3 takeaways from Bills preseason loss to Giants

The Buffalo Bills began their season at Highmark Stadium Saturday, hosting the New York Giants in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. While the Bills fell 34-25, the game provided key insights into several position battles and gave us a good look at some of the newest faces in Buffalo. Defensive starters played for a few drives, along with most of the offense, barring a few injured players to go with James Cook and Josh Allen.

Here are three key takeways from Bills vs. Giants:

1. The backup QB position is still up for grabs

Mitch Trubisky, Mike White, and Shane Buechele all played a chunk of the game. Trubisky played the entire first half, while White and Buechele split the second half. Here’s what each QB posted in the first live action of 2025:

Watching the game, however, other than a few golden deep balls to Tyrell Shavers and KJ Hamler, the quarterback play was ultimately about as expected. A majority of those completions were checkdowns and short passes for minimal gains. None of the three looked substantially better than the other. It is likely that the staff is leaning towards Trubisky as the starter, given his extensive experience in the NFL, along with the fact that he received the majority of the playing time in the game.

There were some great moments from all of these quarterbacks, however. Trubisky, as mentioned earlier, launched a pass for a 58-yard gain to WR Tyrell Shavers with 15 seconds remaining in the first half, leading to a Bills field goal. Mike white led back-to-back scoring drives, with on one of them ending in a 39-yard touchdown strike to a wide-open KJ Hamler. Buechele had a similar day up until the end, where he had a botched snap go over his head on a potential game-winning drive.

2. Some good, some bad

The rookies who got a chance to play made themselves seen, especially DT Deone Walker and DB Jordan Hancock. Walker penetrated through the offensive line and used his 6-7 frame to break up a pass. Hancock posted a pressure and an interception later in the game, although it was called back due to an offsides call. DT TJ Sanders made an impact on the defensive line, as well, although it was quieter. He took on double teams and did the dirty work to open up the field for the second-level defenders.

Joey Bosa got in some good reps at the beginning of the game, giving the offensive line fits the entire time he was on the field. Bosa batted a ball down on a crucial third down and recorded some good pressure on pass plays.

WR Tyrell Shavers caught two passes for 70 yards as he pursues a 53-man roster spot again. He made a substantial case last preseason, but fell short. If Shavers is ever going to make it, this seems to be a prime year to do so. KJ Hamler also played well, catching a touchdown along with returning a few kicks. His speed and versatility as a player give him a shot at making the final roster.

LB Joe Andreessen played great, posting four tackles and 1 TFL. He showed strong instincts and flexed his secure tackling abilities. Matt Milano also had a good day, playing like the All-Pro LB he is known to be.

Returning CB Tre’Davious White struggled in coverage, losing a handful of plays in the early part of the game. TE Zach Davidson had two drops during this game. Rookie DE Landon Jackson had his highlight of the day be an offside call that negated a Buffalo interception.

3. The James Cook saga continues

James Cook patricipated in warm-ups with the team and dressed for the game. However, he did not participate in the game, choosing black shades instead of a football helmet. When asked after the game about the James Cook situation, head coach Sean McDermott responded in a dissatisfied tone:

“James and I had a good conversation yesterday. We talked about warming up. He agreed to warm up, but not play, due to his current situation. So, that’s where we’re at. So, no change really overall. We wanted him to play. I wanted him to play, but I don’t really want to go into it any further,” McDermott said. “There’s really no change at this point in time from what it was going into this weekend and the game today.” 

When pressed further on the topic, McDermott asked to move on and discuss the players who had played in the game.

Cook is entering the final year of his deal, and is seeking a contract worth more than $15 million annually. These aspirations seem increasingly unlikely for the star running back, as Kyren Williams, a running back in a similar situation to Cook, recently signed a deal for $11 million annually.

Only time will tell how this will turn out; all we can do is hope a common ground is found so the Bills can get Cook back on the field for the 2025 season.