heap of new additions to various coaching positions, Brady and the Bills have been busy through the early stages of the offseason.

Buffalo Bills release WR Curtis Samuel and CB Taron Johnson

News broke on Thursday, ahead of free agency, that the team would be trading for Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore. His $24.5 million salary with Buffalo cap-strapped meant that over moves would be coming down the pipeline.

On Friday, it was announced that the team was releasing wide receiver Curtis Samuel and cornerback Taron Johnson.

Johnson’s departure was more of a surprise, given how stellar he had been playing outside of 2025. But when you look at the new defensive scheme under Leonhard, it becomes clear that the need for a dominant nickel cornerback might not be in the cards. For a brief moment, there were rumblings that Johnson would convert to a safety to better fit the scheme.

For Samuel, it’s not as surprising a move. With the current financial situation Buffalo finds itself in, releasing or trading Samuel seemed to always be the option. He caught 38 passes in Buffalo, securing over $15 million for a severe lack of production. Buffalo desperately needed help at the receiver position, and Samuel’s lack of production throughout the entirety of his contract is one of the reasons why. A colossal failure from general manager Brandon Beane for this deal.

Buffalo saves some money for the cap with the release of Curtis Samuel and Taron Johnson

As free agency rapidly approaches and the new league year is set to begin, Buffalo needs to find a way to get cap-compliant. Especially considering how much it’s going to cost to bring in Moore, these moves are an indication of even more to come.

Buffalo saved around $1.9 million in cap space by releasing Johnson, while Samuel’s release will save the team roughly $6 million against the cap.

According to Over The Cap, Buffalo is at the bottom of the league with negative $31.7 million in available space, thanks to the Moore deal. The model doesn’t account for the recent adjustments to Samuel and Johnson’s release, though. So in reality, Buffalo is sitting at around negative $23.8 million. This also doesn’t include the potential of an adjustment to Moore’s 2026 salary, either.

Thanks for the memories

Samuel’s career wasn’t as fans would hope for, and a reason for that is due to injury. He just could not stay healthy, and it severely impacted his ability to be effective.

Still, there was one bright moment from his career in the playoffs against the Denver Broncos, where he found the endzone on a highlight reel touchdown. There were hopes from this one play that he’d be better in 2025, but alas, no luck.

And for Johnson, he’s responsible for one of the greatest plays in Buffalo sports history. His pick-six against Lamar Jackson in the playoffs will live forever in the hearts of Bills Mafia. The former All-Pro had a down year in 2025, but that doesn’t subtract from how incredible he’s been throughout his career in Western New York.

Here’s hoping a bounce back is in order, just not on a division rival, please.

This is the cost of doing business in the NFL.

It’s never easy to say goodbye to players who created moments Bills Mafia will never forget. As painful as those decisions might be, the Bills are clearly reshaping the roster to fit Brady’s version. And if the gamle works, the next chapter in Buffalo might be even bigger than the last.

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