A longtime member of the Buffalo Bills practice squad could be earning his ticket to the active roster after a head-turning performance in the preseason opener.
Wide receiver Tyrell Shavers gave a hint of his potential in last year’s regular season home finale, then picked up where he left off in the team’s first preseason game against the New York Giants. Though the Bills ultimately lost in the preseason opener, Shavers made one of the biggest impressions and could be on his way to stealing a roster spot.
Tyrell Shavers Made One of Game’s Biggest Plays
The Bills struggled to move the ball in the first half of Saturday’s 34-25 loss to the Giants, but Shavers helped the Bills break through in the closing seconds. With the Bills trailing 16-7 after a late field goal for the Giants, head coach Sean McDermott chose to push the ball rather than run down the clock and go into the half.
Quarterback Mitch Trubisky found Shavers streaking down the field for a 58-yard gain, putting the Bills inside the 10-yard line and leading to a last-second field goal.
Shavers finished the game with two receptions for 70 yards.
The veteran receiver had been on the team’s practice squad for much of the last two seasons but appeared in the home finale against the New York Jets. On the first target of his career, Shavers caught a middle screen from Trubisky and raced through the Jets defense, taking it 69 yards for a touchdown.
Lavishka Shenault Could Be in Trouble
Shavers had already been making a push for a roster spot, ranking above newly added veteran Laviskha Shenault on the team’s first official depth chart. Shenault had just one reception for 17 yards in Saturday’s loss to the Giants, but did show off her versatility by returning two kicks for a total of 62 yards and one punt for seven yards.
It’s not clear if the performance will be enough for Shenault. SI.comâs Randy Gurzi put the former Seattle Seahawks receiver and return specialist on the list of Bills players with the most to prove in the preseason.
âBuffalo might not have anyone who has proven to be a WR1, but they have a deep receiving corps nonetheless,â Gurzi wrote. âWith Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Curtis Samuel, and Elijah Moore on the roster, it feels as though the first five spots are set. The Bills could decide to keep six receivers, with Laviska Shenault as one of the candidates to earn that spot.â
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