Chicago, Ill. (WGR 550) - Two down, one more to go.
The Buffalo Bills will play their final preseason game on Saturday in Chicago against the Bears at Soldier Field.
LISTEN LIVE TO WGR:
Here are four things to watch:
1.) Starters playing
Who knows? If the starting offense, defense, and special teams had played better than they did last Saturday in Pittsburgh, maybe head coach Sean McDermott would not be putting them back out there in this one.
But they didn’t play well, and now they’re going to be on the field for the preseason finale.
The biggest concern is always avoiding injury, but these groups need to play much better for everyone to feel better heading into their regular season opener on Sept. 11 against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Related
2.) Final roster spots
The game will be played on Saturday, then decisions need to be made by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. That’s when all teams must get their rosters down to their final 53 players.
There are several players who are still vying for spots, and would really benefit from having a solid performance.
3.) Who plays when
Along with final roster decisions coming, there are often clues about what the organization feels about certain players based on when they play in these preseason games.
If guys are out there with the first-team unit, it's an indication they are either starters or, at least, high on the depth chart.
If they are playing deep into the fourth quarter, chances are they are either going to be released or, at best, fighting for a roster spot.
4.) Open starting spots
There are still three starting spots that haven’t been officially declared.
It looks like O’Cyrus Torrence will be the starting right guard, beating out Ryan Bates in that battle.
However, Tyrel Dodson and A.J. Klein are both still fighting for the middle linebacker position, while Terrel Bernard remains in the mix as he returns from injury.
Meanwhile, none of Christian Benford, Kaiir Elam or Dane Jackson have been given the keys to cornerback No. 2 yet opposite Tre'Davious White.
Maybe one last game will be the deciding factor in these races.
Follow me on X: @SalSports
