Laviska Shenault Jr.

Bills’ Draft Board Not Aligning At WR Led To Elijah Moore Signing

The Bills took some criticism after waiting until Round 7 to draft a wide receiver. One such instance prompted Brandon Beane to address the matter in a radio interview. But the ninth-year Buffalo GM did have the position on his radar during the draft.

Although the Bills gave Josh Palmer a three-year, $29MM deal in free agency, they were in on receivers during the draft. The team’s haul included a pick at the position — No. 240 overall pick Kaden Prather (Maryland) — but it certainly sounds like an earlier add was strongly considered. The team felt it needed to make a post-draft move to address the position.

Signing Elijah Moore after the draft, the Bills added a player who is likely a fifth roster lock at the position. But Moore’s fully guaranteed $2.5MM contract came about because the team’s draft board did not align with its receiver interests, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia notes.

It is not as though the Bills lack young talent at receiver; they drafted Keon Coleman 33rd overall last year. Coleman, 22, joins three second-contract players — Palmer, Moore, Khalil Shakir — and third-contract veteran Curtis Samuel at the receiver position in Buffalo. The Bills will not lack for experience at the position this season, effectively swapping out Amari Cooper and Mack Hollins for Palmer and Moore. Hollins signed with the Patriots in March; Cooper remains in free agency.

Stefon Diggs was a crucial part of Josh Allen‘s progression from a raw but ultra-talented prospect into perennial MVP candidate. The reigning MVP enjoying the season he did without Diggs certainly bodes well for the Bills’ latest receiver cast, though the team still likely will need Coleman to take a step forward. Moore and Palmer have proven to be complementary cogs to date, though the former will soon see a major QB upgrade after toiling on Jets and Browns rosters during his rookie contract.

The above-referenced quintet will almost definitely break camp as the Bills’ top five receivers, potentially leaving one spot remaining. If the Bills keep six wideouts, Buscaglia adds Laviska Shenault should be considered the favorite to nab the other spot. This would stand to leave Prather as a more likely practice squad stash, provided he clears waivers. Shenault’s return ability stands to bolster his chances of making the 53-man roster.

A former Jaguars second-round pick, Shenault showed some early-career promise at receiver by posting 600-plus-yard seasons in 2020 and ’21. This Bills regime liked the Colorado alum’s skillset entering the 2020 draft, per Buscaglia, and the NFL’s emphasis on increasing kick-return volume works in the veteran returner’s favor.

Shenault has caught just 15 passes over the past two years, but he has logged 22 kick returns in that span. Last season’s dynamic kickoff debut preceded Shenault returning 16 kicks. With the NFL moving the touchback line to the 35 in order to increase return numbers this offseason, the journeyman presents an intriguing option for the Bills. Splitting time with the Seahawks and Chargers last season, Shenault notched a 97-yard return TD under the updated kickoff setup.

The Bills will need to make multiple moves based on the suspensions handed to D-linemen Larry Ogunjobi and Michael Hoecht. Both players received six-game PED bans this offseason, which will lead to both being stashed on the reserve/suspended list. A No. 6 WR spot could be a place Buffalo targets to find roster space for the D-linemen, per Buscaglia. Shenault is a vested veteran and would not need to clear waivers — until the trade deadline, at least — to pass to the practice squad, though other teams dangling an active-roster spot in the event of an October release would be a variable the Bills would have to navigate in this scenario.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/13/25

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/7/25

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Washington Commanders

  • Signed: DT Haggai Ndubuisi
  • Released: OT Max Pircher

To make room for veteran RB Ezekiel Elliott, the Chargers moved on from a veteran wideout. Laviska Shenault spent the majority of this season with the Seahawks, where he hauled in five catches in 11 games. The former second-round pick caught on with the Chargers practice squad in December and ended up getting into one game with the squad.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/24

Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Demercado has taken a backseat to Florida State third-round rookie Trey Benson, but he has averaged 9.3 yards per carry on 24 carries this year. Palardy will take over punting duties with Gillikin landing on injured reserve.

Jackson signed with Bills in late July, and although he was among the team’s final roster cuts he was immediately retained via a practice squad deal. This elevation means Week 15 will mark his first time spent on the active roster this season. The 36-year-old has started all but 10 of his 203 NFL games, but last season was marred by suspensions which led to his Broncos release. Jackson could suit up for Buffalo down the stretch as a gameday elevation in a bid to rebuild his stock to a degree.

With the playoffs nearly out of reach and quarterback Joe Burrow dealing with a few ailments (wrist and knee), the Bengals don’t seem to be taking any chances. Jake Browning will continue serving as the primary backup, while Woodside’s promotion will allow him to act as the emergency backup.

Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field as early as tomorrow.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/5/24

Here are the latest practice squad transactions from around the NFL:

Detroit Lions

Los Angeles Chargers

The Seahawks waived Shenault on Monday after being a non-factor on offense all year. He played just 45 offensive snaps across 11 games, but carved out a role on special teams with 168 snaps between returns and coverage. Shenault was Seattle’s primary kick returner for much of the year with an average of 28.7 yards per return. His 97-yard touchdown in Week 6 was one of the league’s six kickoff return scores this season.

However, the Seahawks had to make room for Uchenna Nwosu‘s activation from injured reserve. He will get another chance in Los Angeles where he could quickly factor into the special teams picture.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/2/24

Monday’s minor transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

The Falcons get the second-round rookie, Orhorhoro, back from injured reserve for the closing stretch of the season. The Clemson-product has seen minimal time in his first NFL season, rotating in for only four games so far, but Atlanta will take whatever help it can get on a defense that is dead-last in the league with only 15 sacks on the year.

Zappe was signed off the Patriots’ practice squad following Deshaun Watson‘s placement on IR. Jameis Winston has performed admirably in relief of Watson, and the team must have confidence in second-year backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson behind him.

Shenault continues to struggle to find a place on an NFL offense, but he did carve out a role as a strong kick returner in Seattle this year. That added ability may help him find another roster spot soon.

Gill is the second punter the Buccaneers have waived this year. Gill’s yards per punt average of 43.3 currently ranks for 33rd in the NFL.

Seymour has served the league’s six-game suspension for violating its performance-enhancing drugs policy and is now able to return to the field.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Higbee, 49ers

The Seahawks are conducting a thorough search for interior offensive line help. This has included three visits with veterans thus far. Following the news of Greg Van Roten and Lucas Patrick‘s visits, Ike Boettger has spoken with the team. Boettger, 29, made a trip to Seattle on Monday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The former Bills starter spent last season with the Colts. The Seahawks let Damien Lewis walk in free agency and have not re-signed 2023 starter Phil Haynes. As the team transitions to Ryan Grubb as its play-caller, it appears clear a veteran free agent will be part of the equation at guard.

Considering how Boettger’s career has gone since a December 2021 Achilles tear, he would qualify as a depth-level addition. Boettger, who started 17 Bills games at guard from 2020-21, was not activated off Buffalo’s PUP list until mid-December of 2022. He only played in one game that season and was active for just two Colts contests last year.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • Tyler Higbee is expected to begin training camp on the Rams‘ active/PUP list, Sean McVay said recently. Considering the timing of Higbee’s ACL tear (Los Angeles’ wild-card loss), it would not surprise to see the veteran tight end transferred to the reserve/PUP list to start the season. Higbee, 31, is going into his ninth season with the Rams. The longtime starter is on his third contract (two years, $17MM); that deal runs through 2025. If Higbee is shifted to the reserve/PUP list, he would miss the Rams’ first four games. The team added ex-Seahawk Colby Parkinson in free agency; Parkinson spent the past three seasons playing in ex-McVay staffer Shane Waldron‘s offense, making for a smooth transition.
  • The 49ers have received better injury news regarding their top tight end. George Kittle underwent core muscle surgery recently, but John Lynch said (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco) the All-Pro is not in danger of missing training camp time. Ditto Charvarius Ward, who also underwent core surgery early this offseason. Ward is going into a contract year, while Kittle still has two years remaining on the $15MM-per-year extension he signed in 2020. Both were All-Pros last season.
  • The Rams dived into the guard market’s deep waters this year, re-signing Kevin Dotson and adding Jonah Jackson. They also added Parkinson and brought back Darious Williams. These deals, as The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue points out, largely overlap with the rookie contracts of Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams and Kobie Turner. Players are also more interested in shorter-term deals now, as the cap spikes at record-setting levels. “I think you’ve seen that trend in the league, players want shorter deals,” Rams VP of football ops Tony Pastoors said. “It allows them to get back to free agency. As the cap continues to grow, they’re not stuck in a deal they are unhappy with because the numbers are antiquated. … I think the other part of it is probably just the evolution of Sean and Les (Snead), and wanting to be able to make moves and make adjustments and not have huge ramifications.”
  • Not long after the Steelers added Cordarrelle Patterson with an eye on the NFL’s radical kickoff change, the Seahawks have the same plan in mind for recent pickup Laviska Shenault. GM John Schneider said (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta) the team signed the former second-round pick to be a return-game weapon. The 220-pound wideout, who will also serve as a Seattle backup receiver, only returned nine kickoffs while on his rookie contract. Each came with the Panthers over the past two seasons. But he showed some big-play ability in Carolina and Jacksonville. As the kickoff receives a revival (on a trial basis), the Seahawks had a target in mind to take advantage.

Seahawks Contract Details: Hankins, Wallace, Anchrum, Shenault, Dodson, Burns, Baker

Here are some details from recently agreed-upon contracts in Seattle:

  • Johnathan Hankins, DT: One year, $2.05MM. According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, Hankins’ new deal includes a base salary of $1.24MM and $300K of guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus. He can earn up to $510K in per-game active roster bonuses.
  • K’Von Wallace, S: One year, $1.5MM. Henderson informs us that Wallace’s contract will have a base salary of $1.13MM and includes $205K of guaranteed money that all comes in the signing bonus. Wallace will also be able to earn up to $170K via per-game active roster bonuses.
  • Tremayne Anchrum, G: One year, $1.16MM. Once again, Henderson tells us that Anchrum’s new deal will include a base salary of $1.06MM and a guaranteed amount of $100K in the form of a signing bonus.
  • Laviska Shenault Jr., WR: One year, $1.29MM. According to Henderson, Shenault’s new contract has a guaranteed amount of $1.15MM comprised of $985K of his base salary (worth a total of $1.13MM) and a $167.5K signing bonus.
  • Tyrel Dodson, LB: One year, $4.26MM. Dodson’s new deal has a guaranteed amount of $1MM comprised completely of his signing bonus, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. With a base salary of $2.25MM, Dodson can earn an additional $250K in a workout bonus and a potential $760K in per-game active roster bonuses. Nick Korte of OvertheCap.com tells us that the contract adds another seventh-round compensatory pick for the Bills in 2025 while taking a sixth-round compensatory pick away from the Seahawks.
  • Artie Burns, CB: One year, $1.38MM. Condotta also tells us that Burns has signed for the veteran minimum, once again. He’ll hold a base salary of $1.21MM with $75K of guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus. He can earn another potential $92.5K with a roster bonus.
  • Jerome Baker, LB: One year, $7MM. We were already aware of the $7MM value of Baker’s deal, but ESPN’s Henderson informs us that Baker’s new deal has a guaranteed amount of $6.02MM, consisting of his $2.02MM base salary and $4MM signing bonus. The $977.5K remaining in non-guaranteed money will come in the form of per-game active roster bonuses.

Seahawks To Sign WR Laviska Shenault

After showing promise with the Jaguars, Laviska Shenault could not establish much momentum with the Panthers upon being traded. But the former second-round pick has secured another opportunity.

The Seahawks are signing Shenault, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Twice a 600-plus-yard receiver, Shenault combined for less than 400 during his two Carolina slates; the second of those seasons featured nine missed games due to injury. The big-bodied target, who has been used in the backfield at points, will attempt to catch on in a crowded Seahawks receiving corps.

Chosen 42nd overall during Dave Caldwell‘s final Jaguars GM year, Shenault mixed in regularly with the Doug Marrone– and Urban Meyer-led Jacksonville teams. He caught 58 passes for 600 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie and added 63 grabs for 619 yards in 2021. Of course, these showings came for Jags teams that each finished with the NFL’s worst record. As Doug Pederson arrived, the Jags traded Shenault to the Panthers for sixth- and seventh-round picks.

Shenault, 25, has played for an astonishing seven head coaches in four seasons. Both the Jags and Panthers made HCs (Meyer, Matt Rhule, Frank Reich) one-and-dones as Shenault played out his rookie contract. Both teams attempted to use the 220-pound performer as a gadget-type weapon in the run game. Despite his wide receiver status, the Colorado alum has 50 career carries for 252 yards and a touchdown. The former high-end prospect has some experience as a kick returner, totaling nine returns with Carolina from 2022-23. That skill is soon set to become relevant again, with the NFL approving the XFL-style kickoff on a trial basis.

The Seahawks may well view the inconsistent target as a player in need of some stability, given the historically unusual run of HC turnover that occurred on the teams that employed him. The team has its top three — Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba — locked in, barring a trade. The Seahawks also still employ 2021 second-rounder Dee Eskridge, though he has not produced much as a pro. UDFA Jake Bobo delivered some interesting work as a rookie last season, and 2022 seventh-round pick Dareke Young remains on the roster.

Shenault produced a 1,000-yard season in just nine games with the Buffaloes in 2018, elevating his draft stock. A groin injury limited him as a junior in 2019, when he accumulated just 764 yards. After delivering more inconsistency as a pro, Shenault will still have a chance to showcase his skills elsewhere.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/30/23

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

  • Promoted: TE Princeton Fant

Philadelphia Eagles

Laviska Shenault Jr. missed a handful of games earlier this season thanks to a high ankle sprain, but he was able to avoid an IR stint. He wasn’t as lucky this time around, as a new ankle injury will keep him off the field for at least the next four games. Shenault has hauled in 10 receptions this season for 60 yards, and he’s added another 55 yards on 12 carries. The former Jaguars second-round pick has also returned six kickoffs.