One Dark Horse Who Should Make the Buffalo Bills' Roster After OTAs

Offseason workout programs across the NFL resume this week on May 18 and 19, as a long list of Buffalo Bills player hopefuls make their push toward a 53-man roster spot.

One position that could see a dark horse candidate earn his way into a contributing role by Week 1 is fullback, where veteran Ben VanSumeren is hoping to earn his keep over the next several weeks leading into training camp.

VanSumeren’s interesting path to Bills roster

Unlike most NFL players, VanSumeren has played more than one position since entering the NFL out of Michigan State in 2023. VanSumeren signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent and began his career at linebacker before transitioning to fullback in his third year in the league.

However, in his first season following the position switch, Van Sumeren appeared in just one game, sustaining a torn patellar tendon on the opening kickoff of the Eagles’ 2025 season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, which ended his season. Following season’s end, he became a free agent, and Buffalo signed him on Apr. 29.

He now joins a Bills running back room featuring the NFL’s leading rusher from a season ago, James Cook, who totaled 1,621 rushing yards during the 2025 campaign to lead all ball carriers. Buffalo is also equipped with third-down back Ty Johnson and change-of-pace back Ray Davis, whom the team drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Assessing the Bills’ depth chart at fullback

Elsewhere, the Bills brought in two additional players to compete with VanSumeren for a potential role at fullback, including undrafted free agent Jackson Acker and another veteran, Jakob Johnson.

Acker spent five seasons at Wisconsin, appearing in 50 games and totaling 415 rushing yards and 276 receiving yards throughout his career. Johnson has been in the NFL since 2019, appearing in 77 games, including 37 starts during his time with the New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and Houston Texans.

Reggie Gilliam had served as the Bills’ fullback for the past six seasons but departed Buffalo through free agency, signing a three-year contract with the New England Patriots in March. It remains unclear if the Bills intend to move forward with a fullback following Gilliam’s exit, but if they elect to do so, VanSumeren should be the team’s top option.

Special teams ace

Along with his ability to man the fullback position, VanSumeren is a special teams regular, having played over 390 STs snaps during his career, including over 74% of the Eagles’ snaps in that department in both 2023 and 2024. He earned a special teams grade of 77 from Pro Football Reference in 2023, the highest mark of his career.

VanSumeren plays in nearly every special teams phase, including kick and punt coverage, kick and punt return and the field-goal block unit. Gilliam performed in a similar capacity while in Buffalo, as he was on the field for no fewer than 77% of the team’s special teams snaps during his final five seasons with the Bills, with his high watermark being 85% of the snaps in 2023.

VanSumeren must still prove himself alongside the team’s other potential fullback options throughout OTAs. Still, at this stage, his versatility will make him a solid bet to crack the team’s opening day roster as a part-time fullback and full-time special teams player.

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