Ahead of the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday for all 32 NFL teams to trim their opening day rosters to 53 players, there were a number of players that were reported to be released by the Buffalo Bills. A total of nine players were reported to have been cut by the team earlier Tuesday morning.
Perhaps the most notable players reported to be released early Tuesday were tight end Jacob Hollister (as reported by NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero) and cornerback Cam Lewis (as reported by Matt Parrino from Syracuse.com).
Hollister was signed by the Bills earlier this offseason in free agency after spending two seasons in Seattle with the Seahawks. It was expected that Hollister would compete for the second tight end spot on the depth chart behind third-year tight end Dawson Knox.
In two preseason games played this season, the 27-year-old was able to reel in four catches for 53 yards.
Hollister was a former college teammate of Bills quarterback Josh Allen at the University of Wyoming. The two hooked up for seven touchdowns in the 2016 season.
As for Lewis, the 24-year-old signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent out of the University at Buffalo in 2019. Lewis spent his entire rookie season in Buffalo on the team's practice squad before making his NFL debut in the 2020 season. He made five appearances with the Bills last season, even starting in two games, where he registered seven tackles.
His 2020 season was shortened when the Bills placed Lewis on Injured Reserve on Oct. 31 with a wrist injury.
In the earlier morning hours on Tuesday, Pelissero reported the release of three Bills players in offensive linemen Jamil Douglas and Jack Anderson, as well as wide receiver Tanner Gentry. According to Pelissero, the Bills are looking to add both Anderson and Gentry to their 16-man practice squad.
Anderson was a seventh round pick (236th overall) of the Bills in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Texas Tech. Meanwhile, Douglas was a free agent acquisition of the Bills back in early April after stints with the Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins, among other teams.
As for Gentry, the former college teammate of quarterback Josh Allen at the University of Wyoming joined the Bills' practice squad ahead of Buffalo's playoff run last season. He signed a reserve/future contract with the team on Jan. 26.
Another wide receiver that was reported to have been released Tuesday morning was Steven Sims, according to Jay Skurski from The Buffalo News. Sims was signed just last week after spending his first two NFL seasons with the Washington Football Team.
Meanwhile, a pair of tight ends were released from the roster in Quintin Morris (reported by WIVB-TV's Heather Prusak) and Nate Becker (reported by Skurski).
Both Morris and Becker were fighting for a spot as the third tight end on the Bills' roster with third-year tight end Tommy Sweeney. Becker has been with the Bills since June of 2019 after being an undrafted free agent out of Miami (OH) University. As for Morris, he was an undrafted free agent of the Bills this offseason out of Bowling Green State University.
The final player that was released Tuesday morning was second-year running back Antonio Williams, according to Ryan Talbot from nyupstate.com.
Williams joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2020 after playing his college football at the University of North Carolina. Talbot is reporting that the plan is for the Bills to sign Williams to their 16-man practice squad this season.
You can check out the complete list of roster cuts made by the Bills on Tuesday below: