The Buffalo Bills began trimming their roster on August 29 as they moved toward the NFL’s 53-man limit, releasing punter Mitch Wishnowsky and wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. The moves came just after 11 a.m. EDT, with the club working through the standard cutdown process before the August 30 deadline.
For a team that entered the summer with a 91-man roster, the task was always going to be ruthless. By the time the NFL deadline arrives at 6 p.m. EDT on August 30, the Bills must be down to 53 players, meaning every release carries some weight even when it is part of the normal build-up to Week 1.
Wishnowsky and Hardman are out
Tom Pelissero reported that Wishnowsky was released on August 29, while Jeremy Fowler reported the same day that Hardman had also been let go. Those are the only two confirmed cuts in the material provided, but they underline how quickly teams have to act once the roster deadline starts to close in.
The Bills are not alone in facing that pressure. Around the league, front offices use this window to make the hard calls, and the result is often a mix of proven veterans and newer faces moving on within hours of each other.
What the deadline means for Buffalo
The key point for Buffalo is simple: the roster has to be compliant by August 30, and the club has to make those decisions with Week 1 in mind. That can mean difficult choices at several positions, even when the final group is not yet fully settled.
There is also a chance for some of those released players to come back via the practice squad, which keeps the door open even after the initial cuts. That matters because roster trimming is not always the end of the story; for some players, it is just the first step in a longer process.
Corey Kiner remains part of the broader conversation around the Bills’ roster picture as the club continues working through the cutdown period. The big question now is not just who survives the deadline, but how Buffalo shapes the depth chart before the opening week arrives.
