Free-agent WR Gabe Davis signs with Buffalo Bills, joins practice squad amid recovery

The Buffalo Bills are re-signing former breakout receiver Gabe Davis, with the veteran joining the team's practice squad, according to the latest on his recovery from a torn meniscus. At 26, Davis returns to a franchise with which he made some of his earliest career noise and might provide important depth as the year goes on.Davis was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Bills and played his first four professional seasons in Buffalo, where he recorded 163 receptions for 2,730 yards and 27 touchdowns, including six touchdowns in seven playoff games. The most notable of his performances came in the 2021 divisional-round loss to the Chiefs, when he caught four touchdown passes, an NFL playoff record.Davis agreed to a 3-year, $39M deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in March 2024. His season was cut short after he tore his meniscus in mid-November, and Jacksonville eventually cut him in May of this year. He explored some other avenues, and now he has returned back to his base, the Buffalo Bills.Placing Davis on the practice squad gives Buffalo the ability to monitor his recovery while still keeping him around the building. He isn't currently on the active roster, but when he is cleared, he could help revitalize a receiving corps that has turned over considerably since he last left it.Davis considered other options during the offseason, including visits with the Pittsburgh Steelers, before deciding to be back in Buffalo. That makes the competition for spots strong in the Bills' wide receiver room, which also includes Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore, and Tyrell Shavers.Also Read: Best stadiums in 2025: Top venues for baseball, soccer, NFL, F1, and NASCARResigning Davis fits the bill of what Buffalo has done with their recent moves, adding people who seem to have gotten a proper taste of how the system and culture are. Signing to the practice squad is low risk, but high reward if he regains form.Several analysts contend that if Davis can shake off his fitness issues, he is skilled and experienced enough to eventually earn a 53-man roster spot later this season. With his chemistry with quarterback Josh Allen and ability to make plays in big moments, he would provide an enticing option for the Bills as they prepare for another run in the playoffs.