The Buffalo Bills certainly left some surprises on the table when the third day of the 2020 NFL Draft rolled around.
Not only did the Bills select Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, kicker Tyler Bass from Georgia Southern was selected by the Bills in the fifth and sixth rounds, respectively.
While drafting a kicker appears like a pretty set in stone thing since many in the NFL are undrafted players… it’s not. Buffalo special teams coordinator Heath Farwell spoke via a video press conference this weekend and things are not going to be handed to the rookie.
Farwell’s kicker right now? It’s still Stephen Hauschka.
“It’s an open competition, it’s not (Bass’s) job by any means. It’s Steve’s job right now. He’s the incumbent, he’s had a lot of big kicks over his career, a history of good kicks in big games, in the playoffs, he was 4-for-4 last year. He’s still the guy and it’s up to Tyler to beat him out,” Farwell said.
What this battle might come down to is leg strength.
Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane admitted as much earlier this offseason.
“That’s one of the things we talked about with (Hauschka). Last year Stephen wasn’t able to kick the 55-plus balls as much. But, we were happy with Stephen’s accuracy at 50 and in,” Beane said.
And in terms of the new man on campus, that’s one of the most highlighted traits in his game, so Hauschka will have to show his strength. Farwell also explained a work ethic in Bass’s game that he enjoyed seeing during the pre-draft process. Per the special teams coordinator, during both his pro day and at the Senior Bowl, Bass was one of the first players on the field both times.
“The talent of his kickoffs, field goals, everything about him… the mindset,” Farwell said.
As Farwell stated, Hauschka did go 4-for-4 in the Bills’ postseason loss to the Texans. But while he 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 Farwell said, he’s still the Bills kicker until Bass, who is working out with long snapper Reid Ferguson this offseason, does something about that.
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