One of the biggest mysteries of the 2025 campaign for the Buffalo Bills has been the absence of kicker Tyler Bass.
Bass has been on injured reserve since the start of the season due to left hip/groin issues and we haven't gotten much in the way of specific updates on him during the season, which has led many to wonder if Bass will play at all in 2025.
Well, we finally got confirmation on Monday, with head coach Sean McDermott revealing that Bass had surgery last week and his season is likely over.
"Bills coach Sean McDermott said that Tyler Bass had surgery last week, effectively ending his season," ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg reported.
"Bass dealt with left hip/groin issues. McDermott said that they thought it had improved, but ended up needing surgery. He's been on IR all season," she added.
What this means for Bass' future
Bass is under contract through 2027, so there is a scenario where he stays with the team after this season.
However, the Bills will have to weigh if they want to keep paying Bass when the team will have limited funds to spare in 2026. Bass currently ranks as the 10th-highest-paid kicker in the NFL.
Bass had struggles in each of the past two seasons and now he's going to be coming off missing an entire season due to injury.
According to Over The Cap, cutting Bass would incur a dead-cap charge of $2 million but would also save $2.9 million. For a team projected to be $2.9 million over the cap next offseason, cutting Bass makes sense.
What this means for Prater's future
With Bass not coming back, Prater is secure in the job for the rest of the season, barring a total collapse.
Prater has provided plenty of stability for Buffalo, with the veteran kicker making 17-of-19 field goals (89.5%) and 34-of-37 extra points.
But the 41-year-old doesn't figure to provide a long-term answer, as it remains to be seen if Prater plans on playing in 2026. There is also the risk that Prater could hit a wall next season, which would leave Buffalo in a midseason bind.
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