Did Rex Ryan's joke about using players as 'cannon fodder' go too far?

Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan is often praised for his blunt honesty, but he should have exercised a little more restraint when speaking to the media Monday.

On the topic of when the Bills will trim their roster down to 75 players, Ryan told reporters that his team will practice first, and joked about using players as "cannon fodder."

It isn't hard to see why Ryan's words are problematic.

It's undeniable that NFL teams allow players they don't plan to keep on the final roster to be subjected to extra punishment in training camp and the preseason. There's a term for it: "camp body." The practice helps keep a team's best players healthy for the season.

But to publicly crack jokes about using players as cannon fodder crosses a line. Those are human beings Ryan is talking about, whose dreams of making an NFL team will soon end.

Earlier this year, Bills general manager Doug Whaley made headlines when he said in a radio interview that football is "a violent game that I personally don't think humans are supposed to play." Whaley later backed off the comment, saying he merely meant to acknowledge that football is violent and dangerous.

The Bills' front office is sending some confusing - and potentially dangerous - mixed messages here.

The debate on whether the risks associated with playing football outweigh the benefits is ongoing. It's time for the prominent members of the Bills to stop weighing in on that debate, start listening, and develop a more nuanced and respectful position.