Pollock: With no one stepping up, McDermott's roster decisions for the Buffalo Bills just got tougher

A column by CHUCK POLLOCK, Sun Senior Sports Columnist

NFL head coaches will tell you the absolute worst part of their job is cutdown day.

Trimming a 90-man roster to 53 for the regular season is brutal emotionally. Oh, 16 of those 37 cuts will likely emerge on the practice squad and a few may survive via injured reserve but the reality is, nearly 20 players who have given their all physically likely will have seen their pro football careers come to an end.

And for Bills coach Sean McDermott, Tuesday afternoon at 4 o’clock will come way too soon because this year’s cutdown is even more complicated than usual.

Buffalo’s 31-26 loss to Carolina Saturday afternoon at Highmark Stadium gave him little insight and, indeed, it provided another positional concern — running back — to go with quarterback, safety, linebacker and wide receiver.

Problem No. 1 was that although he played no first stringers, the second- and third-teams didn’t step up the way he had expected/hoped.

And one who did, rookie free agent running back Frank Gore Jr. became part of another short position.

He capped a team-leading rushing preseason with 18 carries for 101 yards. But on his last one, Gore suffered a knee injury of undetermined severity. And that was piling on as veteran Darryton Evans, who earlier scored the Bills first touchdown of the preseason, left the game with a hamstring pull, which historically is a slow-healing injury.

That left Buffalo without a running back as no way starter James Cook, backup rookie Ray Davis, fullback Reggie Gilliam or No. 3 back Ty Johnson, who saw action only as a kickoff returner, were going to be sent in.

Thus, the Bills’ second touchdown was scored by veteran wide receiver K.J. Hamler, recruited in desperation, to play running back.

BUT THAT POSITION back is the least of McDermott’s roster priorities.

Start with quarterback.

While starter Josh Allen, fortuitously, is healthy after being benched for the last two preseason games, backup Mitch Trubisky, who suffered a knee in last week’s loss to the Steelers, is out indefinitely, but could be ready for next Sunday’s season opener against Arizona. But what if he isn’t? Does the job go to Ben DINinno after Shane Buechele who went on injured reserve after suffering a neck injury in the preseason opener?. Or, does McDermott cover his posterior by also keeping Anthony Brown, signed after Trubisky was hurt . It all comes down to timing.

Then there’s safety where Damar Hamlin, Mike Edwards (both hamstrings) , and rookie second-round draft choice Cole Bishop (shoulder) are out. Starter Taylor Rapp is healthy but he needs a partner as Cam Lewis, a cornerback/safety, is a stopgap, and none of those four is the second coming of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde … at least not yet.

Linebacker got an unexpected boost as former Lancaster High School star and UB’s dependable inside backer Joe Andreessen, who made the team at a local team tryout, stood out again. He was a longshot to make the Buffalo practice squad but now is even money to make the 53 with the immediate futures of Baylon Spector (calf) and Nick Morrow (groin) uncertain.

And, finally, there’s wide receiver where only rookie second-round pick Keon Coleman and Kahlil Shakir, the only Buffalo wideout caught a touchdown pass last season, are sure starters, the other, free agent Curtis Samuel, is still out with turf toe.

Next in line are Marquez Valdes-Scantling (neck) and Mack Hollins. But if the Bills keep six wideouts or more, seven are vying for those positions and none has stood out.

WHEN ASKED about cutdown day, McDermott admitted, “It’s extremely difficult, the relationships that we have formed with these young men, it’s the conversations that we’re able to have whether it’s the spring, St. John Fisher at camp, the trip to Pittsburgh or the off-times in between the schedule and meetings you get to realize these guys are real human beings that have real lives and are trying to make it and you feel for them. This is a tough business. As I shared with them last night, they’re all going to be just fine (no matter what happens) and that’s important to know because of the life skills they’ve picked up from playing football.

“I want them to know that whatever happens, they’re prepared either way.”’

(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)

Pollock: With no one stepping up, McDermott’s roster decisions for the Buffalo Bills just got tougher

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