Bills place kicker Tyler Bass on injured reserve two days before season opener
Tyler Bass sidelined with hip and groin ailment; veteran Matt Prater signed to replace him
The Buffalo Bills placed kicker Tyler Bass on injured reserve Friday, ruling him out for at least the team’s first four games of the 2025 season because of a hip and groin ailment. The move came two days before Buffalo’s opener Sunday at the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bills signed veteran kicker Matt Prater on Thursday and elevated him to the active roster to handle kicking duties while Bass is sidelined. Bass had been Buffalo’s starter since 2020.
Bass beat out veteran Stephen Hauschka for the kicking job in 2020 and has been Buffalo’s primary placekicker since. Last season he converted 24 of 29 field-goal attempts and made 59 of 64 extra-point tries. He also set a Bills franchise record with a 61-yard field goal last November against the Miami Dolphins.
Placement on injured reserve requires Bass to miss a minimum of four games before he is eligible to return under current NFL rules. The timing complicates Buffalo’s preparations for a season in which the team has high expectations; the Bills enter 2025 with Super Bowl aspirations and face a challenging early stretch of opponents.
Prater, a veteran of multiple NFL teams, brings experience to the spot. The Bills acted quickly to secure him Thursday, making the roster move official before the club’s first regular-season kickoff Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Special teams play figures to be critical for Buffalo in the opening weeks without Bass. The Bills have relied on his leg for long-range attempts and consistency on extra points since he became the starter. The team’s coaching staff and front office did not provide a detailed timetable for Bass’s recovery beyond the injured-reserve designation.
The NFL’s injured-reserve rules allow clubs to bring players back after they have missed the required minimum of games, but any return will depend on Bass’s recovery and medical clearance. Buffalo will evaluate health updates in the coming days and is expected to lean on Prater’s experience while Bass rehabs.
The Bills open their season Sunday against the Ravens, and Bass’s absence represents an immediate personnel change for a roster that has emphasized depth and continuity through recent offseason moves. Further roster adjustments or injury updates are likely to follow as Buffalo finalizes its active list for game day.