Bills Cut Ties With 1,700-Yard Rookie WR One Day Before Preseason Opener

The Buffalo Bills needed space for an emergency addition to their roster, putting one rookie wide receiver in an all-too-familiar position.

Kicker Tyler Bass has been nursing an injury that kept him out of practices for the last week, prompting the team to use backup running back Ray Davis as their emergency kicker. But with just one day left before the team kicked off the preseason against the New York Giants, the Bills made a formal addition to the special teams and cut ties with rookie receiver Kelly Akharaiyi for the second time in a matter of weeks.

Bills Add Kicker, Cut Rookie Again

The Bills announced on Friday that they signed kicker Caden Davis, who can fill in for Bass if he is unable to play in the first preseason game on Saturday. That keeps running back Ray Davis out of the line of fire, but also means Akharaiyi lost his spot on the 90-man roster.

Akharaiyi went undrafted in April, but the former Mississippi State standout signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent. Akharaiyi amassed 1,699 receiving yards through three college seasons, with his best year coming in 2023 when he made 48 receptions for 1,033 yards and seven touchdowns for UTEP.

NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein wrote that Akharaiyi had a chance to contribute to an NFL team as a slot receiver and special teams player.

“Well-built, speed-deficient receiver who might need to bump inside as a possession slot to have a fighting chance as a pro,” NFL draft expert Lance Zierlein noted. “Akharaiyi had only one season of impressive FBS production and that came at UTEP in 2023. He lacks the suddenness to consistently separate underneath and won’t outrace NFL cornerbacks down the field. He needs to keep making strides as a route-runner and win contested catches at a higher rate to become a functional NFL target.”

The Bills had already waived Akharaiyi once, cutting ties in July just before the start of training camp. The Bills re-signed him later, but now he will be gone and missing a critical chance to prove himself in real game action.

Tough Competition for Final Roster Spot

There isn’t much room on the wide receiving depth chart, with several players considered locks including Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore, and Joshua Palmer. That could leave several players competing for one spot on the final 53-man roster.

Veteran Lavishka Shenault is considered a frontrunner for the job due to his experience and special teams versatility, but former practice squad receiver Tyrell Shavers was listed ahead of Shenault on the first official depth chart. It could come down to preseason action to determine who wins the final spot.

Akharaiyi could still have a chance to return to the Bills, with the team unlikely to keep two kickers once Bass is healthy. Should the rookie receiver come back with the open roster spot he would face an uphill task, however, as the team has proven they see him as the last player in line.