Coming off a bitter playoff exit against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Billsare already casting their eyes toward the future.
The team made a series of signings shortly after losing to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, bringing back several members of the practice squad on reserve/futures contracts that will allow them to go through offseason workouts and practices.
That group includes former undrafted rookie running back Frank Gore Jr., the son of former Bills back and NFL legend Frank Gore, who became a popular player with fans after some strong preseason performances.
Bills Planning for Future of the Backfield
The Bills announced on Jan. 27 that they signed Gore to a futures contract along with six other players. The Bills also re-signed offensive tackle Ryan Van Denmark, a reserve on the active roster this season.
Gore spent the majority of the season on the practice squad, being elevated to the active roster for the team’s win over the New York Jets in October when starter James Cook was out with an injury. Gore was not active for the game, however.
Gore went undrafted after a strong four-year career at Southern Mississippi, where he rushed for 4,022 yards with 26 touchdowns and added 682 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. He was a standout for the Bills in training camp and in the preseason, rushing for 101 yards with a touchdown in the preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers.
The running back said he felt a strong connection to Buffalo, remembering visits there to watch games when his father was a running back on the 2019 team that earned a wild-card berth.
“It was great,” Gore Jr. said, via CBS Sports. “I came to like three games. It was cold when they played the Jets at the end of the season. This is one of the most enthusiastic places I’ve ever been.”
Though he will now return to the Bills for the offseason, Gore will face a challenge in climbing up the depth chart. Cook will return for his final season under contract while Ray Davis is coming off a strong rookie season. Ty Johnson, a versatile back used both in the running and passing game, is headed to unrestricted free agency.
Bills Address Other Needs
The Bills covered a number of other roster areas with their signings, including their wide receiving depth. The team brought back receivers Tyrell Shaver and Jalen Virgil, who both saw time on the active roster in the last season.
Virgil appeared in seven games this season, playing mostly on special teams. Shavers appeared in three games and made his first NFL catch — on his first career target — in a win over the New York Jets in Week 17 that clinched the No. 2 seed for the playoffs. He caught a short pass from backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky late in the game with the Bills holding a 33-0 lead and weaved his way through the Jets’ defense, taking it 69 yards for a touchdown.