Bills fan favorite may have locked up his spot on the 53-man roster in one play plus other key takeaways from preseason Week 1
The Buffalo Bills first preseason game answered a handful of questions. For one fan favorite, it may have locked up his spot on the 53-man roster.
The Buffalo Bills’ first preseason game has come and gone. With that, we are inching toward some finality with the roster. After seeing some guys get their live reps, there’s a lot to take away from the team’s 34-25 loss against against the New York Giants.
Tyrell Shavers looks to be a lock
Entering the team’s first preseason game, Shavers has impressed during camp. Even before his performance, many believed that it would be difficult to keep Shavers off the 53-man roster.
While only registering one catch during the regular season last year, Shavers took it to the house with an electric touchdown that had the fanbase excited for his future.
Shavers, in one preseason game, is taking full advantage of his opportunities. Shavers lit it up and was all over the field, adding another highlight to his impressive resume.
Shavers found himself open toward the end of the first half and nearly took it back for a house call. Shavers finished the day with two catches for 70 yards.
What’s more, Shavers is going to need to find a way to be impactful outside of the WR room, and he did just that.
With one tackle reported, Shavers was in on the tackle on kickoff after the Bills’ offense scored just moments after his monster catch. Yet another exciting sign for his chances to make the 53-man roster as he proves his worth on special teams, too.
In an already crowded WR room, Shavers is finding a way to make a difference.
Bills QB2 battle is anything but over
Despite slow starts from both Mitchell Trubisky and Mike White, both QBs found their rhythm throughout the contest. Trubisky finished his day going 9 for 13 with 138 yards and a touchdown for a 129.6 QBR. White had a day himself, going 8 for 13 with 112 yards and two touchdowns for a QBR of 128.8.
White countered with multiple touchdowns of his own, including a beauty to KJ Hamler, who scootered his way to a TD. For those unaware, Hamler went viral on HBO’s Hard Knocks for a hilarious incident surrounding a kid’s scooter.
While both Trubisky and White wound up finding their rhythm, you could tell that the loss of reps with some top guys out also impacted their performance. It wasn’t smooth sailing, but Bills Mafia knows that is probably going to be the norm with anyone other than Josh Allen back under center.
Still, the QB2 job is up for grabs and will be decided over the next few preseason games. In their first outing, both Trubisky and White impressed during moments but left much to be desired in others, a battle to watch out for as the team navigates injuries on both sides of the football.
Joey Bosa looks ready to play
Despite not knowing where the locker room was while heading into the stadium, Bosa showed up to play. The veteran pass-rusher was brought to Buffalo to be a difference-maker on the defensive side of the football, and he did just that with limited reps.
Bosa has battled his fair share of injuries throughout his career, and with coming to Buffalo, Sean McDermott and the front office are hoping for big things out of the vet. Bosa appeared with the first-team defense and immediately made his presence felt in the matchup.
Bills Mafia were ecstatic on social media, highlighting how dangerous this Bills defense can be with a healthy Joey Bosa added to the equation, and we couldn’t agree more.
In the very first series on defense, both Bosa and LB Matt Milano showed flashes of their former selves, which is nightmare fuel for any opposing offensive coordinators. Bosa made sure to add a little flair with a message for Bills Mafia after helping with a tackle.
Deone Walker turns heads in limited reps
The Buffalo Bills drafted Deone Walker with their fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. The fanbase was more than excited to get their first official look at Walker in a game setting, and it’s fair to say that he made his presence felt.
While he wasn’t able to get the sack, Walker had the internet in a chokehold with one single play, and we really can’t blame the fanbase or national media for overreacting.
Walker exploded into the backfield and batted down a pass mid-way through the 2nd quarter. Seeing that large of a human move that fast was more than enough to have me out of my seat and cheering him on.
Injuries saw Walker fall in the draft, allowing the Bills to scoop him up. If he’s able to stay on the football field and do more of this, we’re in for a real treat.
Bills provide exciting update before game begins
Perhaps some of the most exciting news took place before kickoff even began. As previously reported, the Bills trotted out a handful of players in full uniform that had previously missed time due to injury. A more than welcomed sign for a team that has sky-high expectations heading into the regular season.
Several starters and important pieces on both sides of the football could be seen warming up and despite not pracaticing, it was a huge development for the organization. What’s more, the team even got a development with their disgruntled running back, James Cook.
Outside of the injuries sustained during the game, it was a success for the organization. These next few weeks are going to see how the roster pans out. We have a feeling there’s going to be more than one surprise heading our way.
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