6 Buffalo Bills players (and coaches) that will not be back in 2024.
There is still about half a season left for the Buffalo Bills but after the first half of the season, there is a group of players and coaches that appear very likely to not be returning for a number of reasons.
For some, it might be for under-performance to this point of the season. However, there is still time to finish the season strong and change that. For others, it could just be part of the business of the NFL and for salary cap reasons.
With that said, these are six players and coaches who’s time with the Buffalo Bills may come to an end after this season.
Ken Dorsey
The only coach on this list that looks likely to be done after this season is offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. The Bills promoted Dorsey to offensive coordinator last season to replace Brian Daboll and over the first year and half the stats look pretty good as they finished second in yards per game last season and are currently fifth in yards per game this year.
However, that is due in large part to the talent they have and not necessarily the play-calling by Dorsey. It seems like the offense is constantly struggling to get yards and Josh Allen is making plays to save this group.
Considering that Sean McDermott is a defensive-minded coach, I expect the Buffalo Bills to look for a veteran play-caller who can take this offense to the next level.
Gabe Davis
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72841837/1780446127.0.jpg)
Whoever is calling plays next season probably will be doing it without wide receiver Gabe Davis. The Bills drafted Davis in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft and he has been a starter opposite Stefon Diggs for the past two seasons.
Davis has certainly had some moments and had big performances, like his four touchdown game against the Chiefs in the playoffs or the game against the Steelers last season with 171 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, he is not consistent and he disappears for long stretches of games.
He is a young wide receiver that should generate a lot of interest in free agency and there will probably be a team that is willing to offer him a big contract. However, the Bills probably don’t have the cap space to match and probably will be looking for a wide receiver who can be more consistent week in and week out to complement Diggs.
Deonte Harty
Gabe Davis isn’t the only wide receiver who probably won’t be back next year as Deonte Harty hasn’t made the impact the Buffalo Bills believed he could in this offense. The Bills signed him to a two-year deal worth $9.5 million and the expectation was he would be replacing Isaiah McKenzie in this offense.
However, he has been sparingly utilized in this offense and through nine games has only 13 receptions for 113 receiving yards and one touchdown. The signing hasn’t been a complete loss as Harty has been effective as a punt returner with an average of nine yards per punt return this season.
The challenge for the Buffalo Bills is they are going to need as much cap space as possible to address this roster. Next season, Harty is expected to have a cap hit of $5.37 million but if the Bills were to release him it would create nearly $4 million in cap space with a dead cap value of $1.375 million.
Unless the Buffalo Bills find a way to restructure the contract, Deonte Harty’s time in Buffalo may only last one season.
Mitch Morse
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71767595/1244978338.0.jpg)
Another player on the offensive side of the ball who could be a cap casualty after this season is starting center Mitch Morse. The Bills signed Morse as a free agent in 2019 and he has been a key part of the offensive line over the past five seasons with 69 starts during that stretch.
However, Morse will be 32 years old next season and will have a cap hit of $11.5 million in 2024. If the Bills were to release him though it would open up $8.5 million in cap space.
Among the players and coaches on this list, Morse is probably the one most likely to be back in Buffalo in 2024. The team clearly values his leadership on the offensive line and signed him to a two-year extension last offseason and Morse has wanted to stay in Buffalo as he took a pay cut the offseason before that which created $3 million in cap space.
It would not be surprising if the two sides work out another extension that lowers his cap hit next season but if that doesn’t happen, then 2023 is likely his final season in Buffalo.
Tim Settle
Last offseason, the Buffalo Bills signed defensive tackle Tim Settle as a free agent to a three-year deal. At the time, it looked like one of those under-the-radar moves that could end up being a great value. In Settle’s first four seasons with Washington, he was very efficient with his snaps but didn’t get as much playing time being behind players like Jonathan Allen.
By signing with Buffalo, the expectation was that Settle would get more playing time and could take that next step in his career. He has certainly seen a bump in playing time, with 38% of the defensive snaps since joining Buffalo, compared to a season high of 38% with Washington, but hasn’t been nearly as productive.
Settle has played in 24 games with the Buffalo Bills (589 snaps) but has only four tackles for a loss, one sack and two QB hits compared to 12 tackles for a loss, seven sacks and 12 QB hits in 63 games (1,005 snaps) with Washington.
Tim Settle is set to be a free agent after this season and unless he takes a discount or a one-year prove-it deal with Buffalo, he likely will be playing with another team in 2024.
Micah Hyde
The final player who is unlikely to be back in Buffalo in 2024 with the Bills is Micah Hyde. The veteran safety has been a fixture of this defense since joining the Bills in 2017 and was one of the first free agent signings by Sean McDermott as head coach of the Bills.
During those seven seasons, he has been a second-team All-Pro twice and made the Pro Bowl once. He has 16 career interceptions and the Bills have consistently ranked in the Top 5 against the pass because of Hyde, as well as Jordan Poyer.
However, Hyde is getting towards the end of his career and will be 33 next season. In addition, injuries have started to be a concern after he played only two games last season due to a neck injury and left the game against the Bengals due to a stinger from a late hit.
The Buffalo Bills are going to have a number of positions they need to address next offseason and with Jordan Poyer under contract through 2024, the coaching staff may try to bring Hyde back on a one-year deal. However, that is far from a guarantee and at this point it seems more likely they try to find his replacement this offseason.
Leave a Reply