The Buffalo Bills pulled receiver Trent Sherfield off the practice squad for Monday Night Football, with Joshua Palmer out and DJ Moore questionable against the Los Angeles Rams, according to BuffaloBills.com.
A nine-year veteran who has suited up for seven franchises now fills out a thin receiver room, and Buffalo will not know how much it needs him until after kickoff.
Moore first hurt his shoulder in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions, then aggravated it late in the second quarter of the Week 4 loss to the New England Patriots, according to TSN reporter Nick Suss. He skipped practice Thursday and Friday before returning in a non-contact jersey Saturday. Palmer, meanwhile, got hurt in Friday’s practice.
Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir and Greg Dortch are available, along with rookie Skyler Bell, who will make his NFL debut, TSN reported.
Bills head coach Joe Brady said the team would wait until game time on Moore and cornerback Dee Alford.
“We have two days. If they’re ready to go, I have full confidence in them being able to play,” Brady said, as quoted by BuffaloBills.com.
Trent Sherfield Elevation Gives Bills Veteran Depth
Buffalo released Sherfield at final cuts, then signed him to the practice squad a day later, according to CBS Sports. He played 12 games for Arizona and Denver last season, catching 3 of 4 targets for 21 yards while working on special teams.
He entered the league undrafted with the Arizona Cardinals, and he is now in his ninth season, according to WHEC sports reporter Ian Mills. The road started in Danville, Illinois, where his mother, Tedrone, raised him after having him at 16.
She told him early that college money would not come from home.
“I always told Trent, I was like, dude, I can’t afford to send you to college,” Tedrone said, as quoted by WHEC. He landed at Vanderbilt anyway.
Buffalo is familiar ground. Sherfield caught 11 passes for 86 yards for the Bills in 2023, and his toe-tap grab on a tipped throw in Week 18 against the Miami Dolphins helped clinch the AFC East. A year earlier in Miami, he piled up a career-high 417 receiving yards.
He called the Dolphins catch a gift in a rough year.
“I think that was like a God wink because I was struggling that year, man,” Sherfield said, as quoted by WHEC.
His assignment Monday is a smaller one. Sherfield works on the third unit, and he sums up the job simply as, “Being that guy on special teams,” as quoted by WHEC. The offensive snaps belong to Coleman, Shakir, Dortch and Bell unless the injury list grows.
Buffalo Bills Odds Against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night
Kickoff is set for 5:15 p.m. PT (8:15 p.m. ET) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Los Angeles is a 3.5-point favorite, the over/under is 54.5 points, and the moneyline sits at Rams -175 and Bills +148, according to CBS Sports.
Buffalo (3-1) leads the AFC East despite a 29-26 loss to New England in Week 4. The Rams (2-2) beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20.
Los Angeles allows 247.5 yards per game, second fewest in the NFL, and 20.8 points per game, ninth fewest. Josh Allen has completed 66.4% of his passes for 1,039 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. Matthew Stafford has thrown for 1,189 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions.
Bills Announce 9-Year Veteran WR Move Before Monday Night Rams Game