Bills Central

Bills parting ways with ‘Hard Knocks’ star, but likely only temporarily

Buffalo is preparing for its 2025 season by cutting down to a 53-man roster
Khari Demos|
Buffalo Bills linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor.
Buffalo Bills linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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For a moment, it looked like Jimmy Ciarlo’s magical run with the Buffalo Bills was coming to an end. It has now taken a detour that Ciarlo must be excited about.

The former Army team captain has generated considerable buzz this preseason. From his strong play on special teams to his exploits garnering the attention of NFL pundits like Brian Baldinger, Ciarlo looked like he could be a lock to make the regular season roster. Especially considering that he’s a hybrid linebacker/safety who could contribute while the secondary gets healthy.

But that still was not enough.

Multiple sources reported that Ciarlo was one of several cuts for Buffalo on Tuesday.

RELATED: Bills' Roster Cutdown Tracker: follow every move thru Tuesday's NFL deadline

That does not mean, however, that the West Point alumnus is done with the Bills.

Ciarlo is an easy player to root for. His story was highlighted on the third episode of 'Hard Knocks,' as he made his way back to the NFL after missing the 2024 season due to injury. He was not only making plays on special teams, though, as he showed well in his defensive snaps in Buffalo's win over the Buccaneers.

He did so well that "Baldy" decided to do another breakdown on the two-time captain at Army.

"When he hits you, the play ends," Baldinger said reviewing tape from the Tampa Bay game. "Tackling machine. You watch him, he doesn't fool around, he ain't messing (around)."

RELATED: It's time for 'Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills' Episode 4

There's no question Ciarlo's story is one that they write Hollywood scripts about. But he has been able to match the buzz with legit playmaking ability.

Considering the health of defensive contributors for the Bills, it will be interesting to see if Ciarlo's versatility to play linebacker and safety gets him into the mix by the time the regular season rolls around.

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Khari Demos
KHARI DEMOS

Khari Demos is an award-winning sports media creator and is a contributor for Bills On SI. He has written sports betting article covering the NFL for The Athletic and has written pieces about the NBA, MLB, college football and basketball, and more, throughout his career.

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