Bills Release Andre Roberts, Trim Roster To 53
Here are the roster decisions the Bills made to move to the mandated 53-man regular-season limit.
Waived:
- OT Trey Adams
- DB Brian Allen
- TE Nate Becker
- DE Bryan Cox Jr.
- TE Jason Croom
- WR Robert Foster
- G Marquel Harrell
- DB Dane Jackson
- DB Cam Lewis
- DE Mike Love
- DB Dean Marlowe
- T Victor Salako
- DT Tanzel Smart
- LB Andre Smith
- DT Vincent Taylor
- DB Josh Thomas
- RB Christian Wade
- T Brandon Walton
- QB Davis Webb
- RB Antonio Williams
- WR Duke Williams (story)
- DT Justin Zimmer
Released:
- OL Evan Boehm
- WR Andre Roberts
Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform:
The Bills signed Roberts to a two-year deal in 2019, doing so after he earned All-Pro recognition for his kick-return work on the 2018 Jets. Roberts has 10 years’ experience and two Pro Bowls on his resume. The second of those two Pro Bowl nods came last season with the Bills. Buffalo enters the season with its best chance to win the AFC East in maybe 20 years, so cutting an accomplished player is certainly surprising.
Foster made a splash as a rookie in 2018, but the Bills have overhauled their receiver group since. John Brown and Cole Beasley led the way last year, and the team traded for Stefon Diggs and drafted two wideouts — fourth-rounder Gabriel Davis and sixth-rounder Isaiah Hodgins — this year. Foster will nonetheless be an interest name on waivers.
Buffalo traded for Andre Smith earlier this week. The third-year linebacker could well be brought back on the team’s 16-player practice squad. Teams can begin assembling their P-squads Sunday.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/12/19
Today’s practice squad updates:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Nate Becker
- Released: LB Nate Hall
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Abdullah Anderson
- Released: LB James Vaughters
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: G Colby Gossett
- Released: CB Donnie Lewis
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: G Ben Braden
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Cornell Armstrong
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Terry Godwin
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Brandon Dillon, WR Alexander Hollins
New England Patriots
- Signed: S Obi Melifonwu
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Mitchell Loewen
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Ajene Harris
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Parry Nickerson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB Dalyn Dawkins
- Placed on injured list: QB Logan Woodside
Washington Redskins
- Signed: TE Donald Parham
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/5/19
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Vincent Taylor
- Released: TE Nate Becker
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Joe Giles-Harris
- Released: LB Deshaun Davis
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Josh Malone
Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC East
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC East teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Bills, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots are noted below.
Additionally, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads today. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s AFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Buffalo Bills
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE Nate Becker
- CB Cam Lewis
- OL Erik Magnuson
- DT Kyle Peko
- RB Christian Wade*
- WR Duke Williams
- DE Eddie Yarbrough
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed:
- DE Trent Harris
- LB Deon Lacey
- DE Avery Moss
- DB Steven Parker
- DB Ken Webster
- Waived:
- LB Terrill Hanks
- DB Montre Hartage
- TE Chris Myarick
- OL Zach Sterup
- DL Adolphus Washington
New England Patriots
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE Stephen Anderson
- LB Terez Hall
- FB Jakob Johnson
- DL Ufomba Kamalu
- LB Calvin Munson
- OL Dan Skipper
- OL Tyree St. Louis
- DL Nick Thurman
New York Jets
- Claimed:
- WR Braxton Berrios
- DE John Franklin
- DB Bennett Jackson
- K Kaare Vedvik
- Released:
- Waived:
- Signed to practice squad:
- OL Calvin Anderson
- OL Ben Braden
- CB Kyron Brown
- QB Luke Falk
- RB Valentine Holmes*
- LB Jamey Mosley
- WR Jeff Smith
* = International Pathway Program player
Bills Reach 53-Man Max
The Bills dropped a host of players on Saturday to reach the 53-man limit, but they also carved out spots by other means. Fifth-round linebacker Vosean Joseph (shoulder) and running back Senorise Perry (quad) were placed on IR while undrafted linebacker Tyrell Dodson was placed on the Commissioner’s exempt list.
Here’s the full list of cut players in Buffalo:
DE Sam Acho
TE Nate Becker
WR Victor Bolden Jr.
TE Kyle Carter
S Kurt Coleman
WR Nick Easley
DE Jeff Holland
QB Tyree Jackson
OT Jarron Jones
LB Deon Lacey
CB Cam Lewis
CB Ryan Lewis
OL Eric Magnuson
WR Ray-Ray McCloud
RB LeSean McCoy
K Chase McLaughlin
CB Captain Munnerlyn
RB Marcus Murphy
DT Kyle Peko
WR Cam Phillips
CB Lafayette Pitts
OL Demetrius Rhaney
CB Denzel Rice
WR David Sills
TE Keith Towbridge
RB Christian Wade
S Abraham Wallace
DT L.T. Walton
WR Duke Williams
DE Eddie Yarbrough
DT Roderick Young
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/5/19
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Nate Becker, DT L.T. Walton
- Waived: TE Moral Stephens, DT Quindarius Thagard
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Javien Elliott
- Waived: G Brendan Mahon
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: RB Taj McGowan
- Waived: DL Khairi Clark
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Trae Elston
- Waived: LB B.J. Bello
More Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/19
Here’s the latest round of minor moves from around the NFL (For this morning’s minor moves, click here.):
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Tyler Sigler
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Moral Stephens
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Tom Kennedy, WR Jordan Smallwood
- Waived: TE Nate Becker, TE Donald Parham
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Xavier Woodson-Luster
- Waived: LB Chase Middleton
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Cyril Grayson
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/19
Here are today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WRs Tom Kennedy, Jordan Smallwood
- Waived: TEs Nate Becker, Donald Parham
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Charles Jones, CB Jocquez Kalili, TE Michael Colubiale
- Waived: TE Carson Meier, CB Marquez Sanford, WR Papi White
- Waived/injured: S Cody Brown, DT Roderick Young
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S D’Cota Dixon
Kennedy is an interesting story, as he was taken in the third round of last year’s Major League Lacrosse Draft by the Boston Cannons, per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. He appeared in six games for the Cannons while also suiting up at wide receiver for Bryant University. Despite only playing two years of football at Bryant, Kennedy is eighth in school history in catches and receiving yards, and he posted 57 receptions for 888 yards and nine touchdowns in 2017. He missed four games due to injury in 2018, but he still finished with 33 catches for 410 yards and a touchdown.
Lions Sign 13 UDFAs
On Friday, the Lions added 13 undrafted rookies to their roster. Here’s the full rundown:
- Nate Becker, TE (Miami, Ohio)
- Beau Benzschawel, G (Wisconsin)
- Malik Carney, LB (UNC)
- Jonathan Duhart, WR (Old Dominion)
- Tre Lamar, LB (Clemson)
- C.J. Moore, S (Ole Miss)
- Matt Nelson, T (Iowa),
- Donald Parham, TE (Stetson)
- Anthony Pittman, LB (Wayne State)
- Ryan Pope, T (San Diego State)
- Micah St. Andrew, G (Fresno State)
- Ray Smith, DT (Boston College)
- Kevin Strong, DT (Texas San-Antonio)
The Lions did not select any offensive linemen in the draft, so they went ahead and inked four OLs in Benzschawel, Nelson, Pope, and St. Andrew. With that in mind, the players in this group may have decent odds of making the final cut from the 90-man roster to the final 53.