The Buffalo Bills made a transaction that some wondered whether or not would happen. It has.
The team announced on Friday that defensive tackle Star Lotulelei has been released.
During the opening week of free agency, the Bills have made several additions to their defensive line. Specifically in the middle, tackles Tim Settle and DaQuan Jones were signed.
Lotulelei was likely moved down the pecking order because of that–but now he’s completely out of it. Both Settle and Jones are known to play space-eating and run-stopping roles on the D-line, just as Lotulelei had done.
On Thursday, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott provided a bit of insight into what could happen with Lotulelei. The coach did not say he would be released, however, he did not say he would stay.
Reading between the lines, that’s a bit telling.
“We’ll see. We’ll just take it one step at a time,” McDermott said via video conference.
Lotulelei signed as a free agent with the Bills prior to the 2018 season. Early in his career in Buffalo, Lotulelei was often touted by teammates for doing that dirty work in the middle of the defensive line.
In 2020, Lotulelei sat out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned in 2021, but his play took a step back.
The 32-year-old missed time due to injury and COVID-19 and eventually Harrison Phillips took over his starting spot last season. Even upon returning Lotulelei did not take that spot back.
It remains to be seen what salary cap ramifications come from releasing Lotulelei.
If he’s an immediate cut, Buffalo will save $1.5 million against the cap in 2022 and the team will have a one-year dead cap hit of $7.7M.
If he’s a post-June 1 designation, he’ll save the Bills $4.1M in 2022, but the team will have dead cap hits of $5.4M next season and $2.6M in 2023.
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