Hey Rumblers, it is almost game time and I wanted to put out my roster predictions and throw out some ideas on some things I have struggled with during the process of making the neccesary cuts to get down to the actual team.

The 45 man roster has to be looked at while making the final decisions for the 53 man team. I have been struggling with this for a few weeks now. Our fearless leader BG has been knoking out updated 53 man rosters of late and for the most part I have been in aggrement with them. Then one day I tried to take one and pick out the 7 players that would have to be on the inactive roster for game day.

It was very hard, and I ended up having to put some major names and high salary players on the list. I think this is one of the reasons that Merriman was cut. It is one thing to look at Merriman as the #4 DE making 4M in salary, but what if he was destined to be on the inactive list? The same was the case for D. Edwards. I think most teams want thier inactive players to fall into one of a few catagories: developmental first/second year players (low pay),injured players (temporary), and new to the team players(learning the playbook). As a general rule I dont think the Bills want players like Merriman, Edwards and Leodis McKelvin sitting on the inactive list all year. This presents a problem so lets look at BG's last 53 man roster projection and make some observations about the hazzards of having to many specialty players on the final roster.

Sorry for the format.

Pos.-------- #Starter----------------- # Backup------------------ #Reserve

WR---------13Stevie Johnson-----------80Derek Hagan-------------11T.J. Graham*

LT----------77Cordy Glenn* ------------75Chris Hairston

LG----------67Andy Levitre

C----------70Eric Wood---------------74Colin Brown

RG----------60Kraig Urbik------------76Chad Rinehart

RT----------79Erik Pears------------66Zebrie Sanders*

TE----------84Scott Chandler---------42Dorin Dickerson-------------85Lee Smith

WR----------19Donald Jones ----------86David Nelson

QB----------14Ryan Fitzpatrick-------10Vince Young------------------16Brad Smith

RB----------22Fred Jackson ----------28C.J. Spiller----------------30Tashard Choice

FB----------38Corey McIntyre

LE----------94Mario Williams----------54Kyle Moore------------73Jarron Gilbert

DT----------99Marcell Dareus-----------98Dwan Edwards

DT----------95Kyle Williams------------91Spencer Johnson

RE----------93Mark Anderson------------90Chris Kelsay

SLB---------52Arthur Moats ------------53Nigel Bradham* ------------45Tank Carder*

MLB---------55Kelvin Sheppard---------59Scott McKillop

WLB---------50Nick Barnett -------------43Bryan Scott

LCB---------23Aaron Williams-----------24Terrence McGee ------------26Justin Rogers

SS----------37George Wilson------------25Da'Norris Searcy

FS----------31Jairus Byrd

RCB---------27Stephon Gilmore*---------21Leodis McKelvin-----------33Ron Brooks*

K-----------9Rian Lindell--------------3John Potter*

P-----------8Brian Moorman

LS----------65Garrison Sanborn

When looking at this roster and trying to pick out 7 players that will be inactive on game day I find it helpful to break it down into offense, defense, and ST's.

On ST's this roster has us keeping Potter on the team as a speacialty (extra) player. It would make no sence to keep Potter on the 53 man roster if you cant make him an active player for game days. This holds true for specialty players on offense and defense as well. I cant see any reason to keep B. Scott or Lee Smith on the team even if they do add to the team in a specific way, if they are going to be inactive on game days. This is the main problem I see with this projection and the ones I have been trying to put together as well. As the team has developed talent we seem to have brought on more and more specialty players. The ST unit does not contribute to the inactive roster.

On Offense it is the same battle, when you add the three specialty players of Smith, Dickerson, and McIntyre to the starters and proper depth, you are left with only Z. Sanders and maybee T. Choice to put on inactive.

That leaves the defense to shoulder the brunt of the load 5-6 of the total 7 to put on the inactive list. I mean try to look at the roster above and pick out 7 players for the inactive's while not picking players like (L. Smith, D. Dickerson, C. McIntyre, B. Scott, J. Rogers, and J. Potter). These guys all bring something to the team that to some extent cant be supplied by the rest of the players, and therefor need to be active on game day. When you add them to the starters and necesary depth players needed there is not much left to pick your 7 inactives from. Here is what is left.

Z. Sanders, J. Gilbert, T. Carder, R. Brooks.

That makes 4 but to get the final three we will have to leave a position a little thin. For instance we could add K. Moore, but then our strong and deep DE position would go into games with only three players. We could add T. Choice but I dont think we have been going into games with just two RB's in the past. We could add C. brown, but with Woods history I would not recomend it. We could add N. Bradham but then if Moats goes down your having to put McKillop outside at SLB. The only other options left would be to put a high paid player like Edwards, Johnson, McGee, or McKelvin on the list. Again this is one of the reasons that I think Merriman got cut. I dont think the team could stomach the idea of him being on the inactive list with the salary he has. The bottom line is when you get too many specialty players it makes it hard to get them all to the 45 man roster on game day without messing up your depth. For this reason I am going under the premise that the team will cut one of these specialty players in the next two cut downs. My guess is it will be D. Dickerson, as I just dont think he has made his case with enough consistency.

I have one more supprise cut to put out there before I give my roster. IMO McKelvin is gone, he does not add much if any more to the team than Rogers, or Brooks. At this point the younger CB's seem to have more upside, and with P. Miller waiting in the wings as well it seems like a wasted roster spot to me to keep McKelvin around this year. Nix has been talking about adding another FS from without at the cut downs, and Mckelvin seems like the likely roster spot to make this happen as well.

OK so here is my 53 man roster with my PS in the far right collumn.

position--------starter-------------reserve-------------reserve---------------practice S.

WR-----------Donald Jones------TJ Graham*-------------------------------Kamar Aiken

SLOT---------David Nelson

WR-----------Stevie Johnson----Derek Hagan--------Marcus Easely

TE-----------Scott Chandler----Lee Smith

RB-----------Fred Jackson------CJ Spiller---------new RB

FB/HB--------Corey McIntyre

QB-----------Ryan Fitzpatrick--Vince Young--------Brad Smith

LT-----------Cordy Glenn-------Chris Hairston

LG-----------Andy Levitre---------------------------------------------------Mark Asper

C------------Eric Woods--------Colin Brown

RG-----------Kraig Urbik-------Chad Rinehart

RT-----------Erik Pears--------Sam Young---------------------------------Z. Sanders

Offense----total =24

LE-----------Mario Williams----Kyle Moore--------------------------------J. Gilbert

DT-----------Marcell Dareus----Spencer Johnson

DT-----------Kyle Williams-----Dwan Edwards------Alex Carrington

RE-----------Mark Anderson-----Chris Kelsay

SLB----------Arthur Moats------Kirk Morrison------------------------------Tank Carder

MLB----------Kelvin Sheppard---Scott McKillop

WLB----------Nick Barnett------Bryan Scott-------Nigel Bradham*

LCB----------Aaron Williams----Terrence McGee----Justin Rogers------------P. Miller

SS-----------George Wilson-----DA'Norris Searcy

FS-----------Jairus Byrd-------new FS-------------------------------------D. Howell

RCB----------Stephon Gilmore---Ron Brooks*

Defense----total=25

K------------Rian Lindell------John Potter*

P------------Brian Moorman

LS-----------Garrison Sanborn

S. Teams---total =4

My game day inactives are (M. Easely, new RB, S. Young, A. Carrington, N. Bradham, T. McGee,and the new backup FS)

Thats a prety strong PS if you ask me, we might lose some of them.

As you can see I dont think Choice or White have earned a spot and if there is anyone out there that would improve the team after the cuts, I am game with going after them.

I think M. Easely carries more value to the team now and in the future than R. Martin, or D. Dickerson, and carring a 6th WR not only gives added depth at a position that has been depleted in the last two years, but it also gives the team a 3rd offensive player to put on the inactive list. Trust me trying to find 5 inactives from the defense every game day is chore that I feel is not sustainable.

I think the Bills will go after a FS after the cuts, but if they dont get one I am fine with Howell as the #2 FS.

I would be OK with the team keeping Dickerson or Onobun instead of a #3 RB if they feel one of them is worth it and then stash Z. Brown on the PS. Again it will make the 45 man roster harder to obtain unless they cut one of the other specialty players that are on the 53 man roster.

The fact that this roster is going to be very hard to cut down is great news. I just dont think the Bills have had this problem in the recent past of having too much specialty talents, but it is a good problem to have. Go Bills!!!