The Buffalo Bills could make some tough roster decisions.
Buffalo announced its 53-man roster and practice squad, and fan-favorite safety Damar Hamlin made the roster. He beat out veteran Geno Stone, who signed back to the practice squad while dealing with injuries in camp.
The Bills open up their season on Sept. 13 against the Houston Texans on the road.
Damar Hamlin Handed Harsh Outlook on Buffalo Bills Future
Buffalo brought back Hamlin on a one-year deal with not much guaranteed money, but he earned a spot on the roster.
Although Hamlin is back with the Bills, his future is murky, and Bills analyst Brandon Ray of FanSided believes he won’t be on the team next year.
“For the second consecutive offseason, the Bills brought back Damar Hamlin on a one-year deal and he managed to earn a roster spot going into the regular season,” Ray wrote. “Hamlin didn’t play much last season due to an injury, but he managed to impress the coaching staff during the preseason to take a roster spot from Geno Stone.
“The Bills will still have Cole Bishop under contract after this season, and they drafted Jalon Kilgore who could be a potential steal if he can develop his game over time. If the Bills have their starting safety duo in Bishop and Kilgore, or even if they decide to run it back with Bishop and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, it would make more sense for the Bills to draft another safety rather than bring Hamlin back on yet another one-year deal.”
Hamlin is a depth safety at this point in his career, so as Ray wrote, the Bills could easily draft another safety on Day 3 to replace him.
Hamlin has spent his entire NFL career with the Bills. Buffalo selected him in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He played in just 5 games last season due to injuries.
Buffalo Made Unique Decision on Secondary
The Bills announced their 53-man roster, and they had just three boundary corners.
It was noticeable to see only three boundary corners on the roster, but GM Brandon Beane explained the reasoning.
“I feel really good about what’s on the 53, I do,” Beane said. “Assuming you can stay healthy, that’s the one thing you can never predict. Obviously Christian speaks for himself. I’m excited about Max, IGB, and Dee Alford. …
“That’s the great thing about Dee, he is our starting nickel, but Jordan Hancock’s done a nice job. If we feel like we need to move Dee outside for an injury or whatever’s going on, we can do that as well. As we build our roster in different positions, we’re trying to have guys like the Hancock’s of the world that can play [multiple spots].”
The Bills are 1.5-point favorites against Houston in Week 1.
Bills Fan Favorite Safety Handed Harsh Outlook on Future