The Buffalo Bills opened training camp Wednesday morning at St. John Fisher University, and Jalen Virgil was nowhere to be seen.
Most of the roster was on the field and going through the first practice, but Virgil was absent entirely. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg reported that a failed physical was the reason he didn’t take part.
Virgil, 28, is back with Buffalo after re-signing with the team this offseason following a stint with the Arizona Cardinals in 2025. He spent the 2024 season with the Bills and appeared in seven games, carving out a role as a strong blocker and a useful piece on special teams.
What he did not provide was anything in the passing game. Virgil finished that season with zero targets, and while he was on the field for just 37 offensive snaps, his value was clearly tied more to the run game and coverage units than to catching passes.
His absence comes at a time when Buffalo has a little room for a special teams-focused receiver. Tyrell Shavers is starting camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list while he continues recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in Buffalo’s Wild Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in January. That leaves an opening, but it also puts more pressure on anyone competing for that kind of roster spot.
One practice won’t settle anything, but Virgil is already in a fight to make the 53-man roster. Missing time right out of the gate doesn’t help.
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