Bills release veterans Smith, Thomas and Reed

Friday, February 11th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Orchard Park, New York-AP) -- Former Oklahoma State star Thurman Thomas has been released from the Buffalo Bills. Thomas, Bruce Smith and Andre Reed were the last holdovers from the four Super Bowl teams of the 1990s. The move came as the Bills worked to get under the N-F-L's $62 million dollars cap by today's deadline.

The 33-year-old Thomas rushed for more than one-thousand yards in eight straight seasons beginning in his second year in 1989. Thomas had his best seasons in the Super Bowl years of 1990-93 and holds N-F-L playoff records for games (20), touchdowns (21) and yards gained (2,114). He accepted a reduced role in the offense last season when he stepped aside for Antowain Smith. Agent Leigh Steinberg who represents the three players says they plan to actively explore free agency.