Getty Former Bills center Mitch Morse at Highmark Stadium on January 22, 2023.
The Buffalo Bills took an axe to their roster to shift toward a younger, and more cap-compliant team on March 6. Several of the cuts were tough, albeit understandable, but Mitch Morse‘s release was a huge surprise.
Morse still had one season left on his $19.5 million contract. The former Bills team captain anchored the offensive line for quarterback Josh Allen since 2019. Last season, the Morse-led o-line allowed the fewest sacks (24) of Allen’s career. At age 31, he showed no signs of slowing down, appearing in all 18 games.
While Morse shared a goodbye message the day after his release, the center’s wife, Caitlin Morse, didn’t comment on their exit until nearly a month later.
Caitlin posted a heartfelt letter to the place she called home for the past five years. She wrote on Instagram, “Dear Bills Mafia & WNY, I’m not good with words or good byes so I’m gonna get right to the point. I want to thank yall for welcoming Mitch(& our family) with open arms.
“We are so thankful for our time spent in Buffalo & we are beyond grateful for all the amazing memories, love & support from yall. You will forever hold a very special place in our hearts. Until our paths cross again. God Bless ❤️💙.”
The veteran center and his wife welcomed two children while living in Buffalo. Their daughter, Kennedy Marie, was born during the 2020 offseason, but preparation for their son, Deacon, was more complicated.
Caitlin’s due date coincided with the Bills’ final regular-season game, a pivotal matchup against the New York Jets on January 9, 2021. With the AFC East division title on the line, Morse revealed they planned for Caitlin to be induced the following Monday.
Bills QB Josh Allen ‘Loved’ Mitch Morse ‘With Every Ounce of My Being’
GettyBills quarterback Josh Allen and former center Mitch Morse at MetLife Stadium on November 06, 2022.
Morse’s cap hit for the 2024 season was $11.47 million, the ninth largest on the team. Cutting Morse saved the team $8.47 million with a $3 million cap hit. The starting center didn’t remain jobless for long. The Pro Bowler signed a two-year, $10.5 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Speaking to reporters on April 18, Allen addressed the departure of one of his longest-tenured teammates for the first time.
“I absolutely love Mitch with every ounce of my being,” Allen said. “He’s one of the greatest dudes in the entire world and I truly mean that. And if you talk to anybody else, they’d say the same thing. A lot of wisdom that he had. I wish him nothing but the best in Jacksonville.”
The 27-year-old quarterback revealed he’s spent time with Morse this offseason. “Going to miss him for sure,” Allen continued. “Never going to be easy losing someone you’ve been playing so long with. Kinda of knew each other like the back of our hands… Literally. I kind of felt him on the back of my hand almost every snap,” which garnered some laughs.
Thank you for everything
Morse opened up about his abrupt release from the Bills during his first press conference in Jacksonville last month.
“The best teams I truly believe are the ones focusing on football and building a family environment, you have to,” he said. “But also understand that inherently this is a business. So, the personal side of it definitely hurt, the business side of it makes sense.”
Bills News: Josh Allen Said It Takes ‘A While’ to Get Comfortable With a New Center
Josh Allen knew Mitch Morse like the back of his hand.
Literally.
What are the challenges of working with a new center?
“I know this is going to sound weird but finding a comfortable position.”
Without Ryan Bates and Morse, the Bills plan to move Connor McGovern to center, which seems risky. The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia explained, “In our season-long film review, McGovern was solid but also the lowest-graded starter of the bunch. He also has little experience at center in the NFL, having only 100 snaps there in five total seasons.
“McGovern did play a lot of center at Penn State, but that was at the college level and a long time ago. He might be able to do the job well, but it is a legitimate risk. Releasing Morse, the glue of their offensive line, could mean a drop-off in production along the entire starting five. A young center prospect in the draft could be an option at some point in the draft for the Bills.”
Allen said that “finding a comfortable position” with a new center won’t happen overnight. “It’s not easy… It just takes a while to get to know somebody and how they snap… It takes time, it takes repetition. It’s like throwing a route with a receiver. I think that’s a good comparison.”
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Former Bills Captain’s Wife Post Message After Unexpected Release