Da'Metrius Weatherspoon’s path to Buffalo is built on one thing he keeps coming back to: versatility.
The former Syracuse offensive lineman signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft, and he enters camp with a real shot to stick because he can move around the line. At Syracuse, he handled left tackle in the Orange’s historic 10-3 2024-25 season and added 11 starts at right tackle during the 2025 season, logging 817 offensive snaps.
Buffalo opened training camp on July 29th in Rochester, New York, and Weatherspoon was regularly working through combo blocking drills alongside Bruno Fina and Ar'maj Reed Adams. For a player trying to earn one of the NFL’s most fragile jobs, every rep matters.
"You will not get as many reps as everybody else," says Weatherspoon. "So it's like, okay, when you have your number called, you prepare like you were getting all the reps. So when you go in there, you can put good film, good things on tape and be able to stay here."
That reality hangs over the league right now. Weatherspoon is one of 2,879 other players waiting until Sunday, August 30th, at 6:00 p.m. EST, when NFL teams have to set their regular-season rosters.
His case is straightforward: he believes he can line up wherever the Bills need him. Syracuse already showed that he can play both tackle spots, and he sees that as a trait that travels.
"I'm able to play almost every position on the line," says Weatherspoon. "You can just plug me in anywhere and then boom, I'll be able to rise to the occasion."
Weatherspoon also knows this part of his career has never been handed to him. He said he wasn’t really recruited out of high school, went to an HBCU, then earned his chance at Syracuse before getting another opportunity as a UDFA.
"Nothing was easy for me, for the most part. I didn't really get recruited out of high school, so I went to an HBCU and did my time at an HBCU.
'Cuse gave me an opportunity, and I took it. Then, obviously, going UDFA, still a great opportunity, but I've always just been playing with a chip on my shoulder.
I'd have to say my relentlessness," says Weatherspoon.
In Other News...
JJ Starling Just Put Syracuse In The Middle Of A Bigger Fight
JJ Starlings Syracuse tenure may not be finished in the broadest sense, even if his next step is no longer tied to the Orange. The former Syracuse guard has joined a California lawsuit involving players from the 2022 high school graduating class who are seeking an extra year of NCAA eligibility, a move that puts him squarely in the middle of the sports ongoing fight over how much time athletes should really be allowed to compete.
Starling also has entered the NCAA transfer portal, which keeps his basketball future open while he sorts through his options. He averaged 10.9 points per game last season, and with professional opportunities still on the table, his next decision carries real weight for him and for programs that could be watching the same eligibility battle play out in court. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Is Bringing A New Money Reality To The Dome
Syracuse athletics is part of a new on-field marketing push with Progressive Insurance, adding the Orange to a group of 13 FBS programs across all four power conferences. The deal includes Progressives logo on fields along with game-day digital and social media integrations, another sign of how college footballs money game keeps moving closer to the center of the product.
Syracuse has not formally announced the partnership, but the move fits a school that has already been willing to lean into sponsorship revenue in creative ways. The Orange previously worked with SRC, Inc. on a sponsored home game relocated to Yankee Stadium, and this latest step shows the program is continuing to adapt to the new business reality around the Dome. [Read more 🡒]
Perry Eliano Has Syracuse's Secondary Facing One Big Question
Perry Eliano arrived in January and immediately stepped into a secondary with some real pieces already in place, including Chris Peal and Demetres Samuel Jr. For Syracuse, that made his job as defensive backs coach less about starting from scratch and more about figuring out how to blend established talent into a defense that can handle different looks. Eliano has leaned into the relationship side of the position, stressing trust as the foundation for developing versatility, especially at safety.
The good news for the Orange is that the group has moved forward since his arrival, enough for the staff to start shifting players into different roles and seeing what fits. The lingering question is the one every secondary coach eventually has to answer: who actually settles into the starting spots when the dust clears? Syracuse is still sorting that out, and until the lineup is finalized, the back end remains one of the more interesting parts of camp. [Read more 🡒]