Bills 53-Man Roster Prediction Ahead of Return of the Blue & Red Practice

Which players will make the initial 53-man roster for the Buffalo Bills?

Bills quarterback Josh Allen huddles up the offense in the players tunnel before taking the field against the New York Jets. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There's still more than a month before the regular season kicks off, but the first portion of training camp is in the books for the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo wrapped up their time at St. John Fisher with their final practice on Friday. They now return to Orchard Park, where they will hold their annual Return of the Blue & Red Practice in the new Highmark Stadium.

From there, the attention will return to the preseason as players continue to fight for their spot on the 53-man roster. With that being the ultimate goal, let's see how that roster might look when Buffalo kicks off against the Houston Texans in Week 1.

Quarterback (2)

QBs Kyle Allen and Josh Allen head to the main practice field during Bills Training Camp at St. John Fisher University. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

• Josh Allen
• Kyle Allen

Josh Allen and Kyle Allen are back together again. Kyle Allen, who was Josh Allen's backup in 2023, returned this offseason to replace Mitchell Trubisky. He beats out Shane Buechele for the QB2 spot although neither has had a great camp.

Notable cuts: Shane Buechele

Running Back (4)

• James Cook
• Ray Davis
• Ty Johnson
• Jackson Acker

Very little changes in the running back room from a year ago, although it's worth keeping an eye on Ty Johnson vs. Frank Gore Jr. Johnson is a valuable reserve, but his salary could make him expendable. At fullback, Jackson Acker edges out Ben VanSumeren.

Notable cuts: Frank Gore Jr., Ben VanSumeren

Wide Receiver (5)

The Bills' D.J. Moore uses a towel to shield against the sun after Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

• D.J. Moore
• Khalil Shakir
• Joshua Palmer
• Keon Coleman
• Skyler Bell

PUP: Tyrell Shavers

D.J. Moore has been everything the Bills hope for during camp. He is emerging as a true WR1 and could be a perfect complement to Khalil Shakir. Joshua Palmer is also coming on strong as camp moves along and has a stranglehold on the No. 3 spot right now. Keon Coleman started off strong, but has had some issues which could open the door for rookie Skyler Bell to take his spot. For now, he's holding onto the WR4 position, but that could change in a hurry.

Tight End (3)

• Dalton Kincaid
• Dawson Knox
• Jackson Hawes

Buffalo has one of the best tight end trios in the game with Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and Jackson Hawes. All three are well-rounded, but Hawes stands out as one of the top blocking tight ends in the game. There will be no surprises here.

Offensive Line (10)

• Dion Dawkins
• Alec Anderson
• Connor McGovern
• O'Cyrus Torrence
• Spencer Brown
• Chase Lundt
• Austin Corbett
• Jude Bowry
• Lloyd Cushenberry
• Sedrick Van Pran-Granger

Notable cuts: Ar'Maj Reed-Adams

The offensive line has a few questions to answer. They just locked up O'Cyrus Torrence with a contract extension, which comes a couple of months after they signed Connor McGovern to a new deal.

At left guard, Alec Anderson and Austin Corbett will fight it out, and we might not know who has the advantage until we see them in the preseason. On the bench, they could go several different ways, but here we go deep with interior backups. One reason this works is that Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and Corbett can play all three interior positions. Corbett also has experience at tackle, making him a valuable reserve should he fail to secure the left guard spot.

Defensive Line (6)

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver trains during Buffalo Bills Minicamp. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

• Ed Oliver
• Deone Walker
• T.J. Sanders
• Phidarian Mathis
• Zane Durant
• Landon Jackson

Notable cuts: DeWayne Carter

Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard plans to be versatile with his defensive scheme, but he has a background in the 3-4 front. For that reason, the defensive linemen are expected to play at a much bigger weight, which is why DeWayne Carter and Landon Jackson bulked up this offseason.

Jackson could be in line for a bigger role, but unfortunately for Carter, it's going to be hard for him to make the roster. In this prediction, he's beaten out by Phidarian Mathis, who is having a very strong camp.

EDGE (5)

• Greg Rousseau
• Bradley Chubb
• T.J. Parker
• Michael Hoecht
• Javon Solomon

Notable cuts: Mike Danna

In this prediction, the Bills go with five outside linebackers, led by Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb. They're also going to have T.J. Parker and Michael Hoecht as part of the rotation. With the fifth spot, it's a coin toss with Mike Danna and Javon Solomon fighting for a spot. As of now, Solomon could have the edge due primarily to his upside.

Inside Linebacker (4)

• Terrel Bernard
• Dorian Williams
• Kaleb Elarms-Orr
• Keonta Jenkins

Notable cuts: Joe Andreesen

The Bills go thin at inside linebacker with Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams as the starter. Kaleb Elarms-Orr will compete for a starting job and might eventually take over. Keonta Jenkins has been a standout during camp and is kept over fan-favorite Joe Andreesen.

Cornerback (5)

Bills defensive back Kani Walker pulls in a pass as he puts in extra reps after day two of Buffalo Bills training camp. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

• Christian Benford
• Maxwell Hairston
• Davison Igbinosun
• Dee Alford
• Kani Walker

Notable cuts: Toriano Pride Jr.

Maxwell Hairston has played well during camp, but a recent injury could open the door for Davison Igbinosun as the starter opposite Christian Benford. Dee Alford is the favorite for the slot position and UDFA Kani Walker has done enough to secure his spot.

Safety (6)

• Cole Bishop
• C.J. Gardner-Johnson
• Geno Stone
• Damar Hamlin
• Jalon Kilgore
• Sam Franklin Jr.

Notable cuts: Jordan Dunbar

Buffalo had a scare at safety when C.J. Gardner-Johnson was injured during camp. He didn't miss much time, thankfully, but it gave Damar Hamlin a chance to remind the coaching staff what he can do. That helps him make the team over Jordan Dunbar. Of course, six safeties might feel like a lot, but Gardner-Johnson and Jalon Kilgore can also play in the slot while Sam Franklin Jr. is a special teams ace.

Specialist (3)

• Tyler Bass, K
• Tommy Doman Jr., P
• Reid Ferguson, LS

Notable cuts: Mitch Wishnowsky

Veteran punter Mitch Wishnowsky brought some stability to the position last year, but the Bills used a seventh-round pick on Tommy Doman Jr., giving him the edge in the punting competition. Reid Ferguson remains a steady option at long snapper, and is facing no competition.

At kicker, Buffalo finally saw Tyler Bass on the field for the first time since last preseason. Matt Prater was excellent in his absence a year ago, so there will be plenty of pressure on Bass as he returns to action.

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