I do this same exercise a week or so after the draft and have been for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure why, it’s just some sort of tick I guess. Here’s our differences.

I kept: Darian Barnes, Matt Murphy, Robert Felton, Jason Jefferson, and William James over Hamdan, Omon, Viti, Gaddis, and Costanzo.

My tick requires me to include a practice squad in my projection which I predict as:
QB Matt Baker, RB Xavier Omon, FB Mike Viti, TE Derek Schouman, OT Demetrius Bell, DL Corey Mace, LB Jon Banks, CB Kennard Cox….alla nd all, we’re not far off.

What do you base this on? Now, I do like the idea of it, but I am not sure there is any fact to this.
That will be a big battle between Viti and Barnes and I do hope the rookie prevails.

Felton, Banks, and McCray making this team.

I see Jefferson & Murphy probably on the PS but I see both of them called up if any injuries happen right away. Murphy and Bell can be developmental projects and Jefferson provides depth at a position that we are really lacking.

1. 2 QB’s only
2. Not sure Viti would be my #1 FB choice. If he makes the team, I’d imagine we have another FB on the roster as well. Maybe even a guy like Schouman who lined up there last year at times. I like Schouman’s receiving skills and am beginning to think he has a solid chance of making the team as a 4th TE/semi-FB role. I have to think Barnes is the #1 at this point.
3. Agree with your OL choices. I think keeping 8 can be done just fine.
4. I mentioned above hoping we can find a LS elsewhere, as in someone who plays an actual position too.
5. I think we keep 6 CB’s for sure. We saw all the injuries last year and we have guys like Greer and Youboty who are good ST players as well. I have to believe James makes it because of his size and ability to play the slot.
6. Six LB’s for me. Blake Costanzo can be cut without me losing sleep. I’d keep 2 LB’s on the PS in case of injury.
7. I like Felton, so him over Gaddis is very realistic to me.

Why is Corey Mace a notable cut? Who?

QB – Edwards, Losman
RB – Lynch, Jackson, Wright
FB – Barnes, Viti
TE – Royal, Fine, Anderson, Teyo
WR – Evans, Hardy, Reed, Parrish, Jenkins
OL – Peters, Dockery, Fowler, Butler, Walker, Chambers, Whittle, Estes, Murphy
DE – Schobel, Kelsay, Denney, Ellis
DT – Stroud, McCargo, Williams, Johnson
LB – Crowell, Poz, Mitchell, Digiorgio, Ellison, Bowen
CB – McGee, McKelvin, Greer, Corner, Youboty, James
S – Whitner, Simpson, Wilson, Scott, Wendling
ST – Lindell, Moorman, Neill

Practice Squad – Matt Baker, Xavier Omon, Robert Felton, Demetrius Bell, Steve Johnson, Jason Jones, Corey Mace, Teraz McCray, Jon Banks, Blake Costanzo, Kennard Cox

gone for good – Duke Preston, Derek Schouman, Gibran Hamdan, Copeland Bryan, Shaun Nua, Dustin Fox, Jason Jefferson, Nevin McCaskill, Tim Massaquoi, Felton Huggins, Scott Mayle

On the callback list (could re-emerge on the PS once injuries force players onto the IR)
– Jon Corto, Daniel Watts, Jonathan Evans, DJ Fitzpatrick, Christian Gaddis, Marcus Buggs, Luke Drone, Bruce Hall

Why I made some choices:

Duke Preston AND Christian Gaddis CUT – This is the least likely thing I have happening. It leaves the Bills with only Whittle on the active roster and Felton on the practice squad with the ability to play center. I just don’t like Duke Preston at all. I also think it is a good move for the future. I like Chambers’ and Estes’ ability to play guard if need be. I also think Felton is the potential long-term answer to Preston’s current G/C combo backup position.

Steve Johnson on PS – I don’t think he is anywhere near ready. If he were on the 53 man he would probably be inactive for every game of the year. I don’t think anyone will swoop him up if he is on the practice squad as most teams have several “project” WRs already on their rosters.

Only 2 QBs – I think two QBs on the 53 man roster is the wave of the future. There were at least 20 teams to start the season with only 2 QBs and I think that number should stay about the same. I also don’t think any team would steal Baker, Hamdan or Drone off of our PS because none of them are actually worth a roster spot.

Omon on PS/ 2 FBs on 53 man – I just don’t think this team needs 4 RBs. I find it unlikely that Omon or Wright give the Bills anything more than a warm body on the bench, I don’t think either one is useful enough on special teams to merit them both making the team. I think Omon is also safe on the PS. I think the loser of the Barnes/Viti has more value as a ST player than a RB, so I left two on the 53 man. One of the two will probably be inactive some of the time.

Teyo Johnson / Matt Murphy – I think Teyo takes care of the 5th/6th WR role as well as a receiving threat at TE. I think Murphy could be very useful blocking on kick returns and in short yardage formations. the Bills TEs are a weakness and I guess I tried to hide that problem by keeping 4 (5 if you count Murphy). I think throwing numbers at the situation does give the team the versatility it needs to find some production. I also don’t have much confidence in Courtney Anderson.

Jason Jefferson – I don’t think he is much better than Mace or McCray would be and the Bills can stash those two on the PS. Again, I don’t see much value in putting players on the 53 man roster if the only way they will be active is injuries.

6 LBs – I don’t think the special teams coverage and return units were as hurt by FA as people think. Wendling and Jenkins should make for great gunners and the rest of the punt coverage team can be fill-ins. Kick Coverage lost some players, but few of them were all that productive covering kicks. Players like Youboty, James, Bowen, Ellison, Barnes, Viti, Scott, Ellis and Fine could all potentially fill a role on special teams. The kick return unit could improve by keeping Matt Murphy, Derek Fine and 2 FBs.

Other stuff:

Keeping Matt Baker over Hamdan and Drone is just a hunch. I also believe he has the best arm of the three.

Tim Massaquoi is made irrelevant if the Bills keep Matt Murphy.

Blake Costanzo at 235 pounds isn’t all that much bigger than Ellison (229), Banks (232) and even Digiorgio (229)

Nobody talks about Jason Jones, but I think his chances of making the team are almost as good as Steve Johnson. That might be because I think Johnson is a little bit of a longshot.

I like the versatility of Corey Mace and feel like he could easily fill Jason Jefferson’s role of useless backup at DE and DT without taking up a roster spot.

I’ve said this before, but if Derek Schouman makes this team, I will be shocked. He isn’t a TE and he isn’t a FB and the Bills already have 5 other TEs and 3 other FBs trying to make this team.

I bet Jon Corto finds his way back on to the practice squad at some point, even if he doesn’t make it initially.

Instead of Gaddis, Whittle or Preston, why not Ruben Brown? He’s a free agent, has a home in Buffalo and a positive history with the Bills. He’s coming off of shoulder surgery and is past his prime so he might be inclined to take a backup gig. He’d certainly be an upgrade over Preston and likely better than Gaddis or Whittle. The only knock on him is that he’s never played center so he could only be a backup guard.

Im not sure if you intended to do this or not but you put Reed down before Parrish indicating you’d have him starting over our future little Wes Welker. Even if hes never really that good I still think that the abiltity and skill of Roscoe far exceeds that of Reed. I really think that if Schonert runs the offense well having Parrish in the slot would be so much more valuable than Reed

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8127462/Nine-nuggets-for-the-NFL-offseason