The Buffalo Bills continued to make changes on defense under new coach Sean McDermott by releasing veteran safety Corey Graham, the team announced Friday.
Graham, 31, had started every game at safety the past two seasons for former coach Rex Ryan. He is the third Bills defensive starter last season to depart the team this offseason. The Bills released safety Aaron Williams on Thursday, while cornerback Stephon Gilmore signed a free-agent deal with the New England Patriots.
The Bills will save $4.05 million in 2017 salary-cap space by releasing Graham, who was set to earn a $500,000 roster bonus Monday as part of a $5.65 million cap number in the final season of his contract.
Graham is the sixth veteran to be released by the Bills this week, joining Williams, cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, kicker Dan Carpenter, wide receiver Marcus Easley and long-snapper Garrison Sanborn.
Buffalo signed free-agent safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer on Thursday, and they could replace Williams and Graham in the starting lineup as part of McDermott's new defensive scheme.
Graham played for the Chicago Bears (2007-11) and Baltimore Ravens (2012-13) before signing a four-year deal with the Bills in 2014 as a cornerback and special-teams contributor.