2025 Roster Upgrades

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

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.

 

It's tough, but this could potentially be the one or two of the guys on the practice squad.  

[BillsFanForever19]

20 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

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.

 

I don't think it's a total given that Strong makes the roster. That's why I put him in that field of 3 with White and Jackson for 1 or 2 (if Ingram is cut) Boundary CB roster spots, instead of as a lock. But I do think it's def more likely than not he sticks.

 

General rule of thumb is that anyone taken after Round 5 isn't safe. But Dorian Strong was the first pick in Round 6 and considered a steal there. Jordan Hancock, who most consider close to a lock, was taken at Pick 170. Dorian Strong was taken only 7 picks later at Pick 177. And I think Pre-Draft, most Draft analysts considered Strong the better prospect. 

 

I think unless he shows to be completely lost in Training Camp, they're going to prefer the talent level and upside of Strong over guys like Jackson and Ingram, potentially even White if he continues to look toast through the offseason.

 

20 hours ago, The Jokeman said:

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. 

 

I see it as close to a 0% chance Daequan Hardy makes the 53.

 

If they thought he was either an NFL level Nickel CB or Returner, they wouldn't have a.) Outright cut him instead of "Redshirting" him (as Beane often does with Late Round picks he likes) or b.) Traded for and rostered Brandon Codrington for the Return job for the season, with zero time with the team.

 

Now not only would he have to beat out a Codrington and/or a Lewis at either spot, which he failed to do last year - we also added Jordan Hancock at Backup Nickel as well as Laviska Shenault at Returner. And that's not to mention the rest of the crowded field at DB, which will see us cutting some players that are clearly above Hardy on the depth chart.

 

11 hours ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

It's tough, but this could potentially be the one or two of the guys on the practice squad.  

 

Oh, for sure. We're pretty deep as for as depth DB's go. There's going to be at least a couple guys they'd liked to have on the team as depth that will fall prey to the numbers game that they will assuredly try to bring back on the Practice Squad. It wouldn't shock me if they cut all of those guys if they brought them all back there.

Edited yesterday at 09:39 AM by BillsFanForever19