Gabriel Davis

Bills Add K Matt Prater To Practice Squad

As Tyler Bass continues to nurse an injury, the Bills have added some insurance at the kicker position. The team announced that veteran kicker Matt Prater has joined the practice squad.

Bass has been dealing with a left hip/groin issue for a month, although his appearance in Buffalo’s preseason finale provided optimism that he’d be good to go for Week 1. However, the veteran kicker was listed as a non-participant on today’s injury report, an indication that he could be sidelined for at least the Bills season opener.

If that ends up being the case, the Bills will have to immediately turn to their newest acquisition. Prater brings plenty of experience to Buffalo, as the 41-year-old has been kicking in the NFL since the 2007 season. A two-time Pro Bowler, Prater’s efficiency dropped a bit during his final seasons in Detroit, including a 2020 campaign where he connected on only 75 percent of his field goal attempts.

He rebounded a bit during his time with the Cardinals, connecting on 84.2 percent of his FGA and 95.6 percent of his XPA. Prater connected on all six of his field goal tries and all 10 of his extra point attempts to begin the 2024 season before suffering a season-ending meniscus injury. That effectively ended his tenure in Arizona, as the Cardinals proceeded with Chad Ryland as their full-time kicker.

Now, Prater will look to continue his career in Buffalo, even if it’s just for a short stay. The Bills previously prepared for a potential Bass absence when they rostered Caden Davis for much of August, but the front office apparently prefers the veteran stability that Prater provides.

Elsewhere on Buffalo’s taxi squad, the team made a handful of expected moves. After agreeing to a deal with Gabe Davis earlier this week, the team placed the injured receiver on the practice squad IR, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The veteran is still recovering from a meniscus injury suffered last November. Taking his place on the practice squad is safety Jordan Poyer (per Wilson), who was temporarily cut yesterday to accommodate the Davis addition.

Bills To Bring Back WR Gabe Davis

After one season out of Buffalo, Gabe Davis is on his way back. The veteran receiver has agreed to a Bills reunion, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Davis played out his rookie contract in Buffalo, establishing himself as a standout deep threat along the way. It came as no surprise when he departed on the open market, however. The 26-year-old landed a $13MM-per-year deal with the Jaguars in free agency. After one injury-filled campaign in Jacksonville, Davis was one of several receivers the team’s new regime elected to move on from.

That decision led to a long-running free agent process. Davis met with the 49ers, Giants and Saints once each this offseason, while also firmly remaining on the Steelers’ radar. A second visit with Pittsburgh took place last month, but no agreement was worked out. Shortly after that follow-up with the Steelers, Davis lined up a summit with the Bills. A familiar face to general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott, the former third-rounder did enough to land a new opportunity with his original team. Other offers were in play as well, Schefter’s colleague ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds.

A meniscus tear limited Davis to 10 games last year, and medical evaluations were a key focus of his visits. To no surprise, Schefter notes this will be a practice squad agreement. Veterans often take the taxi squad route upon joining teams once roster cuts have taken place. Davis will continue working toward full strength with an eye on moving to the active roster in short order.

Buffalo extended Khalil Shakir this offseason, making him one of many players to receive a long-term commitment on a second contract. The team also added Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore in free agency after seeing Amari Cooper and Mack Hollins depart. 2024 second-rounder Keon Coleman is positioned to take a step forward this season, with Palmer and Shakir handling notable roles along the way.

When he finds himself on the active roster, Davis will look to carve out a spot as well. The UCF product averaged 16.7 yards per catch and scored 27 touchdowns with the Bills. A strong second stint in Buffalo would help rebuild his value on another commitment from the team or a pact sending him elsewhere next spring.

WR Gabe Davis Expected To Visit Bills

The news of Gabe Davis lining up a second free agent visit with the Steelers pointed to a Pittsburgh agreement being highly likely. At least one other team is set to host the veteran wideout, however.

The Bills are expected to bring Davis in for a visit this week, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. Any deal worked out in the wake of that meeting would constitute a reunion between team and player. Davis’ first four seasons in the league came with Buffalo.

While playing out his rookie contract, the former fourth-round pick served as a key member of the Bills’ passing attack. Davis scored seven touchdowns in each of the 2022 and ’23 seasons, averaging 16.7 yards per reception during his tenure with the team. While his catch percentage (54.5%) across that span certainly left something to be desired, the 26-year-old was among the top wideouts in last year’s free agent class.

Davis landed a three-year, $39MM Jaguars pact on the open market as he expectedly departed Buffalo. Things did not go according to plan in Jacksonville, however, with the UCF product ultimately being released after one campaign with the team. The Steelers showed interest with a visit in June, using that opportunity to evaluate Davis’ injured knee. To no surprise, a medical follow-up is in store for his second visit, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes.

The Bills’ most lucrative free agent addition this offseason was receiver Josh Palmer. The former Charger is set to join returnees Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman as the top options in Buffalo’s passing game in 2025. A reunion with Davis would see him take on at least a rotational role, and as a familiar face to head coach Sean McDermott and offensive coordinator Joe Brady a quick acclimation period late in the summer would be expected in the event of a deal.

Buffalo entered Tuesday at the bottom of the league in terms of cap space with roughly $1.36MM in available funds. That figure will change once roster cuts take place, but for now the Bills trail the Steelers ($19.23MM) in spending power by a wide margin. Davis is on course for a much less lucrative pact than his last one in any event, but it will be interesting to see if finances play a part in determining his fate over the coming days.

Steelers, Gabe Davis Schedule Second Visit

Gabe Davis has been on the Steelers’ radar for much of the offseason. No signing has come about yet, but that could change in the near future.

Davis is set to travel to Pittsburgh for a free agent visit tomorrow, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That will mark the second time in which team and player have met in person. The first occurred in June, following Davis’ Jaguars release. Interest from other suitors has emerged, but the veteran wideout has remained unsigned well into the summer.

Early last month, it became clear Davis was still under consideration by the Steelers. The team has since acquired tight end Jonnu Smith via trade, adding a veteran pass-catcher to the mix. The receiver position has remained a talking point through the summer, though, with questions lingering about the depth behind fellow newcomer D.K. MetcalfCalvin Austin and Roman Wilson are in line to handle key roles as things stand.

Austin is a pending free agent, and no talks on an extension have taken place to date. The 26-year-old could help his market value considerably with a strong year while handling the No. 2 receiver role and continuing to operating as a deep threat. Austin averaged 15.8 yards per reception last season, and he will look to remain an effective vertical threat while (potentially) taking on an increased workload in 2025.

That could of course change if Davis were to enter the mix. The former Bill joined Jacksonville in free agency last year, but a meniscus tear limited him to 10 games and career lows in production. Like other members of the Jags’ skill-position group, Davis was cut by the team’s new regime in the spring. A much less lucrative pact than the $13MM-per-year accord he signed in 2024 will be in store.

Today’s development further suggests that next deal will come from the Steelers. Pittsburgh has over $19MM in cap space, so finances will not be an issue if Davis’ results in an offer.

WR Gabe Davis “Still An Option” For Steelers

JULY 4: Fowler’s colleague Brooke Pryor confirms receiver remains a position at which the Steelers are open to making an addition. The acquisition of tight end Jonnu Smith will give Pittsburgh another pass catcher, but Davis or a different free agent wideout could still wind up in the fold before training camp.

JULY 1: It’s been nearly a month since Gabe Davis visited the Steelers. While the veteran wide receiver didn’t immediately put pen to paper, it sounds like he remains a target for the organization. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Davis is “still an option” for Pittsburgh.

[RELATED: Steelers Host WR Gabe Davis]

Fowler adds that the wideout “really enjoyed” his visit with the franchise back in June. However, Davis is expected to take his time deciding on his next landing spot, with Fowler suggesting that a signing could come closer to training camp.

Davis was a popular name after getting cut by the Jaguars in May. In addition to the Steelers, the 26-year-old met with the 49ers, Giants, and Saints. The receiver’s free agency tour ended with that New Orleans visit in early June, and we can assume each of those suitors remain in the race for the veteran’s services.

Davis inked a three-year, $39MM deal with the Jaguars last offseason, but he only lasted one season in Jacksonville before earning his walking papers. His 2024 campaign represented one of the worst seasons of his career, as the wideout compiled career-lows in receptions (20), receiving yards (239), and receiving touchdowns (two). Teams are still clearly banking on the player’s Buffalo performance, where he hauled in 27 touchdowns across four seasons. This included a 2022 campaign where the former fourth-round pick hauled in 48 catches for 836 yards.

The Steelers are naturally operating as if Davis won’t be on their squad in 2025, and this means they’re eyeing a group of receivers behind new WR1 D.K. Metcalf. As ESPN’s Brooke Pryor writes, Calvin Austin III currently appears to be in the lead for the team’s WR2 role.

The former fourth-round pick had a strong sophomore season, finishing with 36 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns. The organization is confident he can hit another level, with receivers coach Zach Azzanni declaring during minicamp that the second receiver role was “Calvin’s right now.”

As Pryor notes, Austin will still have to build a rapport with Aaron Rodgers, which will go a long way in determining the receiver hierarchy. The third-year player will be competing with the likes of Robert Woods, Scotty Miller, Roman Wilson, and Ben Skowronek for reps behind Metcalf.

WR Gabe Davis To Visit Saints

The Gabe Davis 2025 offseason tour continues. Since being released by the Jaguars a month ago, Davis has met with the 49ers, Giants, and Steelers. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Davis is now headed to New Orleans where he’ll meet with a Saints team that could certainly use a receiver of his makeup.

After impressive contributions for four years as a WR2 in Buffalo, Davis was rewarded in free agency with a three-year, $39MM contract with the Jaguars. Through 10 games with his new team, though, Davis was averaging a career-low 23.9 yards per game and was on track for the lowest touchdown total of his career, as well. His struggles deepened when a meniscus tear required him to undergo season-ending surgery, and Jacksonville cut bait two years early despite the massive dead money doing so stuck them with.

In New Orleans, the Saints fielded a bottom-10 pass offense in the NFL last season, and with Derek Carr‘s retirement, improving on that in 2025 won’t be easy. New Orleans will have three young, inexperienced quarterbacks battling it out for the right to lead the offense this season, so having an experienced receiving corps could be extremely beneficial for the winning quarterback’s chances for success.

In 2024, the team’s leader in receiving yards was tight end Juwan Johnson, followed closely by running back Alvin Kamara, tight end Foster Moreau, and only then a wide receiver. The next three leading receivers were Chris Olave, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Rashid Shaheed, and none of the three played more than half the season. This underlines the team’s need for a reliable receiver.

The Saints are currently headed into the season with Olave, Shaheed, and Brandin Cooks as their top three receivers. Beyond that is a mix of receivers who have shown inconsistent hints of talent in the past (Cedrick Wilson, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Dante Pettis) or have relatively little experience (Bub Means, Kevin Austin, Mason Tipton, Chris Tyree, and Moochie Dixon). Adding Davis would give New Orleans another receiver in the frame of Wilson or Peoples-Jones but with more deep ball ability and more consistent results.

Rapoport points out that, with approximately $11.5MM still due to Davis from Jacksonville, the 26-year-old will likely command only a one-year deal from his new team. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football goes a step further in saying that “Davis will almost certainly get” the league minimum.

If that holds true, and Davis does not, in fact, force a bidding war between the teams he’s visited and remained in contact with, then Davis’ decision will likely come down to team fit. If the Saints decide that they want to bring Davis into the fold, they’ll likely need to demonstrate how he fits in the offense and the locker room. Depending on how the visit goes, Davis could end up one step closer to his next NFL home.

Steelers To Host WR Gabe Davis; No TE Jonnu Smith Trade Expected

Gabe Davis‘ free agent tour will continue this week. The veteran wideout will next meet with the Steelers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Davis will fly to Pittsburgh tomorrow and visit the team on Thursday. That will mark his third known meeting with an interested team. The former Bill and Jaguar has taken a visit with the 49ers and Giants so far. Neither of those produced a deal, but in the case of at least New York, team and player have remained in contact.

With nothing imminent on either of those fronts, Davis will continue to gauge his market deep into the offseason. The 26-year-old expectedly departed Buffalo in free agency last year, but his debut campaign in Jacksonville did not go according to plan. Taking on $20MM in dead money in the process, the Jags’ new regime moved forward with a release last month (doing so with a failed physical designation).

Evaluating Davis’ knee will of course be a key aspect of his visits before signing a new deal. In the case of the Steelers, it comes as no surprise this meeting has been arranged. Pittsburgh is known to still be in the market for a pass-catching addition of some kind in the wake of the George Pickens trade. D.K. Metcalf will operate as the team’s new No. 1, with incumbents Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson in line to take on increased roles in 2025. Veteran Robert Woods has already been added via free agency, but with nearly $32MM in cap space the Steelers could easily afford another signing.

On another note, Schefter reports Pittsburgh is not expected to swing a trade for Jonnu Smith. The veteran tight end emerged as a potential target last week, and a swap sending him to the Steelers would allow for another reunion with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The presence of fellow tight end Pat Freiermuth for 2025 and beyond would make a Smith trade at least somewhat redundant, however. After a franchise-record campaign with the Dolphins in 2024, Smith’s preference is to remain in Miami.

With that appearing likely to be the case, Pittsburgh’s attention will return to the receiver spot in terms of adding a pass-catching presence. Depending on how this week’s visit goes, that move could turn out to be a Davis signing.

Giants, WR Gabe Davis Remain In Contact

Nearly two weeks ago, Gabe Davis took part in a free agent visit with the Giants. No deal is in place at this point, but it appears an agreement between the parties could still come about.

Team and player have remained in contact in this case, SNY’s Connor Hughes writes. Davis obviously represents a familiar face for head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen after they worked together during their time in Buffalo. The recent visit would have allowed New York to evaluate the status of Davis’ knee as he recovers from meniscus surgery.

That procedure ended the 26-year-old’s debut campaign with the Jaguars. Davis came to Duval County as an established deep threat based on his tenure with the Bills, but he was unable to duplicate his production when healthy for Jacksonville. In 10 games, the former fourth-rounder only recorded 20 receptions and averaged a career-low 12 yards per catch. The Jaguars’ new regime decided to release him despite two years remaining on his contract.

The Giants’ receiver depth chart will be led by Malik Nabers in 2025, and the Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist will have several familiar faces around him. Darius Slayton – long attached to trade rumors – re-signed on another two-year pact. Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, meanwhile, are still in place on their rookie pacts. New York’s offseason additions included the free agent signings of Zach Pascal and Lil’Jordan Humphrey

As a result, Davis would have plenty of competition for playing time in the event he were to sign with the Giants. The 49ers (the other team which he has also visited) have substantially more cap space as things stand, but if talks with New York continue a deal could still be on the table allowing Davis to reunite with Daboll and Schoen.

WR Gabe Davis To Meet With Giants

The Gabriel Davis free agency tour continues. After meeting with the 49ers yesterday, the recently released wide receiver is set to meet with the Giants, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

[RELATED: WR Gabe Davis Visits 49ers]

It was only a year ago that Davis inked a three-year, $39MM deal with the Jaguars. However, a disappointing 2024 campaign led to him earning his walking papers last week. The veteran hauled in a career-low 20 receptions for 239 yards and two touchdowns before undergoing season-ending surgery on a torn meniscus.

Despite the disappointing showing in Jacksonville, it’s not surprising that teams are still eyeing the wideout. Davis had four productive seasons in Buffalo to begin his career. This included 2023 and 2024 campaigns where the former fourth-round pick hauled in 93 receptions for 1,582 yards and 14 touchdowns across 32 games. Davis also had a standout 2021 playoff run where he found the end zone on half of his 10 receptions.

The Giants would be a natural landing spot for the receiver. For starters, Davis already has a connection to the staff. Giants head coach Brian Daboll was the Bills’ offensive coordinator during the player’s first two years in the NFL, while Giants GM Joe Schoen was Buffalo’s assistant GM when they selected the player in the draft. Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes that Daboll and Schoen are already familiar with what Davis brings to the table, so the upcoming visit will likely be focused on the status of the player’s knee.

The Giants have perpetually had a need for more wide receivers, and that sentiment hasn’t ended this offseason. Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Darius Slayton will continue to lead the depth chart, with Jalin Hyatt and free agent addition Zach Pascal rounding out the veteran options. The team notably didn’t add a player at the position via the draft, although they did sign five UDFA players at the position.

WR Gabe Davis Visits 49ers

Less than a week after he was released by the Jaguars, veteran wide receiver Gabriel Davis visited the 49ers, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Davis arrived in Jacksonville last offseason on a three-year, $39MM deal, but struggled to make an impact before tearing his meniscus in November. He underwent season-ending surgery, but is expected to complete his recovery in time for the 2025 season, per Schultz.

Wide receiver isn’t a significant roster need for the 49ers, but they did trade Deebo Samuel this offseason and Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from a significant knee injury sustained in October. He’s unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, leaving veteran Jauan Jennings and 2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall as San Francisco’s top wideouts heading into the summer.

The 49ers have reason to be confident in that duo. Jennings stepped into a bigger role after Aiyuk’s injury and broke out with 975 receiving yards, more than double his production from his first three seasons. Pearsall’s rookie year was stunted by a gunshot wound during an attempted robbery, but he showed promise at the end of the season. Behind them are 2024 fourth-rounder Jacob Cowing and veteran Demarcus Robinson, the latter of whom signed in San Francisco on a two-year deal in free agency. The 49ers also used Day 3 picks Jordan Watkins (fourth round, No. 138) and Junior Bergen (seventh round, No. 252).

Still, Jennings and Robinson are the only healthy and proven receivers currently on the roster. Though Davis disappointed in his debut year in Jacksonville, he established himself as a deep threat in his previous four seasons in Buffalo. He can line up on the outside and free the 49ers’ more dynamic receivers to play out of the slot if he beats out fellow veteran receivers Isaiah Hodgins, Russell Gage, and Trent Taylor for a roster spot.

However, Davis’ significant statistical regression with the Jaguars (compared to his time with the Bills) will likely force him to take a one-year, ‘prove-it’ deal with his next team, whether that be the 49ers or another club.