The Buffalo Bills are already getting to work on reshaping their depth chart for 2026, bringing back two familiar faces in quarterback Shane Buechele and wide receiver Jalen Virgil on reserve/future deals. Neither player was under contract when the season ended, but with the new league year still weeks away, these signings help the Bills lay the groundwork for offseason competition and roster stability-especially at two positions that could see plenty of turnover.
Let’s start at quarterback, where Buechele’s return gives Buffalo a much-needed body in the room behind Josh Allen. With Mitch Trubisky set to hit free agency and no other QBs currently under contract, this move was less about headline-grabbing and more about setting a baseline. Buechele isn’t a household name, but he’s well-known inside the building-and that matters.
The 26-year-old first landed in Buffalo in August 2023 after being waived by the Chiefs. He re-signed for the 2024 season but never saw the field after suffering a neck injury that landed him on injured reserve.
Despite being released after the 2025 preseason, he returned to the Bills’ practice squad before Kansas City came calling again following injuries to both Gardner Minshew and Patrick Mahomes. That stint was short-lived-he was released in January and has now circled back to Buffalo once more.
What makes Buechele intriguing is the glimpse he gave during the 2025 preseason. He completed 36 of 46 passes for 380 yards and a touchdown across three games, with zero interceptions.
That kind of efficiency, even in limited preseason action, raised some eyebrows. There was even some chatter that he could push Trubisky for the backup job-especially with Buffalo looking for ways to trim cap space.
While that didn’t materialize, it’s clear the Bills still see something worth investing in.
Now, with Trubisky’s future uncertain and Allen the only QB under contract, Buechele gives Buffalo a developmental option who’s already familiar with the system. He’s not being handed the QB2 job, but he’s in the mix-and that’s a start.
As for Jalen Virgil, his path back to Buffalo is another case of a player who knows the system and brings value on special teams, which is often the key to sticking around in the bottom half of an NFL roster.
Virgil spent time on the Bills’ practice squad in 2024 and was promoted to the active roster in November. He played in seven games, logging 111 offensive snaps and 194 on special teams before being released in mid-December. After a brief stint on the Cardinals’ practice squad in November 2025, he’s back in Buffalo, where opportunity is knocking again.
The Bills’ receiver room is far from settled. Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, and Josh Palmer are the most recognizable names, but none are guaranteed locks for the 53-man roster.
The only sure thing right now? Khalil Shakir.
With Tyrell Shavers likely out for the season after a late-year knee injury, Virgil enters offseason workouts as a depth piece with real-game experience and a chance to carve out a role.
He’ll be competing alongside Mecole Hardman and Stephen Gosnell-two other recent reserve/future signings. It’s a crowded, fluid situation, but Virgil’s versatility and familiarity with the playbook give him a leg up as the offseason unfolds.
These aren’t splashy moves, but they’re the kind of roster-building decisions that set the tone for a team heading into a pivotal offseason. Buffalo is retooling, not rebuilding, and bringing back players like Buechele and Virgil-guys who know the system and can contribute in multiple ways-is a smart, steady start.