By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
Bleacher Report thinks the Bills should get something for tight end Tyler Kroft while they can.
B/R named one player every NFL team should consider trading this past week. For the Bills, it was Kroft.
Here’s why the outlet says the Bills should move on from Kroft before his tenure with the team starts:
Tight end Tyler Kroft lost his starting position before he ever played a down for the Buffalo Bills.
The team signed him to a three-year, $18.75 million contract this offseason with the hope he would become quarterback Josh Allen’s security blanket. Unfortunately, Kroft suffered a foot injury during organized team activities this spring and then tweaked his ankle upon his return to practice last month.
In his stead, third-round rookie Dawson Knox emerged as a playmaker. The Bills also feature quality depth at the position with nine-year veteran Lee Smith serving as a quality in-line blocker and rookie Tommy Sweeney flashing at times.
Buffalo doesn’t need four tight ends, and the organization can avoid a $13.45 million cap hit over the next two seasons with a trade.
While Knox has emerged as a playmaking candidate for the Bills without Kroft, the rookie hasn’t always had smooth sailing. He’s looked solid as a blocker, but Knox has been inconsistent at times and had drops.
If Kroft returns, he can provide Knox some time to develop, even if it’s just for the rest of the 2019 season. Kroft’s contract is a three-year deal, but it’s essentially a one-year deal and the team will only suffer minimal loss if they were to move on from him after the season.
Plus at this point, the Bills could have a chance of sneaking fellow rookie tight end Tommy Sweeney on the practice squad if the front office doesn’t want to keep four on their roster.
Translation: moving on from Kroft isn’t much of a worthwhile move for the Bills, even if Knox has flashed and he can’t stay healthy.