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The Buffalo Bills knew they were going to need to make room for linebacker Nigel Bradham on the 53-man roster after Week 1, and roughly 24 hours after their 23-20 road win over the Chicago Bears, they have done so.
Bradham, who missed Sunday's win while serving a one-game suspension for a 2013 marijuana-related arrest, was added to the 53-man roster on Monday afternoon. In order to make room for him there, the Bills released reserve defensive end Jacquies Smith, who was a healthy scratch on Sunday.
The news is bad for Smith, a quality young edge rusher that the team kept as a fifth end after a strong preseason. It's better news, of course, for kickoff specialist Jordan Gay, who did enough with his opportunity in Chicago (four touchbacks in five tries) to earn an extended look from the team.
Bradham's return to the lineup will be welcome news to an already-thin position that could be without veteran Keith Rivers in this Sunday's matchup with the Miami Dolphins. Rivers, who left the Bears win with a groin injury, is considered day-to-day.