Buffalo Rumblings
After finding success as a kickoff returner in 2024, the former second-round pick looks to make an impact with the Bills
The Buffalo Bills have a fairly clear top-four at the wide receiver position. Some might even argue that the top five wideouts are already close to written in Sharpie. However, there is still a lot of time between now and the 2025 NFL season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on September 7.
The Bills are more likely to line up with two tight ends on the field at the same time than they are to line up with four wide receivers on the field at once, so there’s no need for them to keep more than six on the final roster. It’s even possible that they keep five, especially if the players battling for that sixth spot all show themselves unworthy of a spot on the 53-man roster.
In today’s edition of “90 players in 90 days,” we discuss one of those receivers trying to make the 53-man roster this summer.
Name: Laviska Shenault Jr.
Number: 15
Position: WR
Height/Weight: 6’1”, 227 pounds
Age: 26 (27 on 10/5/2025)
Experience/Draft: 6; selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round (No. 42 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft
College: Colorado
Acquired: Signed with Buffalo on 3/13/2025
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Shenault signed a one-year contract worth $1.21 million in total. For the season, he carries a cap hit of $1.07 million if he makes the 53-man roster. If he’s released prior to Week 1, Buffalo will carry a dead-cap charge of $15,000 for the season. IF he is on the roster for Week 1, Shenault’s entire base salary — $1.17 million — becomes guaranteed thanks to his status as a vested veteran.
2024 Recap: After ending his 2023 season with the Carolina Panthers on Injured Reserve, Shenault signed with the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason. He was seldom used on offense, playing just 45 offensive snaps with the Seahawks over the course of 11 games. He caught all five of his targets for 36 receiving yards, and he rushed once for one yard.
His primary use with the Seahawks as a kickoff returner, where he totaled 459 yards and a touchdown on 16 returns (28.7 yards per kickoff return). He also had five tackles on special teams. After Seattle’s Week 13 victory over the New York Jets, a game where he had two kickoff returns for just 10 yards and fumbled one of his attempts, he was waived on December 2.
He signed to the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad on December 5 and was activated for one game. He played seven offensive snaps and 13 special teams snaps in Los Angeles’ 40-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Chargers released him on January 7.
Positional outlook: Shenault is one of 13 wideouts in camp to begin the summer. Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore, Joshua Palmer, K.J. Hamler, Kelly Akhariyi, Stephen Gosnell, Kaden Prather, Kristian...
