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The Buffalo Bills passed a sixth-round pick on kicker Tyler Bass in April. Now they plan to use it. With less than three weeks to go to the start of the 2020 NFL season, the team announced Thursday that it has released veteran Stephen Hauschka, paving the way for 23-year-old Bass to take on the duties of Buffalo placement as a rookie.
Hauschka, 35, hadn’t necessarily been a lock in remaining the Bills kicker. After all, Buffalo passed a draft on a potential successor to Bass, and the team didn’t hesitate to seek competition throughout 2019. After welcoming undrafted free agent Chase McLaughlin to training camp last year, for example, the Bills reportedly attempted to re-acquire the rookie in December.
Still, the move marks a noticeable change from a proven milestone for a team looking to make another playoff run. Super Bowl champion with the Seattle Seahawks during a six-year stint on the West Coast, Hauschka joined the Bills in 2017 and is almost exactly one year removed from signing a two-year contract extension with the team. . The veteran connected on 29 of 33 field goals (87.9%) in his first season with the Bills, setting an NFL record for back-to-back 50-yard conversions, then shooting 22 of 28 tries (78.6%) in each of his last two seasons. , totaling at least 90 points in three consecutive years.
Hauschka’s release, coupled with that of the Lachlan Edwards punting competition, saves Buffalo around $ 3.6 million in 2021 salary cap space, according to Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia. That space, of course, could be essential in a year when the NFL is expected to experience serious reductions in its cap in the wake of this year’s COVID-19 pandemic.
