Getty Buffalo Bills running back Kerrith Whyte during a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers in August.
All 32 NFL teams are nearing the 4 p.m. ET deadline on August 31 where they must have their roster down to 53 players. The Buffalo Bills made a trio of cuts on Monday morning as they make their way towards the benchmark.
The Bills released RB Kerrith Whyte, WR Brandon Powell and CB Tim Harris.
Kerrith Whyte, Brandon Powell and Tim Harris join an already long list of players who were cut at earlier stages of the summer. Both Whyte and Harris were signed by the team last week.
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Here are all of the guys who have been cut, separated into their position group:
RB: Kerrith Whyte
WR: Brandon Powell, Rico Gafford, Lance Lenoir, Duke Williams
TE: Bug Howard
OG: Steven Gonzalez, Forrest Lamp
OL: Caleb Benenoch, Tyler Gauthier, Marquell Harrell, Syrus Tuitele
DL: Eli Ankou
DT: Joey Ivie
LB: Tyrell Adams, Mike Bell
CB: Tim Harris
S: Tariq Thompson
The Bills also made a big trade on Monday shortly after the three cuts were announced, moving defensive end Darryl Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for a 2022 sixth-round pick.
Buffalo closed the preseason with a perfect 3-0 mark and will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week One of the regular season at 1 p.m. ET on Sept. 12. Whyte has played in six career NFL games – all with Pittsburgh in 2019 – when he recorded 24 carries for 122 yards, while making one catch for nine yards.
Whyte also worked on special teams, returning 14 kick-offs for 264 yards.
Powell Scored a Pair of TDs for the Falcons Last Season
GettyBuffalo Bills wide receiver Brandon Powell during a preseason game against the Detroit Lions in August.
Powell played four years at the University of Florida as a running back/wide receiver hybrid, finishing his college career with 41 carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and 131 receptions for 1,330 yards and nine receiving scores. The 25-year-old went undrafted in 2018 before appearing in six games for the Detroit Lions that season, hauling in 11 catches on 17 targets for 129 yards.
The Lions cut Powell just before the 2019 season kicked off and the Atlanta Falcons added him to their practice squad in September of that year. The undersized receiver made an impact with the Falcons during the 2020 campaign, finishing with 12 catches on 18 targets for 69 yards and two receiving scores in 15 games. He added 17 punt returns for 152 yards and 17 kick returns for 343 yards.
Powell was signed by the Bills to a one-year $920,000 deal in March, but was buried on the depth chart by the likes of Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders, Gabriel Davis and Cole Beasley and Steven Sims among others.
Harris Had Bounced on and off of Niners Roster in Last Year
GettyBuffalo Bills cornerback Tim Harris before a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers in August.
Harris played 35 career games at the University of Virginia, making 109 total tackles and recording four interceptions. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers and appeared in two games with the club in 2020.
The Bills are well-stocked at cornerback heading into the fall, featuring the likes of two-time Pro Bowler Tre’Davious White and fourth-year starter Levi Wallace, which left Harris on the outside looking in.
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Bills Roster Cut Tracker: Former Steelers RB Among Latest Releases