NFL
By: Randall Slifer
The Buffalo Bills and the NFL are in cutdown season, as each team needs to reach a 53-man roster by Sunday. It’s a rough day for the NFL, as each team cuts nearly 40 players. The Buffalo Bills made some surprising moves this off-season, and it all seems intentional.
Jim Leonhard and the defense overloaded at some positions and seem light at others. The offense went a little unexpected, and each side’s thought process is showing. Let’s take a look at some significant changes the Buffalo Bills made on cut day:
FB Ben VanSumeran cut, 4 tight ends make it
After last season, the Buffalo Bills did not re-sign fullback Reggie Gilliam. Gilliam spent six seasons with the Buffalo Bills and was an integral part of the rushing attack. This will be the first time the Bills have had only three running backs and no fullback.
The Buffalo Bills also decided to keep Keleki Latu on the 53-man roster. Tight Ends are becoming more and more influential in this era of football, and Buffalo was not the only team to keep four on their roster.
Jackson Hawes is one of the top 3 blocking tight ends. Could Jackson Hawes moonlight as the fullback while playing tight end? That seems the logical path. Joe Brady is very intentional in his run game. He will need someone to help in the backfield on run plays and in pass protection. The idea of Jackson Hawes being a hybrid TE/FB sounds like a lot of fun if he leads the blocking of James Cook on outside runs to create explosive plays.
Only three boundary corners make the roster.
Kani Walker was a fan favorite during the pre-season, and Bills Mafia believed he earned a spot on the roster. The Buffalo Bills decided to cut Toriono Pride and Kani Walker, leaving only three boundary corners on the 53-man roster. It seems like their game plan is to use Dee Alford as their 4th boundary cornerback.
Jordan Hancock had one of the best preseasons for the Buffalo Bills. Only in his 2nd year, he looked the part in the nickel position. His reaction time, speed, tackling, and coverage all looked NFL-ready. This gives Dee Alford more flexibility. If two boundary cornerbacks were to be injured for a full game, Joe Brady can move Dee Alford to the outside and bring in Jordan Hancock to the Nickel Position. If Jordan Hancock were to be injured, they could move rookie safety Jalon Kilgore into the nickel spot.
This does seem like walking a tightrope, with a thin margin if injuries pile up throughout the season. I would bet the Buffalo Bills are hoping that Trejon Henderson Jr. and Kani Walker land on the practice squad for elevations if injuries occur. Toriono has Max Hairston’s speed, and Kani Walker plays a little bit like Dee Alford. Worst-case scenario? 3 cornerbacks get injured in one game, but that is a far-fetched situation.
6 Defensive Linemen and 6 Outside Linebackers
The Buffalo Bills and Jim Leonhard decided to roster 12 players on the defensive line. Phidarian Mathis is under suspension, and Zane Durant is on injured reserve. Jim Leonhard also decided to roster six outside linebackers, keeping Mike Danna. Mike Danna had a good preseason, so it’s hard to judge this decision. Brandon Beane has been pumping up Javon Solomon, and he remained on the roster as well.
This isn’t a completely absurd move, rostering 12 defensive linemen. DeWayne Carter is a head-scratcher, but I guess he’ll go to the practice squad after Phidarian Mathis’ suspension is up. Brandon Beane will give TJ Sanders another year, but it does feel like he earned his roster spot because he was a 2nd-round pick they traded up for in that draft.
The Buffalo Bills will more than likely not dress a defensive lineman or two when game days come this season. The most important part of rostering this many linemen is ensuring the top guys get their share. There is a fine line between heavy rotations and your top guys getting cold sitting on the sideline. Ed Oliver, Deone Walker, Greg Rousseau, and Bradley Chubb all need 40% or more snap share throughout the games to make sure they can get going and loose to create chaos for the quarterback.
The Buffalo Bills roster looks good, and I believe every move is well-intentioned. There is a place and reason for all 53 guys. Jim Leonhard wanted all of his defensive players to understand their duties more simply. The group of starters, now a versatile defense with moving parts, will understand what their counterparts are doing when they can play all positions. Joe Brady will not sacrifice any of his run game by not rostering a fullback. The formations and how he uses Jackson Hawes will be exciting to see. 1:00 EST/12:00 C, September 13th cannot come soon enough. As always, Go Bills.
