Reports: Buffalo Bills want Duke Williams, Ray-Ray McCloud III for practice squad

The Buffalo Bills, like every other NFL team, are in the middle of trimming their roster to 90 players. While they have had to make some difficult choices with regard to cuts, they are apparently hoping to bring back quite a few of their players by adding them to the practice squad.

Among the rumored players the Bills want to add on their practice squad are two unconventional players for the list. Wide receiver Duke Williams and linebacker Deon Lacey are both older than the typical practice-squad player, but the Bills clearly like what they’ve seen in each player enough to consider bringing them back into the organization should they clear waivers.

Williams, 26, has yet to accrue an NFL season. He entered the league in 2016 as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams. He was released prior to the start of the regular season, and then spent the last two years in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos. Interest in adding him to the practice squad was reported by ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, among others.

Lacey, 29, has played in every game for the Bills over the last two seasons, leading the squad in special-teams snaps each year. While he is quite a bit older than most practice-squad players, he is eligible due to the fact that he only has two accrued seasons in the NFL. Joe Buscaglia reported Buffalo’s interest in adding him to the practice squad. We detailed his eligibility earlier this week in our practice-squad primer.

Wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III is another player Buffalo is reportedly interested in adding to the practice squad. The second-year man was drafted in the sixth round last season out of Clemson, and he struggled as a rookie. However, he has earned praise from head coach Sean McDermott, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and general manager Brandon Beane on his work during the offseason. Marcel Louis-Jacques reported Buffalo’s interest in adding him to the practice squad.

Finally, it’s been reported (also by Marcel Louis-Jacques) that Buffalo is also interested in bringing cornerback Ryan Lewis, who started three games for the team last year, back as a practice-squad player. Lewis was initially acquired by Buffalo after he was waived by the New England Patriots following roster cut downs last season. He spent six days on Buffalo’s practice squad before being called up to start in Week 3.