Bills release TE Clay, save $4.5 million

The Buffalo Bills released tight end Charles Clay on Friday, the team announced. Clay was entering the final year of a five-year, $38 million contract and was set to count $9 million against the cap in 2019. The Bills will save half of that figure, with $4.5 million remaining on the cap in dead money.

Clay joined Buffalo in 2015 after the Miami Dolphins -- who had given Clay the transition tag -- declined to match the Bills' offer sheet. The Bills restructured his deal in 2016, creating more cap space at the time but leading to more dead money with Friday's release. The eight-year veteran, who turned 30 on Wednesday, had 21 catches for a career-low 184 yards in 13 games (12 starts) last season, failing to score a touchdown for the first time in his career. In his first three years with Buffalo, Clay averaged 52.3 receptions for 546 yards and three scores per season while starting all 41 games in which he played.

His best season came in 2013, when he posted career highs of 69 receptions, 759 yards and six touchdowns with the Dolphins. Clay has 339 career catches for 3,631 yards and 23 touchdowns in 112 games (100 starts).

--Field Level Media