The Buffalo Bills announced several roster changes ahead of their Week 11 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team activated rookie defensive tackle T.J. Sanders from injured reserve and added wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. to the active roster.
Sanders had been sidelined since October 11 with a knee injury, missing games against the Falcons, Panthers, Chiefs, and Dolphins. This week, he participated fully in practice after his 21-day window to return was opened. Sanders commented on his time away from play: “Self-scouting,” Sanders said of what he saw on film during his time away. “Just saw a kid who was getting better week-to-week.” Sanders was selected by Buffalo as the 41st overall pick in the second round of this year’s draft out of South Carolina.
Mecole Hardman Jr., previously signed to the Bills’ practice squad on November 11, has now been promoted to the 53-man roster. Hardman, formerly with the Kansas City Chiefs, has accumulated 178 receptions for 2,302 yards and 16 touchdowns in his NFL career. He is also known for his special teams contributions, having recorded 819 punt return yards and 1,073 kickoff return yards with two touchdowns as a return specialist. Regarding his new opportunity with Buffalo, Hardman stated: “Happy for any opportunity.” He further expressed readiness to contribute in any role and mentioned his comfort playing both slot and outside receiver positions as well as positive relationships with teammates James Cook and Josh Allen.
Additionally, wide receiver Gabe Davis and tight end Keleki Latu were elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. Davis has totaled nearly 3,000 receiving yards and scored 29 touchdowns over five seasons in the NFL. Earlier this week he spoke about returning from a knee injury: Davis discussed his readiness to return to football after recovering from a knee injury, emphasizing his eagerness to contribute to the team’s success. He highlighted the importance of teamwork and execution in the passing offense.
Keleki Latu is an undrafted rookie who has yet to make an appearance in an NFL game.
To accommodate these moves on their roster, Buffalo released cornerback Brandon Codrington.
