What’s next for Tommy Doyle and the Bills?
Earlier this week, the Buffalo Bills released offensive lineman Tommy Doyle, designating him as waived/injured. While the details of that release weren’t made public, we do know that he suffered a serious, season-ending knee injury last preseason.
To say Doyle has struggled to find his good-luck charm may be an understatement. After suffering from a torn ACL in 2022, he returned to the gridiron in time for training camp — and then disaster struck again.
Following up on Doyle’s release, Matt Parrino shared news that One Bills Drive made the decision based on a failed physical. Once he was cut loose from the Bills, Doyle landed on waivers but went unclaimed by any of the 31 other NFL teams.
As such, Doyle has now reverted back to being a member of the Bills. Only this time, he lands on the team’s Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
The Bills waived OL Tommy Doyle yesterday after a failed physical. He cleared waivers and reverted back to the team on its reserve physically unable to perform list. He doesn’t count against the 90-man roster while on PUP.
— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) June 5, 2024
What does this mean for Tommy Doyle’s future with the Buffalo Bills?
Immediately, it means the door isn’t closed... completely, at least. Should Doyle improve enough to be taken off the PUP list prior to August 23 this year (when rosters are reduced to 80 players), then it means his 2024 season isn’t completely over, either. In fact, he would be eligible for immediate activation if he exists the PUP list prior to that date. If Doyle remains on the PUP list on or after August 23, then he is subject to automatically missing the Bills’ first four regular-season games.
However, it’s fair to wonder if the Bills would have waived Doyle if they weren’t ready to move on. Perhaps he spends the entirety of the 2024 NFL season on Buffalo’s reserve/PUP list, and both sides give things a go next spring/summer.
At this time, the one thing Tommy Doyle can point to is that until he’s either playing for another team or out of the NFL altogether, he remains a part of the Buffalo Bills’ organization. For now, at least.
Regarding Doyle’s pay at this time, the NFL has officially noted that:
A player’s contract will not be tolled (meaning the contract will not be suspended and resumed the following season) while on the PUP, unless he is in the last year of his deal and he is both not able to perform football services as of the sixth regular season game and is not activated during that regular season or postseason.
This is key for Doyle, who is in the final year of the four-year rookie deal he signed with the Buffalo Bills back in 2021.