# Ralph Ventre: Ventre argues that given the Bills' history at fullback, VanSumeren's preseason showing, and new OC Pete Carmichael's track record of using fullbacks, VanSumeren is likely to make the roster.

**Claimed:** Aug 24, 2026
**Pundit:** Ralph Ventre — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/ralph-ventre
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/onsi/preseason-bills-history-roster-underdog-play-suggest-fullback-remains-in-joe-brady-plans

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

> Add it all up, and VanSumeren is no longer a roster long shot.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Ben VanSumeren to make the roster**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Ben VanSumeren, Buffalo Bills
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Ben VanSumeren — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/ben-vansumeren
- Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bills

## What others said about the same people

- Nick Wright on Buffalo Bills: Nick Wright expects the Bills to beat the Lions comfortably in the Thursday night home opener, with Josh Allen shredding a depleted Detroit secondary, and he also picks a workmanlike Chiefs win over the Colts on Sunday night. He further predicts Tyreek Hill will end up on the Chiefs by around Halloween. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/00ed9114-0e69-4e26-9fb2-4e5e3893c56e (scored 100)
- Tyler Sullivan on Buffalo Bills: Sullivan picks the Bills 31-27 over the Lions and the Eagles to beat the Titans 27-17. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a81fc2f3-5937-4fe2-b19f-098cffc7a412 (scored 85.71)
- Jordan Dajani on Buffalo Bills: Dajani picks the Bills 36-30 over the Lions and the Texans to beat the Bengals 27-23 in Houston. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6937b9aa-572a-4449-821a-32af833332f6 (scored 90.48)
- Jared Dubin on Buffalo Bills: Dubin picks the Bills to win a shootout over the Lions 35-32 and takes the Patriots to beat the Steelers 21-13. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd11d340-9a85-435f-ba75-832fd87185ab (scored 83.33)
- John Breech on Buffalo Bills: Breech picks the Bills to beat the Lions 38-31 on Thursday night, floats the game as a Super Bowl preview, and takes the Cardinals to upset the Seahawks 20-17 in Week 2. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f42c4080-99e0-449b-b2fa-05e18ce6f922 (scored 92.86)
- Pete Prisco on Buffalo Bills: Prisco picks the Bills 36-30 over the Lions and has the Jaguars upsetting the Broncos 23-20 in Denver. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/41f7100c-a241-4e65-b1d3-78bdcbe1e16e (scored 90.48)

## More roster spot calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Christian Booher on Devin Cochran: Booher lays out a projected Detroit Lions offensive depth chart ahead of the 2026 regular season, naming starters, backups and practice squad members at every offensive position. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c8fa7c98-626b-413d-ac56-ac6dc7cc764f (scored 0)
- John Shipley on Jack Kiser: Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c0a52b7c-63b2-4e18-b7da-9342dbbc111f (scored 0)
- Cody Rourke on Mitchell Fraboni: Rourke names the Ravens as the bounce-back team most likely to be dangerous in the AFC again, and says Houston's defense alone should carry the Texans into the postseason. He also expects long snapper Mitchell Fraboni to be one of Denver's practice-squad elevations for the Chiefs game, and slots Pat Bryant as Denver's third receiver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ecf0b4d8-7096-41e4-b8bd-f37d5cdcd8d5 (scored 0)
- Sayre Bedinger on Adam Prentice: Benninger expects Houston's elite defense to make them either a division winner or a wild card team, thinks Marvin Mims was trending toward being Denver's fourth receiver rather than just the return man, and figures Adam Prentice will be the Broncos' other practice-squad call-up. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ac244b64-ba35-48be-bad9-b54ef4f4fcfc (scored 0)
- Bob Morris on Adam Prentice: Morris predicts Jarrett Stidham holds the backup QB job behind Bo Nix, Adam Prentice makes the 53-man roster as the fullback/fourth back, and Lucas Krull gets cut. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fbd4f215-eaf5-4bff-9431-d661656ff28a (scored 100)
- Erick Trickel on Adam Prentice: After the Broncos' preseason opener, Trickel argued fullback Adam Prentice has shown enough value to earn a spot on the 53-man roster ahead of the team's fourth running back options (Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Cody Schrader). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/3b8bcd8c-c4ab-4a02-9bb6-39d20cae9d37 (scored 100)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=ralph-ventre
