Where Does Damiere Byrd Fit in Bills' Rotation?

With injuries to Chase Claypool and Bryan Thompson in recent weeks, the Buffalo Bills were in need of another veteran body in their receivers room to get them through the preseason. After a workout, Damiere Byrd fit the bill.

On the surface, this signing looks as though it's merely for the preseason. While the Bills did sustain injuries at the receiver position, they still have a solid group of four-to-five players that would likely rank higher than Byrd on the depth chart. However, looking at Byrd's skillset, the team could be using him for a different purpose than the receiver position.

In the Bills' first preseason game, one of the most glaring issues was with their returners. Newcomers KJ Hamler and Daequan Hardy failed to make a strong impact as both players struggled to field the ball throughout the afternoon. Now, however, with Byrd on the roster, the return position may have a new competitor.

Byrd, entering his ninth season in the NFL, has multiple seasons of experience with kick and punt returns from his time with the Carolina Panthers. His statistics really stand out in kickoffs, though, with over 350 career return yards and a touchdown in just 14 kickoff attempts. With the new kickoff format, there will be plenty more opportunities to field kicks.

Often praised for his speed, Byrd is looking to make an NFL roster for the first time since 2022 after spending last season bouncing between practice squads. Byrd currently has 1,689 career receiving yards along with seven career touchdowns.

Related: Bills Sign Damiere Byrd, Deon Cain; Chase Claypool to IR

Bills Mafia may get their first peek at the new singing when the Bills face the Pittsburgh Steelers for their second preseason game on Saturday.