Bills Offseason Update: Week of August 24

Opening

The Buffalo Bills closed out the summer in style, finishing a perfect preseason before turning their attention to the hard business of roster construction. Between a thrilling comeback win over Pittsburgh, a breakout debut from a rookie wideout, and a flurry of roster moves ahead of Sunday's deadline, it was a week that offered both celebration and difficult decisions as Joe Brady's Bills prepare for his first regular season as head coach.

Top Stories

Bills Complete Perfect Preseason with Dramatic Comeback

Buffalo capped its preseason slate at 3-0 with an instant classic against the Steelers at the new Highmark Stadium. After falling behind midway through the first quarter, the team didn't regain the lead until the final drive of the night, getting the ball with 3:20 left in the fourth quarter, down 27-20.

Dante Pettis got the offense moving with a 16-yard catch over the middle before drawing a pass interference call on a deep post, adding 40 yards.

Two plays later, Ian Wheeler ran in a two-yard touchdown, and Shane Buechele found a way to finish the job, backpedaling under pressure before finding Pettis in the end zone for the game-winning two-point conversion with 1:06 remaining.

Buechele got the start under center, playing all four quarters and finishing 26-of-38 for 196 yards. Head coach Joe Brady said afterward, "There's so much to be proud of for those guys," adding that some players "might not ever play football again" as teams made final cuts.

Skyler Bell Announces Himself in NFL Debut

If there was one player who stole the show against Pittsburgh, it was rookie wide receiver Skyler Bell. Bell, a fourth-round draft pick after his record-breaking senior year at UConn, missed the first two preseason games with a groin injury but starred in his debut against the Steelers.

Despite only catching passes from third-string quarterback Shane Buechele, Bell hauled in seven of his 10 targets for a team-high 49 receiving yards.

He also scampered for a 28-yard touchdown off a jet sweep, cutting the Steelers' lead to 21-17 with 4:49 remaining in the third quarter. Brady praised the rookie's finish, noting "once the ball got in his hands, you felt the speed and he made the most of it."

Roster Cuts and a Trade to the Colts

The real drama of the week came off the field. Buffalo began trimming to its initial 53-man roster by releasing 13 players, including veteran wide receiver and kick returner Mecole Hardman.

The team also informed veteran punter Mitch Wishnowsky that he was being released, with the move made official Sunday when all NFL teams established their 53-man rosters.

Hardman proved to be the odd-man out in a crowded receiving room, with backup running back Ray Davis in position to take over punt-return duties. Wishnowsky's release confirmed that seventh-round rookie punter Tommy Doman won the position battle this summer.

In a separate roster shake-up, Buffalo traded center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2027 sixth-round pick. Van Pran-Granger played in 31 games and made two starts over his two years with the Bills after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

The move came after Buffalo added former Denver and Tennessee starting center Lloyd Cushenberry this offseason, who will back up Connor McGovern.

Quick Hits

• Defensive-heavy roster construction: Under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard's scheme, the Bills prioritized defensive depth in their final 53, reflecting an emphasis on the new 3-4 base look.
• Tyler Bass stayed sharp in the finale, connecting on both field-goal attempts from 33 and 42 yards against Pittsburgh.
• Ian Wheeler and the run game shined late, with Wheeler's touchdown proving the difference-maker in the finale.
• Keonta Jenkins flashed early, recording a sack on a first-quarter blitz and leading the team with six solo tackles.

Roster Watch

Buffalo's cutdown weekend claimed several other notable names beyond Hardman and Wishnowsky, including OLB Cade Denhoff, CB Jordan Dunbar, G Bruno Fina, ILB Theron Gaines, C Sincere Haynesworth, DL Zion Logue, CB D.J. Miller, S Wande Owens, WR Dante Pettis, LB Otis Reese IV, WR Quentin Skinner, and TE Shane Zylstra. Cornerback Kani Walker, a fan favorite in camp, was also among the roster casualties, though he could return to the practice squad. The Hardman release frees up practice-squad and punt-return questions, with Davis, Khalil Shakir, and Keon Coleman all in the mix to handle returns going forward.

Looking Ahead

With the 53-man roster now set, attention turns to final practice squad construction and injury reserve designations before Buffalo opens its regular season on the road. The Bills open the season on Sept. 13 against the Texans in Houston. Expect continued roster tinkering this week as Buffalo finalizes its practice squad, monitors the waiver wire for value adds, and begins true regular-season game-planning under Brady and Leonhard's new-look units on both sides of the ball.