Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott gestures at the end of the second half against the Chicago Bears. Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Buffalo Bills 53-man roster prediction after NFL preseason Week 2

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI | By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 10:35 AM ET

The Buffalo Bills lost in ugly fashion this past weekend to the Chicago Bears, dropping them to 0-2 in the 2025 NFL preseason.

Their final exhibition game will be this Saturday as they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in prime time. Once that game ends, the coaching staff and front office will get to work trimming their roster down for Week 1.

There will be some tough decisions to make, but below is a prediction of how the Bills’ initial 53-man roster could look.

Quarterback (2):

Josh Allen
Mitchell Trubisky

Running Back (4):

James Cook
Ray Davis
Ty Johnson
Reggie Gilliam

Wide Receiver (6):

Keon Coleman
Khalil Shakir
Joshua Palmer
Curtis Samuel
Tyrell Shavers
Laviska Shenault

Tight End (3):

Dalton Kincaid
Dawson Knox
Jackson Hawes

Offensive Line (9):

Dion Dawkins
David Edwards
Connor McGovern
O'Cyrus Torrance
Spencer Brown
Ryan Van Demark
Tylan Grable
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
Alec Anderson

Offensive Summary

Elijah Moore has struggled to make an impact and loses his spot to Tyrell Shavers, who has been much better in camp and the preseason. Laviska Shenault makes it as well, primarily as a returner. Keep an eye on Gabe Davis, however, as he could return which would shake things up.

Outside of the receiver position, there are very few unexpected moves. The offense is similar to what they had in 2024, which led to plenty of success.

Defensive Line (10):

Greg Rousseau
Ed Oliver
DaQuan Jones
Joey Bosa
AJ Epenesa
Landon Jackson
Javon Solomon
TJ Sanders
DeWayne Carter
Deone Walker

Michael Hoecht, Larry Ogunjobi (Suspended)

Linebacker (5):

Terrel Bernard
Matt Milano
Dorian Williams
Joe Andreesen
Shaq Thompson

Cornerback (6):

Christian Benford
Tre'Davious White
Taron Johnson
Cam Lewis
Dorian Strong
Ja'Marcus Ingram

Maxwell Hairston (PUP)

Safety (5):

Taylor Rapp
Cole Bishop
Damar Hamlin
Jordan Hancock
Free Agent to be named

Specialists (3):

Tyler Bass (K)
Brad Robbins (P)
Reid Ferguson (LS)

Defensive Summary

Larry Ogunjobi is listed as a suspended player, but he could be released in a cap-saving move. He hasn’t stood out, whereas rookies T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker have.

At cornerback, they drop Dane Jackson, who will be buried on the depth chart once Maxwell Hairston is healthy. At safety, one spot is left open for a veteran signing since they have to do something other than rely on Cole Bishop and Damar Hamlin.