The Buffalo Bills made their Week 1 practice squad calls on Saturday, elevating running back Frank Gore Jr. and wide receiver Greg Dortch for Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans.
It’s the first elevation of the season for both players, and each still has two more available before Buffalo has to decide whether to move them onto the 53-man roster.
Gore Jr.’s promotion hardly came out of nowhere. Ty Johnson is officially questionable, but the signs pointed toward Buffalo needing another back.
Johnson has been dealing with a hamstring injury since August 8 and didn’t get back on the practice field until Friday. There’s still a chance he suits up against Houston, but bringing up Gore Jr. to fill the third-running-back role feels like the expected move.
Dortch is the more interesting call. The expectation had been that Buffalo might eventually work him onto the 53-man roster if things went well, but this elevation came with the Bills also having other needs that seemed to point toward a defensive addition instead.
That didn’t happen, even with defensive lineman T.J. Sanders and defensive back Jordan Hancock both listed as questionable.
Hancock’s situation is especially notable, because there had been thought Buffalo could elevate Geno Stone if Hancock couldn’t play. The fact that didn’t happen suggests there’s a real chance Hancock is ready to go against the Texans.
Dortch is expected to handle punt returns at minimum, but that alone doesn’t usually justify an early elevation. If head coach Joe Brady moved him up already, there’s likely a plan to use him in the passing game if he’s active.
In Other News...
Bills Already Face A Stadium Concern Fans Did Not Expect
The Bills are already dealing with an early test at their new stadium, and it has nothing to do with the playbook. After just two preseason games, the team decided to replace the grass field because of major deformations and poor sod quality, a surprising development for a venue that was supposed to help usher in a fresh era in Buffalo.
NFL field expert Nick Pappas pointed to a mix of factors behind the trouble, including the quality of the sod, maintenance issues before the Bills grounds crew took over, and the new growing environment. Now the real challenge is immediate: the team has three straight home games to prepare for, and there is already a possibility the field could need another replacement later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Make A Week 1 Roster Call Fans Didn't Expect
The Bills are making a couple of early Week 1 adjustments that say plenty about how they want to open against Houston. Greg Dortch has been elevated to handle punt returns, giving Buffalo a player with plenty of NFL experience in that role after he was picked up following his release from Detroit. On paper, it is the kind of special-teams move that can quietly shape field position before the offense even gets its first real rhythm.
Frank Gore Jr. was also elevated, a decision that could point toward some backfield uncertainty entering the opener. Ty Johnson is listed as questionable, so Buffalo may be preparing for a scenario where it needs extra depth at running back before the Texans arrive. The roster shuffle does not answer every question about the Bills' Week 1 plans, but it does show the team is taking no chances with the first game of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Turn Highmark Home Opener Into A Franchise Identity Moment
The Bills are setting up their Highmark Stadium home opener as more than just another game-day entrance, with Bruce Smith slated to be honored as the Legend of the Game. Buffalo also shared a video of Steve Tasker welcoming Smith on his first visit to the stadium, a fitting nod to two names that still carry real weight in the franchises history.
The atmosphere around the opener is being built well beyond the field, with musical performances planned from Aulii Cravalho, the Barenaked Ladies and OneRepublic. Fans around the stadium will also see a live broadcast of The Pat McAfee Show, part of what is shaping up as a full-day celebration of Bills identity before the season settles into its usual grind. [Read more 🡒]