4 winners & 2 losers from Buffalo Bills' preseason finale win over Buccaneers

Wins and losses in the preseason don't matter, but the Buffalo Bills had to be thrilled to get a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after their 38-0 loss to the Chicago Bears the week before.

Buffalo's opening drive covered 80 yards on 12 plays, with running back Frank Gore Jr. scoring a touchdown from one yard out. That set the tone as they won 23-19, giving themselves confidence heading into the regular season.

With this game in the books, let's look at who stood out as both winners and losers in the preseason finale.

Winner: Deone Walker, DT

Bills DT Deone Walker hits the blocking sled during position drills during day seven of Buffalo Bills training camp. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fourth-round pick Deone Walker has been a standout throughout the preseason, something that continued on Saturday night. Walker was consistently pushing the pocket, even recording a half-sack when he and A.J. Epenesa brought down Kyle Trask in the backfield.

One of the subtle surprises of #Bills preseason is how good Deone Walker is as a pass rusher.
He's got way too much athleticism going to the QB for a guy that size. Really interested to see how much carries to the regular season against starters.
— Thad Brown (@thadbrown7) August 24, 2025

The 6-foot-7, 331-pound Walker looks the part of a run-stuffing nose tackle, but his ability to rush the passer could make him a star.

Winner: Zach Davidson, TE

Buffalo Bills Zach Davidson catches a pass during the voluntary workout at the Bills' practice facility. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Punter Brad Robbins was under the weather on Saturday, so he missed the preseason finale. With him out, the Bills turned to tight end Zach Davidson as their emergency punter.

His first punt was late in the first quarter, and he looked like a natural, casually booting it 62 yards. His second was impressive as well, going 42 yards.

🚨 TE PUNT ALERT 🚨

Zach Davidson with the 62-yd punt!#BUFvsTB on @nflplus pic.twitter.com/o2vlzkm9Mj
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 24, 2025

Davidson also had some positive moments on offense. He caught both passes thrown his way, going for 27 yards with a long of 20.

Loser: Dane Jackson, CB

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson runs with the ball as Buffalo Bills cornerback Dane Jackson defends. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Saturday wasn't the best showing for Dane Jackson, but that's not the reason he makes this list in Week 3. Instead, it's the fact that he was on the field late in the third quarter.

Jackson started his career in Buffalo, spending four years with the franchise. He returned this offseason after playing for the Carolina Panthers in 2024 and was expected to have a key role following injuries suffered by Maxwell Hairston and Tre'Davious White.

Seeing him on the field so far into the finale doesn't bode well for his chances of making the team.

Winner: Tyrell Shavers, WR

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers catches the ball over Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Bryce Hall for a TD. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Tyrell Shavers has to make the 53-man roster.

The third-year pro has been making one highlight-reel play after another this offseason, but saved his best for the finale. During the second quarter, Shavers hauled in a one-handed touchdown from 11 yards out, giving Buffalo a 14-3 lead.

ONE-HANDED CATCH @rell4six! 🤯#BUFvsTB on @nflplus pic.twitter.com/meXbNF5lNw
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 24, 2025

He finished with two receptions for 24 yards, giving him six receptions for 123 yards in three preseason games.

Loser: Elijah Moore, WR

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Elijah Moore catches a pass in warm-up drills before a game against the New York Giants. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Elijah Moore is going to have a tough time making the roster thanks to Shavers. While the former undrafted free agent turned heads with his touchdown catch, Moore finished with eight yards on three receptions.

Moore has been used primarily on screen passes and was able to turn just one into a decent gain on Saturday. That nine-yard gain showed why he had a shot at making the roster, but his inability to make an impact downfield could be his undoing.

Winner: Shane Buechele, QB

Buffalo Bills quarterback Shane Buechele runs out of the pocket as Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Chris Braswell rushes. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Buffalo gave the keys to Shane Buechele on Saturday and he drove the offense to success all night. The former Kansas City Chiefs backup made a case for moving up the depth chart with a strong performance.

He made quick and decisive throws, completing 25-of-30 passes for 278 yards with one touchdown. Buechele was easily the biggest winner for Buffalo, doing enough to ask whether or not he should be in the QB2 conversation.

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