Here is the Buffalo Bills’ initial 2022 53-man roster projection

The Buffalo Bills have concluded their initial cuts to get to 53 players. There will still be some jockeying this week, as they still have yet to add a punter and they have a few guys to move to injured reserve, but no big surprises on the list.

We did mark the difference between the players who were released and can re-sign tomorrow and the players who were waived and must pass through waivers.

Note: Players listed alphabetically.

Quarterback (2)

Josh Allen
Case Keenum

Released: Matt Barkley

The Bills have traditionally kept two on the active roster with one or two on the practice squad. Barkley can sign to the practice squad to be the emergency QB and punter, apparently.

Running Back (5)

James Cook
Taiwan Jones
Zack Moss
Devin Singletary
FB: Reggie Gilliam

Released: Duke Johnson
Waived: Raheem Blackshear

Blackshear is a priority practice squad candidate and I expect Johnson to get a call from another team at some point this season, if not now. The Bills had seven rosterable running backs.

Wide receiver (7)

Jamison Crowder
Gabe Davis
Stefon Diggs
Jake Kumerow
Isaiah McKenzie
Khalil Shakir
Marquez Stevenson

Waived: Tanner Gentry, Isaiah Hodgins, Neil Pau’u

Stevenson is a candidate to be placed on injured reserve tomorrow now that’s he been on the 53-man roster. That means he can come back later this season after he heals up.

Hodgins was caught in a numbers game and doesn’t provide enough on special teams. If he’s not claimed, he’ll be back on the practice squad.

Tight end (3)

Dawson Knox
Quintin Morris
Tommy Sweeney

Released: O.J. Howard

Morris and Sweeney played so well in training camp, they moved onto the roster and booted Howard. I was hoping they’d be able to trade the veteran, but they released him instead, eating his salary in the process. Good for Morris and Sweeney!

Offensive tackle (4)

Spencer Brown
Dion Dawkins
Tommy Doyle
David Quessenberry

Waived: Luke Tenuta, Alec Anderson

Doyle has been dealing with a nagging injury for a couple weeks. If he is still a few weeks from returning, it wouldn’t shock us to see him go on injured reserve now that he has made the 53-man roster. Brown is still not 100% and clearly neither is Doyle, so another offensive lineman on the active roster could make sense. Tenuta is a practice squad candidate after being drafted, but he really struggled in camp.

Interior OL (5)

Ryan Bates
Bobby Hart
Rodger Saffold
Mitch Morse
Greg Van Roten

PUP: Ike Boettger
Waived: Jacob Capra, Tanner Owen
Released: Greg Mancz

Mancz was ahead of Van Roten all offseason but the best ability is availability, and Mancz has missed significant time recently. Van Roten was one of the players they rested during the entire preseason finale, which gave some indication his roster spot is safe. Bobby Hart making it is going to ruffle some feathers.

Defensive tackle (4)

DaQuan Jones
Ed Oliver
Jordan Phillips
Tim Settle

Released with injury settlement: Eli Ankou
Waived: Brandin Bryant, Prince Emili, C.J. Brewer

Ankou won’t be back for a while because of the injury settlement, but don’t close the door just yet. Bryant spent so much time on the practice squad, it wouldn’t surprise me if they were back. Bryant is a guy you’d like to have a spot for, but they’ve waived him before and he’s made it to the practice squad. They did roll with five DTs regularly last year, but they like these four more than those five.

Defensive end (5)

Boogie Basham
A.J. Epenesa
Shaq Lawson
Von Miller
Greg Rousseau

Waived: Mike Love, Kingsley Jonathan, Daniel Joseph

The biggest question for me in this roster group is how many will they keep on the practice squad. The top five have been locked in.

Linebacker (6)

Terrel Bernard
Tyrel Dodson
Tremaine Edmunds
Tyler Matakevich
Matt Milano
Baylon Spector

Suspended: Andre Smith
Waived: Joe Giles-Harris

Spector played his way onto the roster this preseason, flashing big in those games. He also adds special teams ability so he could even be active on game day. It appears that fellow rookie, Terrel Bernard, has potentially moved into third on the depth chart ahead of Tyrel Dodson, as well. He goes from my 55th player onto the roster at 52.

Cornerback (6)

Christian Benford
Kaiir Elam
Dane Jackson
Taron Johnson
Cam Lewis
Siran Neal

PUP: Tre’Davious White
Waived: Nick McCloud, Ja’Marcus Ingram, Jordan Miller

Tre White’s return was previously said to be sooner rather than later, but he hasn’t been spotted at a Bills practice in a month. Placing him on PUP gives him another month to recover with no worries. We need him for the postseason.

Lewis had a decent camp but was not good in the preseason finale. He sneaks onto the initial roster for the first time. CONGRATS!

Safety (4)

Damar Hamlin
Micah Hyde
Jaquan Johnson
Jordan Poyer

Waived: Josh Thomas

Literally the same list as last year. They didn’t even add a player when Poyer went down with injury.

Specialists (2)

K Tyler Bass
LS Reid Ferguson

Waived: P Matt Araiza

The Bills are going to add a punter this week and there are a few new names now that roster cuts have gone through. Once they place Stevenson on injured reserve, they’ll have the roster spot for the move.