Trends at Bills training camp and how they impact looming roster decisions
The wide receiver situation is complicated.
www.nytimes.com
As the Bills shifted into their first training camp practices at their home base in Orchard Park, it was yet another reminder that the 2025 regular season is rapidly approaching.
Final cuts are due in less than two weeks on Aug. 26, and with their season opener just over three weeks away, the wiggle room of time that the team had to figure out critical decisions for the upcoming season is decreasing by the day.
One of those critical decisions was made this week. The James Cook contract situation that hovered over the Bills for more than a week ended with a contract extension through 2029.
Now the sole focus for the Bills is about getting ready for a run at the Super Bowl, and figuring out the best way to make the 53-man roster go from both an on-field and cap perspective. As we’re getting closer to cutdown day, the way things have evolved during camp practices might have a legitimate impact on what they do at the end of their roster.
With one joint practice with the Bears on Friday, and two preseason games to go, here are some things to monitor over the next week-plus ahead of final cuts.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/65...ited-extension-with-bills-lets-play-football/
T.J. Sanders looks like the real deal as a first-year impact player
There was some natural disappointment when the Bills’ top pick in 2025, rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston, suffered a LCL sprain that knocked him out likely for the remainder of training camp, if not longer. Hairston has yet to do any work to the side during practices, and the Bills didn’t rule out the cornerback beginning the year on Injured Reserve. However, if there’s one thing Bills fans should take solace in about the current draft class, it has all to do with second-round selection and defensive tackle T.J. Sanders.It was a slightly slow start for Sanders during the non-padded portion of camp, only because we couldn’t see his full bank of moves in a non-contact setting. As soon as the pads went on for their fifth day of practice, Sanders began to make his presence felt, and it’s been a steady increase in seeing the ability that the Bills were excited to draft translate to the field. Throughout their time in Rochester and in the first preseason game, the Bills mostly used him at three-technique defensive tackle, the role designed to be more of a pass rusher and penetrator. The reps he put on tape both before and during the preseason game have been excellent, and those continued into the practices in Orchard Park this week. There are some one-on-one reps where Sanders is making some quick work of his opponent, which certainly gives them some potential high-end defensive tackle depth the Bills have lacked in the past. To be clear, he remains Ed Oliver’s primary backup, but there is some potential for the two to play beside one another depending on the situation.
With Sanders showing as well as he is, it’s critically important ahead of these decision points for the Bills because of the information it provides. It can impact both how they use their rotation during the regular season and, possibly even some 53-man roster decisions, which we’ll get to shortly. Regardless, if Sanders continues on his current path, he might become one of the team’s most important pass rushers on obvious passing downs before all is said is done. The Bills are excited about Sanders, and they have every right to be based on what we’ve seen so far.
Curtis Samuel’s chances of making the roster this season have been hampered by injuries. (Shawn Dowd / USA Today)
Who stays and who goes at WR? A complex decision awaits
The receiver room in Buffalo, past the top three of Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Joshua Palmer, seems completely up in the air. The Bills usually keep five wide receivers, though there is a legitimate case to keep six this year, as they have several compelling cases to make the team outright. It really comes down to five players for either two or three spots, depending on if they keep five or six total. A snapshot of each case for the contenders, as it stands today.Curtis Samuel – He made a strong impression late in the regular season and playoffs, but his time spent on the sidelines due to injuries has been voluminous. Samuel missed most of training camp for the second straight year, this time with a hamstring injury. He is doing some work with the strength and conditioning staff, though missing critical time once again. Samuel’s $6.91 million in base salary is guaranteed, though if they moved on before final cuts, they would not acquire any further dead cap to 2025. They would actually save over $300K of his current cap hit in 2025 if they did cut him, though it would need to be replaced by another contract on the ledger.
Elijah Moore – Mostly healthy throughout camp, Moore did miss Wednesday’s practice with an undisclosed injury. He has spent time working at both slot receiver and at Z-receiver before the team returned to Orchard Park. His being a good option at slot receiver is the depth the team lacked in 2024 behind Shakir. Moore has a fully guaranteed $2.5 million contract, while also providing some special teams appeal in the return game.
Tyrell Shavers – For the second summer in a row, Shavers has had a very strong camp, to the point that the Bills have raved about his work ethic and what he’s been able to do with his opportunities. Shavers can play all three positions on offense for them, though he did not contribute to any core-four special teams units against the Giants until later in the game. There are other stronger special teams options in Moore and the next name.
Laviska Shenault – Although he hasn’t been a really impactful receiver in camp, the Bills used Shenault almost everywhere on special teams in the preseason game against the Giants, which is important. If he can provide some answers at several key spots on those four units, that can more than justify a roster spot. On offense, he’s best suited to the X receiver role, which the team lacks for options past Coleman and Shavers.
Samuel is the most compelling situation of the bunch. You can easily make the case that the Bills’ most well-rounded room would include Moore, Shavers and Shenault over Samuel, but there are complications. That includes Samuel’s base salary guarantee, his late-season performance, his relationship with offensive coordinator Joe Brady, and that it would add over $600K to the Bills’ salary cap situation, even with the savings the Bills would get from cutting Samuel. However, if the Bills find a cap-saving situation that provides a bit more flexibility, it opens the door to moving on from Samuel. Still with less than two weeks to go, how the depth of this room plays out is completely wide open depending on performance.
Why Larry Ogunjobi could be a sneaky cost-cutting move
With Sanders really looking the part, there’s a natural conversation to have about how the team will split up their snaps during the season in the defensive tackle room. Should Sanders’ impact extend into the regular season, maximizing his time on the field should be a priority rather than splitting up the pie of rotational snaps even further. That’s where the 31-year-old Larry Ogunjobi enters the equation.There hasn’t been anything noteworthy about Ogunjobi’s camp from an on-field impact standpoint. He’s been somewhere between a second and third-unit defensive tackle throughout the Rochester practices and in the first preseason game, usually lining up at the three-technique spot. Ogunjobi is facing a six-game suspension to begin the 2025 season, though even upon his return from that suspension, it’s fair to wonder what his game-day role would be.
This is where the Sanders camp information comes in handy. If Ogunjobi is likely to be a healthy scratch on game days, it could put his roster spot in jeopardy. When the Bills signed him in March, they were in the midst of reshaping their entire defensive tackle room after the starters. At that point, they did not know that they would be able to get Sanders, and they certainly didn’t know they would double-dip at the position for Deone Walker in the fourth round. They also believe DeWayne Carter can play both one-technique and three-technique, depending on what they need from him. At its core, keeping six defensive tackles — all of whom do not play special teams — is a lot.
Then, when you consider the financial piece, the case strengthens a bit for why the Bills could move on as part of their final cuts. If the Bills were to cut Ogunjobi, they would take $1.25 million immediately off their cap sheet, and depending on the contract that takes its place, it could be close to $400K in savings. The Bills are already over the cap with just their Top 51 contracts, and that deficit will increase when the cap sheet includes all 53 contracts. Although the Bills would remain on the hook for Ogunjobi’s dead cap hit in 2026 for the three void years they put on the contract, those would be there if he’s on the roster in 2025 or not. It’s simply an accelerated departure, with a means to immediate cap relief and without having to find a roster spot for him once the suspension is done. If they have other cap-saving measures in mind, they could just see how the defensive tackle room looks in Week 7 before making a decision on Ogunjobi, but this is an intriguing option that would solve quite a few problems.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/65...rd-knocks-episode-2-buffalo-joe-damar-hamlin/
Something has to give at depth OT
As the Bills have several tough decisions to make, a difficult situation is developing with the depth of their offensive line. The Bills projected that second-year center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger could be back by the third preseason game, which would put him on pace to start the year on the active roster. Alec Anderson returned to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday, so he’ll also begin the year on the 53-man roster. Tylan Grable has been out since last week with a concussion, though with over three weeks before the season, it’s likely he’ll be back, too. All three are considered locks for the roster. That’s where the decision comes in between offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark and rookie Chase Lundt.The Bills are most likely to keep only nine offensive linemen this year due to needs elsewhere on the team, setting up for a big short-term versus long-term debate for the final spot. Van Demark has in-game experience and received a good amount of first-team time this summer as Spencer Brown rehabbed a back flare-up. However, Van Demark is only signed through 2025 and set to become a restricted free agent in the offseason. Lundt was a sixth-round pick and showed well enough in the preseason opener to think that he’d be claimed on waivers in a league thirsty for offensive linemen who show some ability. However, how comfortable would the Bills feel with Lundt in the lineup if they had two injuries at offensive tackle?
The potential sweet spot here is if the Bills can find a trade partner for Van Demark. Several things contribute to the brand of Bills general manager Brandon Beane, but one of his favorite moves is flipping a depth offensive lineman to another team for a Day 3 pick ahead of final cuts. With the team having faith in Grable, Anderson and Van Pran-Granger, getting a pick to move on from Van Demark could be enough to make the Bills side with Lundt. And if they’re looking for cap space anywhere they can, swapping in Lundt for Van Demark yields a savings of almost $140K, and every little bit could help.