Bills' primary return specialist faces new competition after playoff relegation

Buffalo Bills' second-year specialist Brandon Codrington won't be 'lollygagging' thanks to added competition from a 2020 second-round draft pick

Bills Brandon Codrington breaks free from Kansas City's Jaden Hicks and tries to avoid Keith Taylor who shifted towards him during first half action against the Kansas City Chiefs in Orchard Park, Nov.17, 2024. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Overall, it turned out to be a shrewd addition to the Buffalo Bills' roster.

General manager Brandon Beane pulled off a roster cutdown day trade with the New York Jets for undrafted rookie Brandon Codrington, who had been nothing shy of electrifying while returning kicks during preseason games.

The Bills almost immediately slid Codrington into a primary return specialist role, and the small-school product proved to be both reliable and effective as he appeared in all 17 regular season games.

After totaling 925 return yards, including an impressive 11.6 punt return average, Codrington was put on the shelf for the playoffs.

In what appeared to be a roster numbers game, the Bills made the rookie return specialist, who was slightly banged-up in Week 18, a gameday inactive for all three postseason contests. Instead, Buffalo turned to starting wide receiver Khalil Shakir to handle punt return duties while backup running back Ray Davis was used to return kickoffs.

Now, as Codrington gears up for his second NFL campaign, he faces competition for the right to retain his return specialist role. In free agency, the Bills added former second-round draft pick Laviska Shenault to its wide receiving corps, but his only realistic path to a 53-man roster spot is through providing additional value as a special teams contributor.

Bills Brandon Codrington avoids the tackle while carrying the ball during second half action of their home game against the San Francisco 49ers in Orchard Park on Dec. 1, 2024. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“This pushes me," said Codrington in a post-minicamp practice interview shared by WGR 550 AM. "He's a talented returner, so, I can't come out here lollygagging [when I] have competition back here. I love it."

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The good news for Codrington is that Shenault has never returned a punt in an NFL game. When it's come to kickoffs, however, he's been dangerous.

Under the new kickoff format in 2024, Shenault averaged 28.7 yards per kick return, including a 97-yard touchdown, over 16 run backs. By comparison, Codrington returned 11 kickoffs at a 27.8 ypr clip.

"I love it. Friendly competition," said Codrington.

Nov 19, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (5) with the ball as Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Brooks (83) defends in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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