2025 Roster Upgrades

[TFBillsfan]

Today’s OTA’s reminded me how much our roster has changed since last season. With nine draft picks, combined with 8 key FA signings, I’m hopeful we’ve gotten stronger and better. 
 

Bosa, Moore, Tre White and Dane Jackson would be a huge bonus if they contribute this season. All come with questions though! 

 

IMO, Forrest, Palmer, Hoecht and Ogunjobi must contribute if the Bills are gonna take the next step. 
 

Regarding the rookies, if the Bills can get at minimum 4 to 5 players that make the active roster, they are in really good shape going forward. 
 

Couple that with a significant step forward from Coleman, Bishop and Carter while having a healthy Milano and you can see why the Bills are a major contender.

 

It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff evolves/adjusts with their offensive and defensive philosophy. I hope the staff makes some 4th and short adjustments besides always sneaking to the left side and defensively stunt more than just a 4 man bull rush while playing 10 yards off the receivers. 
 

Besides our core, who are your must contribute immediately players from the draft and FA signings?

[BillsFanForever19]

3 hours ago, TFBillsfan said:

Bosa, Moore, Tre White and Dane Jackson would be a huge bonus if they contribute this season. All come with questions though! 

 

IMO, Forrest, Palmer, Hoecht and Ogunjobi must contribute if the Bills are gonna take the next step. 

 

The odds of White and Jackson both making the roster is slim to none. If White makes it, that means Jackson doesn't and if Jackson makes it that means White doesn't, IMO. We lost 2 Boundary CB's (Rasul Douglas and Kaiir Elam) and brought in 4 (Maxwell Hairston, Tre White, Dorian Strong, and Dane Jackson). Of those 2 Roster Spots that opened up, Maxwell Hairston is a lock. Even if they cut Ja'Marcus Ingram (which is not a given), there's still only 2 spots for Tre White, Dorian Strong (who I don't see being cut), and Dane Jackson. 

 

And I know some people are high on Forrest, but I still think when push comes to shove - he's a long shot to make it. We're bringing back all 4 Safeties from last year. And while the board is low on Damar Hamlin, I don't think the brass is. I think there's a bigger disconnect between fans and the Front Office when it comes to Hamlin as any player i've ever seen.

 

Even if they cut Cam Lewis for Jordan Hancock as the Backup Nickel CB/Safety (which like Ingram, I don't think is a given. I could see both Hancock and Lewis sticking) - it will still come down to Hamlin or Forrest. And I'll believe it when I see it that they'd cut Hamlin (who they started all year last year) for Forrest.

 

On my 53 projection, I have both Dane Jackson and Darrick Forrest as cuts. And that includes Ja'Marcus Ingram and Cam Lewis being cut too, both of which I could easily see the team preferring over Jackson and Forrest, if push came to shove.

Edited yesterday at 04:02 AM by BillsFanForever19

[Big Blitz]

5 hours ago, TFBillsfan said:

 

Besides our core, who are your must contribute immediately players from the draft and FA signings?

Immediately:
 

Coleman

Bishop

Palmer 

TJ Sanders

Landon Jackson

 

Sooner then later:

 

Max 

Walker 

Bosa

Hoecht 

 

 

 

[JerseyBills]

Ya Beane crushed FA and Draft imo. 

 

upgraded our 3 biggest weaknesses- CB, DL and WR and didn't lose anyone of significance 

[Whites Bay]

5 hours ago, Big Blitz said:

Immediately:
 

Coleman

Bishop

Palmer 

TJ Sanders

Landon Jackson

 

Sooner then later:

 

Max 

Walker 

Bosa

Hoecht 

 

 

 

My slight tweak to this would put Hairston in the "Immediately" group, and remove Walker altogether.  I have a sense that the Front Office is going to give Walker his shot in camp, and IR him for this season to get him past the stress fracture.  I would guess they've seen enough of what this can do to a big man with Spencer Brown's situation.  I'm watching for a red shirt season IMHO.

[GunnerBill]

I think we are definitely DEEPER. Last year's roster was the thinnest for a good few years as they grappled with the salary cap and moving on from some season vets, especially on defense. 

 

That showed up in pre-season last year IMO. The Bills had a great pre-season record in prior years because their 2s and 3s were almost always better than most other 2s and 3s. Last year they lost heavily to the Bears, lost to the Panthers and eeked out an ugly win vs Pittsburgh in pre-season. Those games almost never tell you anything about your starters.... but they do give you a broad sense of your depth. 

 

Whether the roster is upgraded at the top end remains to be seen. I see some potential ways it could be.... but there are no slam dunks. The proof will be in the pudding. 

[GunnerBill]

10 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

The odds of White and Jackson both making the roster is slim to none. If White makes it, that means Jackson doesn't and if Jackson makes it that means White doesn't, IMO. We lost 2 Boundary CB's (Rasul Douglas and Kaiir Elam) and brought in 4 (Maxwell Hairston, Tre White, Dorian Strong, and Dane Jackson). Of those 2 Roster Spots that opened up, Maxwell Hairston is a lock. Even if they cut Ja'Marcus Ingram (which is not a given), there's still only 2 spots for Tre White, Dorian Strong (who I don't see being cut), and Dane Jackson. 

 

And I know some people are high on Forrest, but I still think when push comes to shove - he's a long shot to make it. We're bringing back all 4 Safeties from last year. And while the board is low on Damar Hamlin, I don't think the brass is. I think there's a bigger disconnect between fans and the Front Office when it comes to Hamlin as any player i've ever seen.

 

Even if they cut Cam Lewis for Jordan Hancock as the Backup Nickel CB/Safety (which like Ingram, I don't think is a given. I could see both Hancock and Lewis sticking) - it will still come down to Hamlin or Forrest. And I'll believe it when I see it that they'd cut Hamlin (who they started all year last year) for Forrest.

 

On my 53 projection, I have both Dane Jackson and Darrick Forrest as cuts. And that includes Ja'Marcus Ingram and Cam Lewis being cut too, both of which I could easily see the team preferring over Jackson and Forrest, if push came to shove.

 

The only part of this where I'm in a slightly different place is I think Strong is a very possible "cut." I think he is in the same bucket as Jackson and White and Ingram and Lewis. I don't think he has a leg up in that competition. I think those 5 guys are probably battling for 2 or 3 spots. I'm not saying he WILL be cut. He could absolutely earn a job. But he is in that bottom of the corner depth chart battle IMO. If it looks like he will miss out watch out for him being pulled out of a pre-season game 3 with a "foot" injury that lands him on IR.

[The Jokeman]

13 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

The odds of White and Jackson both making the roster is slim to none. If White makes it, that means Jackson doesn't and if Jackson makes it that means White doesn't, IMO. We lost 2 Boundary CB's (Rasul Douglas and Kaiir Elam) and brought in 4 (Maxwell Hairston, Tre White, Dorian Strong, and Dane Jackson). Of those 2 Roster Spots that opened up, Maxwell Hairston is a lock. Even if they cut Ja'Marcus Ingram (which is not a given), there's still only 2 spots for Tre White, Dorian Strong (who I don't see being cut), and Dane Jackson. 

 

And I know some people are high on Forrest, but I still think when push comes to shove - he's a long shot to make it. We're bringing back all 4 Safeties from last year. And while the board is low on Damar Hamlin, I don't think the brass is. I think there's a bigger disconnect between fans and the Front Office when it comes to Hamlin as any player i've ever seen.

 

Even if they cut Cam Lewis for Jordan Hancock as the Backup Nickel CB/Safety (which like Ingram, I don't think is a given. I could see both Hancock and Lewis sticking) - it will still come down to Hamlin or Forrest. And I'll believe it when I see it that they'd cut Hamlin (who they started all year last year) for Forrest.

 

On my 53 projection, I have both Dane Jackson and Darrick Forrest as cuts. And that includes Ja'Marcus Ingram and Cam Lewis being cut too, both of which I could easily see the team preferring over Jackson and Forrest, if push came to shove.

I think Hancock is in direct competition with Cam Lewis to be a hybrid CB/S depth guy and Jackson/Strong could be competing for Ingram's job and both could make the team if Shenault replaces Cordington as our primary return man. Hardy might even replace both and if that's the case he might be favored instead of Jackson or Strong as can be a backup CB as well. One thing is this defensive roster has several options to it and don't think we'll know who makes the final 53 until we see them in action in the preseason. 

[SCBills]

The floor for this team has been dramatically raised .. and most importantly, so has the ceiling.

 

I don’t see any position that we look worse on paper. 
 

QB - Elite

OL - Elite

RB - Above Average

TE - Average (Above Average Potential)

WR - Average (Above Average Potential)

 

DL - Average (Elite Potential)

LB - Above Average

CB - Above Average (Elite Potential)

S - Average (Above Average Potential)

 

The only worries I have on this team are LB depth and S development.  After Milano, Bernard and Williams, we don’t have much and we are very much depending upon Cole Bishop making a jump if we want to raise the ceiling at Safety. 
 

Im much higher on our WR/TE room, in this Offense, than some here.  
 

Biggest range is on the DL.  Could easily see them, once again, being a letdown .. Could also easily see them becoming a dominant unit. 
 

 

Edited yesterday at 01:36 PM by SCBills

[GunnerBill]

41 minutes ago, SCBills said:

The floor for this team has been dramatically raised .. and most importantly, so has the ceiling.

 

I don’t see any position that we look worse on paper. 
 

QB - Elite

OL - Elite

RB - Above Average

TE - Average (Above Average Potential)

WR - Average (Above Average Potential) 

 

DL - Average (Elite Potential)

LB - Above Average

CB - Above Average (Elite Potential)

S - Average (Above Average Potential)

 

 

I'd have WR as "below average (average potential)" and S as "below average (above average potential)." I think if Bishop takes a big step AND he can dovetail effectively with Rapp (I'm sceptical on both but particularly the latter) then I think safety can be above average this year. But it needs both those things to happen. 

 

I honestly don't see a way for our WRs to be above average. Not immediately clear to me where the above average potential comes from?

[BADOLBILZ]

42 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I'd have WR as "below average (average potential)" and S as "below average (above average potential)." I think if Bishop takes a big step AND he can dovetail effectively with Rapp (I'm sceptical on both but particularly the latter) then I think safety can be above average this year. But it needs both those things to happen. 

 

I honestly don't see a way for our WRs to be above average. Not immediately clear to me where the above average potential comes from?

 

 

Yeah the Bills safeties aren't very good but the bar to get to average talent at WR is higher.    Safeties are devalued.   There were close to 30 starting safeties from 2023 on the subsequent 2024 free agent market.   You'd never see anything like that at a premium position.   So more teams have patched together safety rooms that look like the Bills than WR rooms that do.   

[BearNorth]

Cam Lewis is a swiss army knife db.  In a pinch can stick him in at nearly every spot in the defensive backfield.  He graded out as our second best db out of all on the roster and he was a core ST piece as well.  I suspect the brain trust has a decent opinion of him vs. some of the other candidates mentioned.

[Bob Chandler's Hands]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I honestly don't see a way for our WRs to be above average. Not immediately clear to me where the above average potential comes from?

Only if Shakir takes a 1/2 step forward (~90 catches, 1100 yards) and Coleman takes a large step forward (~65 catches, 1000 yards, 10 TD's).

Something like that.  

[Paup 1995MVP]

17 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

The odds of White and Jackson both making the roster is slim to none. If White makes it, that means Jackson doesn't and if Jackson makes it that means White doesn't, IMO. We lost 2 Boundary CB's (Rasul Douglas and Kaiir Elam) and brought in 4 (Maxwell Hairston, Tre White, Dorian Strong, and Dane Jackson). Of those 2 Roster Spots that opened up, Maxwell Hairston is a lock. Even if they cut Ja'Marcus Ingram (which is not a given), there's still only 2 spots for Tre White, Dorian Strong (who I don't see being cut), and Dane Jackson. 

 

And I know some people are high on Forrest, but I still think when push comes to shove - he's a long shot to make it. We're bringing back all 4 Safeties from last year. And while the board is low on Damar Hamlin, I don't think the brass is. I think there's a bigger disconnect between fans and the Front Office when it comes to Hamlin as any player i've ever seen.

 

Even if they cut Cam Lewis for Jordan Hancock as the Backup Nickel CB/Safety (which like Ingram, I don't think is a given. I could see both Hancock and Lewis sticking) - it will still come down to Hamlin or Forrest. And I'll believe it when I see it that they'd cut Hamlin (who they started all year last year) for Forrest.

 

On my 53 projection, I have both Dane Jackson and Darrick Forrest as cuts. And that includes Ja'Marcus Ingram and Cam Lewis being cut too, both of which I could easily see the team preferring over Jackson and Forrest, if push came to shove.

Good analysis of the secondary.  Tre White may not make it to training camp based on the tidbits I heard from yesterday's practice.  Sounds like he was running in mud trying to cover Elijah Moore.  The guy has not been good since Thanksgiving night 2021 when his knee unfortunately gave out on the Superdome turf.  There comes a time for all athletes... Tre's may be this summer.  The report on Bishop sounded good from yesterday's practice.  Hopefully, he is ready to play NFL football at a starters level.  And will be a big upgrade to the back end of our defense.  With all the additions in the secondary, the competition should be pretty intense.  And when the dust settles, I think we will be a much improved secondary from last season.

[TFBillsfan]

In an ideal scenario, our DL and Secondary BOTH take a huge leap forward this season. That would go a long way to breaking the wall down!

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

Good analysis of the secondary.  Tre White may not make it to training camp based on the tidbits I heard from yesterday's practice.  Sounds like he was running in mud trying to cover Elijah Moore.  The guy has not been good since Thanksgiving night 2021 when his knee unfortunately gave out on the Superdome turf.  There comes a time for all athletes... Tre's may be this summer.  The report on Bishop sounded good from yesterday's practice.  Hopefully, he is ready to play NFL football at a starters level.  And will be a big upgrade to the back end of our defense.  With all the additions in the secondary, the competition should be pretty intense.  And when the dust settles, I think we will be a much improved secondary from last season.

 

Sort of true, except for the fact the game vs Miami where he did his achillies in early 2023 was one of his best games as a Bill. He was back to all pro Tre that day.... the first time he looked like it post the ACL. And then... it was all over. 

[ngbills]

Bills are returning 84% of their roster. Good for top 3 in the league. Given this, either players from last years team or current year free agents and draft picks will be cut. So we dont really know yet what the final roster will be. Looking at the moves I also dont think any of the signings is a guaranteed starter type of signing. 

 

Palmer - Most likely starter. Is he upgrade over Cooper? Or will he be quiet like many WR moves of the past. 

Hairston - Opportunity to start. But again, we have seen rookies not start. If he does is he an upgrade over Douglas?

Bosa - Can he stay healthy? Is he better than Miller? 

DL - Will Sanders, Jackson, Walker earn some PT? Hoecht and Ogunjobi after missing half the season? Are these upgrades over guys like Phillips or Smoot as role players. 

 

Lots of potential and hope for some upgrades. But when your bringing back 84% of your roster and did not make splash moves in the offseason it is hard to say we obviously got better. My take is its less about us getting better and more that we are bringing back our entire OL and Josh Allen. The rest is a wait and see.  

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 07:31 PM by ngbills

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

19 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

The odds of White and Jackson both making the roster is slim to none. If White makes it, that means Jackson doesn't and if Jackson makes it that means White doesn't, IMO. We lost 2 Boundary CB's (Rasul Douglas and Kaiir Elam) and brought in 4 (Maxwell Hairston, Tre White, Dorian Strong, and Dane Jackson). Of those 2 Roster Spots that opened up, Maxwell Hairston is a lock. Even if they cut Ja'Marcus Ingram (which is not a given), there's still only 2 spots for Tre White, Dorian Strong (who I don't see being cut), and Dane Jackson. 

 

And I know some people are high on Forrest, but I still think when push comes to shove - he's a long shot to make it. We're bringing back all 4 Safeties from last year. And while the board is low on Damar Hamlin, I don't think the brass is. I think there's a bigger disconnect between fans and the Front Office when it comes to Hamlin as any player i've ever seen.

 

Even if they cut Cam Lewis for Jordan Hancock as the Backup Nickel CB/Safety (which like Ingram, I don't think is a given. I could see both Hancock and Lewis sticking) - it will still come down to Hamlin or Forrest. And I'll believe it when I see it that they'd cut Hamlin (who they started all year last year) for Forrest.

 

On my 53 projection, I have both Dane Jackson and Darrick Forrest as cuts. And that includes Ja'Marcus Ingram and Cam Lewis being cut too, both of which I could easily see the team preferring over Jackson and Forrest, if push came to shove.

 

Yeah Bishop, Rapp, and Hancock are locks so leave 1 to 1.5 slots.  I say 1.5 as again would give the edge to Lewis in that he can play other positions besides safety so may keep 4 plus Lewis.   So then comes down to Hamlin and Forrest and agree with you in that the team like Hamlin and he knows the system very well.  He's physically limited, but doesn't make mistakes.

 

I do somewhat like the NBA process better in the the draft comes prior to free agency in that would the Bills even have bothered signing both Hamlin and Forrest if they knew they were drafting Hancock.  Same on the D line, have a glut of bodies.  And while it's easy to cut some of these vets, there is still wasted signing bonus money that goes against the cap.  Plus from the players standpoint, wonder if players like Forrest and the two D lineman who have the 6 game suspensions would have signed here if they knew the Bills were planning to draft 3 D lineman?

[SCBills]

5 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

 

I honestly don't see a way for our WRs to be above average. Not immediately clear to me where the above average potential comes from?

For me it’s that much faith in Josh Allen. 
 

So maybe we have different opinions on the actual talent vs what they can be in this Offense. 
 

I think the vision is for Keon Coleman to take the Mack Hollins role and I think Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore upgrade the route running/separation ability of this room far more than Hollins/Cooper.. which is what Allen has always thrived with. 
 

So unless Keon makes a huge jump to show Tee Higgins ability, I’d agree that I don’t see above average talent in the room as a unit.. but in this offense, with JA and this OL giving him time.. I see the Top 5 being a group that can give us above average play. 

[fergie's ire]

7 hours ago, SCBills said:

The floor for this team has been dramatically raised .. and most importantly, so has the ceiling.

 

I don’t see any position that we look worse on paper. 
 

QB - Elite

OL - Elite

RB - Above Average

TE - Average (Above Average Potential)

WR - Average (Above Average Potential)

 

DL - Average (Elite Potential)

LB - Above Average

CB - Above Average (Elite Potential)

S - Average (Above Average Potential)

 

The only worries I have on this team are LB depth and S development.  After Milano, Bernard and Williams, we don’t have much and we are very much depending upon Cole Bishop making a jump if we want to raise the ceiling at Safety. 
 

Im much higher on our WR/TE room, in this Offense, than some here.  
 

Biggest range is on the DL.  Could easily see them, once again, being a letdown .. Could also easily see them becoming a dominant unit. 
 

 

One possibility that nobody seems to mention is that Ulofoshio makes the same kind of jump that Williams made...that and there always seem to be a few serviceable veteran LBs kicking around after roster cuts.