Continuing a month-long series analyzing players who are on the Buffalo Bills' roster bubble and where they potentially fit in 2015:
Name: Alex Carrington
Position: Defensive lineman
Age: 28
2014 stats: 8 games (0 starts), 1 tackle
Chance of making 53-man roster: 65 percent
Why he should make it: Carrington is a good fit within Rex Ryan's scheme because of his versatility. His best spot is probably as a 3-4 defensive end, where he can use his size and length to hold the end of the line in a 5-technique. However, Ryan ran almost exclusively 4-3 looks in OTAs and minicamp, but even then, Carrington saw snaps both as a defensive tackle and defensive end. Being able to fill multiple roles -- including on special teams, where Carrington has a penchant for blocking kicks -- is the fastest way for a depth-level player like Carrington to make a 53-man roster. He has a good chance to crack the Bills' squad.
Why he shouldn't make it: Coming off his season-ending quad injury in 2013, Carrington signed with the St. Louis Rams and wasn't overly productive, making just one tackle on the season. That gives me pause about him regaining his early-2013 form, when he started the first three games of the season in Mike Pettine's Bills defense. Carrington also faces some competition along the Bills' defensive line, where Corbin Bryant and Stefan Charles could have the inside track as the reserve defensive tackles, while Jarius Wynn and Michael Buchanan were often the pairing at defensive end this spring behind Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes. Veteran Andre Fluellen will also be in the mix for a roster spot with a strong training camp.
Closest competition: Charles, Buchanan, Fluellen
