The Buffalo Bills started Wednesday with the worst salary-cap situation in the NFL. They didn’t end the day that way.

The Bills sliced about $26 million from their salary obligations for the 2024 season by releasing five players on Wednesday, including defensive back Siran Neal.

Neal had one season remaining on a three-year, $9 million contract extension signed in 2022 shortly before he was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.

Since Neal entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft selection from Jacksonville State in 2018, only three players in the league have more special-teams plays with one team than Neal’s 1,714 in regular-season play with the Bills. He’s also played 567 defensive snaps in 97 regular-season games. Neal also has played in 10 postseason games with Buffalo.

In his six NFL seasons, Neal has missed two games.

Releasing Neal freed $2.88 million in salary-cap space for the Bills.

Buffalo also cut wide receiver Deonte Harty, running back Nyheim Hines, center Mitch Morse and safety Jordan Poyer.

Neal earned honorable-mention All-State recognition as a wide receiver at Abbeville High School in 2011. In 2012, he was first-team All-State in the athlete slot at Eufaula High School.

Neal concentrated on cornerback at Jacksonville State, where he played in the 2015 NCAA FCS championship game and earned a spot on the 2017 American Football Coaches Association’s NCAA FCS All-American team.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.