Bills camp battles: Harrison Phillips, Justin Zimmer fighting for roster spots at defensive tackle

Harrison Phillips plays 1-tech defensive tackle, eating blockers and space. Justin Zimmer plays 3-tech defensive tackle, knifing into the backfield to disrupt plays. Both are on the roster bubble on a crowded Buffalo Bills defensive line.

On the team’s official depth chart, Zimmer is listed as the primary backup to Ed Oliver, but with so many defensive ends rotating down into that 3-tech spot (especially on passing downs), Zimmer still has a ton of competition for his position. He’s talked about highly by the coaching staff as a hard worker and locker room guy, but that might not be enough to make the roster.

Phillips is third on the 1-tech chart behind Star Lotulelei and Vernon Butler. Both Lotulelei and Butler have massive guarantees in their contracts this season, making it harder to release them since they’ll be paid anyway. It means an uphill climb for the former third-round pick.

Not only are they competing in their respective roles, they are competing against each other and the stacked defensive end room. The team can only keep so many defensive linemen on the roster.

There is a strong possibility neither of these two players make the roster with the talent assembled at defensive end. There’s also a way I could see both making their way onto the initial 53-man list. It’s a pair we want to keep our eyes on in the preseason games.