The 53 and D Line Numbers Game

[jwhit34]

Before they get to the Bills' picks 170, 173 and 177:

 

On offense - looks like 21 spots are locked up - 2 QBs, 4 RB/FB, 4 WR, 2 TE, 9 OL (frequent visitors know the names).

Special teams - 3 (Bass, Ferguson and a P)

 

On offense, 1-2 WR, 1 TE and they are done. At most, that's 27 Offense/Special Teams.

 

Defense has a lot of roster-worthy players:

 

6 DT: Oliver, D Jones, Carter, Sanders (r), Walker (r),  Ogunjobi (suspended)

6 DE/Edge: Rousseau, Bosa, Epenesa, Solomon, Jackson (r), Hoecht (suspended)

4-5 LB - Bernard, Milano, Williams, Ulafoshio, maybe Andreesson

5 CB: Benford, T Johnson, White, Hairston (r), D Jackson

4 S: Rapp, Bishop, Hamlin, Forrest

They like Cam Lewis (S or slot CB)

 

Hoecht and Ogunjobi are not on roster for first 6 games so that alleviates the crunch when they cut to 53. 

 

So there is initially room for 1-2 players. But at some point, they cannot roster 12 on DL. 

WR, TE, LB to draft.

 

Trade Epenesa? Solomon would not have trade value yet. 

 

[below]

Ever since they signed Ogunjobi I figured Daquan Jones a goner. His dead cap is lower than other expendables like Epenesa or Curtis Samuel.

 

The suspension changed things but now we have depth at DT again.

 

So Jones is probably gone, and a good chance Epenesa is cut too. Although they'll probably wait for the end of training camp in case of injuries.

[JohnNord]

1 hour ago, jwhit34 said:

Before they get to the Bills' picks 170, 173 and 177:

 

On offense - looks like 21 spots are locked up - 2 QBs, 4 RB/FB, 4 WR, 2 TE, 9 OL (frequent visitors know the names).

Special teams - 3 (Bass, Ferguson and a P)

 

On offense, 1-2 WR, 1 TE and they are done. At most, that's 27 Offense/Special Teams.

 

Defense has a lot of roster-worthy players:

 

6 DT: Oliver, D Jones, Carter, Sanders (r), Walker (r),  Ogunjobi (suspended)

6 DE/Edge: Rousseau, Bosa, Epenesa, Solomon, Jackson (r), Hoecht (suspended)

4-5 LB - Bernard, Milano, Williams, Ulafoshio, maybe Andreesson

5 CB: Benford, T Johnson, White, Hairston (r), D Jackson

4 S: Rapp, Bishop, Hamlin, Forrest

They like Cam Lewis (S or slot CB)

 

Hoecht and Ogunjobi are not on roster for first 6 games so that alleviates the crunch when they cut to 53. 

 

So there is initially room for 1-2 players. But at some point, they cannot roster 12 on DL. 

WR, TE, LB to draft.

 

Trade Epenesa? Solomon would not have trade value yet. 

 

Epinesa trade is a possibility, but they also don’t want to have to play Bosa a ton of snaps early on.  
 

Im telling you, I don’t think Carter is safe on the roster.  Especially once Ogunjobi returns

[Matt_In_NH]

10  or 11 guys typically make the 53.  You only have 10 right now for the first 6 weeks, some kind of injury could happen, seems totally fine and I like the mix of vets and rookies they are bringing in.

[colin]

4 minutes ago, Matt_In_NH said:

10  or 11 guys typically make the 53.  You only have 10 right now for the first 6 weeks, some kind of injury could happen, seems totally fine and I like the mix of vets and rookies they are bringing in.

Is that true?  It kinda makes sense, 4 of 22 regular starters (ignores special teams, but let's presume a similar portion play special teams as start on O/D) are DL, so about 11/12 of 53 (as dl rotate out more than OL, QB, CB, LB)

 

Interdasting

[BigAl2526]

Buffalo doesn't have to worry about Ogunjobi until late October.  I don't see him as a replacement for Daquan Jones.  He might get a few rotational reps at 1 tech when he comes back from suspension, but as a 300 lb guy he just doesn't have the body mass to hold up as the main guy at the 1 tech spot.  Ed Oliver is not going anywhere.  He's the presumptive starting 3 tech guy in September.  TJ Sanders isn't going anywhere either.  He and Oliver will be the primary 3 techs.  I think DaQuan Jones is going to remain with the Bills at least at the start of the season. He's the only true veteran 1 tech on the team.  Carter looks like he's going to get some 1 tech reps.  Maybe he can bulk up some to handle the different demands of 1 tech as opposed to 3 tech.   Ten or fifteen pounds might make a big difference.  Deone Walker needs lots of coaching.  Unless he's a super quick learner, I don't see him getting more than a handful of reps in games.  The only other true 1 tech on the team is Zion Logue, the UDFA from a year ago who landed a PS spot last season.  He's a lot like Walker, tall and raw, though a bit lighter.  I don't know that he's any more ready to step in and take a regular rotation than Walker.  I think Walker will get a spot on the 53 because the Bills won't want to risk somebody signing him from the PS.  The bottom line is I think the Bills are stuck with Daquan Jones for the time being.  They will fill in with Walker and Carter to give him rest.  On some obvious passing downs I could see Oliver and Sanders together in the middle of the line. 

 

At defensive end, Rousseau is the best holdover they have.  He and Bosa would make a nice pair of bookends.  That's assuming Bosa can stay healthy.  I think the Bills believe Jackson can play a significant role in rotation.  So can Hoecht when he gets past his suspension.  Epenesa is a guy we all love to hate.  Once in a while he flashes, but most of the time he's invisible.  I think he says for the time being, not because he's great, but because he's a known quantity.  That may change when Hoecht comes off his suspension.  I think the Bills are hoping that Javon Solomon continues to develop and a smallish edge bending pass rusher.  He's the only guy like that the Bills have.  BTW, I think Hoecht will also take some snaps as a DT on obvious passing downs.