Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane has developed a reputation for making great decisions when it comes to adding quality depth players to the Bills roster. Beane lived up to that reputation today when he made the move to sign free agent wide receiver Gabe Davis. NFL Insider Adam Schefter announced on his X account that the Buffalo Bills had officially signed Davis to their practice roster.
A return to Buffalo: Free-agent WR Gabe Davis is signing with the Buffalo Bills, per sources.
Davis initially will be on Buffalo’s practice squad as he continues to recover from last season’s torn meniscus and gets ready to return to play. pic.twitter.com/43vWlcmx0N
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 2, 2025
In most situations, the Bills’ signing a wide receiver to their practice roster would not be a notable event, but Davis is not the average practice roster player. In 2020, the Buffalo Bills drafted Davis in the 4th round of the NFL Draft. Over the course of four seasons, Davis solidified his position as the Bills’ number three wide receiver.
Gabe Davis’ First Stint with the Buffalo Bills
During Davis’s rookie season in 2020, the young wide receiver made an instant impact on the Bills’ offense. The 6’2″, 225-pound Davis caught 35 passes for 599 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2021, Davis followed up his rookie season with another 35-catch season for 549 yards and six touchdowns.
In 2022, Davis began to showcase his true potential as he worked his way into a larger role in the Buffalo offense. During that 2022 season, Davis caught a career-high 48 passes for 836 yards, and he once again scored seven touchdowns. Davis continued to stack successful seasons in 2023, with 45 receptions for 746 yards and once again scored seven touchdowns.
Jacksonville Jaguars Pay Davis $39 million
During the offseason preceding the 2024 NFL season, Davis found himself a free agent, looking for a new home. The Jacksonville Jaguars made a huge investment in Davis, signing him for a $39 million contract. The next stage of Davis’ career got off to a slow start, with the wide receiver catching 20 passes for 239 yards while playing in 20 games.
Unfortunately, the rest of Davis’s first season with the Jaguars was cut short by a season-ending knee injury. That injury and the large number of missed games made Jacksonville reconsider its investment in Davis, and he once again found himself as a free agent. Recent reports had indicated that the Buffalo Bills were interested in finding a role for Davis on their 2025 roster.
Gabe Davis Pittsburgh Steelers
Oct 20, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (0) catches the ball against the New England Patriots in the first half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Where does Davis fit in with the Bills’ Current Roster?
The big question for the Bills’ decision to sign Davis is “Where does Davis fit in with their Wide Receiver Room?” The initial answer is that Davis is being signed to the Bills’ practice roster because he is still recovering from the torn meniscus that ended his 2024 season. Buffalo has indicated that the plan for Davis is to have him on the practice roster until Davis has recovered from his knee injury.
The most likely scenario is that Davis will need at least the first half of the 2025 season to get ready to play once again. During that time, the Bills get to have Davis on their team with minimal investment. If Davis recovers and can regain his previous form, then he will have a great chance to compete for the Bills’ third wide receiver position.
Currently, the Bills’ top wide receivers are Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Joshua Palmer. If Davis can completely recover from his injury, he could push Palmer for the Bills’ third receiver position. If he is unable to fully recover, the Bills will not experience any buyer’s remorse, and they can simply release him. On the other hand, if Davis comes out of rehab looking like his old self, he could be a major contributor to the Bills’ offense.
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Main Photo: [Jamie Germano] – Imagn Images