Bills trim roster, bring back Poyer and Phillips to practice squad

The Buffalo Bills completed the bulk of their roster trimming this week, cutting a string of players and reshuffling their practice squad ahead of the NFL's 53-player deadline on Tuesday, while bringing back two veteran leaders to shore up a defense with lingering questions. The moves come as the team prepares for a Sept. 7 season opener and seeks to protect an offense led by MVP quarterback Josh Allen.

The club announced a group of releases that included defensive backs Zy Alexander and Garnett Hollis Jr., defensive end Nelson Ceaser, offensive lineman Rush Reimer, tight end Matt Sokol and running back Elijah Young. The Bills also waived wide receiver Grant DuBose with an injury designation after he injured a shoulder in Wednesday's practice; he will revert to Buffalo's injured reserve if he clears waivers. Separately, veteran receiver and returner Laviska Shenault Jr. was cut as the receiving corps was pared down.

Quarterback depth was clarified when the team moved on from Shane Buechele and Mike White, effectively cementing Mitch Trubisky as Allen's primary backup. Buechele was waived the day after starting and completing 25 of 30 passes in a preseason game, underscoring the...