The final Buffalo Bills 53-man roster must be set by August 30. Between now and then, head coach Sean McDermott has some tough decisions to make. While much of the roster was set before the Bills preseason even started, there are a few players who seemed like locks just a short time ago who could be on the outs in Orchard Park after the final Bills roster cuts.

Of these surprise Bills roster cuts, one is a breakout rookie, and one is a returning veteran. The third player is punter Matt Araiza who the team could release at any moment after shocking and appalling allegations came to light about his alleged involvement in a sexual assault while in college.

3. Matt Araiza is too controversial to keep

On Monday, during the last round of Bills roster cuts, the team released punter Matt Haak. That meant rookie sensation and cult hero Matt Araiza won the job outright. Less than a week later, a bombshell Los Angeles Times report about Araiza’s involvement in an alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl while at San Diego State surfaced.

The allegations in the story and the lawsuit against Araiza and his former teammates are horrific. If the accounts of the situation are true, nearly everyone would agree that Araiza probably shouldn’t be walking free, let alone on an NFL roster.

A court of law will ultimately determine Matt Araiza’s guilt or innocence. In the meantime, just Araiza’s reported admission of sexual contact with an underage girl should be enough for the organization to cut him loose.

This is a shocking fall from grace by a player who the team and its fans celebrated just a few days ago.

2. Raheem Blackshear was the breakout star of camp but might not make the roster

The other two potentially surprising Bills roster cuts on this list return to football-related reasons. Player number two who is surprisingly in danger of not making the Bills 53-man roster is running back Raheem Blackshear.

The undrafted rookie out of Virginia Tech is the unexpected breakout star of the Bills preseason games. So far, the 24-year-old has 11 carries for 69 yards, six catches for 81 yards, and two touchdowns.

The problem is, the Buffalo running back room is loaded. The three-headed monster of Devin Singletary, Zach Moss, and second-round rookie James Cook are all set in stone in the backfield. RB Taiwan Jones is a needed special teams ace, and fullback Reggie Gilliam just signed a three-year extension three weeks ago.

There just isn’t room on the Bills 53-man roster for Blackshear or Duke Johnson, who will also probably get an upsetting call from GM Brandon Beane. The team will hope to put Blackshear on the practice squad, but another tea could scoop him up.

1. Shaq Lawson’s return could be short-lived

Shaq Lawson spent four seasons racking up 16.5 sacks in Buffalo to start his career before leaving for bigger money from the Miami Dolphins. After a year with the New York Jets, Lawson returned to Buffalo on a one-year, $1.04 million deal.

The plan was to have the veteran DE back up the starting duo of Von Miller and Gregory Rousseau. However, third-year pass-rusher A.J. Epenesa and second-year player Boogie Basham seem to have taken hold of those roles.

The savings (around $900K) from cutting Lawson are relatively negligible, and there aren’t any great options behind the veteran. So Lawson probably will survive the final Bills roster cuts.

That said, if Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane do want to keep a slightly cheaper option with more time on his contract like Mike Love or a long-term project like undrafted rookie Daniel Joseph, Lawson could get cut.