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Glenn Gronkowski, Eric Striker headline 14 Buffalo Bills UDFA signings

The Bills added a couple of intriguing names and bolstered their numbers in key spots heading into the summer

The Buffalo Bills announced on Monday afternoon that they have signed 14 players that went undrafted in this past weekend's 2016 NFL Draft. Here's the full list of names:

  • Glenn Gronkowski, FB, Kansas State
  • Davonte Allen, WR, Marshall
  • Gary Chambers, WR, Arizona State
  • Marquis Lucas, OT, West Virginia
  • Keith Lumpkin, OT, Rutgers
  • Jamison Lalk, OG, Iowa State
  • Robert Kugler, C, Purdue
  • Claudell Louis, DE, Fresno State
  • Justin Zimmer, DT, Ferris State
  • Bryson Albright, LB, Miami (OH)
  • Eric Striker, LB, Oklahoma
  • Julian Whigham, CB, Syracuse
  • Marshall Morgan, K, Georgia
  • Reid Ferguson, LS, LSU

Gronkowski's name will, of course, be a familiar one; his older brother, Rob, has fueled the nightmares of Bills fans for six-plus seasons now, and all of the Gronkowskis are natives of Williamsville. Glenn Gronkowski will compete for a roster spot as an H-back type, and his odds will skyrocket if he can prove adept on special teams.

Adding four new offensive linemen brings the team's total up to 15 at that spot, allowing them to field three full units when training camp begins in July.

Striker is another name to keep an eye on; he is undersized and lacks elite athleticism, but is coming off of a highly productive college career in the Big 12 in which he accumulated 45 tackles for loss and 22.5 sacks. Finding him a position to play, or a well-defined niche role, will be key to his success at the pro level.

The addition of a kicker and a long snapper is also intriguing; the Bills now have three kickers and two long snappers on their roster, unless they plan on letting Jordan Gay punt this year.

In order to make room for the 14 new players, the Bills released three veterans: defensive end Jarius Wynn (who dropped a bunch of weight to make a position switch in Buffalo, only to be unceremoniously released), center Ronald Patrick, and cornerback Merrill Noel. They now have 89 players on their roster. Our depth chart page has been updated accordingly.