The Buffalo Bills have a short week to prepare for their third and final preseason matchup when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers tomorrow at 7:00 pm. It will be the team's last opportunity to evaluate its players before it trims its roster to 53.
While some players will have to bring their A-game, others may still feel confident that their place on the active roster is already safe, no matter what happens during the game. They still have plenty of competition for open roster spots at certain positions, and now is the time for the team to figure out who will secure those roles.
3 areas of concern that should be looked at during last preseason game
Who wins the key roster spot?
Since we won't know until the first opening-season game who will actually win the roster spot, here are the main nagging positions still open: inside linebacker and punter.
Per Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN, the Bills have reportedly named Alec Anderson as their starting left guard. So, this means that Austin Corbett will now be a backup, but he will still have to earn a roster spot in general.
When healthy, expect the starting inside linebacker spot to be held by returning player Terrel Bernard, with his leadership, aggressive play, and speed to pressure the quarterback. Looking to grab the second and final starting spot opposite Bernard are fourth-year linebacker Dorian Williams and promising rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr.
Williams is strong and fast for a linebacker, but he still struggles with trying to cover wide receivers one-on-one, as that was evident in last Thursday's joint practice against the Cleveland Browns. Thus, the likely candidate to start is Elarms-Orr, as he is that big thumper the Bills haven't had at linebacker since Tremaine Edmunds and, going back farther, London Fletcher and Takeo Spikes.
Not only is he likely to start, but he could be the first Bills rookie linebacker since Edmunds in 2018 to serve as captain and wear the green dot on the back of his helmet, which symbolizes leadership, accountability, and respect.
As for the punter, it's still a coin flip between seventh-round rookie Tommy Doman Jr. and veteran Mitch Wishnowsky, and it still may be a coin flip after this game if both struggle or both perform well. The final call for the starting punter will most likely favor Doman due to his strong leg and accuracy for only being a rookie punter.
Can Joe Brady curb the flags?
The penalty concerns from former head coach Sean McDermott have followed Brady already in his first season in a full headset as head coach.
Against Carolina, the Bills committed nine penalties for 98 yards, including pre-snap penalties like Jude Bowry's costly holding penalty that nullified a 17-yard run by Frank Gore Jr. Carolina also had nine penalties but for 20 fewer yards with 78.
Brady needs to better control those pre-snap penalties; those are the ones he can control, unlike effort penalties like defensive holding or pass interference.
Josh Allen's command
The Bills coaching staff, led by Joe Brady, also has a special treat for Bills Mafia. While some starters will play tomorrow, starting quarterback Josh Allen will not be one of them. The former MVP will be leading the team in a different way, as Allen could very well be calling some plays from the sideline, per Matthew Bove.
Instead, he will be aiding coach Brady in calling some plays for likely starter Kyle Allen. Could there someday be a coach Allen long after his playing days are over? We will have to see how he does first.
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