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No one has it harder in training camp than the fringe guys. The guys on the roster bubble. Those guys are fighting for their livelihood. For that reason, every practice rep is precious. Make a play and the chances of making the 53-man roster are bolstered. Make a mistake and those chances tumble. Every rep is magnified for these guys. There are guys like this all across the NFL, including on the Buffalo Bills.
95% of each roster spot in the NFL is practically filled after the NFL Draft in April for the most part. But that last 5% is up for grabs and is worth fighting for. There are a couple of guys on the Bills' roster that can earn some of those spots. A strong preseason performance just might do the trick for them.
Darrynton Evans
Considering Darrynton Evans wasn't even on the Buffalo Bills' roster before training camp started, including him on this list seems appropriate. Not too long ago, Evans was one of those guys that was a lock for a 53-man roster spot. The Tennessee Titans drafted him in the third round of the 2020 draft out of Appalachian State, where he ran for 2,880 yards in three seasons and added an additional 39 receptions and 319 yards on the ground. Evans is a bit smaller at 5-10 and 203 pounds, but his versatility as a receiver, as well as his 4.41 wheels made him look like a great complement and change-of-pace back to Derrick Henry.
Unfortunately for Evans, his career never quite took off. He missed 10 games in his rookie season because of hamstring strains. He played only one game for the Titans in 2021 because of a knee sprain. After that, he was eventually cut by the Titans and has bounced around the league ever since. He played six games for the Chicago Bears last season but wasn't retained. It wasn't until Nyheim Hines tore his ACL in a jetski incident that the Bills reached to Evans and signed him. He has the chance to make this Bills' roster. But Evans has to capitalize on it with a big preseason performance.
Justin Shorter
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On the surface, it would be wise to assume that Justin Shorter would likely make the Bills' 53-man roster. He's a former five-star recruit. He was one of the most athletic prospects to enter the 2023 NFL Draft, being a 6-3 224-pound giant that runs a 4.55 40-yard dash. He's a draft pick; teams don't like to straight up get rid of those. The Bills don't have a super awesome cast of wide receivers behind Stefon Diggs. Surely, Shorter makes the Bills' roster, right?
Well, it might take a big performance in the preseason to get there. Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis are locks to make it as wide receivers. Khalil Shakir made the most of his sparse opportunities last year; he should make the team. And then it gets interesting. The Bills signed Deonte Harty and Trent Sherfield in free agency. They're not the biggest names, but they have experience making plays. Harty is an ace return man and can be a jitterbug out of the slot the same way Isaiah McKenzie was for the Bills. Sherfield essentially stole Cedrick Wilson's starting job out of the slot in Miami last season and is a big, solid option there.
It's not unusual for a team to carry five wide receivers. If that's the case, it's possible the Bills keep those veterans around over Shorter. For all of Shorter's athletic gifts, he only totaled 1,557 receiving yards in five collegiate seasons. He isn't a lock to make this roster, but a big preseason would likely see him on the 53.
Moving Forward
Preseason games may not mean much for NFL teams in terms of wins or losses, but they matter in evaluating their roster. These games mean everything for the players on the roster bubble. Darrynton Evans and Justin Shorter are two great examples. A big preseason likely has them on the 53-man roster. It's up to them to take advantage of their opportunity.
