Shaq Thompson didn’t need much convincing to come back to Buffalo. After one season with the Bills, the veteran linebacker made it clear he wanted another run with the group - and by Tuesday, he was back in the building talking like a guy who’d found his place.
“They treat me like a OG,” Thompson said. “They treat me like uncle.
You eat? And I respect these guys.
They respect me, and I think I just kind of miss them all.”
That feeling clearly runs both ways. Thompson wasn’t even selected to the team through the practice squad on Monday. But he returned to the Bills through practice squad on Tuesday, and the 31-year-old linebacker said Buffalo felt right after a season with the Carolina Panthers.
“I wanted to be a Bill. I wanted to play football.
I wanted to be around these guys,” Thompson said Tuesday, his first day back in the building. “They brought football back for me.
… It’s more than just football players coming together. It’s a true family here.”
General manager Brandon Beane said he could talk endlessly about Thompson, who also spent time in Carolina. Head coach Joe Brady spoke highly of Thompson from the Carolina days as well.
That said, the biggest voice in Thompson’s ear was inside the building already: linebackers coach John Egorugwu. Egorugwu’s take on Thompson wasn’t about him being a familiar name from around the league. It was about what he can still do.
“He’s a guy that I can bounce stuff off of. A guy that’s seen it, seen it a bunch of different ways for over the last 10 years,” Egorugwu said. “He’s going to have a lot of value.”
That value could show up quickly. Egorugwu already sees Thompson as a key part of meetings, and he said there may be times when the coach says, ‘Coach, this sounds good in the classroom, but maybe that’s not the easiest thing to be able to do out on the field.’
“And you respect a guy like that, that’s been able to see and has done it for a long time,” he said.
Thompson’s role, though, isn’t fixed. Egorugwu said the veteran can line up anywhere.
“I can play anywhere,” Thompson said. “I can play on the ball, off the ball.
I can play in space. I can play dime.
I can play Mike. I think my versatility could be used very well, and that’s my answer to your question.”
The Bills have plenty of continuity in the room. Thompson overlapped with fellow inside linebackers Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams and Joe Andreessen last season, so the room already has a shared language. Rookie Kalen Clorems-orr felt Thompson’s leadership on display even in just two short days.
“They’re the most experienced guys,” Clorems-orr said of Thompson and Bernard. “So, they’re kind of like the leaders. They’re the communicators.”
Beane liked Thompson’s presence a year ago too, especially after the injuries hit.
“Ultimate pro, unbelievable leader, the guy can just step in,” Beane said. “He’s super smart, hard worker, he’s got that presence to him.”
There’s still some ramp-up ahead. Thompson wasn’t a full participant in Tuesday’s practice, though he did take part in Wednesday during the open portion. Even without a training camp, he said he’ll need time before he’s ready.
“I wasn’t here in OTAs, I wasn’t here in training camp, but still got the same mindset,” Thompson said. “Some of these guys are new, some of the guys I played with last year, and some guys would probably want me to step up and do something.
But for me, I just got to ease into it, right? I got to go out there and play, put in the work with them, practice, and all that type of stuff before I even start becoming a leader.”
Physically, though, he says he feels good.
“My body feels great,” he said. “Hamstrings feels great, Achilles feels great, neck feels good. Just all around, just feels amazing.”
The Bills are no strangers to leaning on veteran linebackers. Thompson and safety Jordan Poyer, along with defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, were among the veteran additions brought back to the practice squad around this time last season. Thompson and Phillips both made meaningful snaps throughout the year.
This time, Thompson knows the path starts from the ground up again. He wasn’t at OTAs or training camp, but he did participate Wednesday during the open portion of practice, and he said he’ll need a little while before he’s fully ready.
Still, the message from Buffalo is loud and clear. Egorugwu thinks the Bills have a player who can help in a lot of different ways.
“Super smart, hard worker, he’s got that presence to him,” Beane said.
And Thompson, for his part, sounds like a man who knows exactly why he’s back.
In Other News...
Josh Allen Just Gave Bills Fans A New Way To Join In
Josh Allen has found another way to make Bills home games feel personal this season. Working with children at Golisano Childrens Hospital of Buffalo, he helped create eight one-of-a-kind Buffalo Bills hats that blend his hand-drawn logo with artwork from the kids, turning a simple accessory into a shared piece of team identity.
Allen will wear one of the hats before each of Buffalos eight regular-season home games, and fans can buy them too, with the proceeds going to the Patricia Allen Fund at the hospital. The project, part of his partnership with New Era, carries forward a charitable effort he began last season and gives Bills supporters a direct way to take part in it. [Read more 🡒]
Bills May Have Quietly Added A Receiver Skill They Still Needed
The Bills kept tinkering with their receiver mix this week by adding Greg Dortch to the practice squad, a move that goes beyond special teams insurance. Dortch brings a long track record as a punt returner, but the appeal here is his versatility as a receiver and the chance he gives Buffalo to add another small, quick target who can help stress coverage underneath.
What makes the signing interesting is the fit. Buffalo has spent the offseason trying to upgrade the receiver room, and Dortchs film-based profile suggests he can create separation against man coverage, which is a useful trait in an offense that can never really have too many reliable options. Whether he becomes more than depth will depend on opportunity, but the Bills clearly saw a skill set worth keeping in the building. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allens Top Target Suddenly Puts Buffalos Week 1 Stability In Doubt
Khalil Shakirs availability has become one of the quieter concerns hanging over the Bills as they head toward their season opener against the Texans. Buffalos top target has missed recent practices because of an undisclosed injury, and while the team remains optimistic about his status, the lack of detail and the cautious approach to his recovery have made this worth watching closely.
The Bills still expect Shakir to be ready for Week 1, and there is some relief in the fact that DJ Moore, who had his own preseason injury scare, is also projected to be available. Even so, Buffalos passing game has a different feel when one of Josh Allens most trusted receivers is sidelined, even briefly, and the final practice reports should tell a lot about how settled the offense really is entering the opener. [Read more 🡒]