The Buffalo Bills trimmed their roster down to 53 on Sunday evening, cutting 21 more players just past the 6 p.m. deadline and making a few notable reserve moves as the team settled in for Week 1.
Before the releases came down, Buffalo also shuffled three players onto specific lists. WR Tyrell Shavers was placed on Reserve/PUP, DL Zane Durant went to Injured Reserve, and DL Phidarian Mathis was moved to the reserved/suspended list. Mathis can return after Week 3, though whether he sticks around beyond that will depend on how the defense is performing by then.
Among the 21 players released, several were expected to be on the outside looking in. But one name stands out: CB Kani Walker.
Walker had built real buzz in camp and backed it up with a strong preseason, so his exit is the one that may surprise fans most. With Buffalo looking for depth at the back end of the cornerback group, he seemed to have a legitimate path to the roster.
Instead, he was part of the final wave of cuts.
The full list of players released by Buffalo includes:
G Nick Broeker
QB Shane Buechele
ILB Jimmy Ciarlo
DL Travis Clayton
DB Te’Cory Couch
RB Frank Gore Jr.
WR Stephen Gosnell
ILB Keonta Jenkins
OLB Andre Jones Jr.
CB Anthony Kendall
T Chase Lundt
WR Ja’Mori Maclin
CB Toriano Pride Jr.
WR Trent Sherfield Sr.
S Geno Stone
WR Max Tomczak
FB Ben VanSumeren
CB Kani Walker
G Da’Metrius Weatherspoon
RB Ian Wheeler
P Mitch Wishnowsky
Some of those players are expected to return on the practice squad if they clear waivers. The Bills had already cut 13 players on Saturday, making this final round of moves the last step in shaping the initial roster for the regular season.
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Stone had arrived with a track record that suggested he would at least be part of the conversation on the back end, which is why his release stands out in a room where depth and versatility matter. The move also underscores how sharply the Bills are willing to draw the line as they sort out the final roster, with the next layer of decisions now centered on who fills those jobs and how quickly the secondary settles in. [Read more 🡒]
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Houston, Detroit, the Chargers and New England all enter the early portion of the schedule with players working through IR, PUP or suspension designations, a reminder that the first month rarely unfolds with full rosters anywhere. For Buffalo, that does not erase the challenge ahead, but it does create a little more breathing room in a stretch where every edge can matter. [Read more 🡒]
