The Bills are releasing Ivory on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's a bit of a surprise the team waited this long after giving Frank Gore a one-year, $2 million contract at the very beginning of free agency. Coming off three consecutive seasons with less than 4.0 yards per carry, the 31-year-old Ivory likely will need to battle for a 53-man roster spot at his next NFL stop, assuming he continues his career. Marcus Murphy (elbow) now projects as the No. 3 running back in Buffalo, though he'll surely have some rookie competition.

Ivory, who had been the clear backup to starter LeSean McCoy entering free agency, will now have competition for the No. 2 job after the Bills landed Frank Gore in free agency.

EDGE Analysis

When you have a 30-year-old backup to a 30-year-old starter, what better way to provide depth than to bring in a 35-year-old? There's a chance Ivory could now be cut since such a move would help the Bills gain some extra cap room, However, the coaching staff seems to like him and the team does feature a heavy running game, so the Bills could save a draft pick for something else if they're content to enter the 2019 campaign with the three elder statesmen and Marcus Murphy.

Ivory carried the ball 14 times for 45 yards in Sunday's finale against the Dolphins while hauling in his only target for 45 yards.

EDGE Analysis

The 3.2 yards per carry isn't great, but the 46-yard catch helped set the tone for one of the team's better offensive games of the season. It'll be interesting to see what the Bills do with veterans LeSean McCoy and Ivory this offseason. The team continues to say McCoy is part of the plan for 2019, while also saying complementary things all season about Ivory and what he brings to the table. Still, both backs are on the other side of 30 and at some point -- perhaps soon -- the Bills will have to start working in younger runners and there may not be room for both. If McCoy did leave in a salary cap move (something GM Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott keep denying), Ivory could be a good role player in kind of a 50-50 backfield, perhaps similar to what the Dolphins did with Frank Gore this season. That said, Ivory may be more likely to be gone than McCoy at this stage, though the former has an affordable 2019 cost after signing a modest two-year deal in March.

Ivory (shoulder) is active Sunday against Miami.

EDGE Analysis

Ivory will break a streak of two games in a row on the inactive list, but could be a candidate to see some carries with rookie Keith Ford a scratch for this contest. LeSean McCoy is listed as the projected starter, but Ivory is the only other true running back suiting up. Should Ivory find himself with a role in the offense, he could see favorable opportunities against a Miami defense surrendering the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in PPR formats.

Ivory (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Dolphins after practicing fully all week.

EDGE Analysis

Despite the questionable tag, it looks like Ivory will be be available this weekend after missing the Bills' past two games. That said, in such a scenario, his Week 17 workload would be hard to predict, with the team possibly wanting to close out starter LeSean McCoy's season on a positive note, in addition to continuing to give rookie Keith Ford reps for evaluation purposes.

Ivory (shoulder) missed practice for the second straight day Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

It looks like Ivory will suit up for the finale against Miami after missing the past two games. However, with the Bills possibly wanting to end LeSean McCoy's season on a positive note in what's been an awful year, as well as continuing to give rookie Keith Ford some totes, Ivory would be a pretty big dart to count on for those scrambling for Week 17 fantasy production.

Ivory (shoulder) practiced fully Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

Ivory, who has been inactive for the last two games, thus appears poised to join LeSean McCoy and Keith Ford in the Bills' Week 17 backfield against the Dolphins. In that context, Ivory isn't a high-percentage lineup option in his team's season finale.

Coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday that Ivory (shoulder) should be in "good shape" for the Bills' Week 17 matchup with the Dolphins, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Despite putting in full practices Thursday and Friday of last week, Ivory was ultimately inactive for Sunday's 24-12 loss to the Patriots while tending to the shoulder issue he first sustained Week 15 against Detroit. McDermott's comments suggest the added rest proved beneficial for Ivory, who isn't expected to face many restrictions as he prepares for the season finale. The Bills will release their first practice report of Week 17 later Wednesday, with Ivory likely to be listed as a full participant once again.

Ivory (shoulder) is inactive for Week 16's matchup against New England.

EDGE Analysis

Ivory managed to log back-to-back full practices this week, but reports surfaced early Sunday morning that the veteran back was in line to miss his second consecutive game. That notion will come true with the release of the inactive report, leaving Ivory to sit his third overall game of the season. His absence will be cushioned by the return of starter LeSean McCoy (hamstring), who will make his return to the backfield after missing Week 15. McCoy is listed as the starter and should get the majority of the backfield touches, with Keith Ford on hand to serve in a reserve capacity.

Ivory (shoulder), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Patriots, isn't expected to play, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

EDGE Analysis

Ivory sat out the Bills' Week 15 win over the Lions with the shoulder issue, but he appeared to be trending toward suiting up Sunday after logging full practices Thursday and Friday. Instead, Ivory now looks on track to miss a second straight game, which might have less to do with his health than the Bills' desire to take a longer look at undrafted rookie Keith Ford in the No. 2 role out of the backfield. After joining Ivory in street clothes in Week 15, LeSean McCoy (hamstring) won't carry an injury designation into Sunday and should reprise his role as the Bills' lead back.