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Bills wide receiver Trent Sherfield at Highmark Stadium on September 17, 2023.
The Buffalo Bills are in dire need of competent wide receivers, and just watched a strong candidate head to a team that could be standing in their way of a Super Bowl appearance.
The New England Patriots announced that they signed veteran receiver Trent Sherfield, who played a key role in helping the Bills earn a division title in 2023. The Bills have been hit with a spate of injuries at wide receiver and needed to look for some outside help this week.
Patriots Reinforce Wide Receiving Corps
The Patriots signed Sherfield after his practice squad contract with the Arizona Cardinals expired when their season came to an end.
As Jess Root of USA Today’s Cardinals Wire noted, Sherfield saw a bit of playing time this year and some special teams versatility.
“Sherfield spent the final seven games of the season on Arizona’s practice squad, getting elevated to play twice. He played 23 snaps on offense and 37 on special teams, logging two combined special teams tackles,” Root wrote.
Root predicted that Sherfield could find his way into the lineup for the Patriots when they face the Houston Texans in the divisional round.
“Sherfield, with years of experience playing on special teams, might just get elevated this weekend and get to play in the postseason after not seeing the Cardinals win even once in the seven weeks he was with the team,” Root wrote.
Sherfield played with the Bills in 2023, making 11 receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown. His score came at the most opportune time, catching a deflected ball in the season finale against the Miami Dolphins — a game that gave the AFC East to the Bills.
Bills Hit With Injuries to Wide Receiving Corps
The Bills are dealing with a series of injuries to their wide receivers, including two season-ending injuries in last week’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Veteran Gabe Davis suffered a torn ACL during the game, and second-year receiver and special teams ace Tyrell Shavers tore his ACL later in the game.
But the team is also getting a big return, with versatile receiver Curtis Samuel returning from injured reserve. Samuel said he was excited to get back into the mix after missing a long stretch.
“I’m excited. Just taking it one day at a time and just trying to catch up with the game,” Samuel said, via SI.com.
The Bills were left with only three healthy wide receivers on their active roster after last week’s injuries, including the wayward Keon Coleman. The second-year receiver had been benched earlier this season for disciplinary issues and was a healthy scratch four times, but the Bills will now rely on him as they face the Broncos with a trip to the AFC Championship game on the line.
The Bills could also turn more to tight end Dalton Kincaid, who returned after dealing with injuries.
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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