Despite being several months out from training camp, the Buffalo Bills roster has gone through a lot of turnover. Let’s take a quick look at where the roster stands and what could be of the team at the training camp.
The Buffalo Bills roster has gone through a lot of changes during the past two offseasons under head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane. Both have worked to transform the roster into what they believe will be a consistent winner for years to come.
Rookie minicamps wrapped up last weekend and the Bills have a lot of new and exciting players. Several of those players came via the draft, but we will see the free agent acquisitions as organized team activities (OTAs) begin.
I fully expect the Bills to make additional moves as the offseason goes on and training camp comes. One or two unexpected wide receivers will be cut, as well as several offensive linemen. Don’t be surprised if the Bills add another receiver or two for competition or if a big name gets cut. Knowing Beane, I could see a trade happening too.
I put together a depth chart as I see it as if a 53-man roster was to be set today and a few practice squad players. While in no way do I think that this will be roster come training camp, it is an insight to the roster battles we can see. The first player in order I consider the starter, followed by the backup and so on.
Quarterback
AJ McCarron/Josh Allen/Nathan Peterman
As of right now, I have McCarron as the starter. They brought him in for one reason, and that was to give their rookie quarterback time to develop. I don’t see it where Allen wins the starting job in training camp or early in the season, especially if there are questions with the offensive line.
However, I do envision Allen starting at some point during the year. As for Peterman, I don’t see him starting or playing. To me, it is between McCarron as the bridge and Allen as the future.
Running Back
LeSean McCoy/Chris Ivory/Travaris Cadet/Taiwan Jones
Not too much change from last year to now. McCoy is the lead back and the offense will rely heavily on him. The team signed Ivory for a reason and that is to take some of the load of Shady.
Cadet did a very nice job when called into duty last season as a runner that can run and receive. Jones is purely a special teams player at this point. He is the one player on this list that I believe is a fringe roster player and someone like Marcus Murphy or another free agent could take his spot.
Fullback
They paid him last season and need a blocker for Shady and company. Makes perfect sense to keep him around for at least another season and help keep the run game… running.
Wide Receiver
Outside – Kelvin Benjamin, Zay Jones/Andre Holmes
Slot – Jeremy Kerley/Austin Proehl/Ray-Ray McCloud
There is a lot to sift through at the wide receiver position. Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones are the two starters on the outside, and that is what it is. I have a lot of hope for Jones because he has the ideal size and I am not afraid of his production last season. Rookie receivers generally take a little longer to transition to the NFL and the team’s offense was not at all pass-oriented. I think he will prove to be a solid option and become a bigger part of the offense.
After Benjamin and Jones things begin to get more unclear. Jeremy Kerley is penciled in as the slot receiver for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Austin Proehl earn the starting slot receiver role. He is similar to the style of slot receivers that the Patriots have had for seasons, and the Patriots Erhardt-Perkins system is what the team will be running with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
Andre Holmes stays due to his special teams abilities and Ray-Ray McCloud seems to slot in as the special teams returner. I can definitely see undrafted free agent Robert Foster making the team as well because of his speed.
I expect the team to sign another wide receiver but not until training camp. From now until then veteran receivers will get cut or guys like Jeremy Maclin or Eric Decker will come down in price. They did the same with Anquan Boldin last season by signing him in camp, and I believe a bigger name will become available that they will bring in to compete.
Tight End
Charles Clay/Nick O’Leary/Logan Thomas
This remains the same to me as last season. Clay began to be more utilized and for a pocket QB like McCarron and a rookie like Allen, a veteran tight end will be their best friend. Nick O’Leary is solid and does everything you would want him to, and his grandpa is Jack Nicholas so that obviously means he makes the team. Logan Thomas is an intriguing prospect still and does things well. He could find a new role in the new offense.
Offensive Line
Left Tackle – Dion Dawkins/Marshall Newhouse
Left Guard – Wyatt Teller/Ryan Groy
Center – Ryan Groy/Russell Bodine
Right Guard – John Miller/Vladimir Ducasse
Right Tackle – Conor McDermott/Jordan Mills
Like receiver, there is a lot going on here as well. The only for-sure starter here is Dion Dawkins after his promising rookie season and the trade of Cordy Glenn. On the interior of the line is where things really begin to get confusing. I believe Ryan Groy will be starting somewhere. Either at center or one of the guard positions, he is a starter to me. If he is at guard, Bodine gets the start at center.
Teller is very interesting to me. He has talent and ability and I think a great opportunity to start with an open competition almost everywhere on the line. Either Miller or Ducasse will duel it out for one of the guard positions, and I think Miller will have a new opportunity with an open competition and a new offensive coordinator.
And at right tackle, another open competition! Jordan Mills has been the starter for several seasons and has done a decent job, but the position can be upgraded. Marshall Newhouse signed as a free agent but is not much of an upgrade either. For me, Conor McDermott is a player to watch. If his game continues to develop, he could earn the starting spot.
Defensive Line
Left End – Trent Murphy/Shaq Lawson
Defensive Tackle – Kyle Williams, Star Lotulelei /Harrison Phillips, Adolphus Washington
Right End – Jerry Hughes/Eddie Yarbrough
The defensive line is the position that has seen the most improvement throughout the offseason. Getting to the passer and stopping the run were two areas in which the team did not excel last season, but adding Murphy, Lotulelei and Phillips has impacted each of those areas. If Shaq Lawson can stay healthy, he could add support in both the run and the pass. However, I can certainly see Lawson getting traded if the right offer comes along.
Yarbrough may be a long-term option to spell Hughes as he gets older, and he had solid production last season. I think Phillips will certainly help Kyle Williams and keep him fresh while being a major part of the long-term plans for the Bills up front. Washington is a nice depth player with plenty of playing experience, but he was a Whaley pick and I could see him being moved out as well.
Linebackers
Outside – Matt Milano, Lorenzo Alexander/Ramon Humber, Tanner Vallejo
Middle – Tremaine Edmunds/Julian Stanford
Two of the three linebacker positions are set for the present and the future. Milano came on midway through the season last year and has become a definite starter. Edmunds comes in as an extremely athletic and versatile young player who McDermott will mold into an elite-level linebacker in my mind.
Alexander is still serviceable and a great veteran influence on a young group. The NFL is going more to a two-linebacker set and Alexander won’t be on the field a ton, so keeping him as the third starter will work for now. I believe by next season the team will find a replacement for him.
Secondary
Outside – Tre White, Vontae Davis/Levi Wallace, Lafayette Pitts
Slot – Phillip Gaines/Taron Johnson
Safeties – Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde / Rafael Bush, Siran Neal
The strongest part of the team’s defense is here. White is already a number one corner and he is only going to get better. While Davis is coming off an injury, he is a Pro-Bowl caliber player and his veteran presence is a solid addition to the corner position. The conversation will be at the slot position where I think Gaines has the edge entering training camp, but I could easily see Johnson supplanting Gaines with a strong showing.
Poyer and Hyde are one of the best safety tandems in the league. Bush was signed as a solid backup option and Neal is an intriguing prospect. He has experience at safety and linebacker in college. His size is more of a safety, but he could be a good third down option of defense because his abilities in run and pass. He may carve out a niche as a utility weapon on defense.
One player to watch is Wallace. I think Pitts will make the roster because of his time with the team last season. Breon Borders is definitely another option to make the roster, but Wallace came to Alabama as a walk-on and became a multi-year starter. That is the kind of work ethic that McDermott loves and the fact he can carve out a roll on a Nick Saban defense, I think he can do the same for the Bills.
Special Teams
Kicker – Steven Hauschka
Punter – Colton Schmidt
Long Snapper – Reid Ferguson
There isn’t much to think about here. Hauschka was incredible last season and was the reliable kicker the team has been lacking for years. Schmidt is a solid punter and I have never heard Ferguson’s name called during a game which means he is doing a great job. All three of these guys should have jobs without a doubt.
Practice Squad (based off current players) – Brandon Reilly (WR), Breon Borders (CB), Marcus Murphy (RB), Robert Foster (WR), Deon Lacey (LB), Rickey Hatley (DT)
Brandon Reilly was a player that fans gravitated toward last season due to his performances in the preseason, but he didn’t get much of a chance despite a poor receiving corps. I think that the team will keep him, but I really like Robert Forster.
Despite being an undrafted free agent, Foster played under Brian Daboll at Alabama and is 6-foot-2 while running a 4.41 40-yard dash. That is the type of speed the team desperately needs and Foster could easily make the roster due to his size/speed combo.
Breon Borders is another player I can see making the team and not be surprised. He saw some time with the Bills last season and has talent. He could be groomed to take over as a starter down the line, but with not a ton of talent at corner, I have Pitts making the final roster over him. Marcus Murphy had a solid performance at the end of the season at Miami and could be a good find. He is young and the team needs more youth at the running back position.
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Deon Lacey and Rickey Hatley are young players that provide depth and are projects. A few years down the road, Lacey could be a potential starter as he has great size at 6-foot-3, but they both need further development.