“One Trick Pony” Players Need Not Apply
August 9th, 2025
Todd Bowles isn’t messing around when it comes to his roster. First, the head coach served up an edict: Be “hellacious” in kick return coverage and you’ve got a golden ticket to make the team.
And Bowles continued.
Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday, Bowles laid down the law. He said his backups need to be significatly versatile or they won’t make the roster. Of course, that’s in prime focus with the preseason opener tonight at The Licht House at 7 p.m., when nearly all starters will ride the bench.
Bowles stressed that the final 20 players to make the team get the microscope as the roster puzzle is completed.
“This guy might be great at something and this guy may not be, but this guy can do three or four things,” Bowles said.“[Another] guy cannot and he’s got two or three people ahead of him. Now this guy can do everything and he is only got one or two people ahead of him and he’s a luxury and we can move him around. So you get into those type of things, andthat’s when it becomes the right 53 of building your team.
“If you’re the sixth receiver or 10th or 11th defensive back or ninth offensive lineman and you’re a one-trick pony, you’re probably not gonna be here.Because if you can do everything, you wouldn’t be No. 6 [on the depth chart at your position] or you wouldn’t be nine, you’d be up in the ones and twos. So you can’t just be a one-trick pony and expect to make this team and be the last guy on the roster just because you’re talented. You better be good at quite a few things.”
Lotta jobs on the line tonight as the depths of the 90-man roster go under the lights.