We are less than one week from NFL cutdown day. Teams across the league will have until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 26, to trim their rosters down to 53 players.
Much of the Buffalo Bills’ roster seems set, but the team could have some additional roster flexibility due to injuries on its roster. Ahead of their preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, here is how we project the Bills’ roster.
QUARTERBACK (2): Josh Allen, Mitch Trubisky
Cut: Mike White, Shane Buechele
There seemed to be a legitimate competition for the No. 2 quarterback job this summer and you could argue that White was more consistent than Trubisky throughout training camp. That has not been the case in the preseason, however, with Trubisky showing much better than White. At this point, Buffalo likely runs it back with Josh Allen and Trubisky. White joins the practice squad while Buechele looks to land elsewhere.
RUNNING BACK/FULLBACK (4): James Cook, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, Reggie Gilliam
Cut: Frank Gore Jr., Elijah Young
No surprises on the running back and fullback list. Frank Gore Jr. looked like a legitimate NFL running back this summer, so it’s possible that another team claims him. If he goes through waivers, he’s a lock for the Bills’ practice squad.
Buffalo signed Young to their roster on Wednesday. He will get plenty of action in the preseason finale.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Tyrell Shavers, Elijah Moore, K.J. Hamler
Traded: Curtis Samuel
Cut: Deon Cain, Grant DuBose, Stephen Gosnell, Laviska Shenault, Kristian Wilkerson
Right now, only Shakir, Coleman and Palmer have their names written in Sharpie.
The wide receiver room is in flux with Gabe Davis making a free agent visit as early as today. Davis probably won’t be ready for Week 1 as he rehabs from an injury, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him added to the roster at some point.
Shavers makes our latest projection as he’s been the most consistent of the receivers remaining and has stepped up his game on special teams. Moore remains for now and Hamler beats out Shenault for the final spot and returner jobs.
Multiple teams are looking for help at wide receiver, which could benefit the Bills in unloading Curtis Samuel’s contract. In the trade scenario, Buffalo sends the receiver and a future fifth-round pick to a receiver-needy team in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick. Buffalo doesn’t care about the potential return as they get Samuel’s contract off the books and are left with a minimal dead cap hit.
TIGHT END (3): Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes
Cut: Zach Davidson, Keleki Latu, Matt Sokol
This position has been set in stone since the draft. The only question remaining is how many tight ends make the practice squad. Davidson, despite a down summer, makes sense to return to the practice squad and Keleki Latu also flashed enough this summer to claim a spot.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, Connor McGovern, O’Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown, Tylan Grable, Alec Anderson, Kendrick Green, Chase Lundt
Reserve/PUP list: Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
Trade: Ryan Van Demark
Cut: Jacob Bayer, Dan Feeney, Mike Edwards, Travis Clayton, Richard Gouraige, Rush Reimer
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger starts the year on the PUP list and misses the first four games of the season. This allows rookie Chase Lundt to claim the final spot on the 53-man roster.
Lundt’s ability to play tackle and guard puts Ryan Van Demark’s spot in question. Van Demark is good enough to play elsewhere and could arguably start in the league. Buffalo lands a solid day-three pick in return for Van Demark.
Kendrick Green benefits from Pran-Granger on the PUP list as his strong summer earns him a depth role. He opens the year as Connor McGovern’s backup at center.
Among the cuts, Bayer, Edwards and Gouraige are among the practice squad candidates. Clayton also finds himself on the practice squad as the designated international player.
DEFENSIVE LINE (10): Joey Bosa, Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, Greg Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, T.J. Sanders, Deone Walker, Landon Jackson, Javon Solomon, DeWayne Carter
Suspended: Michael Hoecht, Larry Ogunjobi
Cut: Nelson Ceaser, Paris Shand, Marcus Harris, Zion Logue, Casey Rogers
The suspensions of Hoecht and Ogunjobi made this list much easier to make. Hoecht is set to have a big role at defensive end upon his return from suspension, while Ogunjobi should rotate in nicely along the defensive tackles. Solomon and Carter will have to make the most of their reps in the first six weeks of the season, or else they could be the odd men out on the roster when Hoecht and Ogunjobi are activated.
LINEBACKER (5): Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano, Dorian Williams, Joe Andreessen, Shaq Thompson
Cut: Edefuan Ulofoshio, Jimmy Ciarlo, Keonta Jenkins
Buffalo’s top five linebacker spots seem pretty well set.
Ulofoshio had a disappointing summer. The second-year linebacker was buried on the depth chart and was entering preseason games after Keonta Jenkins. Jenkins had a promising summer, but is currently dealing with a lower leg injury. Ciarlo also made the most of his limited opportunities in Buffalo after signing with the team late in the summer.
All three players are practice squad candidates.
CORNERBACK (6): Christian Benford, Tre’Davious White, Taron Johnson, Ja’Marcus Ingram, Dorian Strong, Dane Jackson
Injured reserve: Max Hairston
Cut: Brandon Codrington, Daequan Hardy, Zy Alexander
The Bills didn’t rule out putting Max Hairston on the injured reserve to start the season. This would keep him out of action for the first four weeks of the season. In this projection, we’ll place Hairston on the IR.
In doing so, Dane Jackson claims a spot on the 53-man roster. Jackson has not had a good summer whatsoever for Buffalo, but with limited depth, the veteran hangs on.
Brandon Codrington is probably the Bills’ best returner, but he’s just so far down the cornerback depth chart that it was not possible to justify a roster spot for him this year. His return ability could land him a spot elsewhere. Daequan Hardy lands on the practice squad.
SAFETY (5): Taylor Rapp, Cole Bishop, Damar Hamlin, Jordan Hancock, Cam Lewis
Cut: Darrick Forrest, Wande Owens, Tre Herndon
The Bills signed Forrest in free agency to compete for a depth role, but he never climbed the depth chart throughout the summer. The final roster decision came down to Forrest or Jackson, with the latter winning out.
Buffalo will likely start the year with Rapp and Bishop as their starters at safety, but Hancock opened a lot of eyes this summer. If either player suffers an injury this season, Buffalo could turn to the Ohio State product and let him learn on the fly.
Lewis’ ability to play cornerback and safety made him a lock for the roster.
Forrest could sign elsewhere if he’s let go, but he’s a potential practice squad option along with Wande Owens who has good upside at the position.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3): Reid Ferguson, Tyler Bass, Brad Robbins
Buffalo released Caden Davis on Wednesday which means that Bass is trending in the right direction to kick in the preseason finale and be ready for Week 1.
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