3 Bills practice squad players who could impact games in 2026

For the most part, an NFL practice squad is made up of young players just looking for a chance to keep their dream alive by hopefully doing enough good work to get a shot, either with their team or perhaps another.

However, now that the practice squad has grown to 16 players and can include up to 10 players who have accrued a maximum of two NFL seasons, and a veteran allowance of up to six players who can have an unlimited number of accrued seasons, it’s also a valuable resource, almost like how a minor league system feeds the major league roster in baseball.

And those players can be elevated to the 53-man roster and activated for up to three games each, so they do get opportunities to get on tape.

Though the Buffalo Bills have not formally announced their practice squad as of early Monday night, media reports have pieced most of it together. Here are the three most intriguing players who will almost certainly get into games this season.

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So far, the Bills have gone outside their organization to sign only two veterans and Dortch may play an immediate role.

Dortch, 28, was released by the Lions after signing with Detroit as a free agent in March following five seasons with the Cardinals. While with Arizona, the 5-foot-7, 183-pounder was used in a variety of ways on offense and he caught 145 of 191 targets for 1,310 yards and 10 touchdowns, playing the last three years under receivers coach Drew Terrell who now holds that job in Buffalo.

But what the Bills are most interested in is that Dortch returned 99 punts for an 8.9 average and he also returned 75 kickoffs for a 23.6 average, all of that under the watchful eye of special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers who is now in charge of the Bills’ kicking teams.

Punt return has been a dilemma for the Bills for several seasons. They were hoping running back Ray Davis could handle it, but his muffed punt the other night against the Steelers was a red flag.

Because the Bills have five receivers on the 53-man roster, it’s very possible that Dortch is eventually called up for good if he performs well in the return game.

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What a veteran move this was, skipping all of the OTAs and training camp and coming in at the last second.

Thompson joined the Bills last season and may have been Buffalo’s most consistent linebacker as he was in on 56 tackles and had a forced fumble and a sack playing mostly in place of injured Terrel Bernard.

Throughout the offseason, it seemed like bringing back Thompson was a no-brainer given how well he played last season and how easily he fit into the group.

The defense is new this year, but Thompson’s skill set still fits perfectly. Dorian Williams is probably going to start Week 1, though it wouldn’t be a surprise if rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr gets that assignment. Bernard is the definite starter at the other position, but we all know he has battled injuries the last two years and is doing so once again this summer. The Bills needed a veteran at this position, and Thompson was an ideal pickup.

One of the toughest cuts the team had to make was that of the undrafted rookie free agent out of Arkansas. The kid played well enough in practice and the preseason to warrant a 53-man roster spot, but there was probably concern about too much inexperience at cornerback if Walker, Max Hairston and Davison Igbinosun were the corners joining veteran Christian Benford.

So while it was a risk, the Bills exposed Walker to waivers in the hope that no team would put in a claim for an undrafted free agent. It was a bet the Bills won as they were able to get him back and now they can develop him into a player who could eventually get to the 53.

Still, the Bills have to be considering bringing in a veteran cornerback. They didn’t claim anyone in this first burst of availability, but there could be other names out there that might interest them.

Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades including 37 years as the full-time beat writer/columnist for the D&C. He has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 3 Bills practice squad players who could impact games in 2026