Mitch

Morse

Mitch was a cap casualty of the Bills last week but has already found a new home in Jacksonville. The veteran center has $7 million in guaranteed money coming his way and now has a chance to reunite with Doug Pederson, who was his former offensive coordinator in Kansas City. Morse started all 17 games for the Bills last season and was graded as the No. 20 center in the league per Pro Football Focus.

Just days after being released by the Bills, Morse and the Steelers sat down to discuss whether the two sides are a potential fit for one another. The veteran center will be 32 at the start of next season and started all 17 regular-season games for the Bills last season. Morse earned a PFF blocking grade of 64.1 last season, which is on par with what we’ve seen for much of his career. Morse’s split from the Bills had more to do with the $8.5 million cap savings that came with his release than it did his play. With his meeting with the Steelers now over, Morse is now expected to meet with the Jaguars.

Morse joined the Bills as a free agent in 2019. He started 77 games, all at center, in five seasons with the team. His release saves $8.5 million in cap space for the Bills. Pro Football Focus graded Morse as their No. 20 center in 2023. Though his best days may be behind him, Morse should have a market as a starting-caliber center. He is one of many veterans the Bills were forced to cut for cap purposes ahead of free agency. In his absence, Connor McGovern is expected to start at center. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, backup guard David Edwards is in line to start in 2024.

Morse underwent elbow and ankle surgeries this offseason after putting them off in the middle of last season. The veteran center has been limited in offseason programs but appears set to return when training camp ramps up next month. Despite battling through multiple injuries, Morse still appeared in 13 regular season games for the Bills last season and has been a staple along the offensive line since joining the team in 2019. With roughly a month to go until training camp, he’s trending up at the right time for the Bills.

Morse suffered a concussion in Week 15 against the Dolphins and wound up missing last week’s game against the Bears. Now out of concussion protocol, Morse appears in line to play for Week 17 against the Bengals.

He did not practice at all this week and did not come close to clearing protocol. He’ll enter Week 17 as questionable. Morse will give way to Greg Van Roten inside.

Morse has a history of concussions, placing his availability for the coming weeks in question should he enter the protocol. Buffalo will have to shuffle things along the offensive line with no true center remaining on the active roster.

It’s the second straight DNP for Morse, who was spotted in a walking boot after the game. He may be in danger of missing Thanksgiving against the Lions. Greg Van Roten played on the final snap of the game -- the only one that Morse missed last week -- and would probably get some run if Morse couldn’t go.

It’s back-to-back limited days for the center who came off early in Week 2’s big win against the Titans. Morse should be on track to play given those designations, which is welcome news as Buffalo’s injury report is flooded this week.

Morse exited in the first quarter of this one, departing for the locker room after heading to the sideline. The team is reportedly having his elbow X-rayed, as we await further news.