Bills say goodbye to veteran defensive player that could be a sign of good things to come for the organization
A recent release could be a good sign for the team.
The Buffalo Bills have some tough decisions to make ahead of the 4 p.m. ET deadline. A slew of roster moves have already come in with the team waiving/releasing Shane Buechele, Zy Alexander, Nelson Caesar, Garnett Hollis Jr., Rush Reimer, Elijah Young, Richard Gouraige, Mike Edwards, Daequan Hardy, Jacob Bayer, Tre Herndon, Mike White, and Laviska Shenault Jr. at time of publication.
You can stay up to date with all the moves with our tracker. Nevertheless, another Bills player was just released: defensive veteran and cornerback Dane Jackson.
Cornerback concerns for Buffalo
If you’ve been living under a rock or just unaware, the Bills are without their No. 2 cornerback on the roster. Tre’Davious White and Maxwell Hairston have suffered injuries, and the timetable for their return is unavailable.
Specifically, we don’t have much clarity on White’s injury yet. We do know that he needed help from a medical cart to get out of the tunnel after practice, but not much more than that. The fan base is still waiting in eager anticipation for what the timeline of his return might look like. Bills general manager Brandon Beane offered a cryptic update ahead of the preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, saying, “[Tre’Davious White] had a little lower leg injury.” Unfortunately, nothing new has been offered since.
Hairston suffered a non-contact knee injury during practice that had the fan base fearing the worst. Luckily, he avoided a season-ending IR designation. While he couldn’t play in the preseason, the team expects him to be back sometime during the regular season.
Impact of Dane Jackson’s release
Jackson’s release does not guarantee that White will be back in time, but the team feels comfortable with the pieces it has to compete. That could mean White returns sooner rather than later, or that rising stars like Ja’Marcus Ingram or Dorian Strong can step in. Nevertheless, it appears the team has a plan for the position, and that’s excellent news with the Baltimore Ravens heading into Buffalo for the season opener on Sept. 7.
This also doesn’t mean that Jackson won’t be with the team. Due to his vested veteran status, he can come back and join the Bills’ practice squad, something the front office could have discussed with him. Essentially, Buffalo might just have him wait in the parking lot for a little bit and then return with the team.
With Christian Benford as the clear No. 1 in Buffalo, the team still has (at time of publication) Strong and Ingram on the roster. Jackson’s release could be a good sign for either (or both) making the roster, or, as already mentioned, potentially some good news surrounding White.
Here’s hoping for the latter. White is not only a fan favorite but has also been an excellent insurance option with Hairston’s injury, his familiarity with the team, and experience with the defense as a whole. He still looks like a one-year steal from Beane and the front office.
Get your Josh Allen candles out. Sing the Shout Song 716 times. Do whatever you need to do to bring some good vibes and positivity to the team, especially with these injuries. For now, Beane and the front office clearly have a plan. We are not sure what the entirety of that plan entails.
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