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Buffalo Bills: 53-man roster prediction after one week of training camp

By Caleb Holfoth

ORCHARD PARK, NY - JULY 31: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills looks to throw a pass during training camp at Highmark Stadium on July 31, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY - JULY 31: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills looks to throw a pass during training camp at Highmark Stadium on July 31, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /
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Buffalo Bills
Jun 15, 2021; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive back Siran Neal (33) looks on during minicamp at the ADPRO Sports Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

Secondary (9)

  • Tre’Davious White
  • Levi Wallace
  • Dane Jackson
  • Rachard Wildgoose
  • Taron Johnson
  • Siran Neal
  • Jordan Poyer
  • Micah Hyde
  • Jaquan Johnson

Cut: Cam Lewis, Nick McCloud, Olaijah Griffin, Josh Thomas, Damar Hamlin, Tariq Thompson

The cornerback position is pretty straightforward for the Buffalo Bills. Tre’Davious White, Levi Wallace, Dane Jackson, Taron Johnson, and Siran Neal are all essential locks to make the roster.

Where things get interesting is if Buffalo will keep any more corners and the backup situation at safety. I believe that Rachad Wildgoose will make the team because of his versatility. His ability to play slot and outside corner makes him valuable even though he is a late-round pick. Wildgoose will likely be inactive most gameday’s but if he needed to fill in due to injury it would be easy to fill him in.

Backup safety is slightly more complicated. Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are a Top 5 safety duo in the NFL but behind them is loads of inexperience. While they both stay relatively healthy we saw long-time backup Dean Marlowe leave for Detroit after having a few spots starts in previous seasons. Jaquan Johnson is in the best position to make the team because of his special team’s performance. A strong preseason performance in his rookie season showed that he does have the ability to hang around at safety in this league although a significant downgrade from Hyde and Poyer.

Behind Johnson it gets murky. I have taken a different approach to what Buffalo may do here. Instead of keeping the fourth safety, that role could be filled in part by Siran Neal in something bad that happened to Buffalo in a game.

What Buffalo would do is then keep some combination of Josh Thomas, Damar Hamlin, Tariq Thompson, and maybe a veteran safety who is cut by another team on the practice squad giving them the ability to call those players up. If they perform, they could be signed just like DT Justin Zimmer was last season.

Although this is a unique approach to the secondary we have not heard of any of these young safety prospects making a name for themselves in camp. Buffalo could look at the waiver wire to maybe add some help also. They also may feel they can sneak some safeties onto their practice squad easier than some of the other players who may be on the roster bubble and worth keeping.

The top of these units is already decided but it will be very interesting to follow the last couple of spots available as camp goes on.

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