Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (97) during the 2025 AFC Championship game. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
The Buffalo Bills 53-man roster has been announced, and in turn, their practice squad signings were finalized. The Bills signed 16 players to the practice squad on August 27, leaving them fully ready for the 2025 season.
The practice squad this season, however, is unlike practice squads that we have seen in the past under the reign of GM Brandon Beane. In 2024, the practice squad’s initial roster consisted of only two players with substantial NFL experience: OL Will Clapp and S Kareem Jackson. In 2023, only one.
The 2025 practice squad appears to be diverging from the trend that Brandon Beane has established in his previous practice squads, which typically feature a group of rookies and younger players with minimal NFL experience.
Diving into this year’s practice squad, I think the depth and experience of this group could be a massive boost for Buffalo, especially as the team gets deeper into the season and inevitably deals with injuries.
The 2025 practice squad is as follows:
- QB Shane Buchele
- RB Frank Gore Jr.
- WR Stephen Gosnell
- WR Kristian Wilkerson
- TE Keleki Latu
- OL Travis Clayton
- OL Dan Feeney
- OL Kendrick Green
- DT Zion Logue
- DT Jordan Phillips
- LB Jimmy Ciarlo
- LB Keonta Jenkins
- CB Daequan Hardy
- CB Dane Jackson
- S Jordan Poyer
- S Sam Franklin
If you’ve been a Bills fan for more than a season, there are a lot of familiar faces on this list. The 32-year-old Jordan Phillips returns for another stint with Buffalo. 34-year-old Jordan Poyer makes his return after spending two seasons away from the team. Some would complain about Brandon Beane reaching into the same well, again and again, bringing back these players, but on the practice squad, they are invaluable.
Poyer and Phillips bring a wealth of knowledge to the Bills at the position groups that the team is the youngest and least experienced in. Rookie DTs TJ Sanders and Deone Walker, along with second-year players like DeWayne Carter and Zion Logue, will benefit immensely from Phillips’ experience in the NFL. The same goes for the young safety Cole Bishop, who can use Poyer as a mentor as he develops into his own as an NFL safety.
The additions of Dan Feeney and Kendrick Green provide a very strong insurance policy for the team, leaving them two strong options with years of experience ready to go in case of injury.
Safety Sam Franklin is also an incredibly interesting addition. The special teams ace for the Carolina Panthers has dealt with a few injuries in recent seasons and was recently released by the Denver Broncos. Franklin made the Pro Bowl during the 2022 season due to his strong special teams performance, and he now brings this valuable experience to the Bills. If he can be a strong mentor, he is an invaluable addition to the team’s depth of skill and experience. Don’t forget about CB Dane Jackson either, who spent years with the Bills before moving on to Carolina. He makes his return to Buffalo through the practice squad.
While the veterans are here in large numbers, the young players the Bills have stashed complement the veterans very well. LB Jimmy Ciarlo showed immense versatility and potential in his short time with the Bills in the preseason, making plays every time he stepped onto the field. RB Frank Gore Jr. looks more like his dad with every run, an incredibly strong north-south runner who takes defenders head-on. WR Kristian Wilkerson had a great camp and made many plays for the Bills offense in the preseason.
This practice squad is incredibly well-rounded in terms of age and experience, providing the Bills with a boost from having long-time veterans, as well as the potential for talent to come to fruition in budding young players.
While this practice squad seems to have a different tone than those of previous years, it is one that will benefit the Bills immensely as they navigate the challenges of an NFL season.
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