Getty Former Dolphins wide receiver Trent Sherfield at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2023.
One of the biggest shakeups from last year’s roster is the Buffalo Bills‘ wide receivers room. While Stefon Diggs remains quarterback Josh Allen‘s No. 1 receiver, and Gabe Davis is positioned as WR2, the Bills replaced Cole Beasley, Isaiah McKenzie, and Jake Kumerow, with Trent Sherfield, Deonte Harty, and Justin Shorter.
Harty, who spent the past four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract with Buffalo, and Shorter, their fifth-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, inked a four-year rookie deal worth $4.16 million. However, the Bills only signed Sherfield to a one-year, $1.77 million contract, which makes his recent purchase quite a bold move.
Typically, players on prove-it deals wait to see how the season develops before putting down permanent roots in a new city, but Sherfield told The Buffalo News that he and his wife Marcella, who gave birth to their first child in January, bought a house in Western New York.
The 27-year-old receiver, who’s played for three different teams over the past three seasons, is confident the investment will pay off, and that he’ll become a key part of the Bills’ offense for the foreseeable future. “We bought a home here, and in faith that this is where we’re going to be,” Sherfield said.
Instead of traveling on vacation this offseason, the Vanderbilt alum remained in Buffalo, working hard to learn the new playbook and be in top shape for training camp. “I think that I fit perfectly in the offense,” Sherfield said. “But I’ve got to earn that right. I’ve got to earn it.”
“When I first got here, it was a little bit scary, a little bit intimidating,” Sherfield admitted. “But as I’ve gotten here, I’ve just kind of just gotten back into my roots – just trusting my work, just trusting who I am as a player and knowing what I can do. I’m really excited about being able to get my opportunity and continue to build off the year that I had last year. And just take another step.”
Trent Sherfield Quickly Became a Favorite Target for QB Josh Allen
#Bills are signing WR Trent Sherfield, team says. Sherfield set career highs in catches (30), yds (417) and TDs (2) in ’22 with the #Dolphins.
He had one of Miami’s eight 20+ mph TDs, per @NextGenStats, the only one not by someone named Waddle or Hill.
While one NFL reporter believes Sherfield will get edged out from the 53-man roster if the Bills look toward rookie pass-catching tight end Dalton Kincaid in the slot, most analysts see the former undrafted player making it through final cuts.
If the decision was to Allen, Sherfield would be suiting up in Week 1. Amid Diggs’ absence from voluntary OTAs, Allen praised the former Dolphins receiver, who posted career-high numbers with 30 catches for 417 yards and two touchdowns last season.
“Sherfield [is] getting a lot of the Z reps and learning this offense. I love what I’ve seen from Trent so far,” Allen told reporters. “The dude works extremely hard. He’s one of the hardest-working guys on the team. He doesn’t complain about anything. He’s rolling right now and I don’t know if he would’ve gotten those reps without Stef.”
The connection between Allen and Sherfield only continued to grow. The Athletic‘s Joe Buscaglia reported in mid-June, “As has been the case throughout the offseason workouts, without Diggs available to team drills, newly signed receiver Trent Sherfield has stepped up and been a favorite of Allen’s.”
Bills WRs Coach Called Trent Sherfield a ‘Swiss Army Knife’
While Bills Mafia will get a better sense of what the offense will look like once the pads come on at training camp later this month, whether they fully lean into the ’12’ personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two receivers), Sherfield’s versatility is already impressing wide receivers coach Adam Henry.
“I really like Sherfield. He’s like a Swiss Army Knife,” Henry told The Buffalo News. “If you need something, he can make it happen. He’s a very, very good player. He’s very professional, he knows all of the positions, he’s a conceptual learner, and that’s what you need in order to play fast, and that’s how we want to play… He’s a guy who really understands and grasps the offense. I’m really pleased with his progress.”
The admiration goes both ways. “I love this offense, because it’s aggressive with the play calling,” Sherfield said. “(It’s) physical, how we play. Fast. We’re really trying to get after defenses, and I love it. Because I love how (offensive coordinator Ken) Dorsey is calling the plays, obviously playing with Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis – like, we’ve got some really good guys in our room.”