Banking on Bass: Why Bills Have High Hopes for Kicker

After immense success in his first two seasons, Tyler Bass is ready to make the leap in Year 3 with Buffalo

Tyler Bass isn't fishing for compliments, but he is head-hunting for a breakout season with the Buffalo Bills. 

Bass enters Year 3 in Orchard Park riding high off a stellar start to his professional career. Since being drafted out of Georgia Southern, he's tallied 276 points with his right leg. That places him second among all active players in points throughout the past two seasons. 

This is the NFL, however. What a player did last season won't guarantee them a roster spot the next. The new year gives Bass the opportunity to build off his early success and prove that he too can be part of the franchise's long-term foundation.

"You sit back, reflect, and most importantly, you just learn and grow," Bass told The Buffalo News following Wednesday's practice. "Wins and losses, you just take something out of that and grow and move forward." 

Bass is naturally talking about the AFC Divisional Round matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. As Josh Allen found receiver Gabriel Davis for the touchdown with 13 seconds remaining, it felt as if that was finally Buffalo's year to make the Super Bowl. 

It was, until it wasn't. Bass' touchback gave Kansas City the ball at the 25-yard line. Four plays later, the game would head to overtime. Allen never touched the ball again and Patrick Mahomes would go on to find All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce in the end zone for the 42-36 win.

Bass tried to find the positive in what possibly could be the biggest gut-wrenching loss in recent memory. His thoughts? It's motivation. 

"You just hate losing, and games like that will stick with you, and it'll fuel you for the next opportunity," Bass said.

Bass is looking for individual success along with the team accolades. As a rookie, he hit a career-best 58-yard field in the Bills' stunning loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Last season, he nailed two kicks of over 55 yards, including a 57-yard field goal against the Miami Dolphins. For his efforts, he was named October's Special Teams Player of the Month. 

The Bills aren't looking to replace Bass, but are looking to add competition in the punt game. Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane used a sixth-round pick to add San Diego State's Matt Araiza. Nicknamed "Punt God," Araiza now will battle with veteran Matt Haack for reps.

How does this affect Bass? The winner of the punt game likely also will be this season's holder. Last year, Bass went 28 of 32 on field-goal attempts and made all 51 PATs. 

"If anything's a little off, it sounds like we're being very hard on the holder," Bass said. "But it's got to be almost perfect."