The Buffalo Bills capped a 1-2 preseason with a 23-19 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday night.
Next up is the major roster cutdown to 53 players, then the ramp-up to the Sept. 7 season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.
MORE:Ex-Chiefs' QB gets rare chance, dazzles in Bills' preseason win over Buccaneers
In other words, it's now officially football season.
After a busy six-month offseason and six weeks of training camp in which Josh Allen got married and the Bills starred on Hard Knocks, signed pass-rusher Joey Bosa and re-signed running back James Cook, our look at the winners and losers of preseason.
RB James Cook — Getting him signed to a contract extension lifted a cloud from camp and allowed Bills Mafia to continue realistic hopes that this may finally be the year.
WR Tyrell Shavers — After a sparkling camp climaxed by a one-hand touchdown catch in Tampa, there's no way Buffalo can hide him on the practice squad. He was the team's best receiver throughout the offseason.
DT Deone Walker — The fourth-round rookie from Kentucky has been a pleasant surprise, evidenced by his half-sack of Bucs' quarterback Kyle Trask. He's immediately proven worthy of being in Buffalo's defensive line rotation.
James Cook
Aug 15, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) runs on the field during joint training camp practice with the Chicago Bears ahead of Sunday's preseason game. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
WR Elijah Moore — Signed in free agency to give Allen depth at receiver, he has flopped and could be a roster casualty because of the rise of Shavers. Two dropped passes in the second preseason game might prove his demise.
MORE:Bills' Curtis Samuel absent from preseason finale amidst roster uncertainty
WR Curtis Samuel — See above. Another veteran who might have been leap-frogged on the depth chart by Shavers. He missed most of camp and all three preseason games with a hamstring injury and is rumored to be a strong trade candidate.
CB Max Hairston — The Bills play Lamar Jackson in two weeks and the Ravens' quarterback must be licking his chops. The rookie first-round pick suffered a knee injury early in camp and didn't play in the preseason. Along with an injury to veteran Tre'Davious White, the Bills' secondary is a mess.
Deone Walker
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcus Harris pushes works on getting by defensive tackle Casey Rogers and defensive tackle Deone Walker during the Return of the Blue & Red practice at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Aug.1, 2025. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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