Bills head coach Joe Brady discusses challenges ahead of final roster cuts
Buffalo Bills coach Joe Brady said trimming the roster is especially difficult now that he oversees the entire team, as the club prepares its 53-man lineup and practice squad.
Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady said the upcoming roster cutdown is particularly tough because he now oversees all 90 players, not just the offensive unit he previously coached. "It's not easy at all," he told reporters after the Bills' 28-27 preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, adding that each decision affects the players' careers.
Brady and his staff are expected to finalize a 53-man roster that includes quarterback Josh Allen as the starter, with Kyle Allen as the backup and the release of Shane Buechele. Running backs James Cook, Ty Johnson and Ray Davis are projected to make the team, while Frank Gore Jr. and Ian Wheeler are likely to be cut.
At wide receiver, DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer are slated as starters, with Keon Coleman, Trent Sherfield and Skyler Bell as backups. Tight end Dalton Kincaid is expected to start, supported by Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes.
The interior offensive line should feature Connor McGovern, Alec Anderson and O’Cyrus Torrence, with Austin Corbett and Lloyd Cushenberry as reserves. Offensive tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown are projected starters, while Tylan Grable serves as the swing tackle.
Defensively, the line is projected to start Ed Oliver, Deone Walker and Landon Jackson, with several backups including T.J. Sanders and Greg Gaines. Outside linebackers Bradley Chubb and Greg Rousseau are expected to start, with Michael Hoecht, T.J. Parker and Javon Solomon as backups.
Linebackers Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams are projected starters, while the secondary includes cornerbacks Christian Benford, Max Hairston and Dee Alford, with additional depth from Davison Igbinosun and Kani Walker. Safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Cole Bishop are slated as starters, with Damar Hamlin, Jalon Kilgore and Sam Franklin providing backup support.
Special teams are expected to retain kicker Tyler Bass, punter Tommy Doman and long snapper Reid Ferguson. The Bills may also add a 17th practice-squad player through the international-player exemption, with several released players listed as potential re-signings.