The Buffalo Bills have worked out two kickers after Tyler Bass’ struggles have carried over into the 2024 NFL season.
The Buffalo Bills recently hosted kickers Anders Carlson and Cade York on workouts, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The workouts come amid Tyler Bass’ persisting struggles that have carried over into this season from last.
Carlson, 26, has one professional campaign under his belt, spending the 2023 season with the Green Bay Packers. The brother of Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson, the younger sibling made 81.8% of his field goals and 87.2% of his extra points last season. York, 23, was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft; he’s spent time with four different teams throughout his three-year professional career, making 70.6% of his field goals and 94.9% of his extra points in 18 regular season appearances.
Neither kicker is likely being looked at as a direct replacement for Bass, but a supplementary practice squad option as the 27-year-old works through his woes. Once one of the league’s most reliable kickers, Bass struggled throughout the 2023 campaign, making just 82.8% of his kicks throughout the year (22nd amongst kickers with 25 or more field goal attempts). His woes reared their head most prominently in the playoffs, as he missed two kicks in the Bills’ Wild Card round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and another in their Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs; his last missed kick of the year was a 44-yard attempt that would have tied the game with under two minutes remaining.
He had started the 2024 season well enough, making all six of his kicks in Week 1 (two field goals, four extra points). He was five-of-six on kicks in Week 2, missing a 45-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. General manager Brandon Beane stated in August that the team wasn’t considering bringing in another kicker on the practice squad or otherwise, telling reporters that the team was “confident” in Bass. Buffalo working out Carlson and York would suggest that the team is reconsidering its stance on the matter.