Bills fill empty roster spot by signing speedy practice squad WR

The Buffalo Bills have signed wide receiver Jalen Virgil to their active roster.

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The Buffalo Bills have rounded out their banged-up receiving corps with an internal option, signing wide receiver Jalen Virgil to the active roster from their practice squad. Buffalo had an open roster spot after releasing defensive tackle Zion Logue from their 53-man unit Thursday afternoon.

Virgil spent the first nine weeks of the 2024 campaign on Buffalo’s practice squad, signing with the reserve unit after being released by the Denver Broncos as part of their final roster cuts in August. He was elevated from the practice squad for the Bills’ Week 8 and Week 9 contests, logging a total of 14 offensive snaps and 18 special teams reps.

Related: Bills WR Amari Cooper takes encouraging step in injury recovery ahead of Week 10

The third-year wideout initially signed with the Broncos after going unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft, this after a five-year stint at Appalachian State in which he caught 98 passes for 1,436 yards and 11 scores. He was a dynamic kick returner throughout his time in Boone, returning 37 kicks for 1,142 yards and three touchdowns.

Virgil got onto the field in nine games as a rookie in Denver, flashing his 4.40 40-yard dash speed as he caught two passes for 75 yards and one score. He also returned one kick for 21 yards; he spent his entire sophomore year on Denver’s injured reserve list.

He’s obviously made an impression on Buffalo’s brass, this demonstrated by their pursuit of the 26-year-old this past summer and the wideout’s Friday promotion to the active roster. The Bills are currently working through a bevy of injuries at wide receiver, as rookie Keon Coleman has been ruled out for the team’s Week 10 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts while five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper is questionable. With two significant pieces potentially absent this week, Virgil could potentially be in line to make an impact in his first game as a member of the active roster proper.

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