The Buffalo Bills released wide receiver Cole Beasley on Thursday after three seasons.
The Bills had granted Beasley permission to seek a trade earlier this month. He was entering the final season of a four-year, $29 million deal signed in 2019.
His release saves Buffalo $6.1 million against the salary cap, per Spotrac.
Beasley, 32, caught 82 passes for 693 yards and one touchdown in 16 games (eight starts) in 2021. He has 550 receptions for 5,709 yards and 34 scores in 149 games (50 starts) with the Dallas Cowboys (2012-18) and Bills.
–The Dallas Cowboys are releasing La’el Collins after failing to find a trade partner for the 28-year-old right tackle, per reports.
The Cowboys designated it a post-June 1 move and will save $10 million against the salary cap. Collins will still count $8.7 million against the team’s 2023 cap.
Collins has played guard and tackle for the Cowboys and appeared in 12 games last season. He missed the 2020 season with a hip injury that required surgery but started all but one game the previous three seasons. He served a five-game suspension in 2021 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
–Tight end C.J. Uzomah signed a multi-year contract with the New York Jets.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the Jets.
Uzomah, 29, recorded career-high totals in receptions (49), receiving yards (493) and touchdowns (five) in 16 games last season with the Cincinnati Bengals.
He has 163 receptions for 1,591 yards and 13 TDs in 79 career games since being selected by Cincinnati in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
The Jets also added pass rusher Jacob Martin on a three-year deal worth up to $16.5 million with incentives, according to reports.
Martin, 26, gets $6 million guaranteed, per the reports.
Martin had four sacks and two forced fumbles in 17 games (14 starts) last season for the Houston Texans. Martin spent three seasons in Houston, appearing in 45 games (15 starts) total. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2018 draft by Seattle, appearing in 16 games in his rookie season.
–Cornerback Casey Hayward has reached an agreement on a two-year, $11 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons, NFL Network reported.
Hayward, 32, had 46 tackles and an interception while starting all 17 games last season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Hayward has 431 tackles and 24 interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, in 146 career games with the Green Bay Packers, San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers and Raiders.
Running back Damien Williams is also signing a one-year deal with the Falcons, his agent told NFL Network.
Terms were not reported.
Williams rushed for 164 yards in 12 games (two starts) for the Chicago Bears last season. He has 1,395 career rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in 97 games (15 starts) with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and Bears.
–The Cincinnati Bengals signed tight end Hayden Hurst to a one-year deal, Hurst’s agency announced. Financial terms were not yet reported.
Cincinnati’s move filled the hole at tight end left by Uzomah, who departed in free agency and signed with the Jets.
Hurst, 28, joins his third team in five years. The Baltimore Ravens made him a first-round selection in the 2018 draft, and he spent two seasons with them and two with the Atlanta Falcons.
In 57 career games (18 starts), Hurst has caught 125 passes for 1,304 yards and 12 touchdowns. He best season was 2020, his first with Atlanta, when he played 16 games (nine starts) and tallied 56 receptions for 571 yards and six scores.
The Bengals are also keeping cornerback Eli Apple, re-signing him to a one-year deal worth $4 million, ESPN reported.
Apple, 26, had two interceptions and 10 passes defensed in 16 games (15 starts) in 2021. He had a rough Super Bowl, however, in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The move ensures the Bengals keep their top three corners from 2021. Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton remain under contract.
–The New York Giants announced they released safety Logan Ryan after two seasons.
Ryan made 30 starts over 31 appearances in his stint in New York, totaling 211 tackles, 17 pass breakups, one interception, two sacks, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
The 31-year-old New Jersey native started his career with the New England Patriots (2013-16) and the Tennessee Titans (2017-19) before joining the Giants. He played corner for his previous teams before converting to safety for New York.
–Defensive tackle Michael Pierce is signing with his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, for three years and $16.5 million, NFL Network reported.
Pierce joined the Minnesota Vikings after the 2019 season, but he opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 and only played eight games (all starts) in 2021 while fighting an elbow injury. Minnesota released Pierce earlier this week.
Pierce, 29, went undrafted in 2016 and caught on with the Ravens, where he played 60 games (30 starts) over four seasons. He has made 171 career tackles, 6.5 sacks and four fumble recoveries. Pierce’s three sacks last season marked a career high.
–Field Level Media
