BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Bills' preseason has come to an end, and now the team must finalize their roster. On Tuesday at 4:00 p.m., the Bills have to trim their roster from 90 players to 53. With injuries and intense position battles, cut-down day may be more complicated for the Bills' front office than it has been in recent memory.
So what could the roster ultimately look like?
Bove’s 53-Man roster projection:
Quarterback (2):
Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky
When training camp started in Rochester, I thought Mike White had a chance at winning the backup quarterback job. In my opinion, that started to change in the week after the first preseason game. After fairly even performances from White and Trubisky against the New York Giants, Trubisky ascended while White started to slip up.
Trubisky is more mobile, has plenty of experience, and has been part of the organization longer, so it’s not a surprise that he’ll likely end up winning the job. That said, I believe the Bills should keep both Mike White and Shane Buechele on their practice squad. I’d trust White more than Buechele, but his relationship with the other quarterbacks and his performance in the final preseason game likely earned him a spot on the practice squad.
“He’s a leader of men, he’s rallying the troops,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said of Shane Buechele to Bills sideline reporter Maddy Glab at the end of the first half.
Running back (4):
James Cook, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson & Reggie Gilliam
No real surprises in the Bills' backfield. They’ll roll with the same running back room they did in 2024 when the team really got into a groove on the ground. For those of you who love Frank Gore Jr., I’d imagine he’s kept on the Bills practice squad and don’t think he’ll get poached by another team. If any of the Bills' top three backs get hurt, Gore Jr. would likely get elevated.
Wide receiver (6):
Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore, Curtis Samuel, & Tyrell Shavers
You can write Shakir, Coleman, and Palmer’s names in permanent marker. Those are the Bills' top three wideouts in 2025.
After that, things get a bit more complicated. Moore hasn’t had as impressive a summer as many fans hoped he would. That said, I still believe the team likes his versatility and believes he can contribute more frequently when paired with Josh Allen.
Like Moore, Samuel’s summer has been underwhelming. He missed almost all of camp with a hamstring injury and didn’t play in any of their preseason games. Samuel’s contract and dead cap make flat-out cutting him unlikely, but I still believe he can be a valuable target for the Bills. His best football came at the end of last season and in the playoffs, and that’s why I believe his spot on this team is safe.
So that brings us to Shavers, who found himself in an eerily similar position last year. I thought he did enough to make the 53-man roster last year and feel the same way one year later. Quite frankly, his ridiculous one-handed touchdown sealed the deal. It was also important to see Shavers get some special teams reps in the preseason finale because if the team keeps six wide receivers, they’ll need someone to play on the coverage units for punts and kickoffs.
Tight end (3):
Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and Jackson Hawes
Despite Zach Davidson’s position flexibility as a punter, this position was always the easiest to predict. Hawes was drafted to be a dominant blocker, bringing size that will allow the Bills to get a bit more creative with their offense. Davidson will likely land on the Bills' practice squad just like last season.
Offensive line (9):
Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, Connor McGovern, O’Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown, Alec Anderson, Tylan Grable, Chase Lundt, and Kendrick Green
*Sedrick Van Pran-Granger remains on PUP
The first minor surprise on this 53-man roster projection is the absence of tackle Ryan Van Demark. It wasn’t as strong a summer as Van Demark probably hoped, and it opened up the door for Chase Lundt. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Bills trade Van Demark for a late pick.
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger’s injury elevated Green’s chances of making the roster. Even though Alec Anderson can do a bit of everything, Green’s experience at center and the Bills' lack of depth options at guard may force the Bills' hand. The way I see it now is that Anderson is the backup center, but if an injury were to happen at guard, he would also be their top backup choice there, with Green becoming the backup center.
Defensive line (10):
Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa, A.J. Epenesa, Javon Solomon, Landon Jackson, Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, TJ Sanders, Deone Walker, DeWayne Carter
*Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi suspended
Figuring out how the defensive line pieces itself together may be more complicated in Week 7 than it is right now. Hoecht and Ogunjobi’s six-week suspensions should give the Bills a month and a half to figure things out and see which injuries have popped up. Of the 10 players I have making the roster, the only guy I could see on the outside looking in is Carter, but given his draft status and position flexibility, I don’t see the Bills moving on from a player that early in his career.
Linebackers (5):
Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano, Dorian Williams, Joe Andreessen, & Shaq Thompson
Bernard and Milano are the Bills' top two options, and having both players healthy heading into the regular season could be a huge boost for the defense. Williams will likely be Milano’s primary backup and should see some snaps when the Bills take nickel cornerback Taron Johnson off the field. But I also believe Shaq Thompson could be used in a similar role. Thompson has position flexibility and a ton of experience in the NFL, which the Bills value. Andreessen should be a primary special-teams player and will likely see an expanded role compared to last season.
Cornerbacks (6):
Christian Benford, Taron Johnson, Tre’Davious White, Dorian Strong, Ja’Marcus Ingram, & Brandon Codrington
*Max Hairston placed on Injured Reserve, eligible to return after Week 4
This is the position I’m the most skeptical about. With Tre’Davious White injured for an undisclosed amount of time and Max Hairston’s timeline unknown, the Bills may need to make a move...or two.
For the sake of the conversation, in this exercise, I’m placing Hairston on IR. With Hairston missing so much of the summer, thinking he could immediately slot into the defense seems foolish. I think this will allow the Bills to ease their first-round pick back while also giving them a bit more roster flexibility for the first month of the season.
If White’s injury extends well into the season, I could see the Bills trying to bring in a veteran. The easy answer would be Rasul Douglas, who is still available in free agency. That said, the Bills have very limited cap space, so adding Douglas may be tricky.
Dorian Strong has had an up and down summer, but his early exit from the third preseason game is a sign his roster spot is safe. Ingram was also pulled pretty early in the game against the Buccaneers, which I believe is a good sign for him.
Codrington gets the edge over Dane Jackson because of his role on special teams. I believe Codrington will be the team's top punt returner and one of their two kick returners.
I would not be surprised to see Jackson on the Bills' practice squad to start the season and elevated for the first several games. They value his experience, but his snaps late into the preseason finale give me doubts that he’ll be on their initial 53-man roster.
Safeties (5):
Taylor Rapp, Cole Bishop, Damar Hamlin, Cam Lewis, & Jordan Hancock
It wasn’t as smooth a summer for Cole Bishop as the Bills had hoped, with another injury sidelining him for most of training camp. But to Bishop’s credit, he had a strong outing in the preseason finale, and that should give the Bills a bit more confidence moving forward.
Hamlin, despite his struggles, knows the defense and has more experience in the system than anyone else in the safety room. Lewis, like Hamlin, has been around for years, but he is also Taron Johnson’s primary backup at nickel cornerback. He’s a valuable chess piece for the defense and could be the first man off the bench if Rapp or Bishop goes down.
Then there’s Jordan Hancock. If he hadn’t gotten injured in the Bills' preseason loss to the Bears, I think he could’ve had an outside chance at winning the second safety job. He will still be on the team, and I won’t be surprised if we see him starting sometime this season.
Specialists (3):
Tyler Bass, Brad Robbins, & Reid Ferguson
After missing almost all of training camp, Bass had a fine debut in the preseason finale. It was a strong day until he missed a very short field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter. Those are kicks Bass has to make every time.
Tibbetts' 53-man roster projection:
Quarterback (2):
Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky
This seems pretty cut and dry. The reigning MVP and his backup, who have played meaningful games in the NFL. The backup job was Trubisky’s to lose, and I feel that he secured it this preseason.
Running Back (4):
James Cook, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, Reggie Gilliam
Talk about bringing back continuity. A very productive three-headed backfield is set to pace the offense on the ground and even aid through the air. Reggie Gilliam continues to make an impact on special teams and is beloved by his coaches and teammates for his versatility as well.
Tight End (3):
Dawson Knox, Dalton Kincaid, Jackson Hawes
The Zach Davidson fan club won’t like this, but I think the Bills need to stack depth in other position groups to deal with injuries. If I felt Brad Robbins’ job was at risk, then maybe Davidson could be the punter after that booming 62-yard kick he dropped Saturday night.
Wide Receiver (6):
Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore, Curtis Samuel, Tyrell Shavers
Shakir, Coleman, and Palmer are all shoe-ins for a roster spot. The debate has always been with the wide receivers: how many do they keep, and who? I’ve gone back and forth for weeks between Samuel, Moore, and Shavers. It felt like two of those three were going to make this roster. Now I’ve shifted to all three to make the 53-man. I think Shavers has done more than enough to get his shot come week one. I think the upside of Samuel when he’s healthy, like we saw at the end of the last season, is worth the spot. And I think we’ll see Moore’s vault open up with Allen as his quarterback come the regular season opener.
Offensive Line (9):
Dion Dakwins, Spencer Brown, O’Cyrus Torrence, David Edwards, Connor McGovern, Ryan Van Demark, Alec Anderson, Tylan Grable, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
Continuity is so important, and the top half of this position group brings that to the offense. The health of Sedrick Van Pran-Granger is a key factor in how this group shapes up. But assuming he’s healthy, he’ll get a spot on the roster. I think if the injuries weren’t such a storyline on defense, we’d see rookie Chase Lundt make the roster. But cuts have to be made somewhere. Lundt is someone I’m sure the Bills would love to have back on the practice squad if possible.
Defensive Line (9):
Joey Bosa, Greg Rousseau, Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, AJ Epenesa, TJ Sanders, Deone Walker, DeWayne Carter, Javon Solomon
This is a group where injuries to other positions will have a trickle-down effect. Rookies Deone Walker and TJ Sanders have flashed enough to show they will be trusted-impact producing players behind a stream of experienced vets in the Bills front-four.
Javon Solomon’s special teams ability keeps his spot on the 53-man secure, and the loss of Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi for the first six games does the same for 2024 3rd round draft pick DeWayne Carter. 2025 3rd round draft pick Landon Jackson, to me, is a member of the cut-list. Lack of consistency and trusted depth above him make him a hopeful practice squad candidate.
Linebacker (5):
Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano, Dorian Williams, Joe Andreessen, Shaq Thompson
The first three guys on this list were pretty safe and secure. Milano’s strong training camp has been a welcome sight for Bills staff and fans alike. Last year’s feel-good story turned Bill, “Buffalo” Joe Andreessen, has enough of an impact on special teams that keeps him around as a reliable backup behind Terrel Bernard.
Veteran Shaq Thompson has been praised by both head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich. It feels like he provides enough reliability in that linebacker room to stay in Buffalo for this season.
Cornerback (7):
Christian Benford, Tre White, Taron Johnson, Dorian Strong, Dane Jackson, Ja’Marcus Ingram, Brandon Codrington
This is entirely based on Tre White’s injury possibly not being significant enough to keep him out of the season opener. HOWEVER, this position group needs to have depth because I think Maxwell Hairston will start the season on injured reserve.
This means both Dane Jackson and Ja’Marcus Ingram will grab roster spots. When and if Hairston returns, I’d expect one of those guys to bump down to the practice squad if they aren’t claimed. Codrington will earn a spot for his punt and kick return ability.
Safety (5):
Taylor Rapp, Cole Bishop, Damar Hamlin, Cam Lewis, Jordan Hancock
McDermott wants to find the guy who will start opposite Taylor Rapp at safety. To me was always Cole Bishop’s job to lose, and I don’t feel like he’s done that despite an up-and-down training camp and preseason. If he can stay healthy, I think the live game reps will only make him better moving forward this season. With the hope being that when this team plays important games in December/January, he’ll be a trusted playmaker on defense.
Specialists (3):
Tyler Bass, Brad Robbins, Reid Ferguson
No competition forcing any of these guys out means it’s a cut-and-dry specialists room. Bass will kick, Robbins will punt, and Ferguson will snap.
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