3 players who could make noise in the Buffalo Bills preseason games

Isaiah Hodgins

Isaiah Hodgins has battled season-ending injuries during both of his NFL seasons. Hodgins is finally healthy and looking to break out this preseason. While all the wide receiver hype has been around Gabriel Davis, Khalil Shakir, and Isaiah McKenzie, those players are roster locks for the Bills.

After Diggs and those three, some roster spots are up for grabs. Jamison Crowder looks on the team but has been injured for most of the camp, risking what many thoughts were a guaranteed spot. That leaves Hodgins and several NFL journeymen vying for the last one or two roster spots at receiver.

Hodgins has had a good camp, but what is so intriguing about him is that his size makes him unique from all the other wide receivers on the team. Standing 6’3″, Hodgins has unmatched length and was a notable big play threat at Oregon State.  After Diggs and Davis, the Bills don’t have the type of receiver who can command respect playing as a boundary wide receiver. While Hodgins lacks NFL in-game experience, he has the type of measurables that could lead to his success.

With top wide receivers not playing and recent injuries to Jamison Crowder and Tavon Austin, there is a solid chance that Hodgins gets ample opportunities against the Colts. While most of it will probably be with backup quarterbacks, Case Keenum and Matt Barkley making plays on the second team will lead to more chances in practice to work with the ones.

Hodgins may have the easiest path to a roster spot since his career began, but there needs to be some on-field production to prove he can handle that role.

The Colts have several big physical cornerbacks who will test Hodgins, but if he can routinely win those battles and get open, he has a chance to take a step forward in the eyes of Bills coaches and Brandon Beane.