final cuts are in

[julian]

Can you imagine for a moment, if Youboty comes into his own this year...becoming the player they hoped for with a 3rd round pick. Our secondary may become the deepest in the NFL, and with Stroud and Poz allowing us to hopefully stop the run, making teams have to throw the ball....wait, stop now, forget it. i'm just getting all giddy with the possbilities.

 

Im getting super pumped!!!

[Pilsner]

What a relief, the Bill's cuts are in! I think they did a good job. Not an easy job though. I'm glad they kept Omon over Wright. It's hard cutting a 4th rounder though.

[billybob]

I'm not outraged by any of the cuts- kinda disappointing

[Original Byrd Man]

I to was glad to see so many of the rookies make the squad. I have liked what I've seen from Johnson and Xavier " The X-factor" Oman especially. I was intrigued by Wright last year but he fumbled his way off the squad. Better luck next time.

[Turn Down For Watkins]

Now the question is, who gets the boot when Peters reports? Hamden? Preston? Chamberlain? Bryan?

Murphy

[JM57]

Do you mean once they practice in camp?? Carnell (Cadillac) Williams reported to Tampa Bay's camp but wasn't able to practice/play so he went on PUP. He was working out pulling a weighted sled.

 

Cadillac had a pre-existing injury though, since he blew his knee out last season, not this year during camp. PUP is for guys who show up to camp and are still unable to participate in full contact football for whatever reason.

 

See:

Cadillac Williams (knee rehab)

Chris Brown (back injury from last season)

Joe Jurevicius (knee rehab + additional surgery)

Justin Harrell (back)

Dunta Robinson (knee)

David Tyree (knee)

Deion Branch (ACL rehab)

 

Most of these guys all ended up on the IR at the end of last season with the exception of Tyree, Brown, and I think Harrell, but all were injured last season and are still injured now.

[Gary M]

I'm not outraged by any of the cuts- kinda disappointing

 

I am, I just ordered my Dwayne Wright jersey.

[Flbillsfan#1]

huh? chamberlain?

 

It'd be Copeland Bryan - numbers on the DL.

 

We'll need Hamdan so we'll have a second guy who has been in the system next year when JP is gone.

Why? Judging from past history, the Bills will have new coaches & a new system next year.

[Flbillsfan#1]

I to was glad to see so many of the rookies make the squad. I have liked what I've seen from Johnson and Xavier " The X-factor" Oman especially. I was intrigued by Wright last year but he fumbled his way off the squad. Better luck next time.

I kept wondering last year why they didn't play Wright more. He must have fumbled a lot in practice last year.

[Steely Dan]

Congrats to Bell, the moment I heard his story, I was a fan.

I am a little concern about our lack of TEs, Royal and two injured undersized guys

 

I hope they don't cut him when Peters reports. When the Bills make the SB that's going to become a national story and I hope Malone is embarrassed by the media for months.

 

 

 

Can you imagine for a moment, if Youboty comes into his own this year...becoming the player they hoped for with a 3rd round pick. Our secondary may become the deepest in the NFL, and with Stroud and Poz allowing us to hopefully stop the run, making teams have to throw the ball....wait, stop now, forget it. i'm just getting all giddy with the possbilities.

 

Im getting super pumped!!!

 

I hope I'm wrong for wanting the Bills to trade him. If he carries his pre-season play over to the regular season the Bills will have a deep DB crew. What was a problem last year could become a strength in one year.

 

 

I am, I just ordered my Dwayne Wright jersey.

 

Haven't you read Dibs' tagline?

 

 

I kept wondering last year why they didn't play Wright more. He must have fumbled a lot in practice last year.

 

Jauron called him out for lack of preparation last year. I think he was a sWillis type player without the talent.

[Lori]

Do you mean once they practice in camp?? Carnell (Cadillac) Williams reported to Tampa Bay's camp but wasn't able to practice/play so he went on PUP. He was working out pulling a weighted sled.

Correct. Once a player is placed on the active roster on or after the first day of training camp, even if it's just for a single practice, he is no longer eligible for the reserve/PUP list.

 

As for Dwayne Wright, I knew he was doomed as soon as he chose #31.

 

Obscure trivia time: supposedly because the player in the original AFL Bills logo wore number 31, that jersey was never issued during the first nine seasons of the team's existence. Backup running back Preston Ridlehuber was the first to wear it, in 1969. He does have one claim to fame, throwing a game-winning halfback-option touchdown pass to Haven Moses against the Patriots, but he was gone after that year. Ever since then, just two players -- cornerbacks J.D. Williams (1990-92, before switching to #29) and Ray Jackson (1996-98) -- have managed to stay on the roster for more than one season after donning the 31 jersey.

 

Lennox Gordon? Lance Brown? Charlie Rogers? Sammy Morris, who switched to 31 before the 2003 season when Sam Gash came back to reclaim his 33? One-and-done, every one of them. Now, you can apparently add Wright's name to that list.

 

I suppose I probably shouldn't mention the history (Booth Lusteg, the kicker who was beaten up by Bills fans) of the jersey (Vince Ferragamo: 9 games, 5 TD passes, 17 INTs) currently being worn (Cole Ford, last seen shooting at Siegfried and Roy's house) by Trent Edwards ...

[Pyrite Gal]

So the breakdown is thus:

QB-3

RB-3

FB-1

WR-6

TE-3

OL-9 (including the injured Murphy but excluding the absent Peters)

DE-6 (including LS Ryan Neill)

DT-4

LB-5

CB-5

S-6

K-1

P-1

 

I thought they'd keep 6 LB's and 4 or 5 safeties. I also don't understand not putting Murphy on IR Murphy, except that they expect Peters to report and didn't want to save a roster spot for someone who would end-up getting cut a few days later and be disappointed.

The key as to whether they keep 1 less or more than expected at most positions and particularly regarding LBs and DBs is not how these players perform at these positions but how they perform on ST where these players will or will not contribute to this team.

 

If we have to go more than 2 deep at any position we are in big trouble. All the guys who made this team and are listed as 3rd string on the depth chart made this team not because of their position play but because of their ST play.

 

Even at positions like SLB, if Crowell cannot answer the call our choice is likely to go with DeGregorio even though he is listed as a back-up only at MLB on the depth chart and this allows us to keep only 5 functioning LBs.

 

It was also nice to see this team only keep 1 FB and actually only have 1 functional TE because this speaks to the likelihood that our base O is actually gonna be the spread offense with Lynch as the lone setback in most cases. I'd look for Parrish to get a lot of time with us in 3 WR sets and I think this is good because I think Lynch will actually run better in a spread offense or if the other team is playing with their nickel to deal with the 3 WR set.

[BillnutinHouston]

Having only 1 healthy TE on opening day, when you have Walker and Chambers at the tackle spots (both of whom need "chipping" help from the TE) scares me a bit.

[d_wag]

The key as to whether they keep 1 less or more than expected at most positions and particularly regarding LBs and DBs is not how these players perform at these positions but how they perform on ST where these players will or will not contribute to this team.

 

If we have to go more than 2 deep at any position we are in big trouble. All the guys who made this team and are listed as 3rd string on the depth chart made this team not because of their position play but because of their ST play.

 

Even at positions like SLB, if Crowell cannot answer the call our choice is likely to go with DeGregorio even though he is listed as a back-up only at MLB on the depth chart and this allows us to keep only 5 functioning LBs.

 

It was also nice to see this team only keep 1 FB and actually only have 1 functional TE because this speaks to the likelihood that our base O is actually gonna be the spread offense with Lynch as the lone setback in most cases. I'd look for Parrish to get a lot of time with us in 3 WR sets and I think this is good because I think Lynch will actually run better in a spread offense or if the other team is playing with their nickel to deal with the 3 WR set.

 

i don't necessarily agree......i think people get so caught up in the "53 man" roster that they forget that you only get to dress 45 guys on gameday........so, for example, even if a depth WR is useless on ST that doesn't necessarily matter because he probably won't dress on gameday unless there is an injury.......and if there is an injury, he'll likely be not asked to play special teams but to assume that role of a quality WR because that better suits his skill set

 

everyone just needs to keep in mind that players like bell, johnson, corto, and copeland probably aren't going to dress on gameday.......and that of course applies to injured players like fine, schouman, and murphy as well, making it less significant that they are still on the roster

 

as well, as noted by other posters, corto is a LB now so the bills are keeping 6 there (as they usually do).......i'd expect 5 to dress on gameday

[eball]

Kudos to the Bills' staff for the following:

 

-- keeping both Justin Jenkins and Steve Johnson at WR

-- cutting Will James in favor of Merton Hanks...err...Ashton Youboty, who clearly showed improvement and looks like he finally "gets it"

-- dropping the walking fumble machine, Dwayne Wright (by the way, check out this photo -- the first thought I had was "he's ready to fumble")

-- keeping only three TEs despite injury problems at the position (showing they will keep players "who can play" regardless of position)

 

The only mild "surprise" to me was the retention of Copeland Bryan at DE. I guess I just didn't follow his play very much.

 

Also interesting was the retention of Matt Murphy on the active roster -- might that mean he's not having surgery this season, or is he merely "holding" the roster spot to be occupied by Peters when he returns off the "reserve" list?

 

Corto is now a LB so they kept six at the position, not five as noted in the "official" roster.

 

Good job, Jauron et al. This is a decent looking group heading into the season, to be made only better when Jason wakes up and reports.

[stevewin]

I know I am in the minority on this - but I absolutely hate the situation where a dedicated long snapper takes up a roster spot (and contributes no where else). I know "it's a special skill", "the exchange is so critical", "games are won and lost" blah blah blah. I think you should be able to teach some contributing lineman how to do it - identify a couple - work with them all year and tell them to work on it all offseason.

[SwampD]

I know I am in the minority on this - but I absolutely hate the situation where a dedicated long snapper takes up a roster spot (and contributes no where else). I know "it's a special skill", "the exchange is so critical", "games are won and lost" blah blah blah. I think you should be able to teach some contributing lineman how to do it - identify a couple - work with them all year and tell them to work on it all offseason.

I would bet that most if not all "on the bubble" NFL linemen already do that to make themselves more valuable. And I don't look at it as wasting a roster spot. By making sure that the exchange is good when punting or kicking, the long snapper contributes way more to the amount of yards and points our team gets in a game than some third string O-lineman(who may be a better blocker) that gets in for four plays a game.

[VOR]

Ideally you'd like your LS to be a starter or primary backup at another position. But most LS are specialists these days.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

I suppose I probably shouldn't mention the history (Booth Lusteg, the kicker who was beaten up by Bills fans) of the jersey (Vince Ferragamo: 9 games, 5 TD passes, 17 INTs) currently being worn (Cole Ford, last seen shooting at Siegfried and Roy's house) by Trent Edwards ...

 

Lori, that last comment made me laugh out loud... As the kids say (or used to say, I am falling behind on my slang), you totally rock!

[Cash]

Ideally you'd like your LS to be a starter or primary backup at another position. But most LS are specialists these days.

 

I think most teams don't want that, because that makes your LS much more likely to get injured, and it's not a position you usually have a backup for.