Stock up, stock down so far at Bills training camp

The Bills are now more than halfway through training camp with just five practices left until preseason starts on August 10. With the completion of the team’s seventh training camp practice on Thursday, we now have a good picture of who is making a case for themselves and who is looking sluggish.

Here are a look at four players whose stocks have risen or fallen to this point in camp:

Stock Up

Tyrell Shavers
It was presumed that the Bills receiving room was locked up before training camp started. However, Tyrell Shavers is making his mark and has impressed fans, teammates and coaches so far.

He has been sprinkled into first team offense reps so far in training camp and he’s received nothing but adulation from spectators. He’s making a strong case to be considered for a final WR spot on the roster.

Many thought that veterans Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Chase Claypool owned the Bills last two receiving spots but with MVS being slower to get going and Claypool battling injuries, Shavers might have the inside track.

The willingness to play special teams is another feather in Shavers’ cap—something that Claypool and MVS aren’t known to do.

Damar Hamlin
At the moment, Damar Hamlin looks like the leading candidate to take the second safety spot next to Taylor Rapp. 

With injuries to Mike Edwards and Cole Bishop, Damar Hamlin, who is entering his fourth season with the Bills, has a chance to be a starting safety in Week 1.

Reports out of training camp indicate that Hamlin has returned to form before his on the field cardiac arrest late in the 2022 season and that he has been taking some snaps with the first team. He has a big opportunity in front of him right now.

Stock Down:

Chase Claypool
Many reports out of OTAs and camp were that Chase Claypool was rejuvenated and turning Bills coaching staff’s heads—including Sean McDermott’s.

The emergence of Tyrell Shavers and KJ Hamler– two dark horses to make the roster at the beginning of training camp– might lead Claypool, who has missed multiple days with a foot injury. At the moment, Claypool may be the odd man out.

Connor McGovern
It’s still early in the preseason, but Connor McGovern has not had good buzz surrounding him after transitioning from starting left guard to starting center. 

Although he has past experience at the center position, McGovern’s snaps to Josh Allen both under center and in the shotgun have been erratic at best so far in training camp. Depth players Alec Anderson and rookie Sedrick Van Pran-Granger are lurking behind McGovern on the depth chart if he can’t turn it around. At this point, we’ll assume he can clean up the mistakes before the season starts.