The Bills are set to be without one of their top special-teamers to start the season. Andre Smith received a six-game suspension Wednesday for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Acquired via trade from the Panthers just before the 2020 season, Smith re-signed to stay with the Bills last year. His contract, which runs through 2022, calls for a $1MM base salary this season. Barring a successful appeal, Smith stands to miss out on a chunk of that.
A former seventh-round Carolina draftee, Smith has been strictly a backup and special-teamer as a pro. The 25-year-old linebacker played 47 defensive snaps in 2020 and did not log any last season. But the ex-North Carolina Tar Heel was on the field for 68% of the Bills’ special teams plays in his fourth NFL campaign. Smith made 10 tackles and recovered a fumble last season, playing in 15 Bills regular-season games and both their playoff tilts.
The Bills have one of the NFL’s deepest rosters, and they added to their group of part-time linebackers by using a third-round pick on Terrel Bernard. The team returns Tyler Matakevich and brought back Marquel Lee.
just let em do steroids
Gotta think he’s got quite an uphill climb to make the roster then