The Buffalo Bills are making it very clear as to what is going to be priority come draft day, announcing Thursday that the team will be releasing left guard Derrick Dockery and tight end Robert Royal.
Dockery signed a seven year, $49 million contract two years ago and has never lived up to the potential the team saw in him. Royal had some decent games last season but is not considered a true starting tight end by the Bills. He has two years left on his contract.
“These business decisions are never easy,” Bills COO Russ Brandon told buffalobills.com. “Especially when you are talking about two great individuals in both Derrick and Robert. We thank them for their hard work and dedication in their time as Buffalo Bills and wish them the best of luck in the future.”
The moves are expected to free up $8 million in cap space, but the team is likely to fill these positions in the draft rather than shell out big bucks for a weak free agent class at the positions.
Pittsburgh's Chris Kemoeatu and Brandon Moore are the top free agent guards on the market and neither is a player that a line can be built around. With fellow lineman Melvin Fowler, Duke Preston and Jason Whittle all expected to test free agency for the Bills, one or two lineman could be taken on the first day of the draft.
Buffalo has no viable option at tight end right now and should also address this early in the draft, with the position boasting one of the strongest draft classes in years.
