Buffalo Bills training camp 2023: 2 sleepers to make the team
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) – Buffalo Bills training camp officially begins on July 26, when the team from Western New York takes over St. John Fisher University for a two week period.
Fans will flock to Pittsford to catch a glimpse of Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, and Von Miller. And while the stars of the team will be getting much needed reps ahead of the preseason, other players will be fighting just to make the depth chart.
Even on a team like the Buffalo Bills – who are contending for the Super Bowl – there are open spots on the roster. A couple of lesser-known players have good chances of making the team.
2. Dezmon Patmon, WR
An underrated offseason acquisition for the Bills was signing wide receiver Dezmon Patmon. Technically it was before the offseason, because the Bills picked him up in January when the regular season was still going on.
One free agent class and NFL Draft later, and it seems like Bills Mafia may have forgotten about Patmon.
He comes to Buffalo having played in 10 career NFL games with the Indianapolis Colts, with just 4 career receptions and a touchdown. But at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he has the potential to be an endzone target for Josh Allen. The Buffalo Bills lack a receiver with Patmon’s size, which could go in his favor if that’s something the team values.
1. Cameron Dantzler, CB
Usually NFL teams will only keep four true cornerbacks on the active roster. Dantzler is arguably heading into Buffalo Bills training camp as number five, situated behind Tre White, Kaiir Elam, Dane Jackson, and Christian Benford. That’s not to discount Taron Johnson, Siran Neal, or Cam Lewis, whose primary positions are nickelback.
Dantzler has a ton to prove at Bills training camp. He’s only been in the NFL for three seasons, but has played in 35 games with the Minnesota Vikings. He started in 26 of those, making a case to continue to be a starter in the NFL.
Of course, CB is a competitive position wherever you go, and it’s the case with the Bills. If you want to create a camp battle storyline, it would be Dantzler versus Benford. Dantzler has more of a track record in the league, but Benford showed promise as a rookie and could be a player the Bills want to build around for the future at corner.