The Buffalo Bills appear set to have Tyler Bass as their starting kicker in 2026.
Bass missed the entire season due to hip and groin issues. He underwent surgery on his left hip/groin, thus ending his season in December, as Matt Prater served as Buffalo’s kicker all last year.
Although Prater had success, Buffalo decided not to bring him back as the team showed confidence in Bass. On Tuesday, the Bills gave Bass more great news as Buffalo released kicker Maddux Trujillo, the only other kicker on the roster.
Bills reporter Matt Parrino of NYUP.com also revealed general manager Brandon Beane had plenty of faith in Bass.
“Bills are signing veteran tight end Shane Zylstra and releasing K Maddux Trujillo. Brandon Beane has emphasized his belief in Tyler Bass all offseason. Bass is now the only remaining kicker on Buffalo’s roster,” Parrino wrote on X.
The Bills selected Bass in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s gone 131-for-155 in his career and is 264-for-274 on extra points, while in 2025, he went 24-for-29.
Bills GM Had Faith in Bass
Despite Bass missing the entire season due to injury, Beane remained confident in his kicker.
Ahead of the offseason, Beane made it clear that Bass is the Bills’ kicker going forward.
“I would expect Tyler Bass to be our kicker in ‘26,” Beane said.
Despite Beane’s comments, Bass did take a pay cut. He was set to count $4.9 million on the salary cap, but agreed to take a $1.5 million pay cut. The restructure creates just over $1.92 million in cap space.
By agreeing to the pay cut, Buffalo gave Bass $1 million in guaranteed money, plus incentives to try to earn the money he’s losing in the salary reduction.
Bass inked a four-year extension worth up to $20.4 million before the 2023 season.
Buffalo Signs TE
As part of the corresponding roster move by releasing Maddux Trujillo, Buffalo signed tight end Shane Zylstra to a one-year deal.
Zylstra spent the last four years with the Detroit Lions and appeared in just six games last season. He recorded 3 receptions for 20 yards. His best season came in 2022 when he recorded 11 receptions for 60 yards and 4 touchdowns, the only touchdowns of his NFL career.
He originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings in 2021 but was waived after the final roster cuts and ended up signing with the Lions’ practice squad.
Zylstra joins a Bills’ tight end group that features Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes, and Keleki Latu. So, Zylstra will have his hands full in making the roster, as the first three names will likely be impact players on the 53-man roster once again.
As for Trujillo, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL season. He was waived on August 26 with an injury designation as part of final roster cuts, and in January, he inked a futures/reserve deal with the Bills.
Trujillo began his college career at Austin Peay and transferred to Temple for the 2024 season. He will once again be a free agent.
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