USA Today

‘In a deal that stands as one of the most significant moves of the offseason, two aspiring contenders shifted their outlooks for both the near and long term.’

‘A team that’s had Lombardi Trophy aspirations for years just punted on its best wideout.’

‘Despite an “unprecedented” $30 million league-wide increase in the salary cap for the 2024 season, the Bills needed to clear cap space and make some tough decisions. The release of those six players will save the team around $36 million in salary-cap space. Teams have until the start of the new league year on March 13 to be compliant with the 2024 salary cap.’

‘Following their elimination from the playoffs, the Bills face some tough roster decisions as they enter the offseason. More than half of the 21 players set to hit unrestricted free agency in one month played at least 30% of snaps this past season, according to Over the Cap, including No. 2 wide receiver Gabe Davis. In addition, Buffalo sits at 29th in the NFL in free cap space.’

‘Hamlin received more first-place votes (21) than Flacco (13), but he finished behind in points 151-140 after being left off eight of 50 ballots.’

‘Bills Mafia started donating to local nonprofit Ten Lives Club to show support to Bass after he reportedly received online hate. The kicker is a brand ambassador for the organization, which is a no-kill cat rescue and shelter.’

‘And, once again, Mahomes was again a huge component of Buffalo’s misery.’

‘How cruel was that? The Bills had them right where they wanted them. On their turf in the playoffs. Instead, Buffalo was cursed again.’

‘”The two most dreaded words in Buffalo have surfaced again,” Nantz said on the broadcast.’

‘The two stars already have an established history in their careers with the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. Although they are fierce competitors on the field, they have established a friendship off of it. They even played golf together in The Match where they lost to Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady.’

‘”We’re going to need some snow shovelers (again)!” the Bills wrote on social media Thursday. “Help get Highmark Stadium ready for our Divisional Round playoff game.”‘

‘After a week in which snow and wind swirled unabated, the weather gods appear to be smiling on Orchard Park, N.Y., where Highmark Stadium is located. The U.S. National Weather Service is forecasting a “warmup” Sunday, with a high temperature near 24 degrees. By comparison, Saturday’s high temperature in Orchard Park is projected to be near 15 degrees. Wind gusts are expected to be about 14 miles per hour, per the NWS, with a wind chill of 12 degrees.’

‘Miller has lent a hand to Bills players and staffers over the years when the lake-effect snow barrels through.’

‘There were plenty of big moments for the star signal-caller, who ripped off the second-longest scoring run by a quarterback in NFL playoff history with his 52-yard scamper. But this didn’t feel like the all-Allen effort that the Bills have occasionally counted on to carry them, with youngsters like Dalton Kincaid and James Cook stepping up to lend a hand. And wide receiver Khalil Shakir came up with a distinctly Allen-like second-effort on a fourth-quarter touchdown to help ice the game.’

‘”The game will not be pushed back again,” Hochul told reporters. “… We have up until the fans start coming to the stadium later in the afternoon. If it was a morning game, it would be a little tougher, but a 4:30 game gives us that time. Again, the weather’s not gonna be perfect. It’ll not be a sunny, warm day with no snow, but it’s nothing we can’t deal with.”‘