The UConn Fast Break

Share this post

Former UConn OL Ryan Van Demark has a shot at the Buffalo Bills' roster

theuconnfastbreak.substack.com

Discover more from The UConn Fast Break

All the UConn sports news you need to know.
Over 1,000 subscribers
Continue reading
Sign in

Former UConn OL Ryan Van Demark has a shot at the Buffalo Bills' roster

The path of an undrafted free agent is not an easy one, but the former Husky star may hang on this year.

Serena Garcia
Aug 25, 2023
Share this post

Former UConn OL Ryan Van Demark has a shot at the Buffalo Bills' roster

theuconnfastbreak.substack.com
Share

Ryan Van Demark saw some rough times at UConn. In his five years with the football program, the Huskies won a total of seven games and had one season canceled. Teams like that typically don’t send many players to the pros, but Van Demark had been a starter on the offensive line since he was a freshman, making career 45 starts.

Still, he wasn’t picked in the 2022 NFL Draft and began the uphill battle of trying to keep his pro dreams alive. After a year on the brink, those dreams might finally become a reality, as he’s been getting second team reps at both tackle positions with the Buffalo Bills this preseason.

Van Demark signed with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 as an undrafted free agent. But he was cut before the season started. He went unclaimed on waivers and then joined the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad, where he remained for the rest of the season.

“It was hard,” Van Demark told The Athletic regarding his first year. “Throughout camp, rookie year being undrafted, coming in on P-squad, you know, you’re not really the guy that the coaches are looking at.”


Rapid Reaction Pod: UConn goes with Fagnano at QB

Rapid Reaction Pod: UConn goes with Fagnano at QB

Aman Kidwai
·
Aug 24
Read full story
Dr. Trisha Bailey is leaving her mark on UConn (and the world)

Dr. Trisha Bailey is leaving her mark on UConn (and the world)

Serena Garcia
·
Aug 15
Read full story
Podcast: Spencer and Castle will be huge

Podcast: Spencer and Castle will be huge

Aman Kidwai and Patrick Martin
·
Aug 9
Read full story

As a freshman at UConn, Van Demark played in all twelve games and started nine. He was entrenched as a starter for the rest of his career. At 6-foot-6, the offensive lineman weighed 265 pounds when he arrived at UConn, so he began bulking up to boost his prospects. 

Now in his first year of the NFL, Van Demark is weighing in at 300 pounds. After spending the past year sharpening his skills, the 25-year-old feels he’s ready to make the Bills’ roster.

“It kind of hit me like probably the end of last season, going into OTAs where I was like, ‘Ok, this is my year. I’ve got this now,'” Van Demark said in The Athletic. “I had a good offseason, and then starting off camp, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I can do this.’”

The New Jersey native’s work ethic and skills are being noticed by fans, teammates, and his coaches. He was a lightly recruited late bloomer in high school who also played volleyball at The Hun School.

“[Van Demark] has really grown in the system and really shown his athletic ability and his ability to play [tackle] and hold up,” Bills’ offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said in a press conference (via BillsWire).

Share

Husky Football Forum
The UConn Football Pod: Ready to Rise
Listen now (57 mins) | Welcome back to our UConn football podcast! After facing allegations that the program was circling the drain, UConn football and head coach Jim Mora have proven many doubters wrong and have lots of reasons to believe in a brighter future for 2023 and beyond…
Listen now
a month ago · 2 likes · Aman Kidwai

This year, Van Demark has seen a healthy chunk of playing time during the preseason. In the Bills’ recent preseason against the Colts, he played a total of 52 snaps. Joining the second unit of the offensive line, he logged 18 snaps at left tackle and 34 at right tackle.

This weekend, Van Demark will have one more pre-season game to show that he deserves a spot on the roster as the Bills face off against the Chicago Bears on Saturday.

With the 53-man roster deadline of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, we’ll find out if Van Demark makes the team but his chances appear solid to join the AFC contender.

Share this post

Former UConn OL Ryan Van Demark has a shot at the Buffalo Bills' roster

theuconnfastbreak.substack.com
Share
A guest post by
Serena Garcia
Senior Staff Writer for The Pitt News & Editorial Intern for Connect Media
Comments
Top
New
Community

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Connect Media
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing