Tag: Stephen Hauschka

Bills’ Tyler Bass reacts to winning kicking battle

Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass on winning his job as a rookie in 2020 training camp.

After the Bills took the field for a training camp scrimmage last week, the big news out of it came via the team’s premiere special teams battle. Rookie Tyler Bass ousted veteran Stephen Hauschka to take the Bills’ kicking crown ahead of the 2020 regular season.

But that’s not how the 2020 sixth-round pick is thinking of it, and that’s probably a good thing we think.

While yes, Bass did beat out a proven NFL placekicker in Hauschka for the job, he said on Sunday speaking to reporters via video conference from Bills training camp that the work has only just begun for him. Really, it hasn’t even started yet in his eyes.

“I had to earn everything I had there, nothing has been handed to me in life, and I had to earn that. I came to camp with the same mentality, I knew I wasn’t the number one guy coming in, and I had to earn that right and the respect. Now that I have the job, I still feel like I haven’t proven anything, I’ve haven’t even played a game yet. I’m still going to do everything I can to be the best I can be to help this team and take it one day at a time,” Bass said.

In helping him win the job, Bass pointed to his past as a motivator. Out of high school, the Georgia Southern product had to walk-on in college. He’s really been an underdog and had to prove himself for awhile now. That’s even how Bills special teams coordinator Heath Farwell described the latest gig Bass has won, too.

“He earned the job; he worked his butt off and we take everything into account when picking this position and he won the job. Nobody handed it to him, and we made it as hard as we possibly could. He excelled at everything we did and everything we evaluate,” Farwell said.

But the Bills sound like they’re being honest with themselves in picking Bass, though. As a rookie, they know it won’t be all gravy for the new guy and he’s going to get a little slack from the team it sounds like.

“I have a really good understanding with him and what he’s about and what’s important to him. I just trust him out there, he does everything right and we’re going to have some ups and downs throughout the season, that’s a part of football,” Farwell said.

Even if Bass remains in Buffalo for numerous years as their kicker, undoubtedly the most interesting part of his tenure will be the start. Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the first of his professional kicks will be in front of… no fans, or very few. Perhaps that could be a way of easing him into his NFL career?

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Tennessee Titans working out K Stephen Hauschka

The Titans are taking a look at another veteran kicker.

One day after it was revealed the Tennessee Titans were working out kicker and former New England Patriot Stephen Gostkowski, the team is now planning on bringing in yet another veteran kicker for a tryout.

Per the transaction wire, Stephen Hauschka is the latest player at the position the Titans are bringing in for a tryout.

Hauschka was most recently a member of the Buffalo Bills, where he was the team’s starting kicker for the past three seasons. However, he was cut in favor of rookie kicker, Tyler Bass, in the last few days.

Hauschka has a career success rate of 85.7 percent, but has posted back-to-back seasons of 78.6 percent.

Based on the Titans’ desire to explore veteran kicker options, it’s clear the team isn’t totally set on the inexperienced options they currently have in 2020 UDFA Tucker McCann and Greg Joseph.

If either Gostkowski or Hauschka is brought in, they’d immediately be considered favorites for the starting job.

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7 things to know about new Bills starting kicker Tyler Bass

Things to know about Buffalo Bills new starting kicker Tyler Bass.

For the first time in three seasons, a new guy will be lining up kicks for the Buffalo Bills.

On Thursday, Stephen Hauschka saw a three-year tenure with the club come to an end. Since the team used a draft pick on rookie Tyler Bass (sixth round), it’s not all that shocking.

Still, Bass wasn’t just going to be handed a job. He had to earn it, and Bass did.

Unless the unexpected happens, the Bills will have Bass, at minimal, lining up kicks for them when they open their season against the Jets.. And hopefully much longer than that.

But before he boots any sort of ball in a game for Buffalo, let’s get to know the man behind the foot.

Here’s seven things to know about new Bills kicker Tyler Bass:

How’d we get here?

OK so, the basics to start. Who is Tyler Bass?

Bass found his way to the Bills, as mentioned, by the 2020 NFL Draft. The Bills surprisingly used a late-round pick, a sixth rounder (No. 188 overall) on him. Bass played for Georgia Southern in college.

Entering the weird COVID-19 offseason, Bass had to battle Hauschka for the Bills’ starting placekicking job under these circumstances. Despite no preseason, Bass won. En route to doing so, Thursday was a big day.

During the ninth day of training camp practices, Buffalo took to Bills Stadium and had a scrimmage. Bass did much better.

Hauschka had two kicks… both extra points. He missed one. Bass on the other hand? Not only did he hit both of his extra-point attempts, he went 2-for-3 kicking with makes from 41 and 43 yards while missing from 55 yards out.

Despite that miss, that’s the thing that attracted the Bills to Bass and his skills. He didn’t miss that kick short, he has the big leg, and now the team will hope he just brings the consistency to the pros along with it. During his college career, Bass went 54 of 68 on field-goal attempts (79.41%) with a long of 50 yards during his four-year career.

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Bills release K Stephen Hauschka, P Lachlan Edwards

The Buffalo Bills have released kicker Stephen Hauschka and punter Lachlan Edwards.

The Buffalo Bills have released kicker Stephen Hauschka and punter Lachlan Edwards, the team announced Thursday afternoon.

Perhaps the more notable cut, Hauschka initially joined Buffalo’s roster in the 2017 offseason. He was stellar in his first season, making 88% of his kicks for a Bills team that broke its long-standing playoff drought.

Hauschka struggled to maintain consistency, however, making just 78% of his field goal attempts in his second season with the Bills. Despite his shaky campaign, Buffalo’s brass maintained confidence in Hauschka, inking him to a two-year extension shortly before the start of the 2019 season.

Though the veteran kicker wasn’t necessarily a liability for the Bills in his third season with the team, he wasn’t automatic, either, again making just 78% of his kicks.

Buffalo added competition for Hauschka in the 2020 offseason in the form of Tyler Bass, a kicker out of Georgia Southern whom the Bills selected in the sixth-round of the 2020 draft. Bass, a 23-year-old with a cannon for a leg, apparently showed more promise than Hauschka in training camp, prompting the Bills to move on their stalwart at kicker.

The move gives Hauschka a bit more than two weeks to latch on with another team before the start of the regular season.

While Hauschka leaves Buffalo after a three-year stint, Edwards leaves after a one-week stay. The Bills signed the veteran punter on Aug. 19 to compete with Corey Bojorquez for the punting job. Though circumstances could change in the weeks leading up to the regular season, it looks as though Bojorquez is in line to hold onto his role as the team’s starting punter.

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Takeaways from Day 9’s scrimmage at Bills training camp

Takeaways from the Buffalo Bills’ scrimmage at 2020 training camp.

After a delay to their offseason schedule due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Bills players finally have started to get on the field and hit each other. With preseason games still canceled, each day of practice held in Orchard Park is that much more important before the team’s season opener against the Jets on Sept. 13.

Today’s edition of our takeaways is going to look at little different tan previous ones. At Thursday’s session, the Bills took the field at the stadium and held a scrimmage, of sorts. Typically practice days in camp this year are sparse with information from them, so we just cap it at a couple. This one will have a few extra nuggets, due to the nature of the beast… or scrimmage.

With that, here’s our takeaways from the Bills’ scrimmage at training camp:

Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs. ( James P. McCoyThe Buffalo News via AP, Pool)

Stefon Diggs is hurt

While most of the Bills offense was out there in their first scrimmage of training camp, one big piece was not: wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Prior to practice, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said that Diggs wouldn’t practice, indicating he has a lower back problem. McDermott described it as “soreness.”

Naturally keeping Diggs healthy for a real game is much more important than a scrimmage. But it’s noteworthy that Diggs did not get out there for his team’s first actual full go of things.

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3 takeaways from Day 8 of Bills training camp practices

Takeaways from Day 8 of Buffalo Bills training camp 2020.

After a delay to their offseason schedule due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Bills players finally have started to get on the field and hit each other. With preseason games still canceled, each day of practice held in Orchard Park is that much more important before the team’s season opener against the Jets on Sept. 13.

On Tuesday, the Bills saw a friendly reminder of what they traded for this offseason. With that, here are three takeaways from Day 8 of Bills training camp practices:

Bills cornerback Cam Lewis. Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

UB product update

Recent headlines out of Bills training camp bode well for former undrafted rookie free agent Cam Lewis. On Tuesday, he showed he’s taking that seriously. WGR-550 radio specifically mentioned two big plays out of the depth corner on the day. The unfortunate victim of his good play was wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie. Lewis recorded a pass breakup on McKenzie, who could certainly find his way on the Bills final 53-man roster himself. But then there was another play against McKenzie, potentially a damming one for the wideout, as Lewis forced a fumble.

As mentioned, there might be a route for Lewis onto the final roster if he continues such strong play. First, we’re unsure how long cornerback Josh Norman will be out. From the sounds of it, his hamstring could be healed by the season opener against the Jets on Sept. 13. Still, there’s a need of depth just in case with a hamstring injury to a 32-year-old player early in the year. Furthermore, depth cornerback Ike Brown surprisingly decided to retire from football on Monday. Brown was a guy that Lewis was directly battling for a roster or practice squad spot, but the former Bull doesn’t have to worry about him now.

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Bills 53-man roster projection following first week of training camp

A Buffalo Bills 53-man roster projection with seven days of training camp practices in 2020 in the books.

We’re a little off on the days, but hang with us.

The Bills have taken time off, so it’s been a little over a week now, technically. Well, actually, the start of training camp was weeks ago with a bit of an extended walk-through start to it.

But the total number of training camp practices the team has had so far with pads? Monday marked the seventh. So there’s our week.

To celebrate the first week of camp actually happening with the ups and down the COVID-19 pandemic have caused the team this offseason, here’s a 53-man roster projection for the Bills after those first seven practices:

Bills quarterback Josh Allen. (James P. McCoy/The Buffalo News via AP, Pool)

QUARTERBACK (3)

Josh Allen, Matt Barkley, Jake Fromm

Cuts: Davis Webb

Earlier this offseason the Bills were in a position to potentially keep two quarterbacks and cut Matt Barkley. He’s no longer really a “veteran” mentor to Allen, games played wise. Allen has 27 starts to Barkley’s seven. Cutting Barkley could also save the Bills $1.5M against the salary cap.

But that was ages ago now and the world as we know it, is no longer the same. Part of that picture? No preseason games in the NFL. It still might’ve been a bit of a bold prediction, but could the Bills have entered the season with two quarterbacks? Namely Josh Allen and Jake Fromm? It was possible. Was. But with no exhibition games under his belt, there’s no way Buffalo will enter a season with that scenario now. Not only does that save a roster spot for Barkley, but through training camp practices, Barkley’s probably been the QB that’s stood out the most, Allen included. Of course, he does typically play against the second-string defense, but still nice to have confidence in a No. 2, which he certainly is. Davis Webb could be considered a fourth-string “quarantine quarterback” on the practice squad

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No love lost between Jets’ Henry Anderson, Bills Mafia

Jets DL Henry Anderson will miss the Buffalo Bills faithful this season with fans not currently allowed in the stands.

Henry Anderson is going to miss Bills fans. Or so he says.

When the Jets travel to Orchard Park Week 1, they’ll be playing in an empty Bills Stadium. Anderson is a bit disappointed that he won’t get to interact with Bills fans this season, as he’s become a bit of a “villain” among Bills Mafia.

“I’m going to miss them a lot,” a sarcastic Anderson told reporters Tuesday.

Anderson’s run-ins with the Bills haven’t exactly made him a fan-favorite in Buffalo. In fact, quite the opposite. Anderson isn’t known as a reckless or dirty player, but he does have a history of incidents with the Bills.

In 2018, Anderson blindsided former Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka during a blocked field goal, which resulted in the kicker suffering a hip injury.

Fast forward to Week 1 of the 2019 season and Anderson was fined $10,527 for unnecessary roughness. The play in question saw Anderson go for Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s legs after he had already released the football.

This drew some outrage from Lindsay Hauschka, the wife of the former Bills kicker. She went as far as saying that players like Anderson do not belong in the league.

Now an enemy in the eyes of Buffalo fans, Bills Mafia will have to resort to booing Anderson virtually this season. Although, the NFL is possibly looking at having fans in Orchard Park this season, according to a survey that was sent out by the league to multiple Bills season ticket holders.

So, Anderson may get to interact with Bills fans after all. Just not right away.

3 takeaways from Day 2 of Bills training camp practices

Takeaways and observations from reports of Day 2 Buffalo Bills training camp practices.

The Bills have finally hit the field with pads on in 2020.

After a delay to their offseason schedule due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Bills players finally have started to get on the field and hit each other. With preseason games still canceled, each day of practice held in Orchard Park is that much more important before the team’s season opener against the Jets on Sept. 13.

Tuesday saw the second day of such physical practices. With that, here are three main takeaways from Day 2 of Bills training camp padded practices:

Bills safety Micah Hyde drops into coverage during training camp.

Micah Hyde picks off Josh Allen

The big storyline from Day 1 of training camp was the way that it ended. Quarterback Josh Allen chucked a ball deep down the field, found wide receiver John Brown for a long score with Tre’Davious White in coverage. Flash forward and the highlighted effort via various outlets on Tuesday was from the defense, and specifically, Micah Hyde.

During team sessions, Hyde reportedly intercepted Allen during 7-on-7 work. Syracuse.com indicates that the pass was intended for Stefon Diggs.

Even with the strong talent the Bills have added on offense as of late, the team’s bread and butter is still going to be their defense in 2020… and leading that defensive effort? The secondary, just as it has since Sean McDermott took over in 2017. The group probably took things very personal following that prior mentioned Brown score, too. WGR-550 radio reports that practice on Tuesday ended on a defensive stop. The group celebrated, just like the offense did a day earlier at the end of practice when Brown scored.

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How Bills’ kicking battle is going down during quarantined training camp

Buffalo Bills special teams coordinator discusses kicking battle with Stephen Hauschka, rookie Tyler Bass.

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Don’t envy Buffalo Bills special teams coordinator Heath Farwell this training camp.

When the 2020 preseason was cancelled due to safety concerns in regard to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, bubble players, undrafted rookies and everyone in between certainly had cause for concern. Those guys really need the exhibition snaps to show what they can do.

But some of those situations for say… a cornerback, can be simulated in practice. How about a kicker, though? There’s really nothing like a stadium setting, and Farwell is in charge of making the Bills’ tough kicking decisions this training camp.

At punter, it’s former kicker Kaare Vedvik coming for Corey Bojorquez and his job. At placekicker, rookie sixth-round  pick Tyler Bass is hoping to upend Stephen Hauschka. Farwell, chatting on Sunday via video conference from Bills training camp, knows he has some hard choices to make, namely at kicker.

“There’s a big difference,” Farwell said, discussing Hauschka and Bass. “One is… a 13-year veteran with leadership ability, consistency, and a proven record to make them in games and make them in big games. The other kid is ultra talented. young leg, is hungry, he’s a big talent, but is unproven to this point without a preseason game.”

So, what can the Bills do? Well really, just the best they can… and hope for the best.

“We’ll try to put him in all those stressful situations… bringing them up at the end of practice, bring them up in the middle of practice, get everyone around them, put pressure on them if we can,” Farwell said. “Put them against each other, back-to-back kicks. A lot of the times we’ll give them the same exact kick and there’s a reason for it. Let’s see… kind of going back-and-forth… we do that with the punters, too. It’s like, how can we put them in those pressure situations? You see the guy in front of you make a good punt, or a good kick, and what can you do?”

Earlier this offseason, Bills general manager Brandon Beane discussed the kicking battle. In doing so, he mentioned some vfor them. Make a kick with your teammates watching? Shorter practice today, maybe no meetings, the GM suggested.

All are good ideas, but it’s still going to be difficult. It appears the Bills want a kicker with better leg strength. That’s what Bass has and what Hauschka has lacked, recently. While Hauschka is the record-holder for consecutive kicks made over 50 yards, he’s dropped off since earning that in 2017. In 2019, Hauschka was 1-for-5 from beyond 50 yards.

Unfortunately for Hauschka, what seems to have changed came via an injury.

In December 2018, Hauschka caught a blindside hit from Jets defender Henry Anderson. He was fined and Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott had a candid moment in response to what happened, claiming there’s “no place in football” for such incidents.

Hauschka has struggled since taking that hit. But the veteran offers consistency in closer kicks. He made four from inside 50 during Buffalo’s playoff loss to the Texans.

Earlier this offseason, Farwell did say it was Hauschka’s job and Bass has to earn it. At this point, with no preseason games, we might not have any hint of which way the Bills are going to go with their pick, but regardless, if it’s not the right one, it’s going to be a criticized decision.

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