NFL teams cut from 90 to 53 Tuesday, and the Bills chose to go thin in the most unforgiving spot on the field. The Bills kept only five wide receivers and are light at boundary cornerback on the initial 53-man roster, per sports.yahoo.com. Then they cut veteran receiver Trent Sherfield, safety Keonta Jenkins, and cornerback Kani Walker.
That last cut is the telling one. Walker was a boundary cornerback, and the Bills now have no margin for error at a position where one hamstring pull turns into a starting spot for a player who wasn't supposed to play. Keeping five receivers, meanwhile, says the coaching staff trusts the tight ends and running backs to carry the passing game. It's a bet on scheme over depth.
The Vikings went the opposite way. Minnesota kept four quarterbacks on its initial 53. That's one more than most teams carry, and it cost a roster spot at a thinner position. The Vikings are betting that the fourth arm has trade value or a future as a developmental backup. The Bills are betting that the fifth receiver is unnecessary.
Both bets are fine in August. They're dangerous in November. A boundary cornerback goes down in Buffalo, and the Bills are one injury from starting an undrafted rookie. A receiver gets hurt, and they're running four deep. The Vikings, with four QBs, can't afford a bad week at linebacker or offensive line without a waiver claim.
The Commanders, Broncos, Saints, Titans, Seahawks, Cowboys, Lions, Falcons, and Packers also finalized their 53s. None of them made the same arithmetic mistakes.
My read: The Bills' cornerback decision is the bigger risk. Wide receiver depth can be manufactured on game day from the practice squad. Boundary corners can't. And cutting Sherfield to keep five wideouts doesn't make that math any better.