Bills 53-Man Roster Projection: A Super Bowl Team
NFL teams have wrapped up minicamp and the season is fast approaching. Pro Football Focus has ranked the Buffalo Bills as the best roster in the league, and it's a roster filled with talent. Nonetheless, by Aug. 30, all NFL teams will have to trim their rosters down to 53 players, and not everyone can make it. Some players will just miss the roster, while some will get the chance to be part of a Super Bowl caliber roster. Here's our 53-man roster projection for Buffalo:
Offense
Quarterback (2): Josh Allen, Case Keenum
Cuts: Matt Barkley
Allen is the leader and star of this team, while Buffalo trading a late-round pick for Keenum just to cut him seems questionable. Barkley is the odd man out here.
Running back (5): Devin Singletary, James Cook, Zack Moss, Taiwan Jones, Reggie Gilliam
Cuts: Duke Johnson, Raheem Blackshear
The two locks are Singletary and Cook as the most promising young talents in this backfield. Singletary posted 4.6 yards per carry last season while Cook was just drafted in the second-round by Buffalo. Moss then gets the nod over Johnson due to the combined fact that Buffalo already has a receiving back in Cook, and the physicality Moss brings that others don't in the backfield. Jones and Gilliam make it as routine special teams players.
Tight end (2): Dawson Knox, O.J. Howard
Cuts: Quintin Morris, Jalen Wydermyer, Tommy Sweeney
Although he faced injury troubles last season, Knox greatly impacted the offense. Howard makes the roster despite a lackluster offseason so far, due to his physical ability and ceiling. Outside of those two, Buffalo can afford to roll with just two tight ends due to the ability of Gilliam to serve as an emergency third tight end.
Offensive line (9): Dion Dawkins, T; Spencer Brown, T; Tommy Doyle, T; Mitch Morse, C; Greg Mancz, C; Rogger Saffold, G; David Quessenberry, G; Greg Van Roten, G; Ryan Bates, G/C;
Cuts: Jacob Capra, Luke Tenuta, Derek Kerstetter, Alec Anderson, Bobby Hart, Cody Ford, Tanner Owen
PUP: Ike Boettger, G
Van Roten being brought in shows that Buffalo doesn't entirely trust their interior offensive line, and this doesn't bode well for Cody Ford. Quessenberry, Van Roten and Mancz provide veteran depth behind their starters, while Dawkins, Morse, and Saffold are shoe-ins. Bates gets the final spot due to his position flexibility.
Wide receiver (7): Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, Jamison Crowder, Isaiah McKenzie, Khalil Shakir, Tavon Austin, Jake Kumerow
Cuts: Isaiah Hodgins, Tanner Gentry, Neil Pau’u, Marquez Stevenson
Diggs is one of the NFL's best wideouts, Davis is a young star in the making and Crowder will slot into ex-slot receiver Cole Beasley's spot. McKenzie also impressed at minicamp and will make an impact in the slot, while Shakir is one of the biggest sleepers from this year's draft. Kumerow slides in due to his value on special teams, while Austin provides return value and big-play ability in a limited role. Buffalo sticks with these seven at receiver.
Defense
Safety (4): Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Jaquan Johnson, Damar Hamlin
Cut: Josh Thomas
Hyde and Poyer are one of the best safety duos in the league. Meanwhile, Johnson and Hamlin have had the backup spots on lock for a while. The Bills safeties are pretty easy to forecast.
Cornerback (7): Tre’Davious White, Kaiir Elam, Taron Johnson, Dane Jackson, Siran Neal, Nick McCloud, Cam Lewis
Cuts: Olaijah Griffin, Tim Harris, Christian Benford, Travon Fuller, Ja’Marcus Ingram.
White, Elam, Johnson, and Jackson are all locks. White is a Pro Bowl cornerback while Elam is the team's first-round draft pick. Jackson filled in for White on the perimeter following his torn ACL. Johnson has been the team's starting nickel defender since 2020. Neal makes the cut due to his size and special teams ability. McCloud has made an early impression on teammates and provides flexibility at both cornerback and safety.
The Bills go heavy on cornerback due to White's status for the start of the new campaign.
Linebacker (5): Tremaine Edmunds, ILB; Tyler Matakevich, ILB; Matt Milano, OLB; Terrel Bernard, OLB; Tyrel Dodson, LB;
Cuts: Joe Giles-Harris, Marquel Lee, Baylon Spector
Suspension: Andre Smith
Buffalo might go light at linebacker here. Just three backups should do the trick. Edmunds and Milano have been the starters and should continue to be, while Dodson expects to be the primary backup. Matakevich provides immense special teams value and Bernard gets the nod as Buffalo's third-round selection.
Defensive line (9): Ed Oliver, DT; DaQuan Jones, DT; Jordan Phillips, DT; Tim Settle, DT; Boogie Basham, DE; A.J. Epenesa, DE; Shaq Lawson, DE; Von Miller, EDGE; Greg Rousseau, DE
Oliver is the leader on the interior for Buffalo while Jones, Settle, and Phillips are all veteran signings, so those four make it inside. Rousseau is prepared for a breakout season in Buffalo's starting edge tandem, while Von Miller is a future Hall of Famer, so they're lock. Basham, Epenesa, and Lawson finish off the rotation as returning players.
Special teams (3):
Kicker: Tyler Bass
Punter: Matt Araiza
Long Snapper: Reid Ferguson
Cut: Matt Haack
There's no reason to believe Bass or Ferguson will lose their starting positions, as there's no other competition on the roster. Araiza versus Haack at punter will be a camp battle, but the guy Buffalo spent a sixth-round pick on this year (Araiza) gets the nod.
