Veteran former pro-bowlers, fan favorite UDFA headline most surprising Buffalo Bills roster cuts
See the initial Buffalo Bills 53-man roster. The Buffalo Bills entered roster cut down day with 91 players on the roster, thanks in part to Travis Clayton and the International Player Pathway exception that he gave them. With that, though, the Bills needed to trim 38 players to get down to the 53-man roster mark […]
See the initial Buffalo Bills 53-man roster.
The Buffalo Bills entered roster cut down day with 91 players on the roster, thanks in part to Travis Clayton and the International Player Pathway exception that he gave them. With that, though, the Bills needed to trim 38 players to get down to the 53-man roster mark by today's 4:00 PM ET deadline.
In doing so, there were inevitably going to be moves made that caught people off guard. That was certainly the case this year.
La'el Collins, offensive line
When La'el Collins was in his prime with the Dallas Cowboys, he was one of the best offensive tackles in the league. Now, Collins finds himself as a free agent after cut down day.
I mentioned earlier this week that Collins' standing might be on shaky ground. The athleticism and mobility just doesn't appear to be there at 31 years old after dealing with an ACL and MCL tear at the end of the 2022 season. Without the flexibility to play multiple spots on the offensive line, I seemed likely to be an odd man out.
Frank Gore Jr., running back
It may not have been much of a surprise, but it did hurt. It was going to be a longshot for Gore to make the roster, considering he already had clearly two running backs in front of him in James Cook and fellow rookie Ray Davis. Where I thought he might be able to crack the roster, though, was in competing with veteran Ty Johnson.
I would have preferred Gore to Johnson on this roster. I won't pull any punches. Gore showed tremendous vision and wiggle throughout the preseason, and I believe his ceiling as a player hasn't come close to being scratched. We'll see if he clears waivers and rejoins Buffalo on the practice squad, but after his preseason performances, I'm not counting on him being available.
Tyrell Shavers, wide receiver
The wide receiver battle is one that has been well-documented throughout the offseason ever since Beane traded Stefon Diggs to Houston and parted ways with Gabriel Davis in free agency. Tyrell Shavers, who had a terrific training camp and preseason with the Bills, was fighting for the last wide receiver spot on the roster.
I expected veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling to make the roster as the fifth wide receiver – I had it that way in my roster prediction article – but I did expect Buffalo to carry six receivers into the season, with Shavers getting the last spot. Buffalo elected to carry only five, with Shavers being the one left off the list. He's another practice squad candidate.
Deion Jones, linebacker
Deion Jones is a former Pro-Bowl linebacker that signed with the Bills back in May, but he never caught on throughout camp and the preseason. Even with the injuries at the position, like Matt Milano going down with a torn biceps, and Baylon Spector dealing with a rash of injuries that caused him to be sidelined throughout much of camp, Jones was unable to get any traction.
Notably, in their last preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, Jones looked terribly out of place on multiple pass coverage reps. Being limited to more of a Mike linebacker position than having the abilities to play the Will spot, Jones was beat out by starter Terrel Bernard, Spector, and veteran Nicholas Morrow.
Daequan Hardy, cornerback
This one was truly a stunner. Daequan Hardy, who they used a sixth round pick on in the 2024 NFL Draft, had a great preseason. He seemed to be a lock for the roster as their primary return man, and looked very sticky in coverage.
Late in the day, the Bills made a trade with the New York Jets to bring in Brandon Codrington, a try-out guy that also has return chops, who figures to apparently step right in as the primary return man. After getting a look at Hardy all throughout camp and the preseason, it seems tough to let him walk and replace him with an unknown asset.
I thought Hardy was borderline written in ink on this depth chart.
Flurry of moves and last-minute trade round out the Buffalo Bills initial 53-man roster
Meet the 2024 Buffalo Bills – for now.
Follow along all season for all the latest Buffalo Bills news. You can also find me on X @JonHelmkamp.
