The time to impress is over.
The time to decide has arrived.
For Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane and his 31 counterparts around the NFL, the next couple of days are among the most important on calendar. Teams must set their initial, 53-man rosters, and with that process comes the reality that for some of the players who have sweated through training camp and the preseason, they have played a competitive down of football for the last time.
“It's brutal. It's something that we owe them to take our time and make sure we get this right, not only for the benefit of our team, but for them and their careers,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said Saturday after the team’s 23-19 victory in the preseason finale against Tampa Bay. “These young men spend so long trying to get themselves to this level, and then, sometimes, they only get one shot with one team, and so we've got to make sure we get this right.”
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Here is The Buffalo News’ final projection on what the Bills’ 53-man roster will look like:
Michael Hoecht used Bills' preseason finale to prepare for suspension and guide young players
Even though the Bills use a thin, vanilla playbook in the preseason, defensive end Michael Hoecht used their 23-19 win over the Buccaneers to go through the checks and adjustments on defense. It was an opportunity to focus on his technique and how his skill set will fit once he returns in Week 8.
Quarterbacks (2): Josh Allen, Mitchell Trubisky.
Cuts (2): Mike White, Shane Buechele.
Analysis: Sitting both Trubisky and White against the Buccaneers meant the decision on who the backup quarterback will be behind Allen was made before the game. It is hard to see any scenario in which either White or Buechele did enough to unseat Trubisky for that job. Buechele, though, did look great in completing 25 of his 30 passes against Tampa Bay. Perhaps that performance was enough to earn him a spot on the practice squad.
“It was really satisfying,” Buechele said. “After the Chicago game, that's what we wanted to do. We wanted to put drives together. They called a great game. Our teammates, all 11 of us, man, we worked hard for this moment, put a couple drives together, and had a lot of fun out there.”
Running backs/fullback (4): James Cook, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, Reggie Gilliam.
Cuts (2): Frank Gore Jr., Elijah Young.
Analysis: The Bills sat Cook, Davis and Johnson against the Buccaneers – no surprise since they are firmly established as the top three on the depth chart. That opened up an opportunity for Gore, and he once again seized it by rushing 10 times for 32 yards and a touchdown and catching two passes for 29 yards.
“He's taken full advantage of opportunities, and it's been fun to see,” Buechele said. “Frank is another one of those guys who works hard, puts his head down and it was fun to watch him tote it tonight.”
The Bills will surely want to get Gore back to the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Tight ends (3): Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes.
Cuts (3): Zach Davidson, Matt Sokol, Keleki Latu.
Analysis: Davidson showed off his value as an emergency punter against the Buccaneers, but that is not going to be enough to shake up the status quo here. Kincaid, Knox and Hawes have been the top three on the depth chart all summer.
Observations: Tyrell Shavers' remarkable catch highlights Bills' winning preseason finale
Tyrell Shavers rested his case Saturday. The Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver capped a strong summer with a highlight-reel 11-yard touchdown catch during the second quarter of their preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, a 23-19 exhibition win.
Wide receiver (5): Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore, Tyrell Shavers.
Traded (1): Curtis Samuel.
Cuts (5): Kristian Wilkerson, Deon Cain, K.J. Hamler, Stephen Gosnell, Laviska Shenault Jr.
Analysis: Samuel missed the game against Tampa Bay because of an illness, continuing a summer of unavailability. The Bills know who he is as a player, but the cap space that would be created by trading him is impossible to ignore. The team can get similar production from Moore, making a deal to send Samuel out a top priority for Beane.
Shavers earned a spot in the summer, with his touchdown catch against the Buccaneers putting an exclamation point on his training camp. It is big that he continues to be used on special teams, too. As the No. 5 receiver in this projection, that will be a must to get a jersey on game day.
Wilkerson had some nice moments and would be a solid addition to the practice squad. Shenault’s momentum seemed to stall as camp dragged on.
Offensive line (10): Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, Connor McGovern, O’Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown, Alec Anderson, Tylan Grable, Kendrick Green, Chase Lundt, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger.
Cuts (7): Ryan Van Demark, Dan Feeney, Mike Edwards, Richard Gouraige, Travis Clayton, Jacob Bayer, Rush Reimer.
Analysis: The calf injury to Van Pran-Granger has made projecting this group challenging. If he goes on the physically-unable-to-perform list, he’s out for at least the first four games. He has been working to the side with trainers for a couple weeks now, however, so there is the possibility that he is ready to return sooner than that. For now, we’ll put him on the active roster, which takes care of the need for a backup center.
Anderson has worked on that in practice and would likely be the first one off the bench if there was an injury anywhere on the offensive line. Van Demark spent last year on the 53-man roster, but was passed on the depth chart by Grable. The Bills will look to see if there is a trade market for Van Demark. If not, getting him back on the practice squad will be a top priority. Grable has missed time with a concussion, but was working at practice last week in a red, non-contact jersey, so he’s progressing through the league’s protocol.
Lundt, a rookie draft pick, has shown some versatility. It’s never easy to cut a draft pick, so he sticks in this projection.
Defensive end (5): Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa, A.J. Epenesa, Javon Solomon, Landon Jackson.
Suspended (1): Michael Hoecht.
Cuts (2): Paris Shand, Nelson Ceaser.
Analysis: Hoecht’s suspension delays any big decision at edge rusher by six weeks. Solomon’s usage on special teams suggest he’ll have a jersey on game days, perhaps ahead of Jackson, who has had an up-and-down training camp.
The Bills will likely want to keep Joey Bosa’s snap count manageable, especially early in the season, so expect plenty of rotation here.
Defensive tackle (5): Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, T.J. Sanders, Deone Walker, DeWayne Carter.
Suspended (1): Larry Ogunjobi.
Cuts (3): Zion Logue, Marcus Harris, Casey Rogers.
Analysis: Carter has been passed by both rookies – Sanders and Walker – on the depth chart. That puts him at No. 5. For now, that should be good enough for a spot on the 53-man roster, but things could get tricky when Ogunjobi returns from suspension. At that point, barring injury, the Bills will have six defensive tackles, none of whom project to have a big role on special teams.
The Bills could cut Ogunjobi now and see some decent savings against the salary cap, but it would make the decision to sign him even more questionable than it already is. The most logical thing to do is let his six-week suspension play out and see where the roster is at in terms of injuries.
Carter was a 2024 third-round draft pick, so it’s premature to move on from him this soon in his career. Nevertheless, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to see how he will be a difference maker for this team with how the roster is constructed.
Bills Mailbag: With injuries mounting, would a pair of familiar faces provide reinforcements?
This week's edition of the Buffalo Bills Mailbag includes questions about unsigned free agents, the Bills' plans for punt returns, whether the team has improved since last year and more.
Linebackers (5): Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano, Dorian Williams, Joe Andreessen, Shaq Thompson.
Cuts (3): Jimmy Ciarlo, Edefuan Ulofoshio, Keonta Jenkins.
Analysis: The first four on this can be considered locks. After that, the question becomes whether the Bills will keep six at the position for the purposes of special teams, or go a bit lighter with five. With the ability to promote a linebacker from the practice squad, the decision is to go with just five on the active roster.
Jenkins, who is dealing with an ankle injury, is a candidate for injured reserve, as well. Ciarlo has played himself into a spot on the practice squad, at least, perhaps at the expense of Ulofoshio, who hasn’t done much to distinguish himself this summer. That is a bit of a disappointment for a 2024 draft pick.
Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears NFL Preseason Football (copy)
The Bills have decisions to make when it comes to their 53-man roster, including with rookie defensive backs Dorian Strong, left, and Jordan Hancock, second from left. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Cornerbacks (5): Christian Benford, Tre’Davious White, Dorian Strong, Ja’Marcus Ingram, Taron Johnson.
Injured reserve (1): Maxwell Hairston.
Cuts (4): Dane Jackson, Daequan Hardy, Zy Alexander, Garnett Hollis Jr.
Analysis: The huge complicating factor here is the injury to White. If he’s going to miss a significant amount of time, it opens the door for Jackson to make the 53-man roster. If White is going to miss only a short amount of time, perhaps he makes the 53-man roster and is inactive early in the season with a cornerback called up from the practice squad.
Strong isn’t going anywhere, as a draft pick, which means the final boundary cornerback spot likely comes down to Ingram vs. Jackson. Both have plenty of experience in the system, but Ingram offers more on special teams. Jackson does not have to clear waivers if released, and would be a logical add to the practice squad.
Safeties (5): Taylor Rapp, Cole Bishop, Damar Hamlin, Cam Lewis, Jordan Hancock.
Cuts (2): Darrick Forrest Jr., Tre Herndon.
Analysis: The starting duo of Rapp and Bishop had a tumultuous summer – particularly Bishop – but looks ready to start in Week 1. Hamlin is the No. 3 safety, at least until Hancock is healthy. The Ohio State product was impressive during his first training camp until he suffered a shoulder injury against the Bears. Lewis doubles as the backup nickel cornerback in addition to being a depth safety. Forrest was a bust as a free-agent signing.
Specialists (4): Reid Ferguson, Brad Robbins, Tyler Bass, Brandon Codrington.
Cuts: None.
Analysis: Unless the Bills find a punter they like better than Robbins on the waiver wire, this will the team’s grouping of specialists. Kicker Caden Davis was released last week, clearing the way for Bass to return after missing a big chunk of training camp because of an injury to his pelvis. We’ll give the return job to Codrington, who got the first chance Saturday against Tampa Bay. His roster spot should be considered tenuous, at best, but with some injuries at the moment, he might have a path to being active on game day.
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