3 Bills Veterans Fighting for Their Jobs Following NFL Draft

The Buffalo Bills took a major step toward becoming Super Bowl contenders last season after an AFC Championship appearance. The team has managed to keep most of its roster intact over the offseason, even adding names like former New Orleans Saints wideout Emmanuel Sanders through free agency.

The Bills left the 2021 NFL Draft with eight new prospects in their hands. With the organization having high hopes for these younger players, some of Buffalo's veterans should be on high alert. After all, if a rookie can do their job at a lower cost, the Bills may not require them anymore.

Here are three Bills veterans that could be fighting to keep their role after the NFL Draft.

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3. Dawson Knox, Tight End

Dawson Knox has been in the Bills' tight end group since 2019 after being drafted in the third round, but he has yet to break out. In 2020, Knox caught just 54.5% of his targets while recording 4 drops and 2 fumbles. Now, the team has brought in former Seattle Seahawks TE Jacob Hollister into the mix. Hollister had better catch ratings than Knox last season and also didn't fumble the ball once. If Knox continues to have ball-security issues, Hollister could easily start pushing him for snaps.

2. Devin Singletary, Running Back

Another 2019 third-round draft pick, Devin Singletary has been decent at best as the Bills' starting running back. Even though the team didn't draft a back to replace him, that doesn't mean he won't be fighting for his job next season. Singletary had a disappointing 687 rushing yards in 2021. While QB Josh Allen eats into some of that with his mobility, that's still low for a running back in such a high-powered offense. Considering backup Zack Moss was able to produce similar rushing and pass-catching averages last season, Singletary's grip on the starting job might be slipping.

1. Jerry Hughes, Defensive End

Make no mistake: Jerry Hughes is still a solid contributor. In 2020, he had 4.5 sacks and 29 total tackles for the Bills in 15 starts. However, Hughes is in the final year of his contract and is scheduled to have a cap hit of $9.45 million. While that's not a big deal with his contract expiring, it'll be tough for the Bills to justify paying him that much money after the draft they had. Buffalo hammered the position early, selecting Gregory Rousseau in Round 1 and Carlos Basham Jr. in Round 2.

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