Your All Time 53 Man Bills Roster…Whose on it?

[Wizard]

With 50+ years of AFL and NFL history and probably 1,500 or so players that have represented the Bills in a game, who would be your all-time 53 man roster? You can find my attempt at building what I consider to be the best overall roster.

 

How many quarterbacks do you keep? Which great player gets left off because of positional depth? Is your team represented throughout the decades or does it represent the time you first became a fan? Curious to hear your process and all-time team!

 

Resource and Criteria

1.  I used this database to help me remember and comb through names…https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/alltime-roster?letter=B

2.  My Criteria for choosing players was based on 4 things

• The player spent 2 or more years on the roster
• I picked players I thought would be quality players regardless of era or football rules. These players would fill their role well in any era.
• Position mattered. I was looking for my best team. I would rather have that 6th CB over say my 8th top RB in Bills history.
• I tried to look at what the player did as a Buffalo Bill and not based on what they may have done before or after their time with Bills.

 

Offense (26)

QB: Allen, Kelly

RB:  Simpson, Thomas, McCoy, F. Jackson, C. Gilchrist

WR:  Reed, Diggs, Lofton, Moulds, Evans, Beebe, Tasker

TE: Metzelaars, Riemersma
OT: Peters, Ballard, Fina, Wolford, Glenn (G/T)

OG: Joe Delamielleure, R. Brown, Shaw 

C. Hull, Wood
 

Special Teams (2)

K. Christie

P. Moorman

ST: Tasker/T. McGhee (both listed on offense or defense unit)

 

Defense (25)

DE: Bruce Smith, Paup, Hughes, M. Williams, P. Hansen

DT: S. Adams, Smerlas, K. Williams, T. Washington, P. Williams

LB: Bennett, Conlan, Fletcher, Milano, Spikes

CB/DB: N. Clements, A. Winfield, T. White, “Gilmore Girl”, T. McGhee, Odomes

FS/SS: B. Byrd, H. Jones, Poyer, Hyde

 

My Last 10 Cuts 

• Ferguson, MaGuire, Edwards, Schobel, Lynch, K. Davis, Beasley, Dawkins, Richter, M. Patton

 

Notable Defense Cuts: Handful of DB’s (tempted to keep Ko Simpson. He’s worth millions.), Cunningham, Edwards, Haslett, Guidry, Stratton, Patton, MaGuire,Dunaway, Kadish , P. C. Kelsay, Schobel, Jeffcoat

Notable Offense Cuts:

Joe Ferguson, Frank Reich, Marshawn Lynch, K. Davis, Henry, McGahee, Beasley, Owens (1 year), Watkins, K. McKellar, B. Rolle, C. Dawkins, R. McKenzie, Ritcher,  Parker, Bemiller, Grant, Morse

Notable ST Cuts: Lindell, Bass, C. Mohr

 

What’s your team all-time Bills team?
 

Let’s Go Buffalo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[maddenboy]

strong work, sir.

 

Offense: 

-I would consider a FB and delete a RB.  Sam Gash, maybe?

-I would delete L. McCoy at RB and replace with either Joe Cribbs (shifty) or Travis Henry (super productive and reliable).

-i would consider WR Bob Chandler or Jerry Butler (neither made your final cuts, even).  Delete Tasker (as WR) or Beebe or Lee Evans.

 

Defense:

-I think you nailed DT

-I dont think Milano belongs anywhere near any of this at LB, including the final cuts.  Rather have Darryl Talley over Fletcher (tackle catcher)

-I cant fault your FS/SS much, but I'd try to find a place for Lawyer Milloy.  Changed the attitude on D.  And I dont remember Kurt Schulz or The Great Kazoo (Mark Kelso) making many mistakes

 

Notable final cuts:

-Da'Rick Rodgers

-Mike Jasper (obv)

 

Edited September 6, 2021 by maddenboy

[oldmanfan]

Oh man, this will be tough.  Let me give it a shot:

 

QB:  Kelly, Kemp 

RB:  Simpson, Thomas, Gilchrist

FB:  Braxton

WR:  Reed, Moulds, Butler, Diggs, Dubenion, Tasker

OL:

 

[oldmanfan]

Let's keep going, hit the wrong button

 

QB:  Kelly, Kemp

RB:  Simpson, Thomas, Gilchrist

FB: Braxton, Carleton

WR:  Reed, Moulds, Butler, Diggs, Beasley, Moore (Rashad),Tasker

O line:  Hull, Joe D, Shaw, Ballard, Peters (starters), McKensie, Barber, Bemiller, Ritcher, Wolford (backups)

D line:  Smith, McDole, Sestak, Washington (starters) Smerlas, Schoebel, P Williams, Hughes, Day

LB:  Stratton, Fletcher, Bennett (starters), Conley, Talley, Paup, Jacobs (backups)

CB:  Egerson, White, Clements, James, Byrd, Odomes

S:  Saimes, Greene, Poyer, Hyde

ST:  Bass, Moorman, Ferguson 

[jjmac]

Wizard, no love for Jim Braxton?

[1ManRaid]

Your own rules say spent 2 years on the roster, but put Diggs on the list with only 1 year.

[cwater10]

QB: Kelly, Allen

RB: Thomas, Simpson, Gilchrist, Cribbs

FB: Braxton

OL: Wolford, McKenzie, Dellamielliure, Shaw, Hull, Ritcher (flex G/C) Ballard

WR: Reed, Moulds, Butler, Chandler, Diggs (if eligible) , F Lewis

TE:  Metzellars, Seymour (blocking), McKellar, Rolle (red zone)

 

DL: Bruce, K Williams, F Smerlas, M Kadish, T Washington, J Hughes, P Hansen, A Schoebel

LB: Bennet, Talley, Haslett, Conlan, S Nelson, T Spikes

CB: R James, T White, N Odomes, N Clemments, A Winfield, C Romes

S:  T Greene, B Byrd, H Jones, Saimes, M Hyde (difficult cut: J Nixon)

 

P: Moorman

K: Christie

ST: Tasker

Returns: T McGee (W Francis - Practice Squad)

 

Head Coach: M Levy (McDermott closing fast - Needs a conference title to move ahead)

Front Office: B Beane, B Polian, Tempo Restaurant

Edited September 6, 2021 by cwater10
Completion

[DJB]

I can't wait to make my list and include Ertz in my tight end group. 

[oldmanfan]

1 hour ago, oldmanfan said:

Let's keep going, hit the wrong button

 

QB:  Kelly, Kemp

RB:  Simpson, Thomas, Gilchrist

FB: Braxton, Carleton

WR:  Reed, Moulds, Butler, Diggs, Beasley, Moore (Rashad),Tasker

O line:  Hull, Joe D, Shaw, Ballard, Peters (starters), McKensie, Barber, Bemiller, Ritcher, Wolford (backups)

D line:  Smith, McDole, Sestak, Washington (starters) Smerlas, Schoebel, P Williams, Hughes, Day

LB:  Stratton, Fletcher, Bennett (starters), Conley, Talley, Paup, Jacobs (backups)

CB:  Egerson, White, Clements, James, Byrd, Odomes

S:  Saimes, Greene, Poyer, Hyde

ST:  Bass, Moorman, Ferguson 

Damn, I forgot TE.  So I have to take Carleton off the roster and add Ernie Warlick.

Edited September 6, 2021 by oldmanfan

[machine gun kelly]

I’ll let you guys speculate, but small correction moreso to look back farther is 60+ years, not 50.  Before most of our time, but some greats when looking back at the AFL teams.  The seasoned veterans on the board are probably more qualified to compare as they watched them compared to their peers of the day as it was a different game.

[BearNorth]

As an original Bills fan since 1960, Cookie Gilchrist was a fullback.  Offensive tackle Stew Barber said, “Cookie was a tremendous blocker. He could take a defensive end and throw him aside with no trouble at all. He was very strong.”

 

[Solomon Grundy]

1 hour ago, oldmanfan said:

Let's keep going, hit the wrong button

 

QB:  Kelly, Kemp

RB:  Simpson, Thomas, Gilchrist

FB: Braxton, Carleton

WR:  Reed, Moulds, Butler, Diggs, Beasley, Moore (Rashad),Tasker

O line:  Hull, Joe D, Shaw, Ballard, Peters (starters), McKensie, Barber, Bemiller, Ritcher, Wolford (backups)

D line:  Smith, McDole, Sestak, Washington (starters) Smerlas, Schoebel, P Williams, Hughes, Day

LB:  Stratton, Fletcher, Bennett (starters), Conley, Talley, Paup, Jacobs (backups)

CB:  Egerson, White, Clements, James, Byrd, Odomes

S:  Saimes, Greene, Poyer, Hyde

ST:  Bass, Moorman, Ferguson 

Paup would have to be a starter. He was a disruptor defensively. Christie over Bass. Tasker on special teams only. Derrick Burroughs was a pretty good CB before his injury. T.O at wideout. 

[BearNorth]

OK, since I've been here since the beginning [1960] here's my take [46 spots ]:

QB: Kelly, Allen

RB: OJ, Cookie (fb), Thurman, Fred

WR: Reed, Frank Lewis, Lofton, Moulds, Dubenion, Butler

TE: Metzelaars, Reimersma. [Bills have not exactly had HOF TE's]

OL: Hull, R. Brown, Joe D, Shaw, Wolford, McKenzie, Wood, Ritcher, House

DL: Bruce, Sestak, McDole, Ted Washington, Kyle, Pat Williams, Schobel

LB: Talley, Stratton, Shane Conlan, Bennett

DB: Byrd, Tre White, Robert James, Saimes, Gilmore, Odomes, Mario Clark, Clemens

K: Christie

P: Moorman

ST: Tasker

Ret: McGee

 

Obviously OJ and lately Bennett would not make the all-character team.

[John Gianelli]

Thanks for the interesting thread. You'll have to trust me on the old-timers. The Bills dominated the league in 1964 and 1965.

 

Gilchrist should be right behind Simpson and Thomas.

 

McDole and Sestak were great defensive linemen and should be right up there.

 

Chandler and Butler should be on the WR list before Tasker and Beebe. But Tasker would be on the all time 53 as ST not just for the Bills, but for the league.

 

Who is the Glenn on the O-line? Not Cordy Glenn? DId you mean Glenn Parker? I would place Joe Devlin, Stew Barber, Donnie Green, Mike Montler or Paul Seymour ahead of Cordy Glenn.

Edited September 6, 2021 by John Gianelli
forgot one

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

2 hours ago, DJB said:

I can't wait to make my list and include Ertz in my tight end group. 

Reported. 

[17islongenough]

So no long snapper?

[Ya Digg?]

7 hours ago, Wizard said:

With 50+ years of AFL and NFL history and probably 1,500 or so players that have represented the Bills in a game, who would be your all-time 53 man roster? You can find my attempt at building what I consider to be the best overall roster.

 

How many quarterbacks do you keep? Which great player gets left off because of positional depth? Is your team represented throughout the decades or does it represent the time you first became a fan? Curious to hear your process and all-time team!

 

Resource and Criteria

1.  I used this database to help me remember and comb through names…https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/alltime-roster?letter=B

2.  My Criteria for choosing players was based on 4 things

• The player spent 2 or more years on the roster
• I picked players I thought would be quality players regardless of era or football rules. These players would fill their role well in any era.
• Position mattered. I was looking for my best team. I would rather have that 6th CB over say my 8th top RB in Bills history.
• I tried to look at what the player did as a Buffalo Bill and not based on what they may have done before or after their time with Bills.

 

Offense (26)

QB: Allen, Kelly

RB:  Simpson, Thomas, McCoy, F. Jackson, C. Gilchrist

WR:  Reed, Diggs, Lofton, Moulds, Evans, Beebe, Tasker

TE: Metzelaars, Riemersma
OT: Peters, Ballard, Fina, Wolford, Glenn (G/T)

OG: Joe Delamielleure, R. Brown, Shaw 

C. Hull, Wood
 

Special Teams (2)

K. Christie

P. Moorman

ST: Tasker/T. McGhee (both listed on offense or defense unit)

 

Defense (25)

DE: Bruce Smith, Paup, Hughes, M. Williams, P. Hansen

DT: S. Adams, Smerlas, K. Williams, T. Washington, P. Williams

LB: Bennett, Conlan, Fletcher, Milano, Spikes

CB/DB: N. Clements, A. Winfield, T. White, “Gilmore Girl”, T. McGhee, Odomes

FS/SS: B. Byrd, H. Jones, Poyer, Hyde

 

My Last 10 Cuts 

• Ferguson, MaGuire, Edwards, Schobel, Lynch, K. Davis, Beasley, Dawkins, Richter, M. Patton

 

Notable Defense Cuts: Handful of DB’s (tempted to keep Ko Simpson. He’s worth millions.), Cunningham, Edwards, Haslett, Guidry, Stratton, Patton, MaGuire,Dunaway, Kadish , P. C. Kelsay, Schobel, Jeffcoat

Notable Offense Cuts:

Joe Ferguson, Frank Reich, Marshawn Lynch, K. Davis, Henry, McGahee, Beasley, Owens (1 year), Watkins, K. McKellar, B. Rolle, C. Dawkins, R. McKenzie, Ritcher,  Parker, Bemiller, Grant, Morse

Notable ST Cuts: Lindell, Bass, C. Mohr

 

What’s your team all-time Bills team?
 

Let’s Go Buffalo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It shows how sad the quarterback play has been for this franchise when Frank Reich is listed as a notable cut for the all time team 

[Wizard]

All great insights and points made. Thanks!

 

A couple general thoughts as I read comments.

 

1. Appreciate those who have the personal historical knowledge to give a player in the 60s, 70s, or early 80s their due as I have seen very little or bits and pieces.

 

2. Talley was unintentionally left off. My bad. He would replace Milano.

 

3. I found the notable cuts list to be getting so large and demanding that I left off or removed names from the notable list. Great counters and points in replies.

 

4. Players were not put into a depth chart, per se. I would have Cookie as my FB/3rd down option or #3 overall in his position group.

 

5. So much depth at all positions in team history, however, I honestly thought about not have a TE on my team at all. 

 

Curious to see your team and comments.

[Kelly the Dog]

You have to be pretty old to know how great he was, but Robert James was the best CB to ever play on the Bills and one of their very best players ever. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Excellent work:

 

My edits:

1. WR - Remove Beebe and add Jerry Butler.  I include Diggs.  If you remove him because of the two year rule then I keep an extra RB - Fred Jackson see below.  

2. RB - Remove Fred Jackson and add Joe Cribbs.  This is the hardest group.  I loved McCoy and it is no knock on Jackson. But Cribbs was a dual threat RB much like Thurman.  Had he stayed with the Bills he would have been an all-time great.  Any all-53 must have Gilchrist on my team as did the OP! 

3. DE - Add Schobel.  He is the most underrated Bill.  Move Paup to OLB.  He didn't play DE.

4. LB - Moving Paup to LB means Milano is off the list.  Conlan was overrated and with Fletcher and Spikes you have two Inside Backers.  I would add 6 time All-star Mike Stratton.  I too leave off Talley - he's on my list of most overrated Bills.

5. TE - Warlick is the only decent player in the history of the franchise.  For that reason I have only 1 TE and that let's me keep an extra OT - Dawkins.

6. DB's - think you nailed it.  Henry Jones was not a superstar but he was quite good. You could make a case for Milloy but Jones played more seasons with the Bills.