Buffalo Rumblings
Buffalo’s third-string quarterback entering the 2024 season has some competition this summer
The Buffalo Bills have a tight-knit quarterback room, as all four players in the positional group seem to enjoy each others’ company. It also helps that the team has the reigning MVP at the helm, as he’s one of the best overall players in the NFL.
Will the team make any changes at quarterback? Traditionally, head coach Sean McDermott has gone with two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Given that there are currently four men in camp at the position, something has to give.
In today’s installment of “90 players in 90 days,” we discuss one of those four quarterbacks.
Name: Shane Buechele
Number: 6
Position: QB
Height/Weight: 6’, 210 pounds
Age: 27 (28 on 1/8/2025)
Experience/Draft: 4; signed with the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2021 NFL Draft
College: SMU
Acquired: Originally signed with Buffalo’s practice squad on 8/31/2023
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Buechele signed a one-year contract worth a total of $1.03 million. That number represents his cap hit if he makes the 53-man roster. There are no guarantees on the deal, so Buffalo can release him any time prior to Week 1 without carrying a dead-cap charge.
2024 Recap: Buechele appeared in Buffalo’s first preseason game last year. He completed 6-of-10 passes for 53 yards, throwing no touchdowns and one interception. He rushed three times for 22 yards in the games. He also took six sacks. Following that contest, a 33-6 loss to the Chicago Bears, Buechele appeared on the injury report with a neck injury. That injury ultimately ended his season before it began, as Buechele was placed on Injured Reserve on August 13.
Positional outlook: Buechele is one of four quarterbacks on the current roster, joining Josh Allen, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mike White.
2025 Offseason: Buechele is healthy and participating in offseason work to date.
2025 Season outlook: There is next to zero chance that Buechele breaks camp on the 53-man roster — unless two of Buffalo’s top three quarterbacks are injured, that is. Even in that scenario, it’s possible that the Bills would contact an unsigned veteran before keeping Buechele. prospects for the practice squad are even cloudy this season, as a lot will likely depend on what Buffalo does at the backup spot.
If the Bills maintain the status quo, breaking camp with Allen and Trubisky as the top two quarterbacks, then I’d assume that Mike White will remain with the club as the third quarterback, thereby taking Buechele’s assumed place as the practice squad QB. This is exactly what happened last season after Buechele was injured and the player signed to replace him in the preseason, Ben DiNucci, wasn’t retained.
If Buffalo decide to cut ties with Trubisky and use White as the backup, then Buechele will likely stay on the practice squad. There’s an outside chance that this happens, but the money saved by moving from Trubisky ($2.46 million cap hit; $750,000 dead-cap charge if released) to White...
