By CHUCK POLLOCK, Wellsville Sun Senior Sports Columnist
You won’t find out who the Bills’ final 53-man roster and 17-player practice squad are (including their international hopeful) until after 1 o’clock this afternoon when the waiver period closes.
On Sunday, Buffalo dispatched 30 players but over a dozen figure to get a second chance via the practice crew.
THE BILLS first swing on NFL Roster Countdown netted 14 players … 13 on waivers and one trade, none of them a surprise except the latter.
Second-year center Sedrick Van Pran Granger and a seventh-round draft pick was sent to the Colts for a sixth rounder (both in the 2027 lottery).
Van Pran Granger, from Georgia, a fifth-round draft choice in 2024, had been viewed as a backup to starting center Connor McGovern, but both were injured and former Titan, Lloyd Cushenberry. filled in at center and won the backup job.
Supposedly McGovern will return for Buffalo’s Sept. 13 opener at Houston.
Truthfully, the trade orchestrated by Bills general manager Brandon Beane, a young fifth-rounder with potential and a seventh round pick for a sixth rounder seems to tip the scale in the wrong direction.
Those 13 players released in the first wave of cuts: cornerbacks Jordan Dunbar and D.J. Miller, linebackers Cade Denhoff, Theron Gaines and Otis Reese IV, offensive lineman Bruno Fina (son of 1992 Buffalo first-round pick John, an offensive tackle), wide receivers Mecole Hardman Jr.,Dante Pettis, Mac Dalena and Quintin Skinner, defensive lineman Zion Logue, tight end Shayne Zylstra and safety Wande Owens.
BUT THE second set of cuts included cornerback Kani Walker, a surprise considering he played a position of depth need. Supposedly, according to Syracuse.com, he was promised a spot on the practice squad … but that isn’t a given.
For Buffalo to do that, Walker must survive the waiver wire, hardly a guarantee. Cornerback is one of the NFL’s most coveted positions and for him to make it through 26 positions (when Buffalo chooses on the waiver list) to league free agency is a longshot at best to merely make the practice squad.
Also axed on Sunday were third-string quarterback Steve Buechele plus running backs Ian Wheeler and Frank Gore who both out played No. 2 Ray Davis.
Also waived were guard Nick Broeker, linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo, cornerbacks De’Cory Crouch , Anthony Kendall and seventh-round draft choice Toriano Pride, veteran wide receiver Trent Sherfield, Stephen Gosnell , Max Tomzak and Ja’ Mori Maclin, linebackers Keonta Jenkins and Andre Jones Jr., offensive lineman Chris Lundt, a seventh-round pick, fullback Ben Summeren and safety George Stone, both veterans.
Players such as Sherfield and Stone were not subject to the traditional waiver system and became unrestricted free agents immediately upon release having four years experience.
Buffalo’s postion of need is outside cornerback where they have only three, with Walker being waived — starters Christian Benford, Maxwell Hairston and rookie draft choice Davison Igbinosun — are left.
In the event one of those three is injured, veteran nickel back Dee Alfred could move outside, though not his preference, with second-year pro Jordan Hancock moving into the nickel spot.
The injured lists included defensive lineman Zane Durant (reserve-injured, out for four weeks), cornerback Dorian Strong (reserve non-football injury), wide receiver Tyrell Shavers (Physically Unable to Perform) and defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis (suspended four games by NFL).
Bills who must clear waivers to be added to the practice squad are: Buechele, running backs Gore and Wheeler, wide receivers Gosnell, Maclin, Tomczak, Van Sumeren, offensive linemen Broeker, Lundt and Weatherspoon, defensive linemen Clayton (international player) and Jones, linebackers Ciarlo and Jenkins, defensive backs Couch, Kendall, Pride and Walker and Wishnowsky.
Among the survivors were offensive lineman Ar’ Reed-Adams, a seventh-round pick and two fourth rounders –wide receiver Skyler Bell and guard Jude Bowery, both fourth rounders. And, rather than keep a fullback, coach Joe Brady opted for a fourth tight end, Keleki Latu.
Punter Tommy Doman, a seventh-round choice, won the punting contest with Wishnowski.
We won’t know who cleared waivers until this afternoon and who the Bills signed. (See Chuck Pollock’s column on the 17 players the Bills signed HERE)
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
