ORCHARD PARK — Tyrell Shavers doesn’t have to look over his shoulder anymore. But it’s curious the Buffalo Bills don’t look to get him the ball more often.
A year after Shavers failed to make the active roster, relegating him to the practice squad for the second consecutive season, he appeared in all 17 regular-season games for the Bills. Still, there were moments Shavers didn’t know how long his stint was going to last.
The Bills made it clear how much they value Shavers during the regular-season finale. For the first time in his career, Shavers ran out of the tunnel with the starters for pregame introductions.
Then, as the starters rested against the New York Jets, Shavers was only needed for four offensive snaps. More high-profile receivers Keon Coleman, Gabriel Davis and Joshua Palmer logged over 60 apiece.
To break through after three training camps takes consistent confidence, but there are always moments of doubt spending two years on the practice squad. But resting alongside the starters was the latest in a series of confidence-building moments for Shavers this season.
“Just a couple months ago, I didn’t even know if I would be on this team,” Shavers told GNN Sports. “Came a long way in 18 weeks. I’m grateful to be able to get the rest right before the playoffs, but it’s time to go now. I’m blessed that they look at me like that. That’s something I kind of did realize once it happened, but it’s over. Now it’s time to go.”
Shavers finished the regular season third amongst Bills receivers in snaps behind Khalil Shakir and Coleman. But Shavers jumped Coleman on the depth chart in Week 10 and was second in snaps, playing over 50% in six of the next seven games after not doing so at all in the first nine.
During the first half of the season, Shavers played the role he was expected to as the sixth receiver on the depth chart. He was used most in run situations and special teams, playing 55.5% of special teams snaps this season.
If the Bills are looking to mash defenses with running back James Cook, it’s almost a certainty that Shavers is going to be on the field. When the Bills ran the ball 51 times for 249 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13, Shavers was on the field for 34 of those plays.
But Shavers flashed his receiving ability against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11, catching four passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. It seemed like a breakout game at a time the Bills were looking for receivers to step up.
He had one target over the next four games. When Shavers leaped over Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl cornerback Quinyon Mitchell for a 32-yard catch in Week 17, he had been targeted just four times since the Buccaneers game.
Despite playing the second-most snaps amongst Bills receivers, Shavers was sixth in targets from Week 11 to Week 17. His 11 targets were three fewer than Joshua Palmer, who missed two games to injury and the same as Gabe Davis (inactive for two games) and Brandin Cooks (didn’t sign until Week 13).
“When the ball goes his way, good things happen,” Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady said after the Eagles game. “… He just goes out there and does his job. He’s accountable to the offense. And I think the 10 guys in the huddle with him are so appreciative of him and he just deserves all the opportunities he gets.”
Brady’s assessment of Shavers doesn’t seem to meet actual opportunities. Shavers caught 15 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown, averaging 16.3 yards per catch on a team that posted 11.6.
But not only was Shavers only targeted 23 times this season, he was only on the field for 41.2% of quarterback Josh Allen’s drop-backs. Rational thinking is the Bills have their reasons for Shavers usage, considering they have seen him in practice every day for three seasons.
There’s also something to be said for making plays in games and Shavers has been efficient. Shavers led Bills receivers with a 65.2% success rate, according to Pro Football Reference, which created the statistic based on gaining 40% of required yards on first down, 60% on second down and 100% on third and fourth down, divided by targets.
“Given everything I’ve been through, I kind of just set my mind on whatever I get, I get,” Shavers said. “At the end of the day, I’m not supposed to be here. I’m undrafted. I’m not supposed to be here. I was counted out so many times. So whatever I do get, I kind of look at it as a plus.”
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The Bills ruled out linebacker Terrel Bernard (calf), cornerback Maxwell Hairston (ankle) and safety Damar Hamlin (pectoral) for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Running back Ty Johnson (ankle), wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle), kicker Matt Prater (right quad) and linebacker Shaq Thompson (neck) are questionable.
Bills coach Sean McDermott expects Thompson to play. Johnson was limited Friday in his first practice of the week, while Palmer hasn’t practiced at all this week. McDermott said “we’ll see” when it comes to Johnson’s and Palmer’s availability for the game.
After aggravating his injury during the regular-season finale, Prater didn’t practice Wednesday, was a full participant Thursday and didn’t practice Friday. The Bills are going to wait as long as they can to decide whether Prater can play.
The Bills have until 4 p.m. Saturday to decide whether to elevate kicker Matthew Wright from the practice squad and it’s unlikely they will have two kickers active for the game. So Wright would be the kicker if the Bills have doubts about Prater’s health.
Should Prater play, linebacker Baylon Spector and defensive end Andre Jones Jr. are the two most likely candidates to be elevated.
“You’ve got positions where you’re concerned if a player can make it through,” McDermott said. “We’ve got some guys coming off injuries that are playing their first game this weekend for us. Unfortunately there’s just not enough extra spots to go around to add insurance to the multiple positions you’d like to.”
McDermott also said it’s not out of the question for defensive tackle Ed Oliver to return next week should the Bills beat the Jaguars. He also said there are several boxes Oliver must check to get there from his torn biceps and meniscus surgeries.