Earlier this week, the Buffalo Bills released offensive lineman Tommy Doyle, designating him as waived/injured. While the details of his release weren’t disclosed, it’s known that he suffered a significant, season-ending knee injury last preseason.
Doyle has faced considerable misfortune. After tearing his ACL in 2022, he made a comeback in time for training camp, only to be sidelined by another serious injury.
Matt Parrino reported that the Bills’ decision to release Doyle was due to a failed physical. After being waived, Doyle went unclaimed by any of the other 31 NFL teams, leading to his reversion to the Bills’ roster on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
What does this mean for Tommy Doyle’s future with the Buffalo Bills?
For now, the door isn’t entirely closed. If Doyle can come off the PUP list before August 23, when rosters are cut to 80 players, his 2024 season may still be salvageable. If activated before that date, he could immediately return to play. However, if he remains on the PUP list past August 23, he will automatically miss the first four regular-season games.
It’s worth considering if the Bills’ decision to waive Doyle indicates they might be ready to move on from him. He could spend the entire 2024 season on the reserve/PUP list, with both sides reassessing next spring/summer.
Currently, Doyle remains part of the Buffalo Bills organization. According to NFL regulations, a player’s contract is not tolled while on the PUP list unless he is in the last year of his deal, cannot perform football services by the sixth regular-season game, and is not activated during the season or postseason.
This is crucial for Doyle, who is in the final year of his four-year rookie contract signed in 2021 with the Bills.
Prayers Up For Tommy Doyle. ❤️🦬🌈🦋🙏🏼