Getty Buffalo Bills linebacker Tyler Matakevich reacts to a play in the 2022 AFC Wild Card playoff game.
The Buffalo Bills have made some key additions this offseason, but an insider believes there will be at least one more significant subtraction coming for a team still looking for cap space.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane said early in the preseason that the team would not be able to make any huge moves due to their tight cap situation. While that was not entirely true — the team would make a splash by signing Von Miller — the Bills are still in need of cap room to make more moves, and one insider believes a special teams ace could be on the chopping block.
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Another Cut Coming for Bills?
The Bills have already released a number of veteran players to create cap space, parting ways with offensive linemen Daryl Williams and Jon Feliciano along with linebacker A.J. Klein. Insider Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News noted that there are a few more moves that Beane could have at hand to create more space, including some bookkeeping with Josh Allen’s contract and the release of a special teams ace.
“Allen’s contract can be restructured pretty easily to free up about $2.5 million in cap space,” he wrote. “Another option is to release linebacker Tyler Matakevich. He led the team in snaps on special teams last year, but at more than $2.5 million, he is a pretty expensive luxury at the moment. If those two moves were made, the Bills would be able to bring in a veteran cornerback in the range of about $4 million. It’s a pretty good idea.”
Matakevich, a 2016 seventh-round draft pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers, came to the Bills in 2020 and signed a one-year contract extension last offseason. He has been a fixture of special teams units, leading the unit in total snaps last season.
We’ve agreed to terms with LB Tyler Matakevich on a one-year extension! #BillsMafia
Details: t.co/4UnlQiKAo5
Matakevich could have value beyond special teams in the upcoming season, which could justify his larger salary. Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey suggested that he would take over the backup linebacker role that Klein had played.
Bills Make Special Teams Investment
While the most high-profile moves from the Bills came on defense with the addition of Miller and at offensive line, where they added veteran guard Rodger Safford, the team has also made some investment into special teams. Backup running back and special teams fixture Taiwan Jones re-signed with the team this week, his agent announced on March 25. As the Buffalo News noted, Jones played on 70.5% of special teams snaps last season, behind only Matakevich and Reggie Gilliam.
What punter Matt Haack said about struggles last week against the #Jets as the Bills head into the wild-card round: t.co/cxrHTraGOb
Many expect the team to also bring in another punter to compete with incumbent Matt Haack for the starting job. Though the Bills were among the teams punting the least last season as they instead employed an aggressive strategy on fourth downs, Haack sometimes struggled when called upon to punt. Those struggles came to a head in the season finale, a game played at home against the New York Jets in rough weather conditions. Though the Bills would ultimately win the game and clinch a second straight AFC East title, Haack shanked a series of punts that allowed the Jets to hang in the game.
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