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The Buffalo Bills’ 2026 training camp starts July 21, as rookies report to St. John Fisher, with veterans joining in one week later. This starts the process of the team whittling its roster down from 90 to 52 by Week 1 of the upcoming season. Who will be on the sideline for that opener against the Houston Texans? Let’s take a look at four Bills cut candidates on the chopping block entering 2026 NFL training camp who may not be on the roster for long.
Frank Gore Jr.
The Bills’ running back with the famous name has had a hard time making the 53-man roster the last two seasons. Frank Gore Jr. is a good enough running back to play for a lot of teams in the NFL. Unfortunately for him, he’s behind a star in James Cook, an All-Pro kick returner and above-average backup RB in Ray Davis, and arguably the best 3rd-down back in the league, Ty Johnson.
Gore could be a fine player, but especially with as little playing time as he gets—zero carries in two seasons—we pretty much know what he is and will be as a Bill. It is likely time to cut him loose and give another back a chance.
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Buffalo will keep Cook, Davis, and Johnson on the roster, along with a fullback. The team also signed UFL standout Ian Wheeler, who would take Gore’s spot on the practice squad. With all those spots taken up, Gore will be the odd man out.
Mecole Hardman Jr.
The wide receiver spot is another area of the Bills’ roster that is a tough nut to crack. D.J. Moore, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Keon Coleman, and rookie Skyler Bell are all probably locks for the roster. After that, there is Tyrell Shavers, who will start the season on the PUP list while recovering from an ACL tear, and Trent Sherfield, who was brought in, at least in part, for his special teams acumen.
Because Mecole Hardman Jr. has become less of a special-teams player over the years, he could be the odd man out in this positional battle. And if he can’t replace Sherfield because of the special teams issues, he’ll have to beat out Palmer or Coleman on WR production alone, and that seems like a long shot.
DeWayne Carter
There are several Bills cut candidates on the defensive side of the roster, too, as Buffalo transitions from Sean McDermott’s 4-3 defense to Jim Leonard’s 3-4. This switch means that the new defensive coordinator needs different types of players at every level, but especially on the defensive line and at linebacker. And these shifting needs may be what ends DeWayne Carter’s time with the team.
Carter was a 2024 third-round pick out of Duke who missed the entire 2025 season with an Achilles tendon tear. He is also an undersized but quick DT who can rush the passer, which is exactly what McDermott wanted. Now, Carter doesn’t seem like a great fit at 3-4 DE, and he is not big enough to be an NFL nose tackle.
Additionally, the defensive line is one of the Bills’ deepest roster positions heading into training camp. Ed Oliver, Deone Walker, T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson, and rookie Zane Durant will likely make the team, and veteran Phidarian Mathis has a good shot as well.
Damar Hamlin
Damar Hamlin is an inspiration to Bills Mafia and the players on the team after the way he fought back from his near-tragic on-field heart issue in 2022. However, he missed nearly all of last season with an injury and will be even more buried on the Bills’ depth chart this season after the team added several players to the position group this offseason.
Cole Bishop is the standout, no-brainer starter here, and this offseason, the Bills added veteran safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone to the roster. General manager Brandon Beane then took South Carolina S Jalon Kilgore in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, so those will be the main players getting time at safety.
Now, one thing that goes in Hamlin’s favor is that Leonhard will use multiple safety looks, and may use Gardner-Johnson more as a nickel corner than a safety, which could open up more roster spots at this position. So, it might come down to Hamlin or Sam Franklin Jr. for the final roster spot here.
Unfortunately for Hamiln, you can tell by the contracts which veteran safety the team favors. This offseason, the club inked Hamlin to a one-year, $1.26 million deal. Franklin, however, got a three-year, $7.5 million contract, albeit for roughly the same money this season. Those contract details scream that Hamiln should be the odd man out here.
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