Orchard Park, NY (WGR550) - My 2026 State of the Bills series continues with a look at the specialists.
Under contract:
- Kicker - Tyler Bass
- Punter - Mitch Wishnowsky
- Punter – Tommy Doman
- Long snapper – Reid Ferguson
One of the really intriguing aspects of training camp will be watching Tyler Bass kick. It will be almost a full year since we’ve seen that happen. Bass was injured last year during training camp, came back at the end of the preseason, only to ultimately have core muscle/pelvic surgery and be shelved for the entire season.
Over the last two seasons we saw Bass kick (2023 and 2024), he actually had the exact same numbers when it came to field goals, making 24 of 29 each season. That's 82.8% both years, which is below the league average. He has to be better in 2026 and it starts with him being healthy right away. If he's not, questions will be asked immediately about his short and long-term future in Buffalo. He's under contract for two more seasons with a cap hit of just over $3 million this year, placing him 12th amongst all kickers. That number balloons to $5.5 million in 2027, which is projected to be in the top-10 at his position.
However, Bass is only 27 years old, which is still young for an NFL kicker. So a healthy, bounce-back, solid season could go a long way in solidifying the faith the organization has in him moving forward.
While Bass is the only placekicker on the Bills roster, there are two punters, and a competition waiting to happen.
After a few injuries at the spot early in the season, Mitch Wishnowsky did a nice job to come in and settle things down. He was steady and reliable, and even contributed on kickoffs later in the year when needed due to more injuries at the kicker position.
But the Bills drafted Tommy Doman in the seventh round this year. He’s got a booming leg, and has punted and kicked off throughout his college career, which included playing at Michigan, where he also grew up. So he’s no stranger to doing it in colder weather.
The simple fact that the Bills used a draft pick on Doman means he’s probably the front-runner to win the job out of camp, but obviously nothing is certain, and he’ll have to prove himself at the NFL level during training camp and preseason games.
Long snapper Reid Ferguson is not only the longest tenure Bills player, but he has been for a few years now. He’s the only player on the roster who now will have played for three different Bills head coaches, joining the club as an undrafted free agent in 2016 while Rex Ryan was head coach.
Ferguson‘s value to the team goes beyond his steady and reliable long snapping. In a specialists room with so much turnover and fluctuation, even sometimes on a weekly basis over the last few years, he’s been a constant voice and consistent leader to bridge those gaps.
Ferguson signed a four-year contract extension prior to 2025 and will head to camp, once again, as the team’s loan long snapper.
When it comes to returning kicks, the Bills found a great role for running back Ray Davis, who saw his touches diminish on offense, and then he exploded at the spot to become a First-Team All-Pro selection, leading the entire NFL with 30.4 yards per run back.
It’s hard to imagine Davis not continuing as a main kick returner, but if he has an expanded role at running back, it may impact the work he gets on special teams.
It will be interesting to see how do special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers chooses to attack the kick return game and whether he will primarily use one or two players. When it’s two, Ty Johnson also has plenty of experience. It could also be an area where a player fighting for another roster spot could carve out a role, including wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
Hardman will most likely get every opportunity to show what he can do as a punt returner as he fights for a job in the wide receiver room.
Other than Khalil Shakir, the Bills don’t have a true punt returner who’s also clearly going to make the roster at his position, so that spot may be up for grabs and something fun to monitor at training camp. If the team feels they don’t have room to keep an extra body, Shakir may be back there quite a bit again in 2026.
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