Bills Reduce Roster To 53 Players
The Bills have been busy today, releasing a pair of offensive linemen, trading defensive end Boogie Basham to the Giants, and shifting Von Miller to the reserve/PUP list. The team eventually finalized their roster, cutting down their squad to 53 players:
Released:
- DT Eli Ankou
- LS Reid Ferguson
- WR Andy Isabella
- RB Ty Johnson
- LB A.J. Klein
- OL Greg Mancz
- S Dean Marlowe
Waived:
- S Zayne Anderson
- WR Marcell Ateman
- CB Alex Austin
- OL Nick Broeker
- CB Kyron Brown
- DE Kameron Cline
- DT DJ Dale
- RB Darrynton Evans
- OL Richard Gouraige
- LB Travin Howard
- CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
- OL Kevin Jarvis
- WR KeeSean Johnson
- RB Jordan Mims
- WR Tyrell Shavers
- WR Bryan Thompson
- DT Kendal Vickers
- TE Joel Wilson
Placed on IR:
- QB Matt Barkley
Dean Marlowe was traded to the Bills last November, and the safety began his second stint with the organization after spending three-plus seasons with the organization between 2017 and 2020. The veteran ended up starting a pair of playoff games for Buffalo, collecting seven tackles and an interception. The 31-year-old re-signed with the Bills back in May.
A.J. Klein was another former Bills player added midway through the 2022 season. It was a whirlwind season for the veteran LB. Klein was released by Buffalo in March, and he ended up spending time with the Giants, Ravens, and Bears before returning to the Bills in November. He collected 11 tackles in six games before putting up zeros in a pair of playoff games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/22/23
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: LB Daelin Hayes
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Joel Wilson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OT Max Pircher
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Emanuel Wilson
- Waived: K Parker White
Houston Texans
- Released: DB Darius Joiner
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Toby Ndukwe
- Released: LB Tae Crowder, LB Emeke Egbule, RB Master Teague
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-signed: CB Artie Burns
- Signed: NT LaTrell Bumphus
- Waived: LB Chris Garrett
Max Pircher will be joining the Lions via the league’s International Pathways Program. The team originally signed Austalian tight end Patrick Murtagh, who had to back out of his deal due to a medical issue, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Pircher played football in Austria and participated on Italy’s National Team before a stint on the Rams’ practice squad in 2021.
Tae Crowder became a popular name after he compiled 130 tackles in 17 starts for the Giants in 2021. He found himself sliding down the depth chart in 2022 before ultimately getting waived. He landed back on New York’s practice squad before being signed by the Steelers, where he didn’t get into a game while sitting on their active roster.
Saints Announce 11-Man UDFA Class
The Saints have announced an 11-man UDFA class after drafting seven players over the course of the last three days. Here are the undrafted talents who will begin their pursuit of an NFL job with New Orleans:
- LB Nick Anderson, Tulane
- WR Sy Barnett, Davenport
- WR Shaq Davis, South Carolina State
- OL Mark Evans II, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- K Blake Grupe, Notre Dame
- P Lou Hedley, Miami (FL)
- DB Anthony Johnson, Virginia
- LB Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt
- OL Alex Pihlstrom, Illinois
- RB SaRodorick Thompson Jr., Texas Tech
- TE Joel Wilson, Central Michigan
Two of the above players, Davis and Orji, received guarantees in excess of $200K, as Greg Auman of FOX Sports tweets.
Davis has the size (6-5, 217 lbs.) and length that could allow him to find success in the pros, and he showed off serious big-play ability at the collegiate level, averaging roughly 20.4 yards per catch over four years at South Carolina State. That included 45 catches for 934 yards and 11 TDs in 2022.
That production, however, came against FCS competition. While the size of Davis’ guarantee indicates he was a priority signing, there are elements of his game — like his issue with drops — that he will need to clean up in order to have a shot at cracking the roster.
Orji, meanwhile, was a three-year starter for the SEC’s Commodores, as well as a team captain. Despite averaging nearly 100 total tackles and 10 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, he also missed a lot of tackles and does not have the speed that would make him an elite defender in today’s NFL. Still, there was a chance that he would hear his name called on Day 3 of the draft, and he should have a decent chance of sticking as a backup defender or special teamer.