BUFFALO, N.Y. [WKBW] — Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane is about to make some difficult decisions. On Tuesday, August 30 the Bills' roster will need to go from 80 players to 53 before 4:00 p.m. With the biggest roster cut-down of the summer approaching, we predict what the 53-man roster could look like as the team starts the regular season.
QB [2] - Josh Allen, Case Keenum
Matt Barkley has had a strong summer and will likely earn a spot on the Bills practice squad. But Keenum edges out Barkley as the Bills' primary backup QB thanks to experience. Keenum has started 64 games compared to Barkley's seven. If Barkley makes it to the Bills practice squad, he would be a great insurance policy if either Allen or Keenum had to miss some time.
RB [4] - Devin Singletary, James Cook, Zack Moss, & Taiwan Jones
Zack Moss has spent the summer reminding us that he's still around and ready to contribute to the Bills this season. What was once viewed as a competition between Singletary and Cook now includes Moss. The third-year running back has impressed during the preseason and provides the Bills with a player who can carry the load in short-yardage situations.
Like many of you, the performances of Raheem Blackshear have caught me off guard. He's been rock-solid and will quickly find his way onto the practice squad. That is if he's not claimed by another team, which doesn't seem far-fetched after his recent performances.
FB [1] - Reggie Gilliam
The minute Reggie Gilliam signed his new deal any questions about his status on the roster went away. The Bills love Gilliam and what he brings to their offense.
TE [3] - Dawson Knox, O.J. Howard, Quintin Morris
When the Bills signed O.J. Howard in March they were hoping he could be a strong secondary option to Dawson Knox. Unfortunately for the team and player, his performances up to this point have left much to be desired. That said, I don't think Sweeney or Morris did enough to take a roster spot away from Howard.
Sweeney will be a prime practice squad candidate, providing depth at the position in case of emergency. But keep an eye on the New York Giants and former OC Brian Daboll, who could snag any tight ends the Bills release.
WR [7] - Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Isaiah McKenzie, Jamison Crowder, Khalil Shakir, Isaiah Hodgins, Jake Kumerow
Isaiah Hodgins has had a great summer and preseason. The 23-year-old receiver still has a long way to go but is trending in the right direction. With Hodgins earning reps on special teams, it's clear the Bills are looking to see if he can hold his weight in that aspect of the game. From a receiving standpoint, he's brought in his fair share of contested catches and looks like a reliable secondary target.
OL [9] - Dion Dawkins, Rodger Saffold, Mitch Morse, Ryan 'Rick' Bates, Spencer Brown, David Quessenberry, Bobby Hart, Tommy Doyle, Greg Mancz
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Bobby Hart has improved "immensely" this offseason. Beane says he can play up to four different positions. With his versatility and improved play, Hart could become one of the more surprising players on the 53-man roster.
As for both Tommy Doyle and Greg Mancz, both were banged up towards the end of the summer, but don't appear to have long-term injuries.
*Ike Boettger placed on PUP list, will miss first four games of season.
DE [5] - Von Miller, Greg Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, Boogie Basham, Shaq Lawson
The only real surprise when looking at the pass rushers is how A.J. Epenesa has climbed the depth chart. Given his draft status and age it was a lock he'd make the team but this summer he's done enough to earn more playing time. Epenesa still needs to prove he can be effective once the regular season starts, but he'll have the opportunity to show what he can bring to the Bills as their third edge rusher.
DT [4] - Ed Oliver, Tim Settle, DaQuan Jones, Jordan Phillips
Ed Oliver has arguably been the Bills best player this summer. With Von Miller lined up beside him, Oliver could be poised to have a breakout season.
LB [5] - Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano, Terrel Bernard, Tyrel Dodson, Tyler Matakevich
Terrel Bernard has flashed this summer and looks like a player who will eventually make an impact. Fellow rookie Baylon Spector has also had his good moments, but cooled off in the second and third preseason games. Spector could make the 53, but I think he has a good chance at sneaking on to the practice squad if released. Full disclosure, Spector was my last cut.
CB [6] - Taron Johnson, Kaiir Elam, Dane Jackson, Christian Benford, Siran Neal, Cam Lewis
For the sake of this exercise, Tre'Davious White will start the season on the PUP list. This idea was first suggested to me by WGR 550's Sal Capaaccio and it makes a lot of sense. Up to this point, we still haven't seen White join his teammates for practice. With the regular season rapidly approaching, the Bills could place White on the PUP list, free up one roster spot, and ease White back into the lineup when the calendar turns to October. If White returns to practice soon this idea can get thrown out, but until that happens, this may be the most logical solution for the front office.
Safety[4] - Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Jaquan Johnson, Damar Hamlin
With Hyde and Poyer both injured during training camp, Johnson and Hamlin had a chance to get some extra reps. Both players held their own and give the Bills solid backup options for two of the best safeties in the NFL. As mentioned with Edmunds, having Johnson and Hamlin stick around should also help the Bills as they try and figure out what to do with Poyer as he enters his final season under contract.
Specialists [3] - Reid Ferguson, Tyler Bass, TBD
There are no questions with Bass or Ferguson. But Matt Araiza's future with the Bills is very much in question. We don't know how this will play out, but we should have our answer by Tuesday afternoon.
