Buffalo Bills Put Former Penn State QB to Work Throwing Passes at Training Camp

Josh Allen wasn't the only quarterback showing off his arm this week at Buffalo Bills' training camp.

The Bills held tryouts for three wide receivers after Thursday's practice with KhaDarel Hodge, Dante Pettis and Isaiah Whitehead all catching passes from a retired NFL signal caller.

As a side note, Pettis, a former second-round draft pick, emerged as the choice to replace waived/injured wide receiver Jalen Virgil on the 90-man roster.

Rather than extending the day for quarterbacks Josh Allen, Kyle Allen or Shane Buechele, Buffalo assigned passing duties for the tryout to offensive assistant Trace McSorley in an observation from WGR reporter Sal Capaccio.

Dec 8, 2019; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Trace McSorley (7) warms up prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills | USA TODAY Sports

"He was spinning it," said Capaccio in a X post.

McSorley, who turns 31 years old on August 23, last suited up during the 2024 NFL Preseason for the Washington Commanders. The Penn State record setter subsequently returned to his alma mater in a coaching capacity before joining first-year head coach Joe Brady's staff this past offseason.

The Penn State Connection

Brady, who played wide receiver for William & Mary, earned a graduate assistant coaching gig with Penn State for the 2015 and 2016 seasons when McSorley was an underclassman.

After making seven appearances in 2015, the 6-foot McSorley was the full-time starter for a 2016 Penn State team that went 11-3 overall and appeared in the Rose Bowl. He led the Big Ten Conference in yards per pass (9.34) over the 14-game sample.

In another Penn State connection to the current Bills' team, center Connor McGovern made nine starts as a true freshman protecting McSorley that season.

McSorley, a 2019 sixth-round draft pick, graduated with Penn State career records for wins (31), completions (720), passing yards (9,899), TD passes (77).

McSorley's hiring makes sense for Brady

Building a staff as a first-time head coach, the 36-year-old Brady wisely chose key assistants from different backgrounds with varying types and levels of experience.

"The biggest thing I was looking for was people who weren't exactly like me," said Brady on his approach.

Unlike Brady, the younger McSorley brings NFL playing experience to the table, and his being only two years removed from a roster should allow him to effectively relate to current players.

Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, another former NFL player, may be Brady's most impressive hire. The 43-year-old Leonhard played 10 seasons in the league as a safety, including two stints with the Bills.

Furthermore, he already has impressive coaching credentials. Leonhard, who was the defensive pass game coordinator for the Denver Broncos in 2024 and 2025, previously served as Wisconsin's interim head coach after five years as defensive coordinator.

Both McSorley and Leonhard being an element to the coach staff that Brady, himself, cannot provide.

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