3 Bills Players Least Likely to Still Be on the Roster by the End of 2020

People generally don't think of the Buffalo Bills when debating the most well-run franchises in the NFL, but the recent regime has been right there at the top of the list. They just made headlines by trading for play-making wide receiver Stefon Diggs, but they were able to do this because of their available cap space. Diggs is now the second-highest paid Bills player. Number one? Center, Mitch Morse, at 11.625 million in 2020.

Buffalo is one of the more well-balanced caps in the league, with very little money going to their starting quarterback, Josh Allen, and virtually no detrimental contracts or cap hits. Still, there are always tough decisions to make in football. Here are three players that are least likely to be on the Bills by the end of 2020.

3. Lee Smith, TE

The blocking specialist finds himself as the possible odd man out at TE. / Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

The veteran blocking tight end does serve a role that starter Dawson Knox does not excel at, but this tight end room has gotten especially crowded of late with six bodies on the depth chart right now. It is very unlikely six tight ends make this roster. Tommy Sweeney is more similar to Knox, and is cheap enough to keep, while Tyler Kroft and recently re-signed Jason Croom are Lee Smith's main competitors. Kroft would cost five million to release, and he's only making slightly more than that, it just doesn't make sense to cut ties with him unless they trade him. Croom is younger and cheaper than the 32-year old Smith, who would save two million and change against the cap if cut.

2. Trent Murphy, EDGE

Trent Murphy would be a very expensive rotational pass rusher if kept. / Tim Warner/Getty Images

One of the most expensive signings the Bills made this offseason was inking Mario Addison, edge rusher from the Carolina Panthers. He's set to count roughly $10 million against the cap in 2020. With Jerry Hughes already locking down the opposite edge, Trent Murphy and Addison are now in a direct head-to-head for a starting role. The Bills could elect to keep both and rotate the pass rushers, but Murphy's situation makes him expendable if a cheaper option presents itself. He is currently making 9.775 million in 2020, and would only register a dead cap hit of 1.75 million if he does not make the Bills roster.

1. Ty Nsekhe, OT

The swing tackle may end up being one of the easiest cuts in terms of cost versus efficiency. / Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Similar to Murphy at defensive end, Ty Nsekhe is a swing offensive tackle making over five million this season. The Bills start Dion Dawkins and Cody Ford at the position, and could utilize the draft to bulk up on depth behind them. If the Bills can bring in some competition for Nsekhe (who only played on 34 percent of the offensive snaps in 2019 and was penalized six times in the small amount of action), he would be a cheap roster cut come preseason with only $1.5 million in dead cap for Buffalo.

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Michael Obermuller is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Michael also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username king_mizzard. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.