The cutdown from 90 to 53 players makes the end of preseason play one of the grimmest stretches of the calendar. However, a select few on the roster bubble receive confirmation that their dream, at least temporarily, has come true.
Buffalo Bills defensive end Kingsley Jonathan was among the lucky ones. On Tuesday, Buffalo officially listed Jonathan on the team’s initial 53-man roster.
The Bills cleared a path for Jonathan to make the team, keeping edge rusher Von Miller on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and trading fellow lineman Boogie Basham to the New York Giants. The second-year lineman has impressed throughout camp and posted a strong 72.6 grade from Pro Football Focus this preseason. In 64 snaps, he generated four pressures, a sack, and four solo tackles.
On Wednesday, he spoke about his experiences from camp and cutdown day.
“Everything I do here is just one day at a time, one play at a time,” Jonathan started. “I can’t start thinking too far ahead.”
Last season, Jonathan, an undrafted free agent, fell short of making the Bills’ roster. He would enjoy a brief stint with the Chicago Bears before returning to Buffalo’s practice squad.
“That’s the thing, no news is good news,” he said. “So I was looking at my phone all day yesterday … in a moment I just stopped looking at it and I didn’t hear anything.”
Jonathan joked that he had someone open the door for him when he arrived, fearful that his keycard might not work. His performance this summer kept that card activated. He took the time to describe his play.
“That was the biggest thing for me, just seize this play,” Jonathan said. “Make a good play, make another good play … stack up a lot of good plays, you have a good day. Keep doing that and you have a lot of good days.”
Hailing from nearby Syracuse University by way of Nigeria, it’s been a long, winding road to this point. Jonathan, 25, was overjoyed, but knows the work is not done.
“I took the time to reflect, praise God,” he said. “You got to come in and it’s like it’s been for the past few months … put your best foot forward every day. It’s still a journey.”
He’ll have the opportunity to prove Buffalo right when they visit the New York Jets on Monday, Sept. 11 to begin the season.
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