Cutdown day has its first big surprise casualty. The Buffalo Bills are releasing veteran running back LeSean McCoy, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Surprise cut: Bills are releasing LeSean McCoy, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2019
McCoy, 31, had spent the last four seasons with Buffalo. He was due a base salary of $6.2 million this season.
McCoy had made the Pro Bowl in his first three years with the Bills. However, he did not make the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2012 last year, which was his worst as a professional. He finished with just 514 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 14 games (13 starts).
Prior to his stint with the Bills, McCoy spent his first six seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. He made First-Team All-Pro twice (in 2011 and 2013) and rushed for over 1,300 yards three times.
The news of McCoy's release comes as a surprise considering just a few weeks ago, he had been told he would be “the guy” in the Bills' backfield this season. But either the Bills were lying to him or they had a change of heart over the past few weeks.
With McCoy gone, the Bills will now turn to another veteran in the 36-year-old Frank Gore, as well as third-round pick Devin Singletary, to help out second-year quarterback Josh Allen in the Bills backfield.
Gore spent last season with the Miami Dolphins. He played in 14 games, rushing for 722 yards but had no rushing touchdowns all season for the first time in his illustrious career.
Singletary, who split first-team reps with Gore and McCoy, also figures to have a major role this season.
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