Updated
Updated · ESPN · Aug 29
Bills Release 2 Veterans Before 53-Man Deadline as Rookie Tommy Doman Jr. Wins Punter Job
Updated
Updated · ESPN · Aug 29

Bills Release 2 Veterans Before 53-Man Deadline as Rookie Tommy Doman Jr. Wins Punter Job

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Aug 29

Summary

  • Buffalo cut veteran returner Mecole Hardman Jr. and punter Mitch Wishnowsky on Saturday as it trims the roster to 53 players before Sunday’s 6 p.m. ET NFL deadline.
  • Tommy Doman Jr. secured the starting punter role, while Hardman lost ground after the Bills gave more punt-return chances to running back Ray Davis instead of using a roster spot on him.
  • Davis did muff a punt in Buffalo’s third preseason game, leaving the team’s longer-term punt-return plan unsettled even after Hardman’s release.
  • Hardman, 28, joined Buffalo’s practice squad in November and appeared in three regular-season games plus one playoff game in 2025 after winning three Super Bowls with Kansas City.

Insights

Could Mecole Hardman’s shocking release actually be a strategic loophole for the Bills to stash a veteran champion on their practice squad?
Why did the Bills sacrifice a three-time Super Bowl champion and a reliable veteran punter for unproven rookies on their active roster?
Will Buffalo's risky gamble on a rookie punter and a fumble-prone returner ultimately sabotage their special teams this season?