Bills keep Corto
Spragan, James, Wright released
Orchard Park High graduate Jon Corto was among the winners, and some veteran backups were the losers as the Buffalo Bills picked their 53-man active roster Saturday.
Corto, in his second pro season, switched from safety to linebacker midway through training camp and fared well enough to be one of six linebackers on the squad. A product of Division I-AA Sacred Heart in Connecticut, Corto spent several weeks on the Bills’ practice squad last year.
Corto beat out seven-year NFL veteran Donnie Spragan, a former starter for Denver and Miami who the Bills signed a week into training camp. Spragan, cornerback Will James and running back Dwayne Wright were the most high-profile names on the list of 22 players released by the Bills.
James, also a seven-year veteran, signed with the Bills in free agency from Philadelphia. While he did not get good reviews with the Eagles last season, James had an inside track on the nickel corner position entering camp. But the strong play of third-year man Ashton Youboty, along with rookies Leodis McKelvin and Reggie Corner, prompted James’ pink slip.
Wright was a fourth-round pick in 2007 and has impressive size. But he fumbled in three of the four preseason games, including in Thursday’s exhibition finale against Detroit. Bills coach Dick Jauron is a stickler for ball security. Buffalo tied for the fourth-fewest giveaways in the league last season.
There were no big surprises on the cut list. The other players released were: tight ends Courtney Anderson and Tim Massaquoi, linebackers Jon Banks, Marcus Buggs and Blake Costanzo; offensive linemen Dustin Dickinson, Patrick Estes, Nevin McCaskill, Christian Gaddis and Robert Felton; defensive linemen Jason Jefferson, Derrick Jones, Corey Mace and Teraz McCray; receivers Felton Huggins and Scott Mayle; running backs Bruce Hall and Jonathan Evans; and cornerback Dustin Fox.
The Bills still could make some roster moves this week if they decide to pursue players cut from other teams.
The move back to linebacker was a natural one for Corto. He played the position at Sacred Heart and earned Division I-AA All-America honors. Due to his size — 6- foot and 210 pounds — the Bills switched him to safety in training camp last summer. He was among the first group of cuts. Corto did not have a great chance to make the team at safety this season, because he stood sixth on the depth chart and NFL teams only keep four or five at the position.
But defensive coordinator Perry Fewell had been wanting to use him at linebacker and made the move when the Bills had a couple minor injuries on that unit. Corto figures to be one of the smallest linebackers in the league. But the Bills played converted safety Coy Wire as a backup linebacker last season and tried to use his versatility in a situational role.
Corto was an All-Western New York pick in both football and lacrosse at Orchard Park.
Here are how many players the Bills kept at each position: quarterback (3), running back (3), fullback (1), receiver (6), tight end (3), offensive line (9), defensive line (9), linebacker (6), cornerback (5), safety (5) and special teams (3).
Wright was beaten out for the last running back spot by rookie Xavier Omon, a sixth-round pick who scored 98 touchdowns in college at Northwest Missouri State. Omon looked good in preseason. He has a strong lower body and showed a decent ability to break tackles.
The Bills kept four tight ends on the roster last season and open this year a bit thin at the position. Behind starter Robert Royal are second-year man Derek Schouman and rookie Derek Fine. Schouman, injured two weeks ago, is recovering from a knee injury and is questionable at best for the season opener. Fine is expected to be out for numerous weeks with a thumb injury.
Holdout tackle Jason Peters does not count against the 53-man roster. He’s on a did-not-report list. For now, rookie seventh- round pick Demetrius Bell is the top backup tackle. Matt Murphy, who has a partially torn rotator cuff that he might be able to play with, also made the roster.
For the second straight year the Bills kept nine defensive linemen. Jefferson, who had appeared in 20 games as a backup over the past three seasons, was a long shot to make it due to the acquisitions of Marcus Stroud and Spencer Johnson. Copeland Bryan, who was on the roster for 14 games last season, made it again as a fifth defensive end. Bryan fared pretty well in preseason games.
