By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
The Buffalo Bills will finish out their final six games. How they go remains to be seen. The team will certainly at least enter Week 12’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with the playoffs still in mind.
Regardless, Dec. 30 against the Miami Dolphins will mark the last regular season game for numerous players on the Bills’ roster.
It could be because they’re on an expiring contract, or because they have a cap-friendly contract which would allow the Bills (3-7) to release them with minimal damage.
With that, here are the players on the Bills who could be playing in their final six games with the team:
Restricted free agents
CB Lafayette Pitts
Pitts, 26, has featured in a special teams role in 2018.
– Restricted free agents can sign with another team, but the Bills will have a chance to match the offer and keep the player.
Exclusive rights free agents
DE Eddie Yarbrough
Yarbrough, 25, has featured as the last member of Buffalo’s defensive end rotation. He’s strong against the run but only has one career sack and none this season.
WR Isaiah McKenzie
Mckenzie, 23, has only featured in Buffalo for one game as a returner, receiver and running back.
LS Reid Ferguson
Ferguson, 24, has featured as Buffalo’s long snapper since 2017.
WR Robert Foster
The undrafted free agent from Alabama has had two stints with the Bills. The 24-year-old was cut after Week 6, only making two catches for 30 yards. Last week he was re-signed and had three grabs for 105 yards.
CB Levi Wallace
Wallace, another 23-year-old undrafted rookie from Alabama, had his first-career start last week. He had one pass defended.
– An exclusive rights free agent either gets an offer from his team or he does not. They cannot negotiate with other teams.
Unrestricted free agents
DT Kyle Williams
At 35, Williams has proven he can still produce in his 13th season. He’s been stout in the middle of Buffalo’s defensive line and has 3.5 sacks.
LB Lorenzo Alexander
With 4.5 sacks, Alexander has proven he can still play, too.
OL Ryan Groy
Groy, 28, has unfortunately fallen out of favor after losing his starting job at center to Russell Bodine.
WR Kelvin Benjamin
In 10 games, Benjamin, 27, has 20 catches, 302 yards and one touchdown. Drops have plagued him. Will the Bills try to stick by him? Likely depends on the price tag he covets.
RT Jordan Mills
The Bills have tried to replace Mills for several season at right tackle, but to the 27-year-old’s credit, he keeps beating them out. Pro Football Focus grades his pass blocking an average 70.8 and his run blocking poor at 56.2 this season.
DT Jordan Phillips
Phillips arrived midseason via waviers and has provided energy to the defense, however, the 26-year-old likely wants to be a starter, not a rotational guy. We’ll see if he settles.
QB Derek Anderson
Anderson, 35, is still in concussion protocol and it’s unlikely he’ll return again in 2019.
RB Taiwan Jones
Jones, 30, has primarily played special teams during his time with the Bills. He was injured after six games.
TE Logan Thomas
Thomas has a depth role as a tight end and special teamer, but he can also feature as a depth quarterback. The 27-year-old has a strong 84.6 catch percent.
OT Jeremiah Sirles
Sirles, 27, has only featured as a reserve lineman, but has played strong per PFF. Sirles has team-high run block grade of 68.0 and has a 76.8 pass block grade. He could see looks down the stretch.
P Colton Schmidt
Schmidt, 28, hasn’t done anything to show the Bills were wrong in cutting him earlier this season.
QB Matt Barkley
He only signed a one-year deal, but he could stick around as a backup to Allen after his recent heroics. Barkley is 28.
WR Deonte Thompson
They like his speed, let’s see what the 29-year-old can do in his debut this weekend vs. the Jaguars.
OG John Miller
While not a Sean McDermott draft pick, Vlad Ducasse was pulled out of the lineup for Wyatt Teller, not Miller. The Bills could start to upgrade here still in the offseason. PFF grades his run blocking this season at a poor 62.1 and a 76.3 pass blocking grade.
How much cap space do the Bills have in 2019?
$91.4 million, per Spotrac. That’s the third-most in the NFL behind the Colts ($123.9M) and Jets ($99.7M).
Who could be surprise cuts?
WR Andre Holmes
Holmes is entering the final year of his contract. He’ll be 31 and has a dead cap hit of only $550K. Holmes is a big special teams contributor but doesn’t factor into the offense much.
RB LeSean McCoy
McCoy will be 31 and the Bills have reportedly insisted they want him going forward. However, with his off-field issues, lack of production in 2018 and hit dead cap hit, it’s not unfathomable. His dead cap hit drops from $11.5 million this year to $2.6 million in 2019, the final year of his contract. McCoy would likely be traded, if possible.
TE Charles Clay
Clay’s been steady in his Bills career, but he simply hasn’t been that in 2019 and he’s battling injury once again. His dead cap hit drops from $13.5 million to $4.5 million next season, the final year of his contract.
OG Vlad Ducasse
Ducasse recently lost his starting job to Teller and is in the final year of his deal. An $83K dead cap hit doesn’t do him many favors.