The Buffalo Bills have a roster decision to make, and one day to do it.
Veteran defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis was added to the active roster yesterday after serving a three-game suspension to start the season.
Upon doing so, it started a 48-hour clock to make a corresponding move to stay within the NFL’s roster limits.
In June, [I wrote a piece on Mathis](/buffalo-bills-analysis/135740/buffalo-bills-dl-phidarian-mathis-poised-for-emergence-under-jim-leonhard) highlighting what I believed would be an emergent season for the veteran because of the more two-gapping nature of Jim Leonhard’s defense — compared to Sean McDermott’s — and Mathis’ brilliance controlling two gaps at Alabama under Nick Saban.
In that article, I included a few nuggets from my pre-draft scouting report on Mathis from back in 2022:
“_He really anchors well against double teams. Grows roots and is not easily moved…two-gapping skill is next level_.”
I’d have to believe Leonhard is reasonably thrilled to get the 6’4”, 312-pound Mathis back onto his defense.
A month ago, I would’ve first told you that DeWayne Carter would be the easy one defensive tackle for another defensive tackle flip-flop in this scenario. Heck, I didn’t even think Carter would make the team near the end of the third preseason game, but a late-contest injury to rookie defensive tackle Zane Durant likely helped Carter’s cause.
And now look at him — quite frankly, Carter’s been awesome through three weeks.
He’s not getting waived to make room for Mathis.
I don’t see them releasing veteran Mike Danna too. Remember, he was called upon last minute after Ed Oliver’s freak hip injury in warmups before Week 2’s game against the Lions.
My assumption is the Bills will IR rookie guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams, who’s been inactive all three weeks to begin the season and has recently dealt with an elbow injury. I adored Reed-Adams the prospect, and his sturdy play in training camp and particularly the preseason led to him making the team as a seventh-round rookie.
But with Lloyd Cushenberry the backup center, and Austin Corbett the backup for either guard position, Buffalo is in a fine position when it comes to interior blocking reinforcement.
So Reed-Adams to IR is my guess for the corresponding transaction to Mathis’ return to roster.