3 Buffalo Bills players who won’t be on the roster by Week 1

2. DT Vernon Butler

In the first year of the two-year deal he signed with the Bills, Butler delivered zero sacks, two quarterback hits and 18 total tackles in 14 games last year. As the idea he’d be cut easily surfaced, he took a pay cut this offseason to stay around.

With Star Lotulelei back after opting out of last season, the Bills have the makings of a solid defensive tackle duo with he and former top-10 pick Ed Oliver. Harrison Phillips and Justin Zimmer are behind them to provide depth. This week they took a flier on defensive tackle Nazair Jones, a former third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks. Mix in a defensive end group that was nicely supplemented by early draft picks Gregory Rosseau and Carlos Basham, and there will only be so many defensive line spots available.

Butler played 40 percent of Buffalo’s defensive snaps last year, with Lotulelei out of the picture and no one else who really should’ve kept him off the field that much (even with two missed games).

Frankly, someone another team cuts could easily replace Butler in the Bills’ defensive tackle rotation if there’s an opportunity that surfaces. Taking that pay cut just postponed the inevitable, and Butler will be gone (and maybe elsewhere?) by Week 1.