Buffalo Bills Will Not Tender Colton Schmidt and IK Enemkpali

Colton Schmidt and IK Enemkpali are currently both restricted free agents, but the Buffalo Bills won’t send them an offer.

With the free agency tampering period now underway, teams are beginning to make some moves. On Tuesday, we got a clearer look at the futures of the 4 restricted free agents on the Buffalo Bills‘ roster — including punter Colton Schmidt and DL IK Enemkpali.

The Bills also announced that they have tendered qualifying offers to RB Mike Gillislee and C-G Ryan Groy.

Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com originally broke the news of Schmidt and Enemkpali on the team’s website. Here’s an excerpt:

"DL IK Enemkpali and P Colton Schmidt are also restricted free agents. Buffalobills.com has learned that both players will not be tendered qualifying offers thereby making them unrestricted free agents effective Thursday at 4 pm."

Colton Schmidt joined the Buffalo Bills in 2014 after being released by the San Francisco 49ers. He spent the past three seasons as the team’s punter and signed a contract extension in 2016.

In that span, he recorded 243 punts for 10,672 yards (43.9 yards per punt). He kicked a 65 yard punt in 2015, a 67 yard punt last season and totaled 73 punts inside the 20 over the past three years. He didn’t allow any return touchdowns.

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After cutting veteran kicker Dan Carpenter, the Buffalo Bills will have a brand new kicking squad next season.

IK Enemkpali joined the team last season after spending his rookie season with the New York Jets, who drafted him in the sixth round in 2014. He was forced to leave the Jets before the 2015 season after punching Gene Smith in the face. Many thought Rex Ryan brought him in as a slap in the fact to his former team.

Enemkpali would end up serving a four-game suspension in 2015 and played 11 games, totaling 13 tackles. He would get in an altercation with Cyrus Kouandjio during last year’s training camp and would later suffer a torn ACL in the first preseason game.

Enemkpali sat out the entire 2016 season.

Colton Schmidt and IK Enemkpali will become unrestricted free agents on Thursday, open to sign with any team. There’s still the chance they return next season if they don’t receive any offers — if the Buffalo Bills are interested.

Next: 7 Best Free Agent Signings in Buffalo Bills' History

Are you you sad to see either Colton Schmidt or IK Enemkpali go this offseason? Leave your thoughts below!

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