PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan said Tuesday that he was unsure if rookie tight end Nick O'Leary will make the Bills' roster when they trim to 53 players next week.
"I don't know," Ryan said. "I can tell you that is some great competition there. I like the way [Chris] Gragg has really picked his game up, and [MarQueis} Gray, obviously Mully (Matthew Mulligan) brings you the element of being that tremendous blocker.
"So I don't know, it's going to be tough to make this team, but I like the way he's playing. I don't think it's necessarily showed in the games yet, but we'll see what happens."
O'Leary has a higher profile than most sixth-round draft choices. He was the Mackey Award winner as the nation's best tight end, he caught passes from Jameis Winston at Florida State and his grandfather is legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus.
But O'Leary has been stuck toward the bottom of the Bills' tight end depth chart since arriving in May. Veteran Charles Clay -- who did not finish Tuesday's practice with a knee injury -- is the undisputed No. 1 tight end, while Gray (an H-back type) and Mulligan (a blocker) have mixed in with the first team depending on the situation.
That leaves O'Leary and Gragg potentially battling for the final roster spot -- if the Bills decide to keep four tight ends.
O'Leary, who at 6-foot-3 is slightly undersized for his position, has been running mostly with the scout team in practice this week.