By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
The landscape of NFL training camps has changed in recent years. There’s no longer a middle cut during camp. Teams will carry around 90 (91 in the Bills’ case in 2019 with Christian Wade) all the way until the end of the preseason and final cuts.
Getting down to a 53-man roster means a lot of guys are on the “roster bubble” for an extended time during camp. In regard to the Bills’ opening day roster, there are plenty of guys with their names jotted down in pen, but that’s not the case for everyone.
With that, here are 11 Bills players who are squarely on the team’s “roster bubble” as we await the start of camp:
OL Russell Bodine
Bodine appeared in 10 games for the Bills during his first season with the team. After Eric Wood’s abrupt retirement last offseason, Buffalo’s front office was left scrambling for answers to replace him. Bodine took his knocks on his way out of Cincy and from Bills fans last season, but he was average, not awful. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked as the 18th best center in the NFL once he took over for Ryan Groy as the team’s starter. It could’ve been worse, but with Mitch Morse signing, the Bills want better.
And the starting job is Morse’s, so where does that leave Bodine? He could factor into the discussion at guard, but the Bills have several other options that are also versatile. Bodine will have to prove his worth at camp.
DE Eddie Yarbrough
For the past two seasons, the Bills have employed Yarbrough as their fourth defensive end behind Jerry Hughes, Shaq Lawson, and as of last year, Trent Murphy. Yarbrough’s had a decent track record against the run, but on passing downs, he only has one sack in how two-year stint with the Bills.
Buffalo added competition for him this offseason in guys like Eli Harold and all of them are viewed as better pass rushers than Yarbrough has been in the past. So the path for Yarbrough to keep his spot is pretty simple: Improve his pass rushing.
Much easier said than done, though.
FB Patrick DiMarco
During his two seasons in Buffalo, DiMarco’s done next to nothing offensively. He has three carries and 10 catches. Combine that with the three new running backs the Bills brought in (Frank Gore, Devin Singletary, TJ Yeldon) while still having LeSean McCoy on the roster and things might not be looking good for DiMarco.
But really the biggest factor for DiMarco is his job as a special teamer. That’s where he plays his biggest role for the Bills. So that comes down to Heath Farwell, Buffalo’s new special teams coordinator. Will Farwell like his contributions enough to convince the team to keep him around? Plus, head coach Sean McDermott calls DiMarco a locker room leader. But again, there’s Gore, a 14-year vet, now in the fold, too.
QB Tyree Jackson
It’s far too early to write off Jackson. The University at Buffalo product didn’t see much of any playing time during mandatory minicamp, though. With limited reps to go around, keep an eye on how many opportunities the team gives Jackson during training camp. Matt Barkley took some second- and third-team reps during the spring.
Jackson’s status also comes down to McDermott’s feelings on the rest of the roster. In the past, the Bills have kept only two quarterbacks, but have been burned in doing so. The Bills were extremely lucky when Joe Webb came in and led them to victory in 2017 vs. the Colts. Plus, the team started four quarterbacks last season alone. Has the coaching staff’s thoughts on only keeping two QBs shifted to now keeping three? If so, Jackson’s in. But if not, he might have to prove his worth, because he would likely be signed by another team if the Bills tried to sneak him there.
RB T.J. Yeldon
Prior to the NFL draft, nobody expected the Bills to take a running back – at least not in the early rounds. But they did in Devin Singletary (third round). No one expected it because the final free agent addition before the draft was Yeldon, who’s not exactly old himself (25).
It’s a packed house on paper in the backfield and we’ll have to wait and see how things unfold in training camp. Yeldon might be one of the most versatile running backs the Bills have because he’s a skilled pass catcher. However, unlike DiMarco, he doesn’t really have much special teams experience which might hurt his chances of cracking the final roster.
S Rafael Bush
Bush saw some run in the Bills’ starting defense at the end of 2018. When Taron Johnson (shoulder) was shut down, Bush got his shot. The results were mixed. Perhaps that, combined with his age (32), convinced the Bills to try and upgrade.
There’s now rookie Jaquan Johnson vying for playing time behind starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer at safety and during spring practices, second-year pro Siran Neal turned some heads. Neal would fit better into Bush’s current role as the “big nickel” slot cornerback, so Bush will have to hold him off to keep his spot. The team could keep both, but likely only if they see Bush as a significant upgrade.
OL LaAdrian Waddle
Waddle came to the Bills as a player that had a good shot at the start right tackle position. When the NFL draft rolled around, Cody Ford, once a presumed first-round pick, fell to the Bills in the second round. Ford, plus Ty Nsekhe, makes it a packed house on the outside of the offensive line.
Dion Dawkins likely returns to left tackle, while right tackle appears to be a three-way battle between Waddle, Ford, and Nsekhe. In some cases, a team keeps two starters and a “swing tackle,” who’s usually the third guy that backs up both. Nsekhe was one of the best in the NFL in that role with the Redskins, so he could have the upper-hand on Waddle. If the Bills keep four tackles, Jeremiah Sirles could also be a depth option that edges out Waddle based on his versatility.
OL Jeremiah Sirles
Speaking of Sirles, he’s a prime bubble candidate, as well. He’s likely not a talented enough player to grab a starting role with the Bills since the team brought in upwards of eight new offensive linemen to battle for spots, but he is still valuable.
There are other versatile linemen, too – ome who can play guard and tackle, and some who can play on the left or right side of the line. Sirles is really the only one – or has the most experience, at least – who has played all three positions at some point in his college and pro career, center included. Sirles can be a plug-and-go guy anywhere. It’s a valuable tool, but do the Bills value it enough to keep him?
TE Jason Croom
Croom’s placement on the bubble could extend the longest. Buffalo signed Tyler Kroft to be the presumed starter, but a foot injury could reportedly keep him out of the lineup until the regular season. If he misses playing time, Croom could be kept around a few weeks. Once Kroft comes back, Croom could then be cut.
Currently, the Bills also have Dawson Knox, who’s likely a lock for a roster spot as a third-round rookie pick, as well as Lee Smith. Buffalo seems motivated to keep the blocking tight end in Smith as the team signed him to a three-year deal. But things could change and Croom could outplay the rest of the group or convince the coaching staff to keep four tight ends. That’s what he’ll have to do to stick around.
WR Duke Williams
The Bills don’t have a No. 1 wideout. Instead, they have a bunch of smaller options. The typical top playmaker for an NFL team is big, bulky, and you can’t do a damn thing to stop him. Williams, at nearly 6-foot-5, is the only player the Bills roster who fits that mold. But he must prove he has the talent that can translate from the CFL to the NFL that’s worthy of a roster spot.
Of Buffalo’s top four wideouts, only Zay Jones could mold into a No. 1 target. John Brown and Robert Foster, who’s actually 6-foot-2 like Jones, are smaller-frame guys that are burners. Jones has a thicker frame than Foster, so he has a better chance to bulk up, but we won’t know if Jones or Williams can take on that role at the NFL level until pads get on in training camp and during the preseason. Williams may not factor into the discussion as a special teamer, either.
WR Isaiah McKenzie
Like Williams, McKenzie could have an uphill climb just based on numbers. He could factor into the special teams discussion a returner, but he doesn’t offer much different than Buffalo’s top four targets. During his first season with the Bills, he worked exclusively out of the slot and he’ll have to battle Cole Beasley for playing time. The veteran will start, so McKenzie’s head-to-head battle for the backup role in the slot could be with Ray-Ray McCloud.
Additionally, one must consider how many wide receivers the Bills will keep next season, too. It could be anywhere from five to seven, depending on how special teams shakes out. Nothing will be guaranteed for McKenzie so he’ll enter camp firmly on the bubble.