Former Illini LB Del’Shawn Phillips Makes Buffalo Bills 53-man Roster

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Del’Shawn Phillips has made the Buffalo Bills 53-man active roster.

The former Illinois linebacker was announced on its 53-player roster Saturday as all NFL teams had until 3 p.m. CST today to cut down its preseason rosters from 80 to 53 players.

Phillips, a 6-foot-2 and 230-pound hybrid player, will be one of six active linebackers on the Bills roster for the beginning of the 2020 season. Due to roster concerns surrounding playing during the current coronavirus pandemic, NFL rosters will grow to 55 players this season and 48 players will be allowed to dress for games. Therefore, Phillips’ next goal is to not be one of the game day inactive cuts but either way, the former Illini starter for two years is on a professional football roster.

Phillips was not selected in the 2019 NFL draft despite registering 95 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four interceptions, and seven passes deflected for Lovie Smith’s Illini defense during the 2018 season. Phillips was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons but he was waived days before the Falcons began the 2019 regular season. Phillips, a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.com as a junior college transfer from Garden City (Kansas) Community College, was a All-Big Ten honorable mention selection by the league’s designated media panel after leading the Illini in interceptions and tackles as the only senior starter on the Illinois defense in 2018.

Phillips, who has yet to play in an NFL regular season game, was projected to be on the bubble for this cutdown day in Buffalo but the Bills elected to cut Andre Smith despite having traded a conditional pick in 2023 to the Carolina Panthers for his services earlier this week.

Phillips’ inclusion on Buffalo’s 53-man roster means 10 former Illini players are guaranteed will be on NFL active rosters when the opening games of the 2020 regular season begins next week.

#Bills LB Del'Shawn Phillips has made the 53-man roster, per source. Phillips wasn't talked about a ton during camp in the depth linebacker battle, but it looks like he made an impression.
— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) September 5, 2020

Included among the Illinois football alumni in the NFL are Phillips, Kansas City offensive lineman Nick Allegretti, Miami safety Clayton Fejedelem, New Orleans safety Justin Hardee, Miami offensive lineman Ted Karras, Houston defensive end/linebacker Whitney Mercilus, Jacksonville defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot, Baltimore defensive end Jihad Ward and Indianapolis safety Tavon Wilson. Two former Illinois players, Green Bay wide receiver Geronimo Allison and New England tight end Matt LaCosse were on NFL rosters this summer but have opted out of the playing this season due to concerns over the COVID-19 epidemic.