ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — In a way, you can say Bills cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram is a cut above.
“Man, so I’ve been cutting (hair) since 2015 when I was in high school,” Ingram said. “I used to charge $5 in the locker room ... I tried to keep it under the radar."
But eventually, the Bills locker room caught on to Ingram's hidden talent.
"Only cut my hair, then cut Siran’s (Neal) hair, but word got out, and shoot, boys like the cut. So I was cutting up some of the boys, and they rock with me with the clippers," Ingram said.
Former teammates such as Siran Neal to current guys like Kaiir Elam and Alec Anderson have all gone to Ingram for haircuts, usually inside the practice fieldhouse or inside the locker room at barber chairs set up inside.
Ingram's barber skills are something he doesn’t publicize too much, but he does see a connection with those skills to the football field.
“Shoutout to Coach (Jahmile) Addae, he says every play has its own identity,” Ingram said. You try to problem solve and be instinctive and be creative in that moment for that play so that you can make a play.
"So I would say that’s kind of like the correlation, is everyone having their own identity, and then in football, every play has its own identity, so you’ve got to be creative in a sense so that you can make that play, and then also off the field so that you can make that cut special to that person.”
The third-year player is also looking to make a different cut that would be special to him: the Week 1, 53-man roster.
“It would mean the world to know that I’m on the 53 and that I can contribute to this team’s success," Ingram said.
The University at Buffalo product has spent two seasons with the Bills, mostly on the practice squad while playing in five total games.
But going into this season, between veteran departures and improvements in his own game, Ingram senses an opportunity to make the 53-man roster from the jump.
“I prayed for this my whole life,” Ingram said. “I can feel the opportunity with just seeing how things unfolded for me.”
And eyes set beyond.
“That’s just one part of it," Ingram said. "In my mind, I’m onto the next goal, that’s competing at a high level. Contributing to the team any way that I can whether that’s on defense, special teams, any way that I can, and then ultimately being an All-Pro. Just goal, after goal.”
In chasing those goals, the 27-year old has made sure to learn from the knowledge shared by veteran ex-teammates.
“Like that warrior’s mentality. Like I would say, all of them have it, when you talk about guys like Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White, Josh Norman, Micah Hyde,” Ingram said. “They have that dawg mentality.”
“Picking their brain and really just that mentality that they had, that was a big thing for me, and just adding to my game because you have to have the right mindset and mentality to play at this level and succeed at this level for as long as they have," Ingram said.
Something that Ingram hopes to achieve himself.
“I feel like God put me in this position for a reason and once that opportunity presents itself, I know I’ll capitalize on it because of the work I’ve put in," Ingram said. "I’ve prepared my whole life for this moment, this opportunity, and where I’m going and where I’m headed.”
Hoping his next cut, is the best one yet.