In a surprising turn of events, a division rival has just signed a former wide receiver from the New England Patriots to their practice squad. The Buffalo Bills, fresh off a playoff victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC wild-card round, faced a significant setback when wide receiver Gabe Davis suffered a torn ACL during the game. Consequently, the team has placed the 26-year-old on injured reserve as part of several roster adjustments announced on Monday.
Buffalo is optimistic about welcoming back veteran wideout Curtis Samuel, who is currently nursing an elbow injury, just in time for their upcoming AFC Divisional Round match against the Denver Broncos. To bolster their receiving corps, the Bills have added Kristian Wilkerson, formerly of the Patriots, to their practice squad. This strategic move aims to enhance the team’s depth at the pass-catching position in light of recent injuries.
The official announcement from the Bills’ Twitter account outlined the following roster changes:
– Gabe Davis has been placed on injured reserve,
– Kristian Wilkerson has been signed to the practice squad,
– Offensive lineman Nick Broeker has been signed to a reserve/future contract,
– Defensive tackle Ed Oliver and wide receiver Curtis Samuel have been designated to return to practice.
Kristian Wilkerson initially entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans in May 2020. Unfortunately, he was waived before the season commenced. In September of the same year, he joined the Patriots' practice squad and made his way to the active roster for a pivotal Week 9 matchup against the New York Jets. During his NFL debut, however, Wilkerson was only able to participate in two snaps and did not record any statistics.
Throughout the 2021 season, Wilkerson remained mostly on the Patriots' practice squad but managed to play nine snaps in both Week 9 and Week 16. He truly shined in the Patriots' Week 17 clash against the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he had a breakout performance with four catches for 42 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets.
Unfortunately, Wilkerson spent the entire 2022 season on injured reserve and was eventually released by New England in February 2023. He went on to play five games with the Las Vegas Raiders over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, where he recorded two receptions for 18 yards and one touchdown. His last appearance in an NFL game came during Week 14 of the 2024 season with the Raiders.
With these moves, the Bills are clearly striving to maintain competitiveness in the playoffs despite facing challenges due to injuries. How do you think the addition of Wilkerson will impact the Bills' chances moving forward? Will they be able to fill the void left by Davis effectively? Share your thoughts!
