Buffalo Bills jettison 5 players to free up salary space

March 6 (UPI) -- The Buffalo Bills released kicker Dan Carpenter on Monday in a move that will save the team $2.4 million in salary cap space.

The move was expected as Carpenter struggled the last two seasons, including missing 11 extra points.

The Bills released four other players on Monday ahead of free agency beginning on Thursday.

Also cut were cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, long snapper Garrison Sanborn, tight end Gerald Christian and safety Phillip Thomas.

Carpenter was Buffalo's kicker for the last four seasons. His best year came in 2013 when he connected on a career-high 92 percent of his field-goal attempts. In 2015, he struggled with the new distance of 33 yards for extra points, missing six. He missed five more extra points last season along with six missed field-goal attempts.

Robey-Coleman spent his entire NFL career with the Bills after signing as an undrafted rookie in 2013. He served primarily as the team's nickel corner in the slot over his four seasons in Buffalo. His exit will save the team $1.62 million under the cap.

Sanborn was one of the team's longest-tenured players, spending the last eight seasons as the team's long snapper.

Christian spent a brief time on Buffalo's active roster last season, appearing in three games as he moved back and forth from the practice squad.

Thomas was on injured reserve for all of 2016.