Bills center Morse cleared from NFL concussion protocol

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills center Mitch Morse has been cleared to play a month after being placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Morse was released from the protocol within the past day, general manager Brandon Beane said during the Bills’ preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night.

The move comes after Morse spent much of the past two weeks being allowed to practice with the team, and puts him on track to play in Buffalo’s season opener at the New York Jets on Sept. 8.

Aside from the concussion, Morse sat out a majority of the spring sessions while recovering from surgery for a core muscle injury.

Morse was Buffalo’s key free-agent acquisition in the team’s offseason bid to overhaul what had been a patchwork offensive line. He was signed to a four-year, $44.5 million contract to become the highest-paid center in the league after spending his first four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Morse was diagnosed with a concussion five days into training camp on July 31.

It was the fourth documented concussion of Morse’s NFL career. He missed five games last season because of a concussion and had two concussions in 2015.