By CHUCK POLLOCK, Wellsville Sun Senior Sports Columnist
If you thought the Bills were dumping nearly a fourth of their regular-season roster with the waiving of 30 players at the NFL cutdown date on Sunday afternoon … in the immortal words of former Indiana football coach, Lee Corso, “Not so fast.”
Come Monday’s purging of the NFL’s waiver wire, Buffalo had reclaimed 13 of the players it had cut a day earlier plus three others from other teams.
Buffalo reclaimed coveted cornerback rookie Kani Walker, plus fellow corner Anthony Kendall. The re-signing of Walker seemed to right a major wrong in the initial cuts as he seemed safe on cutdown day. . Also brought back was veteran wide freceiver Trent Sherfield, who had a great camp, plus Steven Gosnell and Ja. Mori Macklin plus former Lion and Cardinal, Greg Dortch.
Also returned was running back Frank Gore II, plus third-string quarterback Steve Buechele, plus defensive back De.Cory Crouch, safety George Stone, rookie guard/tackle Chris Lundt, linebackers Keonte Jenkins and Andre Jones and veteran guard Nick Boeker. Lundt proved to be too slow to play tackle and was switched to guard.
BESIDES Dortch, the other two veteran players signed were linebacker were Shaq Thompson, who played 14 game with the Bills last season, and former Bear and Brown offensive tackle Jedrick Willis.
The final protected signing was defensive lineman Travis Clayton, switched from offense, an international player who came to the Bills via England.
Three former Buffalo players were signed by other teams: fullback Ben Sumeren by Kansas City, seventh-round cornerback Toriano Pride by Cleleland and punter Mitch Wishnowsky.
According to veteran NFL writer Howard Balzer, the most popular positions activated were cornerback and linebacker with 6, followed by offensive tackle 5; defensive tackle 3; tight end, center 2; guard, running back, quarterback, safety, kicker 1.
Up to six signings of free agents per team can be veterans.
Based on the max total of 17 players, there would be 544 players on practice squads. As of the 6 pm deadline, there were 438 signed of which 92 were veterans and 22 international players. That leaves a max total of 106 that can still be signed. Only Buffalo, Denver, the L.A. Rams and Seattle filled all 17 spots on Monday.
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
