Bruce

Hall

Stupar deserved better after a very strong preseason, but the Bills are sticking with their flying Dereks and couldn’t keep four tight ends. Harris was a late draft pick this year. Hall is essentially the club’s No. 4 tailback.

He was with the Bills’ practice squad last year and could end up back there. Bills also released QB Matt Baker, LB Alvin Bowen, DE Copeland Bryan, OL Chris Chambers, TE Tyson DeVree, DE Ataefiok Etukeren, G Christian Gaddis, DB Cary Harris, WR C.J. Hawthorne, OT Nick Hennessey, WR Felton Huggins, DT Derrick Jones, DT Corey Mace, LB Ryan Manalac and TE Jonathan Stupar.

Hall, 25, offers very little speed at 5'11/210 and has bounced around since going undrafted in 2008 out of Ole Miss. He won’t make the 2010 roster.

This is a sign that Marshawn Lynch may not be ready for his full workload on Sunday, if he plays at all. Hall is an undrafted rookie from Mississippi, where he backed up current Patriot BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Fred Jackson would be a decent RB2 play against the Patriots if Lynch is out.

The Broncos will enter the season with Lance Ball and Andre Brown behind Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter at tailback. Atkins was passed by Jason Hunter on the depth chart and no longer of any use for Denver.

He’s far from a lock to make the final roster. The 30-year-old was outplayed by fringe players Bruce Hall (5 rushes, 43 yards) and Lance Ball (5 rushes, 17 yards, 1 TD) while working mostly with the second team.

He suffered an undisclosed injury in Thursday’s preseason finale. Hall carried the ball 16 times for 98 yards and two touchdowns this preseason, and was the only Bill to find the endzone more than once.