It’s often said for NFL players living on the roster bubble, availability is the best ability they can have.
If that’s true, versatility is a close second.
Buffalo Bills vs New York Giants (copy)
Bills wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. had a busy first preseason game. Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
Laviska Shenault Jr. displayed plenty of varied skills during the Buffalo Bills’ first preseason game against the New York Giants at Highmark Stadium on Aug. 9. Shenault played 10 snaps at wide receiver, lined up as a gunner on special teams and returned two kickoffs and one punt in a 34-25 loss.
Shenault’s nine snaps on special teams were distributed in the following way: two on kick returns, two on kickoff coverage, three on punt returns and two on punt coverage. That was intentional on the part of special teams coordinator Chris Tabor and offensive coordinator Joe Brady to give Shenault a long look.
“You’re talking about these down-the-line guys in terms of what they have to be able to do as opposed to playing just one spot, one position,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “It’s hard to keep niche players unless they’re really special. So every situation is different, don’t get me wrong, but the more you can do, the more you help us out holistically on the roster.”
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The results were encouraging. Shenault had one catch for 17 yards, made a nice catch on a back-shoulder throw from quarterback Mike White for a two-point conversion, returned his two kicks for 62 yards and his one punt for 7 yards. It was the first punt he had returned since the 2022 preseason with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“I just know chances don’t come easy in this league. I understand it’s a business,” Shenault said in a phone interview with The Buffalo News. “Any time you’ve got an opportunity to show your abilities, you should do it regardless of how hard mentally it may be. Opportunities only last for so long.”
The Bills have been hit with a rash of injuries at wide receiver, including to Shenault early in camp with a lower leg strain that kept him out of four practices. He’s since been able to work his way back into the lineup, and into the race for a spot on the team’s 53-man roster.
“You look at him, and he’s built like a running back, but can run routes like a receiver, very good returner, gunner, he’s just a general football player,” White said. “He kind of had a crappy situation to start because he was playing catch-up with the injury, but I think he’s finally starting to catch his stride. I’m sure this team is going to need him. He’s been awesome in practice, working on stuff, making the corrections needed and just being an overall good teammate.”
Shenault, 26, is a former second-round draft pick of the Jaguars in 2020. He has bounced around a good deal since then, also spending time with the Panthers, Seahawks and Chargers.
The Bills signed him to a one-year, $1.21 million contract this offseason that included a $15,000 signing bonus, so they are not on the hook for much dead money if he fails to make the team.
“I’m still continuously trying to show improvement to myself,” Shenault said. “I’ll do anything that’s asked of me.”
The stats would say Shenault had a promising preseason debut, but he was a bit more of a tough grader, saying he needed to make it obvious that he won more 1-on-1 battles. He’s looking forward to Sunday night’s game against Chicago for that chance.
It’s a good bet that he will once again be used in a variety of roles.
“If you follow my career, that’s what I’ve done all my life,” he said. “Just trying to find ways to be better and evolve. Versatility, that’s basically my name.”
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