The Buffalo Bills have been trying to address their wide receiver room for years, but the team could be without a key receiver.
Buffalo traded for DJ Moore to be the team’s No. 1 receiver, but the Bills will also rely on the likes of Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, and rookie Skyler Bell to round out the receiver group.
Yet, last season, Tyrell Shavers became an impact receiver for the team, but he eventually tore his ACL in the Wild Card round. Although Shavers has been trying to come back earlier, Bills analyst Sean Murphy of SB Nation believes Buffalo should redshirt Shavers and give him the entire year off to recover.
“If Shavers were fully healthy, I would go as far as saying that he has a guaranteed spot on the roster as a sixth wideout-slash special teams gunner,” Murphy wrote. “However, he isn’t healthy, and he’s unlikely to be ready to play any earlier than December given how late in the season his ACL tear came. I’d honestly be surprised if he plays for Buffalo at all this season. That gives some other players a chance to audition for Shavers’ 2025 role moving forward.
“As a restricted free agent, it’s likely that the Bills will look to keep Shavers in house, starting him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list this season before ultimately transferring him to injured reserve (IR) when final cuts are made. Buffalo can tender him an offer next spring to keep him in the fold for the 2027 season if they so choose, and I think they will.”
If Shavers doesn’t play at all in 2026, it would be a disappointing year for him as he’s been trying to return.
Shavers Impressed Last Season
With Keon Coleman struggling and eventually being a healthy scratch, Shavers stepped up in his role.
Shavers ended up carving out a key role on offense, and after playing the second half of the Wild Card round on a torn ACL, he got plenty of praise.
“He embodies what we’re all about,” former Bills coach Sean McDermott said after the Wild Card round. “… For him to then come back into the game, and then for it to turn out to be what it was is remarkable. Remarkable toughness, remarkable commitment to the team.”
Shavers ended up finishing the year recording 15 receptions for 245 yards and a touchdown. He added 1 reception for 14 yards in the playoff win.
Bills Focused on Training Camp
Buffalo has begun minicamp, but the focus is on training camp and the start of the season.
New Bills head coach Joe Brady has been pleased with the team’s effort in OTAs and minicamp, but the focus is starting to turn to getting pads on and the start of the season.
“I think it’s important every day that you set a standard and you show examples of what the standard looks like,” Brady said. “I’m sure there’s an adjustment, but at this point next year, I’m going back to building the foundation and not skipping steps. But we have an eager group and really good leadership that helps me when my message is out there, because if the guys don’t back it up and believe in it and spread it, it’s only going to reach so far.”
The Bills open their 2026 NFL season on the road on Sept. 13 against the Houston Texans.
Analyst Hands Bills Concerning Injury Update on Key Receiver