Buffalo Bills: 4 defensive players on the roster bubble
By Avery Duncan
Dean Marlowe – S
The Bills’ drafting of safeties in two-straight drafts could spell doom for Dean Marlowe — similar to Rafael Bush’s situation, but magnified. Though the safety appears to have a fan in Sean McDermott, as he followed him from Carolina to Buffalo, five safeties on the roster make it tough for Marlowe to envision being back in 2019. Considering that Marlowe is a career practice squad-member with little NFL experience on his belt, that statement becomes truer.
Marlowe has been on-again-off-again for the Bills for the better part of a year. He signed with the team in December of 2017 — after a year out of football — and was placed on the practice squad then signed a reserve contract.
In 2018, he was waived after the pre-season, then signed on to the practice squad and made the active roster in October. He was waived and signed again after. He’s recorded five tackles and a pass deflection through his career (all in 2018).
Marlowe could return to the practice squad in 2019. But even then his chances to make the roster again are slim. Last year he lost the fourth safety spot to a rookie Siran Neal, with Jaquan Johnson now in-fold, it’s hard to see where, or how Marlowe can fit in. Depending on if the Bills decide to roll with five safeties or not, a training camp battle to watch will be Bush vs. Marlowe.