Bills WR Justin Shorter becomes a longshot in fierce competition

Justin Shorter, do you remember him? It’s understandable if you don’t.

The Buffalo Bills used a fifth-round selection to draft the once-promising point guard in 2023, but Shorter never saw the field.

Facing an uphill battle early in training camp with the WR1 through WR4 spots already reserved, Shorter fought his way to a brief stay on the Bills’ initial 53-man roster after contributing as a wide receiver and special team member in the preseason game. action. With the rookie out with a hamstring injury, Buffalo, after establishing his initial 53, opened up a roster spot by moving Shorter to injured reserve on August 30 and he remained there the entire season.

The Bills opened Shorter’s 21-day practice window on Dec. 13, making him eligible to come off IR, but they never proceeded to activate him before the deadline. While Andy Isabella provides return ability, it’s telling that the Bills chose to activate the Arizona Cardinals’ castoffs rather than give Shorter an opportunity.

Moving on from a fifth-round pick after one year isn’t common practice in the NFL, but it certainly doesn’t seem out of reach in this situation.

Hurting Shorter’s chances, the Bills are gearing up for a fierce battle at wide receiver. Barring injury, Khalil Shakir, second-round rookie Keon Coleman as well as free agent additions Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins appear to be locks to make the cut. Further strengthening the situation at the bottom of the depth chart, two-time Super Bowl champion Marquez Valdes-Scantling has the inside track at the WR5 spot.

The Bills’ social media team recently shared a produced video with the caption “We got some dudes in the WR room.” The social media post features highlights of five Buffalo receivers: Samuel, Coleman, Hollins, Shakir and Valdes-Scantling. Although social media personnel are likely not privy to all personnel decisions, their posts are likely more intentional than not.

With the Bills likely to have six receivers at most, there appears to be only one vacancy. For Shorter to claim that spot, he’ll need to beat out veteran Chase Claypool, who has raised his stock significantly during OTAs, and others like Isabella and KJ Hamler, both former second-round draft talents.

RELATED: Bills receiver earns Top 10 rookie status according to Fantasy Football Analyst

The players haven’t put on their pads yet, and a lot can happen during training camp, but Shorter is increasingly becoming a long-term player.

— Benefit from free bill coverage Buffalo Bills on SI —