Tyler Bass

Career StatsD

Year	Team	GP	FG%
Career		83	84.5%
2025		1	75.0%
2024		17	82.8%
2023		17	82.8%
2022		16	87.1%
2021

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Tyler Bass's two-year, $6.8M extension represents a slight overpay for what amounts to a replacement-level specialist, earning a C+ CVI that reflects Buffalo's decision to prioritize continuity over market efficiency. At $3.4M annually, the Bills are paying above-average kicker money for a rotational player whose inconsistency has defined his four-year tenure, particularly on longer attempts and in crucial moments. The 27-year-old is theoretically entering his prime years for the position, but his track record suggests more of a league-average floor than the reliable franchise kicker this salary tier typically commands. Buffalo's decision to guarantee only $1.0M of the deal shows some awareness of Bass's limitations, creating manageable exit ramps if his struggles continue, though the $3.4M AAV still feels rich given his production tier. This contract essentially reflects the Bills prioritizing familiarity and avoiding another kicker carousel over maximizing value, a defensible but expensive approach that could look problematic if Bass doesn't elevate his consistency in high-leverage situations.

Performance Analysis

Tyler Bass, a sixth-year kicker out of Georgia Southern, has spent his Buffalo Bills tenure as a reliable-enough option but has never fully cemented himself as a true franchise cornerstone at the position. His overall grade sits at a D, a troubling mark that reflects persistent inconsistency rather than a single outlier moment. Among NFL kickers, Bass currently profiles below the tier of dependable starters the Bills need in high-leverage situations. The numbers tell a difficult story: Bass is converting field goals at a 75.0% clip this season, a full ten percentage points below the NFL average of 85.0% and eighteen points behind elite-tier kickers operating near 93.0%. That gap isn't marginal — it's the difference between a kicker who wins games and one who costs them. His grade has held at a D across three consecutive seasons, sliding from a D in 2023 through 2024 and remaining there in 2025, suggesting a systemic issue rather than a correctable slump. For a Bills roster built to compete for Super Bowls, Bass's continued struggles represent a genuine roster vulnerability that general manager Brandon Beane cannot ignore heading into the offseason. If his accuracy doesn't climb meaningfully toward the league average, Buffalo will face serious pressure to explore alternatives via free agency or the draft. The next season is essentially a prove-it window — Bass must demonstrate he can perform under pressure at a level befitting a contending team's kicker.

Current Sentiment

Tyler Bass enters the 2026 offseason in a precarious position after a lost 2025 campaign that landed him on injured reserve and forced a contract restructure, signaling the Bills' diminished confidence in him as their long-term answer at kicker. The emergence of a legitimate competition with veteran Matt Prater has shifted the narrative from Bass being a reliable incumbent to a player fighting for his roster spot, a stark contrast to his earlier years in Buffalo. Fan sentiment has soured considerably, particularly given the high-profile missed kicks that have punctuated his tenure, and the pay cut only reinforces the perception that the organization views him as a question mark rather than a cornerstone. Media coverage has been largely transactional and unflattering, framing his injury and contract adjustment as symptoms of a broader uncertainty at the position rather than a temporary setback for an otherwise trusted specialist. Heading into 2026, Bass faces the dual burden of proving his health and reclaiming a starting role that is no longer guaranteed, making his standing among Bills fans and analysts notably fragile.