The Buffalo Bills made their initial 53-man roster moves by Sunday’s 6 p.m. EST deadline, and while the decisions were mostly predictable, a few choices stood out.
Going with four tight ends and no fullback was one of them. So was keeping just five cornerbacks alongside five safeties.
It’s not the kind of roster construction Bills fans are used to seeing, but this is a different look at One Bills Drive.
That doesn’t mean the roster is finished.
Around the league, players were waived or released and are now searching for their next landing spot. For Buffalo, that opens the door to a few names that could make sense as the team keeps scanning for help. Four players in particular should be on the Bills’ radar.
Red Murdock is the easiest one to connect to Buffalo. The linebacker is familiar to University at Buffalo fans, and he entered the league as this year’s “Mr.
Irrelevant,” the final pick in the NFL Draft, before being selected by the Denver Broncos. At UB from 2024-2025, Murdock posted at least 142 total tackles in each season.
Mike Klis reported that the Broncos waived Murdock, though they plan to put him on the practice squad if he clears waivers. If Buffalo wants more inside linebacker competition, Murdock would bring depth and help round out Jim Leonhard’s defense.
The Bills also still need a punt returner, and Charlie Jones could fit that need immediately. Ian Rapoport reported that the Cincinnati Bengals were releasing Jones, which could hand Buffalo a solution on special teams.
Jones has produced 462 punt return yards and one punt return touchdown over three seasons with Cincinnati. On kickoff returns, he has 1,284 yards and two touchdowns.
That kind of resume would give the Bills both return-game help and another body at receiver.
Will Levis is the name that would probably spark the most debate, but there’s a case for Buffalo taking a look. Tom Pelissero reported that the Titans were waiving Levis, giving him a chance to start over elsewhere.
He entered Tennessee in 2023 and landed in a rough situation, then dealt with another coaching change when Brian Callahan arrived in 2024 and did not last two full years in Nashville. The Titans also added Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in 2025, which pushed Levis further into trouble.
Buffalo already has Kyle Allen backing up Josh Allen, but Levis would be a worthwhile developmental add if the Bills wanted to give him a shot to learn and reset.
Then there’s Sean Murphy-Bunting, a more cautious swing because of the injury history. He missed all of last season after tearing his ACL, so there is risk attached.
But there’s also upside. Buffalo could use more cornerback depth, and Murphy-Bunting would bring a veteran option if injuries start piling up.
He has 11 career interceptions and 297 total tackles, and that kind of experience makes him a name the Bills should at least consider.
In Other News...
Bills Sent An Early Roster Message With One Veteran Cut
The Bills got to their 53-man roster deadline with the kind of brisk, businesslike trim that usually says as much about the summer competition as it does about the players leaving. Buffalo made a series of cuts and reserve-list moves to get down to the limit, and the most eye-catching name among the departures was veteran safety Geno Stone.
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 🡒]
Bills Cutdown Day Included One Roster Decision Fans Wont Ignore
Cutdown day brought the usual churn in Orchard Park, with the Bills trimming their roster to the initial 53 by releasing 21 players and shifting three others to reserve lists. Wide receiver Tyrell Shavers landed on Reserve/PUP, defensive lineman Zane Durant went to Injured Reserve and defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis was placed on the reserved/suspended list as Buffalo sorted through the final edges of the roster ahead of the regular season.
Among the names that stood out, cornerback Kani Walker was let go even after turning in a strong preseason. For a Bills team that spent August sorting through depth and competition at the back end of the defense, Walkers departure is the kind of decision fans will notice, especially with the roster now set in place and the next wave of moves still to come. [Read more 🡒]
Bills First 53 Reveals A Big Week 1 Roster Reality
The Bills have set their 53-man active roster for the 2026 season, and the first cutdown list already says plenty about how this team wants to open the year. Buffalos roster includes wide receiver Tyrell Shavers on Reserve/PUP, defensive lineman Zane Durant on Injured Reserve with a designation to return, and defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis on the Reserve/Suspended list after a violation of the leagues banned substances policy.
The most immediate Week 1 takeaway is what the Bills chose to keep around the edges of the roster. Buffalo is carrying four tight ends and no fullbacks, a combination that points to some clear preferences in how the offense is being built for the season opener. Those kinds of decisions often tell as much about a teams identity as the headline names do, and the Bills have already made theirs pretty clear. [Read more 🡒]