ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills drafted kicker Tyler Bass in the sixth round, and some experts said they believed he was the best kicker in the draft.
For Bass to win the starting kicking role this summer, he will have to earn it by outworking veteran Stephen Hauschka.
"It’s a classic training camp matchup," Bills special teams coordinator Heath Farwell said. "You have a veteran kicker that’s proved him, that’s made some big huge kicks in the playoffs and throughout the regular season of his career. Then you have this young kid that’s hungry, competitive, and that’s trying to take his job."
After Bass was drafted, Farwell said he called Hauschka and told him the job was his to lose and to take it as a challenge.
That conversation set the tone that Hauschka’s job isn’t safe and that this will be a position closely watched during training camp.
Stephen Hauschka hit 22 of 28 field goals in the 2019 season. He went through some ups and downs, including his struggles against the Cleveland Browns, and made only one kick beyond 50 yards last season.
The Bills are hoping Bass and his big leg can contribute on kicks from at least 50 yards.
