Seven Under-the-Radar Bills' Players on Verge of Stealing Final Roster Spots

Buffalo has one last preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, and it's a chance for some players to solidify their status on the roster for 2026.

Buffalo Bills' defensive back Te’Cory Couch (33) lunges through warm-ups during the second day of Bills' training camp at St. John Fisher University on Thursday, July 24, 2025 in Pittsford, New York. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Buffalo Bills’ preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium might not stir up too much emotion from the casual fan, but it’s certainly not meaningless.

There are still roster battles to be won and bottom-of-the-roster decisions to be made by general manager Brandon Beane and first-year head coach Joe Brady.

Buffalo’s final 53-man roster, which needs to be turned into the league office by Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, is far from set in stone.

Starting jobs, depth roles still up for grabs on Buffalo’s roster

Buffalo Bills' first-year head coach Joe Brady (left) and new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard (right) chat before practice at Bills's training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York, on Aug. 1, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There’s just too much that can happen between now and this weekend’s deadline to make a final call on anyone’s roster livelihood for the 2026 iteration of the Bills.

But, soon that won’t be the case. So, those players who are hoping to latch onto one of the final remaining spots must make their presence felt against Pittsburgh: we’re not in Pittsford, New York, anymore, folks.

The time is now to leave a lasting impression and capitalize on the culmination of a training camp’s worth of hard work. 

Magnitude of final preseason game isn’t lost upon Joe Brady

Aug. 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills's first-year head coach Joe Brady looks at his play sheet during the first half of a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at the new Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

And, that’s what makes the game against the Steelers so compelling, even to first-year head coach Joe Brady.

“(This week’s) not easy at all. Honestly, it’s harder now as the head coach because before it was really hard on me for the 40 guys I was coaching (when I was the offensive coordinator). Now, it’s the 90. And, I don’t take what I do lightly (or) the work that these guys do for me lightly. And, that’s why I’ve always struggled (with cutdown day),” Bills’ head coach Joe Brady said during his press conference at One Bills Drive on Tuesday morning.

“When people say, ‘It’s just a preseason game.’ Or, especially preseason (game) three when it’s like, ‘Ah, it’s preseason (game) three.’ It’s like, ‘No, no.’ This is these guys’, like, lives. And, some of these guys might not ever play football again. And, so that’s my job: is to give them everything that they’ve got (coming to them), you know, going in there (on Thursday).

Aug. 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills' running back Frank Gore Jr. (20) carries the ball during the second half of a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“And, so that’s part of the reason why we’re doing some of these jog-throughs (in practice this week) for some of those guys. So that they can—whether it’s for the Buffalo Bills or for not—they’re going to get to put their best performance out there on the football field on Thursday. . . . 

“I owe it to those guys to give everything I’ve got (as a coach in order) to let them go out and compete and be at their best on Thursday.”

Several surprise players on verge of stealing away roster spots to end the summer

Keeping that in mind, here are seven under-the-radar players who are on the verge of earning—or losing—a coveted NFL roster spot for the Bills this upcoming season.

ILB Keonta Jenkins

Sep. 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Buffalo Bills' linebacker Keonta Jenkins (49) walks off the field after an NFL game between the Bills and the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Much has been made throughout the fanbase and the media this offseason about the battle for the starting inside linebacker position alongside Terrel Bernard in Jim Leonhard’s new 3-4 defense this year.

The main candidates to start are veteran Dorian Williams and rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr.

But, there are battles going on behind Williams and Elarms-Orr for a spot on the final roster, as well. And, second-year linebacker Keonta Jenkins—who went undrafted out of Virginia Tech last year before landing in Western New York—is one of those players who’s been grinding on the gridiron this summer in order to stick with Buffalo for 2026.

Although elevated from the practice squad at times last season, Jenkins surely wants more than that.

The game against the Steelers is a big one for him.

OL Tylan Grable

Buffalo Bills' offensive lineman Tylan Grable (68) smiles as he stops and watches a tribute video on the scoreboards as he leaves the field following the Bills' win over the New York Jets in their last regular season game at the old Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Third-year offensive lineman Tylan Grable’s start to training camp probably didn’t go as well as he would’ve hoped for. But, that wasn’t really due to much fault of his own.

The Bills simply just seemingly wanted to see more of 2026 fourth-round pick Jude Bowry, who has been getting the bulk of the work at the top swing tackle position so far this summer.

However, Bowry’s play hasn’t been up to snuff, so to speak, as he’s given up a sack in back-to-back preseason games, and now it appears that he has some sort of lower leg injury as he was spotted wearing a boot on his left foot just a couple days after the preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.

If Bowry doesn’t return soon, then that leaves the door wide open for Grable to earn that backup tackle position.

He’ll need to continue playing well against the Steelers. And, if he barely plays, then that’s also a great sign for him moving forward toward cutdown day.

CB Kani Walker

Buffalo Bills' undrafted rookie defensive back Kani Walker (41) high-fives fans as he takes the field during Day Two of Buffalo's training camp at St. John Fisher University on Thursday, July 30, 2026 in Pittsford, New York. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Undrafted rookie defensive back Kani Walker has been one of the best surprises of the summer so far for Buffalo.

Once considered to be an afterthought in the competition at cornerback heading into training camp, all Walker has done is make plays since the festivities started at St. John Fisher University at the end of July.

The 6-foot-2, 203-pounder was well traveled in college, and he even crossed paths with current Bills’ cornerbacks coach Jay Valai at the University of Oklahoma from 2022 to 2024. So, there was a bit of familiarity with his surroundings before he ever even got to Western New York, and that comfortability has shown on the field.

It’s allowed Walker to play freely, and it appears as if the young rookie is about to secure the fourth boundary cornerback spot for Buffalo on the 53-man roster this fall . . . that is, of course, if he can continue on his current trajectory with another solid showing against the Steelers.

DL Greg Gaines

Dec. 7, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New Orleans Saints' quarterback Tyler Shough (6) is sacked by Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive lineman Greg Gaines (96) during the second quarter of an NFL regular season game at Raymond James Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Eighth-year veteran defensive lineman Greg Gaines, who was most recently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, didn’t join the Bills until August 18.

And, players that sign that late in the process of the offseason—at least usually—are considered to be nothing more than training camp fodder.

But, the new big man in the middle in Buffalo is a bit different than most: he’s certainly not devoid of talent.

The former Buccaneer and Los Angeles Ram has started 34 of the 108 regular-season games that he’s appeared in over the last seven years since he first entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Rams in 2019 out of the University of Washington.

Feb. 13, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Cincinnati Bengals' quarterback Joe Burrow (9) gets chased down by former Los Angeles Rams' defensive lineman Greg Gaines (91) during the third quarter of Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium | USA TODAY Sports

And, he’s also incredibly versed in the 3-4 defense, which Buffalo has switched to this offseason.

So, simply put, Gaines has more than a fair shot at cracking the final 53-man roster despite being late to the post-Pittsford party this month.

The game against Pittsburgh could decide his future with the team.

FB Ben VanSumeren

Buffalo Bills' fullback Ben VanSumeren (45) runs with the ball after making a catch at Buffalo's training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York, on Aug. 6, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Fourth-year veteran fullback Ben VanSumeren has had a solid summer in his return from a patellar tendon tear that he sustained in Week 1 last season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

He’s been effective on offense while clearing lanes for the running backs, and he’s also proven to be a core contributor on special teams thus far in training camp and preseason.

Yet, for some reason, a portion of the fanbase and media is trying to peg the former Michigan Wolverine and Michigan State Spartan as a player whose time in Western New York will be wrapping up in short order at the conclusion of Sunday’s cutdown deadline.

But, for as easily as he could soon be off the roster, the 26-year-old Michigan native could just as easily be on the final 53-man depth chart this fall for the Bills.

We’ll see how it shakes out for the former Eagle in the coming days.

DL Zane Durant

Aug. 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Carolina Panthers' running back Miles Davis (37) runs with the ball and is tackled by Buffalo Bills' defensive tackle Zane Durant (92) during the second half of a preseason game at the new Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Generally speaking, NFL teams usually don’t cut ties with rookie fifth-round selections, especially not at critical positions along the defensive line.

And, there’s a reason that Buffalo snatched up the former Penn State Nittany Lions’ defender at pick No. 181 this past April.

Zane Durant had 89 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks in four seasons at Penn State, which included an impressive 2024 campaign where he had 42 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and three sacks.

Former Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant (28) sacks Delaware quarterback Ryan O'Connor (14) in the second half of a NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in State College, Pennsylvania. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The 22-year-old Florida native likely won’t clear waivers if the Bills decide to roll the dice by not rostering him this season.

So, for that reason alone, Durant is a player to watch closely against Pittsburgh. He’s been steady, yet not super flashy this summer. However, even still, it’s hard to imagine the 6-foot-1, 290-pounder being a player that general manager Brandon Beane would want to get rid of so early in his career.

DB Te’Cory Couch

Aug. 24, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' cornerback Te'Cory Couch (33) takes a knee during a timeout in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at the old Highmark Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

This last player listed is a major dark-horse candidate to sneak onto the 53-man roster this year.

A former undrafted defensive back out of the University of Miami, Te’Cory Couch has bounced around on the Bills’ practice squad for the better part of the last two seasons, but he finally seems like he might have at least somewhat of a chance of finding a path to much more than that.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder hasn’t necessarily been getting run with the first-team group like fellow defensive backs Damar Hamlin and Geno Stone, but both of those players have been pretty disappointing so far this summer.

Meanwhile, Couch came away with an impressive interception off a pass from Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback Deshaun Watson in the last preseason game while occupying the safety position, and he’s also capable of playing inside at nickel cornerback, as well as outside on the boundary.

Aug. 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills' defensive back Te'Cory Couch (33) intercepts a pass intended for Cleveland Browns' wide receiver Gage Larvadain (84) during the second half of a preseason game at Huntington Bank Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Versatility is a great trait to have. 

The 26-year-old was also a playmaker in college who appeared in 58 games for the Miami Hurricanes.

It’ll be interesting if he can make another splash play or two against the Steelers, which would certainly help his case even more moving toward Sunday’s deadline.

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