The Buffalo Bills released five players ahead of free agency.
The team announced it cut kicker Dan Carpenter, corner Nickell Robey-Coleman, safety Phillip Thomas, tight end Gerald Christian and long snapper Garrison Sanborn.
The moves save the Bills around $6 million of salary-cap space, per OverTheCap.com.
Carpenter spent the past four years in Buffalo, but his increasing struggles have made him a target of the local fans' ire. Carpenter missed 11 extra-point attempts over the last two seasons -- when the NFL moved back PATs -- and nine field goals over that same span.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported the Bills tried to trade Robey-Coleman, who signed a three-year, $4.685 million contract in 2015 but failed to find a swapping partner. Cutting the slot corner is the most surprising of the five players jettisoned. Releasing Robey-Coleman saves the Bills just $1.65 million in cap space. The 25-year-old should find a home in a market where slot corners are in demand.
With Stephon Gilmore set to hit the free-agent market Thursday, Buffalo's secondary appears in flux, unless the Bills pony up to retain their former first-round pick before the new league year begins.
