That is right, you read that correct. It is never too late to discuss this fiery topic for next season. Even with the success overall as a team, the Buffalo Bills will have to examine their current roster and make some potential cuts. Seeing as how the bar has been set for the team, the expectation is to now make the postseason and continue to grow as an organization.
The future is bright for the Bills, but who is going to miss out on it? The breakdown is as follows:
DT Star Lotulelei
Considered to be the first big signing under Sean McDermott, Star Lotulelei was inked to a five-year, $50 million dollar contract in 2018. He has never been sought out to be a top defensive tackle on a team, let alone the entire league. Up until this past year, he was the Bills’ most expensive player on the roster.
His main job is to fill the gap and stop the run. He has been an inconsistent productive player in his three years with the Bills. The Bills defensive unit has been one of the top groups in the league under McDermott but stopping the run is their most vulnerable spot. Lotulelei will be 30 years old heading into 2020. With his current contract, is he worth keeping? Taking up over ten million dollars of the cap space with his productivity, I think the Bills need to head into a different direction and develop Ed Oliver and Harrison Phillips, who will return from a torn ACL injury.
RB T.J. Yeldon
At one time, Yeldon saw himself as the main back for the Jacksonville Jaguars when he entered the league. With Leonard Fournette entering the group, it pushed Yeldon out and the Bills picked him up in 2019. The former second round pick saw himself as a healthy scratch for most of the season with the Bills. Even though his contract is not expensive, why keep a former starter on the roster if he cannot produce enough to be activated each Sunday?
At 26 years old, Yeldon looks to be no more than a reliable backup in the league moving forward but the Bills are going to need a complimentary back to Devin Singletary. Yeldon is not the answer. This should be an easy move-on for the Bills.
K Stephen Hauschka
Hauschka is a completely big upgrade for the Bills compared to Dan Carpenter. Remember those days, Bills fans? When the Bills scooped up Hauschka to a four-year deal in 2018, it seemed the kicking woes in Buffalo had been solved. For the first two seasons, kicking was almost a guaranteed phase of the game that never negatively affected the Bills. Up until now.
At 34 years old, Hauschka has provided a lot of points for the Bills in his three years with the team. At times it seemed like he was the MVP for each win the Bills grabbed. Although in 2019, the Bills found out that everyone makes mistakes, including Hauschka. He missed six field goals on the year as well as two extra-point tries. He may have the coolest hot seat out of anyone on the Bills’ roster, but the kicking radar should be carefully looked at heading into 2020.
-Brandon Ray is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the Buffalo Bills. Make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter at @brandon_ray79.
