The Buffalo Bills have went back on offense on the NFL free agent board with the reported signing of wide receiver Laviska Shenault per Tom Pelissero. This is their fourth offensive signing along with WR Joshua Palmer, RB Darrynton Evans, and fan-favorite RB Ty Johnson. The signing of Shenault also gives Buffalo their fourth west coast player that they have signed (Joshua Palmer, Michael Hoecht, and Joey Bosa were the first three).
Buffalo has added another potential weapon for Josh Allen who can also serve as a return specialist on special teams. It’s another one-year deal for the Bills, who have only given out two-year contracts to Joshua Palmer, Michael Hoecht, and Ty Johnson.
Shenault was drafted in 2020 by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round, but has found himself on three other teams. Now he’s joining his fifth team with the Bills at 26 years old. After only two seasons with the Jaguars, Shenault was traded to the Carolina Panthers. Shenault spent two years in Carolina from 2022-2023 and would then eventually sign with the Seattle Seahawks.
Shenault played in just 11 games with the Seahawks before being waived by them and then picked up by the Los Angeles Chargers where he played in just one game.
Signing of Laviska Shenault should be nothing more than potential depth
Shenault’s career has not lived up to anything that fans may have expected out of a second-round pick. He’s had no more than 619 yards in a season and hasn’t scored a touchdown since 2022. It’s very hard to imagine Shenault being a contributor for this offense. Infact, it’s hard to see him getting any serious wideout looks in training camp.
He may just be coming to Buffalo for competition as a returns specialist. Sean McDermott has always been about competing and getting the best out of players. Maybe Shenault can turn his career around in Buffalo, or maybe he will just be a training camp player and miss out on the final 53-man roster.
Either way, it’s an extra player for training camp and the coaches will get to see what he has. At 26 years old, he’s still young enough to get a look. However, it will be up to him on how far he goes with the Bills.