Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Former Lancaster High School and University at Buffalo linebacker Joe Andreessen is likely waiting anxiously to see if he’s made the Buffalo Bills' 53-man roster.
The deadline for NFL teams to cut-down their rosters to 53 players is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
The 24-year-old middle linebacker was a force throughout the preseason, and pretty much played the entirety of the final two games and played very well.
Against the Carolina Panthers, Andreessen had eight tackles. In Pittsburgh against the Steelers, he had 12 tackles, including two tackles for a loss. Against the Chicago Bears, Andreessen didn’t play the whole game because Terrel Bernard started, but he still had four tackles.
Andreessen has had a great time playing for his hometown team, even if it was only in preseason action.
"It’s been cool," Andreessen told reporters after the Panthers game on Saturday. "I’ve been working my whole life for this. I’ve sacrificed a lot of time towards football, and not just me, but my family as well. It’s been a blessing, and hopefully it continues."
When you dream about playing in the NFL, it seems like the opportunity will never arrive.
"It’s always felt so far away that it’s never going to come. So when I finally got here, it’s just football at the end of the day. It was nothing different once I got here," Andreessen said.
When all is said and done, Andreessen could make the team outright, the Bills could try to sign him to the 16-player practice squad, or he could look for another opportunity with another team. No matter how it plays out, the Western New York native is pretty confident something will work out.
"I don’t think the journey is going to be over one way or another. I’m still going to work," he said. "I want to continue to play football, and I went through a lot to get here. If it doesn’t work out the way I want it to, I’m used to it at this point.
"I think I proved that I can play, but that’s not up to me. I try not to worry about things I can’t control."
Many have wondered if Andreessen could be a candidate to move outside and fill in for the injured Matt Milano. He feels he can be an option for the Bills.
"We say in the linebacker room, especially the young guys, 'Be on top of both positions.' And they expect us to know both positions," Andreessen said. "I’ve been playing predominantly middle since a week into camp, but I feel comfortable playing outside too. But reps are always good to get, no matter which one you’re playing."
Making the jump from UB to the Bills is a huge leap. Andreessen says the mental part has improved for him since he started with the Bills.
"It’s probably my understanding of the game," he said. "I had a similar experience when I transferred from Bryant to UB, going into a new system. You think you know football, and then you get somewhere else and they explain it and look at football different. It opens your eyes up. So when I got here, it was the same process."
The Bills started their two full weeks of preparation on Monday for the 2024 regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Sept. 8 in Orchard Park.
