The Buffalo Bills have struck a trade during the early stages of the NFL’s free agency period as tight end Lee Smith has been shipped out.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Smith, 33, was sent to the Atlanta Falcons for a late-round pick in 2022.
Smith previously said he was contemplating retiring from the NFL earlier this offseason. One would expect that the Bills confirmed with Smith that he wanted to continue playing in 2021 before trading him, but the move was more so made as a salary cap cut, anyway.
In moving on from Smith, the Bills save $2.25 million against the cap. His contract, which had one year remaining on it, also carried no dead cap hit, so it appeared one way or another that the tight end was going to be moved this offseason.
Smith, who was in his second tenured with the Bills, was a team captain and on the field known more as a blocking tight end. In 10 games last season, he only caught four passes… but two did go for touchdowns.
With Smith gone and Tyler Kroft a pending free agent, one way or another the Bills will have some free blood in their tight end room in 2021.
Dawson Knox is still under contract as well.
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