The Buffalo Bills will hold their first practice of training camp Wednesday. There will be a lot of new faces in attendance after an offseason overhaul. That could leave some high-profile names on the cut line as the roster gets trimmed to 53 players.
Although there’s been some conversation it could be a retooling year in Buffalo after the departures of Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Micah Hyde, and Jordan Poyer, among others, the Bills won’t simply throw away a year of Josh Allen’s prime. They’re still trying to contend.
In turn, there could be some surprising roster cuts as general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott try to field the most competitive team possible in 2024.
Stars on Bills Roster Bubble Ahead of Training Camp
Von Miller (EDGE)
Miller was one of the NFL’s worst players in 2023. He recorded three total tackles and zero sacks despite making 12 appearances. The lackluster production in his return from a torn ACL was particularly worrisome because it came in the second season of a six-year, $120 million contract.
Players often return closer to their usual form in the second year after a torn ACL. Whether that’ll be the case for a 35-year-old veteran entering his 14th season is less certain, though. It’s quite possible the future Hall of Famer’s days as an impact player are over.
For his part, Miller told Pat Benson of Sports Illustrated he shouldn’t have played at all in 2023.
“My biggest individual goal is just getting back to playing my style of football. It’s crazy how you get injured, and you come back, and you really shouldn’t have even been playing, and people judge you by a product on the field,” he said in June. “I could have easily sat out all of last season, but I couldn’t do my teammates like that. I felt like being later in my career, I didn’t want to sacrifice any of my years. But at the same time, I shouldn’t have been out there.”
Now, as he attempts to lock down a Bills roster spot, he says the ultimate goal hasn’t changed.
“The biggest team goal is bringing the first Super Bowl to Buffalo,” Miller said. “Everyone feels like they deserve it, and they work hard, but Buffalo Bills fans and Western New York they deserve it, man. They do so much for our community and our football team.”
Buffalo will likely carry five defensive ends. Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa are locks barring injury. That leaves Miller to compete with Dawuane Smoot, Casey Toohill, Kingsley Jonathan, Kameron Cline and rookie Javon Solomon for one of three available roster spots. He wins that competition easily if healthy, but it’s unclear how much he has left in the tank.
While cutting Miller would only save $280,000 for this season, the savings increase greatly over the remaining three years of his deal. So, if he still doesn’t look like an eight-time Pro Bowler during camp, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Bills move on.
Damar Hamlin (Safety)
Hamlin should have won last year’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award after returning from a life-threatening heart condition to play five games for the Bills last season. He played a larger role in 2022, tallying 91 total tackles in 15 contests.
His roster spot is less secure in 2024 as the Bills work to replace Hyde and Poyer. Mike Edwards, Taylor Rapp, and rookie Cole Bishop all have an inside track on making the team. It leaves one opening for Hamlin or Cam Lewis, and it’s likely 50/50 going into camp.
The 26-year-old University of Pittsburgh product has long stated playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers would be a “dream.” It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him land there if he’s eventually cut by the Bills.
“I think ending my career and finishing as a Pittsburgh Steeler would be a dream,” Hamlin told KDKA’s Madeline Bartos in February. “I played at Pitt, so you know, I was in the stadium, I played at Heinz Field probably for like eight years straight, between WPIAL championships and Pitt, so a dream come true would be finishing my career as a Steeler.”
If he makes the Bills roster, his main contributions will probably come on special teams.
Tyler Bass (Kicker)
Bass missed a potential game-tying kick inside the final two minutes of a season-ending 27-24 postseason loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in January. It capped a forgettable season for the kicker. He failed to connect on eight of his 34 field-goal attempts between the regular season and playoffs.
In turn, it’s borderline shocking the Bills didn’t bring in true competition for the 27-year-old South Carolina native. It’s likely an effort to boost his confidence heading into training camp. His roster spot shouldn’t be secure if his struggle continues, though.
Bass did make over 87 percent of his field goals in both 2021 and 2022. So it’s understandable the Bills want to give him every chance to bounce back. He was trending toward becoming one of the NFL’s top kickers before the sudden decline.
If his struggles carry over to the early stages of camp, however, Buffalo will probably add a veteran kicker to compete for the final few preseason games. In other words, Bass’ roster spot isn’t as secure as it may look at first glance.
Main Photo: Tina MacIntyre-Yee /Rochester Democrat and Chronicle-USA TODAY NETWORK
