BUFFALO -- The Buffalo Bills open the 2024 NFL regular season against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 8 at Highmark Stadium.
The Bills continue to deal with a variety of injuries to key players and additions this offseason that will impact the start of the season. To what extent is still to be seen. Questions linger around wide receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling (neck) and Curtis Samuel (toe), injuries in the linebackers and safeties rooms, and what to do at backup quarterback. Setting up this roster at cut-down day will be a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, and the new rule that two players can be designated to return on cut-down day will be used, in addition to likely further adjustments to injured reserve after the initial cuts.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection for the Bills:
QUARTERBACK (2): Josh Allen, Mitch Trubisky
Handling the Trubisky situation won't be easy, especially since the team traditionally goes with just two QBs on the 53. He will miss multiple weeks with the knee injury suffered in the second preseason game. Since the injury isn't season-ending, with the current roster, he should still be the primary backup despite underperforming in the preseason. But injured reserve for Trubisky remains a possibility, which would force Buffalo to look elsewhere at the position.
RUNNING BACKS (3): James Cook, Ty Johnson, Ray Davis
With Johnson back healthy, the Buffalo running backs room is set for the season. Johnson is in the mix for RB2, and although usage among the room will be something to watch as the season gets going, making cuts here is straightforward.
FULLBACKS (1): Reggie Gilliam
A core special teams player (84.9% of snaps last season), Gilliam is set for his fifth straight season in Buffalo. He'll contribute at times on offense under coordinator Joe Brady, who is set for his first full season in the role.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6): Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, Keon Coleman, Mack Hollins, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Tyrell Shavers
This position group notably had the back half of the group up in the air coming into camp. Now with the season around the corner, the biggest question lies in whether the team will decide to keep six receivers on the active roster -- with Shavers the clear pick for that sixth spot. Having two of these six players dealing with injuries is certainly reason for concern -- especially Samuel's turf toe -- and starting the season not at full force is a very possible reality for this group.
TIGHT ENDS (3): Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Quintin Morris
The question for the tight ends is how, or whether, Morris' injury will impact his spot on the roster at cut-down day. A key special teams player and the team's No. 3 tight end, Morris still gets a spot -- but could be an injured reserve candidate -- on this projection. From a special teams perspective, and in his overall role, Morris has been ahead of Zach Davidson, who has flashed as a receiver at times during camp. Special teams is how these final roles are earned, and Morris gets the nod.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (10): Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, Connor McGovern, O'Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown, Ryan Van Demark, La'el Collins, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Alec Anderson, Tylan Grable
Most of the spots on the offensive line are locked in, but there is a question mark surrounding Collins, 31, who has struggled at times during camp. The impact of his previous injuries and his age is becoming evident. He is a very possible option to be cut at the deadline -- and then re-sign with the team once the roster settles down -- to create a roster spot at a different position or even along the line.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (9): Greg Rousseau, AJ Epenesa, Von Miller, Dawuane Smoot, Javon Solomon, Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, Austin Johnson, DeWayne Carter
The defensive line is directly impacted by the final roster spots available. Those fighting for the last spots include tackle DeShawn Williams and defensive ends Casey Toohill and Kingsley Jonathan. Jonathan, who has been playing well, could make the roster, given his potential to be claimed on waivers by another team, but he played late into the last preseason game and, with limited roster spots, might fit better with the practice squad.
LINEBACKERS (5): Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, Nicholas Morrow, Baylon Spector, Edefuan Ulofoshio
Matt Milano, who is still on the active roster, is in line to be placed on injured reserve with a designation to return. Linebacker is one of the positions that has been most impacted by injuries, with Morrow missing a significant portion of training camp, putting his roster spot in jeopardy. This is an injured group, so injured reserve designations could be a factor after the initial roster is set. University of Buffalo undrafted free agent and Buffalo native Joe Andreessen would be a great story to get on the roster (and could end up getting a spot to protect him from waivers) but might be a better fit on the practice squad.
CORNERBACKS (6): Rasul Douglas, Christian Benford, Taron Johnson, Kaiir Elam, Daequan Hardy, Ja'Marcus Ingram
The last spot in this group is going to Hardy, who has earned the returner job -- the position the Bills drafted him for -- and also based on some standout performances on defense. Ingram has put together an impressive camp and earned a spot on this roster.
SAFETIES (5): Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin, Cam Lewis, Cole Bishop, Mike Edwards
Overall, this group is moving in the right direction healthwise with the season around the corner, notably with Bishop, a rookie, and Edwards, a new free agent addition, being brought back into the fold at practice. Despite the lack of practice time, this is the best group of safeties the Bills have. It remains a position of concern.
SPECIALISTS (3): Tyler Bass, Sam Martin, Reid Ferguson
With no competition on the roster for any of the specialist positions, this group is locked in. Bass, however, has had an inconsistent camp, especially on longer kicks. That could become a real problem if it extends into the season.