(Editor's note: The roster projection was updated on Monday after running back Nyheim Hines was lost for the season due to a knee injury.)
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills open the 2023 NFL regular season at the New York Jets on Sept. 11 at MetLife Stadium.
Before the Bills welcome New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the AFC East, the team will head back to Pittsford, New York, for training camp and to get the lead-up to the season underway. While the level of offseason hype may be different from last year outside of the building, this is an organization with high expectations, and there are limited open roster spots on a talented team.
Position battles at middle linebacker and No. 2 corner will be important, and the offense will work towards taking a step forward in Ken Dorsey's second year as coordinator. Everyone is expected to be present after Stefon Diggs missed most of the offseason work.
Here's a 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACK (2): Josh Allen, Kyle Allen
The Bills have kept two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster as of late, and that should stay the same this season. Once again, Matt Barkley will likely be signed to the practice squad. Josh Allen will have a new backup in his close friend Kyle Allen after Case Keenum departed for the Texans.
RUNNING BACK (4): James Cook, Damien Harris, Latavius Murray, Jordan Mims
The running back room was revamped, with Cook the only back who was with the team for the entire 2022 season. While the second-year back is in line to get a bigger role this year, how the touches break down for the rest of the room will be key, especially after losing a pass-catching back in Hines for the season due to a knee injury before camp even begins. The team may need to add another pass-catcher at running back but for now undrafted free agent Jordan Mims is the only other back on the roster and the injury opens up an opportunity.
FULLBACK (1): Reggie Gilliam
The only fullback on the roster going into camp, Gilliam will return for a fourth-straight season with the Bills. Most of his contributions will continue to come on special teams (he played at least 76% of the snaps the past two seasons), but he'll also be an element in an offense with a partially revamped running back room and new pass-catching weapons for Allen.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Trent Sherfield, Deonte Harty, Khalil Shakir, Justin Shorter
Making the Bills' roster as a wide receiver is no easy feat with limited spots available, so the last spot here will go to this year's fifth-round pick, Shorter. While there wasn't another obvious No. 2 receiver brought in to challenge Davis, the Bills did add new talent to the room to diversify the weapons for Allen, including Harty, who should provide the speed and yards-after-catch production the offense has been looking for.
TIGHT END (3): Dawson Knox, Dalton Kincaid, Quintin Morris
No overly complicated decisions to be made here. One of the team's biggest moves of the offseason was drafting Kincaid in the first round, and while Dorsey said during OTAs that the team is still figuring out the best ways to use the rookie, there's no doubt he will become a big element in the passing game, especially in the middle of the field. Adding Kincaid will also provide more opportunities to have two tight ends on the field at the same time.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern, Mitch Morse, Ryan Bates, O'Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown, David Edwards, Ike Boettger, David Quessenberry
The battles continue for the starting guard spots, while major questions remain about whether enough was done this offseason to improve the interior of the unit. At right tackle, Brown will have a full offseason of work to help him take another step forward after missing time following back surgery last year. Allen was sacked 33 times in 2022, his most since 2019, and this unit helping to lower that number and keep the quarterback healthy is a top priority.
DEFENSIVE LINE (8): Greg Rousseau, Leonard Floyd, A.J. Epenesa, Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, Jordan Phillips, Tim Settle, Poona Ford
This accounts for Von Miller, who is recovering from surgery on his right ACL, to start the season on PUP and miss the first four games. However, the exact timeline of his return is still to be determined and he may be able to get on the field sooner. Due to the addition of Floyd, the Bills will still have to make tough emotional decisions even if Miller is on PUP and, in this projection, move on from 2021 second-round pick Boogie Basham.
LINEBACKER (6): Matt Milano, Terrel Bernard, Tyrel Dodson, Dorian Williams, Baylon Spector, Tyler Matakevich
Finding the replacement for Tremaine Edmunds will be no easy task, but the overall linebacker room for the season isn't that complex. The team has the space to keep all of the young players competing for the middle linebacker role on the roster, including the recent draft picks, and a core special teams player in Matakevich. Bernard is the leader for the job going into camp, but the competition will fully get underway once pads go on.
CORNERBACK (6): Tre'Davious White, Dane Jackson, Kaiir Elam, Christian Benford, Taron Johnson, Siran Neal
The competition here is for that No. 2 outside cornerback job opposite of White. While Elam, the Bills' 2022 first-round pick, took steps forward at the end of last season, Jackson is the leader for the job going into camp. Elam will have to show that he can earn that job over Jackson and Benford.
SAFETY (5): Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin, Cam Lewis
No big decisions to be made here thanks to Buffalo re-signing Poyer in free agency. The Bills will have solid depth at the position behind Poyer and Hyde (the safety duo with the most games started together among active players), thanks to the addition of Rapp and as Hamlin continues his journey back from last season's on-field cardiac arrest.
SPECIALISTS (3): Tyler Bass, Sam Martin, Reid Ferguson
Unlike last year, there are no specialist competitions for the Bills. Bass, Martin and Ferguson will have their first training camp together. Bass will have the same holder for a second straight season.