The Buffalo Bills got down to their 53-man roster Saturday afternoon and while there no shockers, there was at least a couple cuts that left for a little head scratching. Antonio Coleman and Naaman Roosevelt were probably the two most puzzling releases, while Shawn Nelson, Geoff Hangartner, Mansfield Wrotto and Reggie Corner represent the biggest “name” players to receive their walking papers.
While the Bills are now at the maximum of 53, don’t expect the roster to go unchanged for long. You can bet your last dollar that while you’re enjoying your Sunday morning cup of coffee, Buddy Nix is looking hard and long at the waiver wire. Fifth-round rookie Chris Hairston is the lone offensive tackle backup currently on the roster, and Nix is almost certain to add a veteran to the mix.
I’d also be shocked to see the Bills start the season with 11 linebackers and just nine defensive backs, so expect another move coming there as well.
For the time being, all of the team’s drafted rookies with the exception of Michael Jasper made the roster as well as a pair of undrafted rookies in Robert Eddins and Zack Pianalto.
Here is a look at the Bills 53-man roster with some comments for each position.
Continue reading ‘Analyzing The Bills 53-Man Roster’
This is hardly an exact science and there’s sure to be at least one or two surprises few if any saw coming, but with the Buffalo Bills preseason slate officially over it’s time to take a stab at projecting the final 53-man roster.
All cuts around the league are due by Saturday afternoon, though some are sure to start leaking out in advance of the cutoff time.
As far as the Bills go, there’s at least a handful of tense decisions to Chan Gailey, Buddy Nix and his staff to make. Based on performance this summer, the roster should be pretty much set in stone. But never an organization that shies away from saving a few bucks, a few surprises could be in store due to player contracts.
Without further ado, here’s my take on what the Bills’ roster will look like come Saturday night.
Continue reading ‘Bills Final 53-Man Roster Projection’
The Buffalo Bills ended their preseason in ugly fashion, falling to the Detroit Lions, 16-6 in front of a sparse— and often bored crowd at Ralph Wilson Stadium Thursday evening. Perhaps no one in the stadium was concerned with the game’s outcome less than Bills head coach Chan Gailey, as evidenced by the starters being in for just seven plays on each side of the ball.
Still, while the contest was meaningless in the standings, it verged on painful to watch, especially if you were hoping to see any fireworks from Buffalo offensively. To put it mildly— the unit was anemic.
Starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick went just 2-for-5 and threw for minus one yard. Tyler Thigpen completed 12 of his 21 passes but netted only 92 yards. As a team, the Bills had a mere 126 total yards in offense more than halfway through the fourth quarter.
Buffalo finally got on the board with 4:05 left to play on a one-yard run by Bruce Hall following a nice 29-yard catch and run by wide receiver Kamar Aiken.
Continue reading ‘Bills Drop Preseason Finale: Random Smatterings’
The Canisius College athletic department has announced the men’s basketball non-conference schedule for the 2011-12 campaign. The 107th season program history will open up Sunday, Nov. 13, when the Golden Griffins travel to Harrisonburg, Va., to meet James Madison at 2 p.m.
Canisius’ first four games of the year will be on road, starting at James Madison. The Griffs will travel to Farmville, Va., take on the Longwood Lancers on Tuesday, Nov. 15 before flying cross country to meet UNLV Thursday, Nov. 17 in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. This will mark the first time the Blue and Gold have played basketball against Longwood and the Runnin’ Rebels. Canisius is scheduled to play its first game in New York state Tuesday, Nov. 22, when the squad travels across town to meet local rival Buffalo in the Alumni Arena.
“I think we’ve put together a challenging non-conference schedule that will properly prepare us for the rigors of league play,” Canisius head coach Tom Parrotta said. “Obviously, the first challenge will be playing our first four games on the road in the span of 10 days. It is no secret we have a number of new faces on this year’s roster, so we’re looking at those early road games as a chance to grow as a team. We’re also set to play against some teams that gained postseason experience last year when we take on James Madison and UNLV, so that will also serve as a good measuring stick for us as a program.”
Continue reading ‘Canisius Announces Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule’
