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The Buffalo Bills liked what they saw from rookie guard O’Cyrus Torrence over the course of the preseason, and on Thursday revealed that he played his way into the starting lineup for Week 1.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on September 6 that Torrence’s strong performances earned him a spot over veteran Ryan Bates, who will be starting on the bench in the Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Jets.
The Bills are making a number of other roster moves ahead of their season opener, with two second-year players securing spots in the starting lineup.
Sean McDermott Praises Rookie’s ‘Workmanlike Approach’
Torrence will have a difficult test to begin his NFL career, starting against a Jets defensive line that is considered one of the best in the league. But McDermott said the rookie showed that he was up to every challenge he faced through offseason practices and the preseason.
The Bills coach added that Bates didn’t lose his position as much as Torrence won it.
“I’ll start with Ryan [Bates], he’s a really good football player,” McDermott said. “There’s nothing Ryan didn’t do. It was more of Cybo [Torrence] coming in as a young player and again taking it one play at a time, having a workmanlike approach to his game early on in spring and then in training camp again.”
As SI.com’s Anthony Licciardi noted, the 6-foot-5, 330-pound Torrence has “a combination of size and strength that few can match” and can rely on his pure power when technique fails him.
“Ultimately, starting Torrence elevates the ceiling of Buffalo’s offensive line. If Torrence’s current level of play is remotely similar to Bates’, it would be foolish not to explore that upside,” Licciardi wrote.
The move comes a day after the Bills made a change to Bates’ contract. As ESPN’s Field Yates reported on September 5, the team needed to create cap space before the start of the season.
“The Bills have restructured the contracts of G Ryan Bates and CB Taron Johnson, creating roughly $4.5M in 2023 cap space,” Yates reported.
Bills Rookie Ready to Learn From Teammates
Torrence spoke to reporters on Wednesday, saying his elevation to the starting lineup came as a surprise to him. Torrence said the notice came “out of the blue,” but said he’s ready to play and lean on veteran teammates.
The Bills will now have some veteran depth in Bates, who has played both guard and center during his time with the team and could be a valuable option off the bench.
McDermott announced that another pair of young players will be taking on important roles for Monday’s game against the Jets. Second-year linebacker Terrel Bernard was named the starter after a summer-long competition. Cornerback Christian Benford, a 2022 draft pick, also won the starting job over fellow second-year player Kaiir Elam.
McDermott shared praise for both players on Wednesday.
“We thought [Benford] did some good things when he was healthy and available,” McDermott said of Benford. “We’re confident in ‘TB’ and excited to watch him play. He’s gotta take it one play at a time.”