5 Buffalo Bills playing for a new contract after this season

Harrison Phillips

Harrison Phillips has done a lot for the Buffalo community since he was drafted in 2018. He was the Bills’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award Nominee for 2020. His community service efforts and high character have been a welcome addition to Buffalo.

The question is whether Phillips’ production on the field has been significant enough for him to earn a second contract with the Bills. In his rookie season, Phillips made 35 combined tackles in 16 games for the Bills, so there was hope that he would build upon that solid effort in year two.

Unfortunately for Phillips, a torn ACL ended his 2019 season after just three games played. He would be back in 2020, and he played at a decent level, but not on par with his 2018 efforts.

Phillips made 18 combined tackles in 2020 and tallied eight quarterback pressures. While his numbers are not bad, they don’t make him irreplaceable. Star Lotulelei will be returning to the Bills for the 2021 season, and Vernon Butler will look to build upon his solid 2020 season.

Justin Zimmer will also look to establish himself in the defensive tackle rotation for the Bills. In 2020, Zimmer made 21 combined tackles, recorded a sack and seven quarterback hits, and forced a fumble on Cam Newton in the final seconds of the Bills’ Week 8 win over the Patriots.

If Zimmer continues to impress, and both Lotulelei and Butler play well in 2021, that makes Phillips expendable once his contract expires at the end of the season.